APRNs and State Regulations

• Develop a personal philosophy and framework acknowledging professional and accrediting agency competencies relating to the role and scope of practice of the family nurse practitioner. Identify a nurse theorist that you align your current/ planned practice and how they provide the foundation for this philosophy development.(APRNs and State Regulations EssayExamples)
• Describe the type of educational courses and professional requirements required for APRN professional certification and licensing within the state that you will practice.(APRNs and State Regulations EssayExamples)
• Identify the precise application process for your certification exam, your state regulations for application for prescriptive authority/practice, and issues related to APRN practice within your state.(APRNs and State Regulations EssayExamples)
• Evaluate and discuss APRN roles and prescriptive privileges and impact on client safety and care
• Compare the differences between prescriptive authority, credentialing, and clinical privileges and how each of these impact client safety and care(APRNs and State Regulations EssayExamples)
• Evaluate the development of the advanced practice nurse role from a global perspective.(APRNs and State Regulations EssayExamples)

I live in the state of Georgia and I plan to practice here as well(APRNs and State Regulations EssayExamples)

APRNs and State Regulations EssayExamples-sample solution

APRNs and State Regulations

APRN is an umbrella term for nurse practitioners, certified nurse midwives, clinical nurse specialists in mental health, and certified registered nurse anesthetists. APRNs are highly skilled and educated and can protect, promote, and optimize health, prevent illness and injury, and facilitate healing. Advanced practice nurses’ scope of practice is expanding with growing healthcare demands and challenges. This paper discusses my personal philosophy and framework of working as a family nurse practitioner, the education courses and professional requirements required for APRN in Georgia, the certification exam and prescriptive authority application process, the APRN role and prescriptive privileges and its impact on client safety and care, prescriptive authority, credentialing, and privileging and implications for patient safety, and APNs role development from a global perspective.(APRNs and State Regulations EssayExamples)

Personal Philosophy and Framework

My personal philosophy perceives working as a family nurse practitioner as a calling to care that requires commitment, compassion, and empathy. Besides the education to deliver patient-centered care, work in a multidisciplinary team, and adopt evidence-based practices, nurses need communication skills and the ability to coordinate with patients and caregivers to promote healthy living, successful recovery, and positive behavioral change. Working as a family nurse practitioner (FNP) also calls for developing core competencies, including interpersonal relations, critical thinking and decision-making, leadership to guide other providers and assistants, and organization skills, including multitasking and practice management. As a family nurse practitioner, I should also demonstrate compassionate care, considering clients’ needs and beliefs, resourcefulness in treatment plan development, detail orientation to notice healthcare issues and track changes, resilience to operate under high pressure and in a stressful environment, and independence to make autonomous decisions.(APRNs and State Regulations EssayExamples)

These core competencies and personal characteristics allow an FNP to perform clinical activities such as recording patient health histories, conducting physical exams, observing and assessing symptoms, ordering tests and analyzing results, diagnosing physical and mental health diseases, and prescribing medications. Jean Watson’s theory of human caring aligns with my current and planned practice and guides my philosophical development. The theory recommends holistic care because humans cannot be separated from self, others, nature, or the larger workforce (Nikfarid et al., 2018). This theory comprises the whole of nursing and guides how nurses express care to their clients.(APRNs and State Regulations EssayExamples)

Educational Courses and Professional Requirements Required for APRN Professional Certification and Licensing in Georgia

Specifically, one must have a graduate degree, either a master’s degree or higher in nursing or a specialty area of the APRN, to practice in Georgia. The educational course or graduate program selected must be approved by the Georgia Board of Nursing or be equivalent to a Board-approved program for an out-of-state program. The Board also requires all APRNs to complete advanced pathophysiology, pharmacology, and health assessment courses (Jacobs, 2022). A minimum of two graduate courses in mental health nursing and supervised practice for the two courses is needed. Additionally, APRNs need coursework in anesthesia induction, maintenance, and emergence, pre-anesthetic preparation and evaluation, peri-anesthetic and clinical support functions, and postanesthesia care. Lastly, APRN practice in Georgia requires the authorization of the Georgia Board of Nursing and a license as an RN.(APRNs and State Regulations EssayExamples)

Application Process for the Certification Exam and Prescriptive Authority/Practice and Issues Related to APRN Practice within Georgia

Licensure by examination requires the APRN to graduate from a nursing program in an APRN specialty and be nationally certified in the specialty. The submission can be completed online or by mail after downloading the application form. The application fee is $90, and the processing fee for online application is $5 and $10 by mail (Nurse Practitioner License, 2023). The applicant should send the official transcripts directly to the Board from the issuing school and indicate proof of completion of the advanced master-level courses in the specific specialty. The proof should include graduation with a master’s degree or higher and five hundred hours of APRN practice accompanied by an APRN Verification of Employment form.(APRNs and State Regulations EssayExamples)

The APRN license in Georgia does not include prescriptive authority, and APRNs have to apply for a permit. APRNs should apply for the nurse protocol agreement available on the Georgia Composite Medical Board’s website through the “Professional Resources” section. After completing the nurse protocol agreement and obtaining approval, the APRN should contact the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) to apply for the permit and obtain the DEA number (Nurse Practitioner License, 2023). Notably, full practice authority is still a barrier for APRNs in Georgia, and advanced practice nurses believe that Georgia could benefit from the removal of these practice barriers (Johnson et al., 2021). More nurses can work in rural Georgia more autonomously with the provision of full practice authority.(APRNs and State Regulations EssayExamples)

APRN Roles and Prescriptive Privileges and Impact on Client Safety and Care

The US is experiencing an increasing need for acute care, mainly due to an increasingly aging population, putting great demand for emergency and critical care services. The healthcare system continues to face physician shortages, increasing the need for more advanced practice nurses (Zhang & Patel, 2022). Increasing autonomy of practice and prescriptive privileges has positive outcomes on client safety and quality of care. Research shows that involving advanced practice nurses in emergency and critical care enhances clinical outcomes, including length of stay, consultation and treatment time, mortality rates, patient satisfaction, cost saving, and patient safety (Zhang & Patel, 2022). Providing APRNs prescriptive privileges creates concerns for patient safety, but APRNs are qualified to treat complex patients and order medication.(APRNs and State Regulations EssayExamples)

Differences between Prescriptive Authority, Credentialing, And Clinical Privileges and How Each of These Impact Client Safety and Care

Prescriptive authority is APRNs’ ability to prescribe medication and controlled drugs, devices, adjunct health/medical services, medical equipment and supplies, and durable medical goods without limitation. Most states limit prescriptive authority, citing patient safety concerns. However, the patient safety issue can be addressed by enhancing the understanding of regulations guiding and informing APRNs’ prescriptive autonomy and improving healthcare team dynamics (Zhang & Patel, 2022). Credentialing refers to verifying and substantiating an individual’s professional education, including certificates, awards, college and university degrees and certifications, and experience and training. This process improves patient safety by ensuring professionals have the recognition, mobility, and body of knowledge required to work with patients (Dresser & Elgin, 2023). Moreover, privileging involves authorizing a licensed or certified practitioner’s scope of practice. APRNs’ privileging allows them to offer particular patient care services, enhancing patient safety and care (Dresser & Elgin, 2023). These processes ensure that professionals are qualified to provide the services they have perceived the ability to offer.(APRNs and State Regulations EssayExamples)

The Development of the Advanced Practice Nurse Role from a Global Perspective

Advanced practice nurse role development is a global trend, with the recognition that APRNs can enhance global health through nursing education and advanced practice regulation. APRN recognition globally indicates the ability of these health providers to lead multidisciplinary teams through innovative care approaches, autonomous practice, clinical experience, research, education, leadership integration, and patient-focused care promotion (Rogers & Mackay, 2019). Additionally, the APNs role enhances care across the continuum through increased access to care, choice of a clinician, quality to value, and reduced waiting times. In this case, the APN role continues to be recognized globally, and the scope of practice is anticipated to grow.(APRNs and State Regulations EssayExamples)

Conclusion

APRNs are highly skilled and educated practitioners with the perceived ability to offer almost the same level of care as physicians. APRNs must undertake multiple educational courses and certifications to operate in different states. Licensure and practice requirements vary per state, and Georgia has highly prohibitive laws that limit APRNs’ scope of practice. APRNs increased scope of practice has demonstrated the ability to address healthcare challenges, including physician shortages and access to care. APN role is recognized globally with the ability to help improve efficiency, increase care access, improve overall health and health outcomes, and elevate the consumer experience.(APRNs and State Regulations EssayExamples)

References

Dresser, S. C., & Elgin, K. W. (2023). Hospital-based Credentialing and privileging. Clinical Nurse Specialist, 37(3), 133-138. https://doi.org/10.1097/nur.0000000000000742

Jacobs, A. (2022, March 9). How to become a nurse practitioner in Georgia – GA | APRN certification and jobs. GraduateNursingEDU.org. https://www.graduatenursingedu.org/georgia/

Johnson, C, Nelson, M., & Eades, L. H. (2021). Nurse practitioner autonomy in Georgia: Exploring barriers to full practice authority. Georgia State University. https://scholarworks.gsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1030&context=nursing_dnpprojects

Nikfarid, L., Hekmat, N., Vedad, A., & Rajabi, A. (2018). The main nursing metaparadigm concepts in human caring theory and Persian mysticism: a comparative study. Journal of medical ethics and History of Medicine, 11, 6.

Nurse Practitioner License. (2023, January 8). Georgia nurse practitioner licensure steps. NursePractitionerLicense.com. https://www.nursepractitionerlicense.com/nurse-practitioner-licensing-guides/georgia-nurse-practitioner-licensure-steps/

Rogers, M., & Mackay, C. C. (2019). Global Perspectives of Advanced Practice. International Council of Nurses (ICN) | ICN – International Council of Nurses. https://www.icn.ch/sites/default/files/inline-files/Melanie

Zhang, P., & Patel, P. (2022). Practitioners And Prescriptive Authority. In StatPearls [Internet]. StatPearls Publishing.(APRNs and State Regulations EssayExamples)

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/