Therapeutic Nursing Vs. Advanced Practice Nursing
To non-nursing individuals, specialty nursing and advanced practice nursing may be similar. However, for the nursing professionals there is a huge difference between the two practices. Advanced practice nursing is more than a specialty nursing practice because of the incorporation of the different competencies, such as higher education/knowledge, autonomy, and expertise (Hamric, Hanson, Tracy, and O’Grady, 2014). Beitz (2000) has stated that "specialty nursing practice is the application of a range of theoretic and practical therapeutics to patient care issues in a defined clinical area within the larger field of nursing" (p. 57). We should put the two practices under the lens to understand their differences.
The educational requirements …show more content…
On the other hand, an APN practicing a specialty can perform more than what is expected of that specialty. That is because APNs not just provide care but also diagnose and treat their patients, which the latter may vary depending on the state in which you practice. Aside from that, they can be front runners when it comes to legislation and policies relating to that specialty. Any specialty nurse needs to adhere to the specific scope and practice of that nursing specialty. For example, a WOC nurse can practice his/her specialty anywhere and live up to the standards and the scope of practice of that …show more content…
Our license is our credential to show our competence to practice nursing. This is the same with specialty and advanced practice nursing. WOCNS (2017b) has stated that “the purpose of credentialing programs is to protect the public by establishing standards for professional practice, and to assess individual nurses’ knowledge and skills related to practice” (p. 3). That said, for the protection of our patients, any specialty nurse needs to receive credentials from a qualified specialty accrediting/credentialing organization. In addition to the accreditation given by a specialty nursing organization, an RN or APN needs to obtain credentials from the state where he/she will practice. Regulations for nursing, whether in specialty or in advanced practice, are governed by the nurse practice act or NPA which is enacted by all states and territories (NCSBN,
The educational requirements …show more content…
On the other hand, an APN practicing a specialty can perform more than what is expected of that specialty. That is because APNs not just provide care but also diagnose and treat their patients, which the latter may vary depending on the state in which you practice. Aside from that, they can be front runners when it comes to legislation and policies relating to that specialty. Any specialty nurse needs to adhere to the specific scope and practice of that nursing specialty. For example, a WOC nurse can practice his/her specialty anywhere and live up to the standards and the scope of practice of that …show more content…
Our license is our credential to show our competence to practice nursing. This is the same with specialty and advanced practice nursing. WOCNS (2017b) has stated that “the purpose of credentialing programs is to protect the public by establishing standards for professional practice, and to assess individual nurses’ knowledge and skills related to practice” (p. 3). That said, for the protection of our patients, any specialty nurse needs to receive credentials from a qualified specialty accrediting/credentialing organization. In addition to the accreditation given by a specialty nursing organization, an RN or APN needs to obtain credentials from the state where he/she will practice. Regulations for nursing, whether in specialty or in advanced practice, are governed by the nurse practice act or NPA which is enacted by all states and territories (NCSBN,