Advanced Practice, Role Development, Current Trends, and Health Policy

Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) - Answer-- Completion of accredited graduate level education - Passed national certification examination - Acquired advanced clinical knowledge and skills to provide direct care - Practice and skills build upon the competencies of a Registered Nurse (greater synthesis of data, increased complexity of skills and greater role autonomy) - Educationally prepared to assume responsibility and accountability for direct and indirect patient care (assessment, diagnosis, management, and prescriptive authority) - Clinical experience reflects licensure - Obtained licensure in one of the four APRN roles: CRNA, CNM, CNS, CNP IOM Report on the Future of Nursing highlights... - Answer-1) Nurses should PRACTICE TO THE FULL EXTENT of their education and training 2) Nurses should achieve higher levels of education and training through an improved education system that promotes SEAMLESS ACADEMIC PROGRESSION 3) Nurses should be FULL PARTNERS WITH PHYSICIANS and other healthcare professionals, in redesigning health care in the U.S. 4) Effective workforce planning and policy require better data collection and an improved information infrastructure Standards of Practice - Answer-- Authoritative statements which measure quality of practice, service, or education - Establishes minimum levels of acceptable performance - Provides a means to measure quality of care received - Can be used to provide legal expectations of practice, but were not designed to define standards of practice for clinical or legal purposes Scope of Practice - Answer-- Based on what is legally allowable in each state under its Nurse Practice Act - Provides guidelines vs. specific mandates for nursing practice - Is NOT mandated - Varies widely from state to state