The Roles in Advanced Nursing Practice paper is worth 150 points and will be graded on the quality of the content, use of citations, use of Standard English grammar, sentence structure, and overall organization based on the required components as summarized in the directions and grading criteria/rubric.
Submit the paper as a Microsoft Word Document, which is the required format at Chamberlain University. You are encouraged to use the APA Academic Writer and Grammarly tools when creating your assignment.
Follow the directions below and the grading criteria located in the rubric closely. Any questions about this paper may be posted under the Q & A Forum or emailed to your faculty.
The length of the paper should be 3-6 pages, excluding title page and reference page(s).
Support ideas with a minimum of 2 scholarly resources. Scholarly resources do not include your textbook. You may need to use more than 2 scholarly resources to fully support your ideas.
You may use first person voice when describing your rationale for choosing the CNP role and your plans for clinical practice.
Current APA format is required with both a title page and reference page(s). Use the following as Level 1 headings to denote the sections of your paper (Level 1 headings use upper- and lower-case letters and are bold and centered):
Roles in Advanced Practice Nursing (This is the paper introduction. In APA format, a restatement of the paper title, centered and not bold serves as the heading of the introduction section)
Four APN Roles
Rationale for Choosing CNP Role
Plans for Clinical Practice
Role Transition
Conclusion
Directions
Introduction: Provide an overview of what will be covered in the paper. Introduction should include general statements on advanced practice nursing roles, general statements on the role transition from RN to APN, and identification of the purpose of the paper.
Four APN Roles: Describe the role, educational preparation, and work environment for the four APN roles (CNP, CNS, CRNA & CNM). Provide support from at least one scholarly source.
Rationale for Choosing CNP Role: Describe your rationale for choosing the CNP advanced practice role versus one of the other roles.
Plans for Clinical Practice: Discuss your plans for clinical practice after graduation. Explain how your understanding of NP practice has changed after researching the four ANP roles.
Role Transition: Discuss your transition from the RN role to the NP role. Describe two factors that may impact your transition. Discuss two strategies you will use to support a successful transition from the RN to your NP role. Provide reference support from at least one scholarly source. The textbook is not a scholarly source.
Conclusion: Provide a conclusion, including a brief summary of what you discussed in the paper.
Roles in Advanced Practice Nurse
Advanced practice nurses (APNs) are critical professionals in healthcare since they support quality and safe care. The nurses are specialized registered nurses (RNs) groups working in roles that physicians once dominated. The current analysis focuses on the four roles of APNs: certified nurse practitioners (CNP), clinical nurse specialists (CNS), certified nurse-midwives (CNM) and certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNA). Besides describing the four roles, the paper covers the rationale for choosing the CNP role versus one of the other roles, clinical practice plans, and role transition from the RN role to the NP role. The transition process includes training and experience advancement that a nurse gets to become better at caring for patients (LeFlore & Thomas, 2016). Thus, while nurses can provide care as RNs, they can become better by taking NP roles in one of the four specialties.
Four APN Roles
Certified Nurse Practitioners (CNP)
Nurse practitioners are registered nurses with qualifications that allow them to provide more advanced care. They graduate with a baccalaureate nursing degree (BSN) or a master’s program but furthers their education to gain specialized knowledge. A CNP gains clinical experience as part of the preparation to work as a nurse practitioner (Sabo et al., 2017). Nurses receive certification from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) to work in any specialty, like family medicine, acute care, pediatrics, gerontology, or psychiatry. CNP can work in numerous clinical practices diagnosing and prescribing treatment to diverse patients.
Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNS)
Clinical nurse specialists provide leadership and high-level medical knowledge in specialties, such as community health or geriatrics. Nurses intending to work in this role should have a master’s degree in nursing (MSN) or doctoral degree program (DNP) (Cahill et al., 2014). DNP is essential for nurses intending to specialize in research. The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) provides certification for nurses who can work in specialties, such as mental health, pediatrics, adult-gerontology, or adult health.
Certified Nurse-Midwives (CNM)
Certified Nurse-Midwives are registered nurses who train and work in childbirth and related health clinical care. The nurses should have at least a Master’s of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree. However, they do not require a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) qualification for an entry-level nurse-midwifery (Sabo et al., 2017). However, the qualification is beneficial for CNMs. Nurses working in this role should work in midwifery and later seek certification from organizations, such as the American Midwifery Certification Board (AMCB). They practice in settings that provide women with childbirth and reproductive health services.
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNA)
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists administer anesthesia to individuals in preparation operation or surgery. They ensure that patients are safe during such medical procedures. CRNAs should have a Master’s of Science in Nursing (MSN) or doctoral degree program (DNP) (Cahill et al., 2014). The Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Education Programs (COA) accredits nurse practitioners preparing to work as CRNAs. The National Board of Certification & Recertification of Nurse Anesthetists (NBCRNA) requires them to have an exam for further certification to work in settings that need patient safety during surgeries and operations.
The Rationale for Choosing CNP Role
The rationale for selecting the CPN role is the wide range of practice. Unlike the other three ANP roles, the CNP can work in the practices that physicians have traditionally dominated. The role is interesting since it provides the chance to work closely with patients to diagnose and prescribe treatment. For example, the nurse can work in pediatrics providing comprehensive care to children. The role provides advanced experience to develop the career as a nurse practitioner.
Plans for Clinical Practice
After graduating, I plan to work in a hospital to develop knowledge and experience in providing patient care. Initially, I will work as a registered nurse, providing nursing care to patients, but most probably under supervision. However, after researching the four ANP roles, I have gained a deeper understanding of the need for advanced knowledge to specialize in one of the four roles, especially CNP.
Role Transition
The role transition from an RN to an NP is a major change from being a general practice nurse to specializing in one of the four APN roles. The change also means that a nurse can work independently in diagnosing and prescribing treatment. The transition is challenging since it transforms the caregiver from an experienced registered nurse to a novice nurse practitioner (Barnes, 2015). Thus, effective role transition is necessary to provide care effectively. Experience and formal orientation are factors needed for a successful transition. Highly experienced RNs who receive adequate support and orientation transition easily. Thus, hospitals should use strategies, such as mentorship, training, and orientation time, to support the change.
Conclusion
Nurses are critical caregivers in healthcare. While registered nurses provide sufficient general care, they become better by transitioning to one of the four ANP roles, CNP, CNS, CNM, and CRNA. Nurses intending to advance their care should select one of the roles and train accordingly. They should understand the role and relevant education qualification and certification to practice independently to diagnose and prescribe treatment.
References
Barnes, H. (2015). Exploring the factors that influence nurse practitioner role transition. The Journal for Nurse Practitioners, 11(2), 178-183.
Cahill, M., Alexander, M., & Gross, L. (2014). The 2014 NCSBN consensus report on APRN regulation. Journal of Nursing Regulation, 4(4), 5-12.
LeFlore, J. L., & Thomas, P. E. (2016). Educational changes to support advanced practice nursing education. The Journal of perinatal & neonatal nursing, 30(3), 187.
Sabo, J. A., Chesney, M., Tracy, M. F., & Sendelbach, S. (2017). APRN consensus model implementation: The Minnesota experience. Journal of Nursing Regulation, 8(2), 10-16.