Roles in Advanced Practice Nursing
Chamberlain University
Foundational Concepts and Advanced Practice Roles
NR500NP
, Roles in Advanced Practice Nursing
The advanced practice nurse has many roles, opportunities, and skills learned throughout
their nursing career that allows them to become more autonomous and utilize their critical
thinking skills for their patients every day. The MSN prepared nurse can be a CNP, CNM, CNS,
or CRNA. Transitioning from these roles can be difficult but we must know our goals and our
self. I will discuss the many roles APRN’s can take on after completing their MSN ways to help
ease the transition into these roles after being a staff nurse and going to the APRN role.
What is an APRN? An APRN is an advanced practice registered nurse that has acquired
more knowledge and skills to be able to assess, treat and diagnose patients as well as planning
and implementation of the treatment plans for their patients (Nursing Journal, 2019).APRN’s can
utilize their newly acquired skills and knowledge base to make those decisions about their
patients’ healthcare and function more autonomously and go between patients, family and the
provider as part of the framework of the team providing care to the patient. APRN’s have the
skills to do consultations, diagnose, provide physical exams, assess and modify treatment for
patients progress or lack of, they can refer patients to specialist, and dispense medications
The four APRN roles available after completing an MSN program are the certified nurse
practitioner (CNP), clinical nurse specialist (CNS), certified nurse midwife (CNM), and certified
nurse anesthetist (CRNA). The CNP can offer primary care or specialty care to their patients.
They have ability to work independently or with another doctor and collaborate with them. They
can manage health problems and diagnose through diagnostic testing and prescribing
medications and treatments needed for the patient. NP’s can work in many different settings
such as doctors’ offices, clinics, ER’s, hospitals and in specialty areas like cardiology, pediatrics,
Chamberlain University
Foundational Concepts and Advanced Practice Roles
NR500NP
, Roles in Advanced Practice Nursing
The advanced practice nurse has many roles, opportunities, and skills learned throughout
their nursing career that allows them to become more autonomous and utilize their critical
thinking skills for their patients every day. The MSN prepared nurse can be a CNP, CNM, CNS,
or CRNA. Transitioning from these roles can be difficult but we must know our goals and our
self. I will discuss the many roles APRN’s can take on after completing their MSN ways to help
ease the transition into these roles after being a staff nurse and going to the APRN role.
What is an APRN? An APRN is an advanced practice registered nurse that has acquired
more knowledge and skills to be able to assess, treat and diagnose patients as well as planning
and implementation of the treatment plans for their patients (Nursing Journal, 2019).APRN’s can
utilize their newly acquired skills and knowledge base to make those decisions about their
patients’ healthcare and function more autonomously and go between patients, family and the
provider as part of the framework of the team providing care to the patient. APRN’s have the
skills to do consultations, diagnose, provide physical exams, assess and modify treatment for
patients progress or lack of, they can refer patients to specialist, and dispense medications
The four APRN roles available after completing an MSN program are the certified nurse
practitioner (CNP), clinical nurse specialist (CNS), certified nurse midwife (CNM), and certified
nurse anesthetist (CRNA). The CNP can offer primary care or specialty care to their patients.
They have ability to work independently or with another doctor and collaborate with them. They
can manage health problems and diagnose through diagnostic testing and prescribing
medications and treatments needed for the patient. NP’s can work in many different settings
such as doctors’ offices, clinics, ER’s, hospitals and in specialty areas like cardiology, pediatrics,
