Roles in Advanced Practice Nursing Chamberlain College of Nursing NR500: Foundational Concepts and Advanced Practice Roles September 2019

Roles in Advanced Practice Nursing Chamberlain College of Nursing NR500: Foundational Concepts and Advanced Practice Roles September 2019 Roles in Advanced Practice Nursing The development of advanced practice nursing (APN) roles began when Nurse Loretta Ford and physician Henry Silver proposed an expansion in the role of nursing as a solution to the primary care shortage in the1960’s. To address the healthcare needs of children in the community, Ford and Silver founded the first nurse practitioner role in pediatrics which paved the way for the various APN roles we have today. Healthcare is an evolving field and the technology, medicine, and needs of patients in the 21st century is continuously changing. To address these changes, the role of nurses has expanded into four major APN roles. The transition from a registered nurse (RN) to the role of APN is a significant one involving advanced educational preparation and expanded work environment required for advanced practice licensing. This paper will examine the roles, education, work environment and transition into to the four APN roles. Four APN Roles The APRN is a master’s prepared nurse that provides primary or specialty clinical care (DeNisco & Barker, 2015). The four APN roles defined by the APRN consensus model include certified nurse practitioner (CNP), clinical nurse specialist (CNS), certified nurse-midwife (CNM) and the certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNA) (NCSBN, 2008). The APN can further specialize in one of six population foci which include, family/individual across the lifespan, adult-gerontology, neonatal, pediatrics, women's health/gender-related and psychiatricmental health. All APN roles require graduate-level education with masters or doctorate in nursing and hold both an RN and APRN license. The APN credentials prepare them with specialized education and training required to be competent in various healthcare settings.