With changes in healthcare such as the Affordable Care Act of 2010 (ACA), nurses will be playing an ever increasing role in patient centered care as healthcare moves away from acute and specialty care, and focuses more on primary care. Today the top providers of primary care are physicians (287,000), nurse practitioners (83,000), and physician assistants (23,000) (Steinwald, 2008; HRSA, 2008). The demand for advanced practice registered nurses (APRN) is expected to increase dramatically to accommodate patients seeking primary care. The IOM suggests that to prepare for this increased demand for nurse practitioners “all health care professionals should practice to the full extent of their education and training so that more patients may benefit” (IOM, 2010, p. 96). This would include standardizing the scope of practice nationwide. Across the United States, scopes of practice vary widely, inhibiting many nurses to provide the full scope…
A Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) is an expert clinician who works in a specialized area of nursing practice. The CNS role in hospital has extended to responsibility for collective care concerning patient populations. CNS’s are now being used for case management, identifying and correcting systems problems, assess utilization patterns, and to establish large-scale organizational quality control. The research brief, Role Delineation Study of Nurse Practitioners and…
This report clearly shows that there will be a shortage of physicians soon and that nurse practitioners (NP) will be needed to fill the gap. The report also shows that NP’s are completely capable of stepping up and taking control in the care of all patients, And that if the NP feels that the patient is too complicated She/he will send the patient to a Physician who practices within the field in which the patient needs to be seen by. The patient satisfaction…
Nurse practitioners are registered nurses with the education and extensive experience required to perform in an advanced clinical role. A nurse practitioner's scope of practice extends beyond that of the registered nurse. In Australia, the Nursing and Midwifery Board Australia (NMBA) endorses nurse practitioners in accordance with their scope of practice. The nurse practitioner role includes assessment and management of clients using nursing knowledge and skills and may include but is not limited to the direct referral of patients to other health care professionals, prescribing medications and ordering diagnostic investigations.…
The purpose of this assignment is to explore the professional responsibilities of the nurse and their role in safeguarding vulnerable patients, all of which are based around a fictitious scenario. The scenario is centred on a patient named Margaret and is going to be used to identify any vulnerability issues Margaret may have. Margaret could be identified as been vulnerable, as she is an 89 year old lady who is suffering from a heart condition. Margaret is currently living with her daughter and has said that her mother’s health has begun to deteriorate. Margaret is becoming very confused and forgetting to take her medication which has resulted in numerous admissions to hospital. No consent was needed on this occasion as it is a fictitious patient. Based around this fictitious scenario, the aim is to discuss and identify vulnerability and any issues arising from it. Exploring all aspects of vulnerability involving all models and discussing confidentiality, looking at the importance of it and why it should be maintained. This assignment will also look at the mental capacity act and how the nurse and other healthcare professionals assess the patient for capacity and use the models of assessment. All these are in place to protect the patient’s health and well-being and patient rights. Communication is another important skill for any nurse to have. Good communication skills are essential in providing a high standard of care, which will be explored and discussed in detail. It will also explore what accountability and responsibility is within the nurse’s role. The nurse being accountable for their actions and adhere to the Nursing and Midwifery Councils (NMC), Code. “The core function of the Nursing and Midwifery Council is to establish standards of education, training, conduct and performance for nurses and midwives to ensure those standards are maintained, thereby safeguarding the health and well-being of the public” (NMC, code, 2009).…
The American Association of Medical Colleges estimates that by 2025 the U.S. will face a physician shortage of over 130,000 physicians. This deficiency is creating an increased demand for Nurse Practitioners and Physicians Assistants. With approximately 205,000 nurse practitioners and 104,000 physicians assistants, they are increasingly becoming the solution to the country’s physician shortage. They are helping to provide cost-effective patient care routinely provided by physicians. Though they are filling essentially the identical positions, there are differences between the two professions.…
The nurse practitioner is a licensed independent practitioner who can fulfill a majority of tasks in the healthcare. They not only provide primary and some acute care and but are also qualified to meet the majority of patients' health care needs in accordance with State and Federal rules and regulations and the nursing standards of care. They promote a comprehensive approach to health care and emphasize the overall health and wellness of their patients. They may work in both inpatient and outpatient situations as they specialize in family practice, adult health, women's health or…
As the population grows, physicians will not be able to perform at a competent level and provide complete patient care without a substantial number of nurses. Reliance on nurses is necessary to reform the health care system. Barriers such as regultatory restrictions regarding scope of practice, professional resistance by physicians, and insurance company reimbursment pactices hinder RN’s and Advanced Practice Nurse’s from practicing to the full extent of their education and compromise patient outcomes (Richard Ridge, 2011). Autonomy is an issue in some states regarding APN’s role. Some states require physician oversight to diagnose, treat, prescribe, or make referrals. Compensation for services is also an concern. Independent insurance providers, Medicaid, and Medicare compensate APN’s at reduced rates or not at all and may not cover prescribed prescriptions unless a physician signs off. Professional resistance is also an problem. The Scope of Practice Partnership lobbies against state expansion of the APN’s role stating they lack medical education, clinical knowledge and cognitive and technical skills which are acquired only in medical school ( IOM, 2011). These restrictions make it difficult to meet the demands of patient care. Outdated insurance practices also pose an obstacle by restricting insurance reimbursement to APN’s. Some…
Nurse Practitioners has an important occupation. They credibility are more than health care providers but they are educators, mentors, researchers, and administrators. Having all those credentials and training help advance NPs roles to make sure their professional standards are maintained. They have low health care cost because clients that see NPs have low emergency visits, shorter hospital stays, and lower medication cost. The patient reported a high level of satisfaction is greater than those of a…
Nurse practitioners can focus on practice outside role and population emphasis and connection to patient healthcare needs. One of the biggest benefits of nurse practitioners is the can offer assistance and can address the increased demand for primary care needs and chronic illness management. Nurse practitioners provide a significant contribution to high-importance with patient centered primary care…
While researching texts written and published about Nurse Practitioners, I have found that Nurse Practitioners are rapidly becoming the top health partner choice for many Americans. Nurse Practitioners have been servicing patients for over forty years. The NP role had its initiation in the mid-sixties in response to a lack of physicians in the United States.They can perform very extensive and concentrated examinations; distinguish and treat common keen illnesses, as well as laboratory tests; and educate and instruct patients and their loved ones about maintaining a healthy lifestyle and possible health care options. In all fifty states Nurse Practitioners are allowed to prescribe medications to patients, including controlled substances. Only twenty-six states allow Nurse…
“ The term professional nurse, as used in this document, refers to that individual prepared with a minimum of a baccalaureate in nursing but is also inclusive of one who enters professional practice with a master’s degree in nursing or a nursing doctorate.” (2008, p. 2) The three main roles of the professional nurse talked about in the American Association of Colleges of Nursing are being a provider of direct and indirect care to individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations. Secondly, they are designers, managers, and coordinators of care and lastly they are members of a profession.…
Licensed practical nurses (LPN's) fill an important role in modern healthcare practices. Their primary job duty is to provide routine care, observe patients’ health, assist doctors and registered nurses, and communicate instructions to patients regarding medication, home-based care, and preventative lifestyle changes. Licensed Practical Nurses duties generally include providing routine care, observing patients’ health, assisting doctors and registered nurses, and communicating with patients and their families. A Licensed Practical Nurse has various of roles that they have to manage on a day to day basis, such as being an advocate, educator, counselor, consultant, researcher, collaborator, and even manager. It is the nursing process and critical…
For the certified nurse practitioners, care along the wellness-illness continuum is a dynamic process in which direct primary and acute care is delivered across settings. They are the members of the health delivery system and can practice independently in areas such as internal medicine, family practice, geriatrics, pediatrics, and women’s health care. They are responsible to diagnose and treat patients with undifferentiated symptoms as well as those with established diagnoses. Their responsibilities include, provide initial, ongoing, and comprehensive care, includes providing physical examinations, taking comprehensive histories, and other health assessment and screening activities, and diagnosing, treating, and managing patients with acute and chronic illnesses and diseases. They are also responsible for ordering, performing, supervising, and interpreting laboratory and imaging studies; prescribing medication and durable medical equipment; and making appropriate referrals for patients and families. Other responsibilities includes, health promotion, disease prevention, health education and counseling (American Nurses Association, 2016). Mary is a baccalaureate prepared registered nurse and has been practicing for fifteen years in various departments such as pediatric, surgical and emergency departments as well as in various positions includes floor nurse and charge nurse. Mary has an extensive knowledge and experience in various patient care areas. Based on her experience and knowledge, it is better for Mary to select a career as a certified nurse practitioner, as many of the responsibilities of a CNP was practiced by Mary while working as a bedside nurse. A CNP program will further improve Mary’s clinical decision making skills and knowledge and give her more…
1. How would you describe your role in your current position and your educational preparation for this role? “Being a Masters trained nurse allows me to obtain advanced level positions within the field of study I love. I have leadership and educational nursing experience gained through the MSN program coupled with my personal nursing experience within hospice. It is my job to hire nurses and ensure they are properly trained and set for success within our company. I also have the skills and knowledge needed to assess potential patients and determine whether they meet criteria. Once we’ve admitted the patient, I am responsible for placing that patient on a team that I fell best fits that patients individual needs.” 2. How would you explain the unique contributions you as a nurse bring to an interdisciplinary team?“I believe we all have something special to bring to the team, but if I were to focus on my skills and attributes, I would say I have the training and knowledge needed to assess and treat the clients we serve. Being the clinical director for this office allows me the ability to hire and supervise nursing staff that I feel have the skills needed to ensure our patients and families are cared for in the best possible manner.”…