Unit 2 Assignment – APRNs and State Regulations
Instructions
• 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.
• Describe the type of educational courses and professional requirements required for APRN professional certification and licensing within the state that you will practice. (Atlanta, Georgia, USA)
• 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.
• 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
• Evaluate the development of the advanced practice nurse role from a global perspective.
Assignment Guidelines:
• 1200 – 1500 word paper (not including the cover page and references)
• Required APA 7th edition for references and citations
• Include a minimum of 6 scholarly references (does not include text or websites) and the majority of references must not be older than 5 years
• Demonstrate analysis, evaluation and synthesis of information (see the rubric for specifics) Please pay attaention to APA 7th edition its very important! Ask question if have any
Sample Answer
APRNs and State Regulations
APRNs play a significant role in providing health care services to individual patients and families, especially as primary healthcare providers. Their scope of practice varies across different states due to variations in state regulations. An APRN must therefore be informed about all the regulations, including academic qualifications in terms of educational courses, professional requirements, certification and licensure. It is also critical for an APRN to have a personal philosophy that aligns with the competencies of the accrediting agencies. The discussion of the paper will outline a personal philosophy and framework that related to the role of family nurse practitioner and aligns with competencies of the accrediting agency, the educational and professional requirements as required in the state of Georgia, APRN’s roles and prescriptive authority, differences in various aspects of APRN roles and impact on care and a comparison of the role of an advanced practice role from a global perspective.
Personal Philosophy and Framework
Personal philosophy is based on the belief and the idea that the patient is the central focus of medical care. Care offered to the patient should be tailored to meet the needs and the expectations of the patient. A treatment plan should be individualized as health care needs, preferences and expectations of patients across cultural groups, age, racial and ethnic groups, and across individual characteristics based on values, beliefs and practices. The framework of the personal philosophy is also characterized by the need for quality care to patients to improve patient satisfaction. According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, quality care is characterized by patient safety and evidence-based care (Holley, 2016). Patient safety focuses on protecting the patient from harm through error prevention and prevention of other adverse outcomes. Research also informs care by incorporating best evidence into practice.
One of the accrediting agency competency keys to the delivery of quality care is collaboration across disciplines. I value collaboration with other healthcare professionals for better health care outcomes. Personal philosophy is inspired by the 21 Nursing Problems Theory by Faye Glenn Abdellah that changed the nursing focus from disease to patient-centered practice. The theory asserts that nursing practice involves the art of molding attitudes, technical skills, and competencies of the nurse into the ability and desire to help patients cope with their health needs (Allam, et al., 2016). The ultimate focus of care is, therefore, the patient.
Educational Courses and Professional Requirements
To become an APRN in Georgia, the journey starts with becoming a registered nurse and then advancing their academic qualifications. One must obtain at least a Master’s degree in their specialty characterized by training in their chosen clinical specialty. The nursing program chose must be approved by the Georgia Board of Nursing. Out of state programs must be approved by an accredited agency recognized by the United States Department of Education (USDE). One has to have completed three courses that include advanced pharmacology, pathophysiology, and health assessment. National certification from recognized agencies such as the American Nurses credentialing Center, the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, and others is required. After national certification, one can apply for state licensure, and under federal and state law, one must disclose their social security number and have a criminal history background check. An APRN is not required to continue their education to keep their license active but has to continue with the educational requirements as outlined by the national certification agency.
Application Process for the Certification Exam, State Regulations Related to Prescriptive Authority and Other Issues Related to APRN Practice
One must confirm for eligibility of the certification exam before application. Some of the eligibility criteria include possession of a registered nurse license, possess a masters of a doctoral degree, possess three comprehensive and separate graduate-level courses in pharmacology, physiology, and health assessment. A minimum of a total of 500 faculty-supervised clinical hours is required. One then applies for the certification online, with the waiting period for approval varying depending on the agency. A person then submits their education verification documents to the email. To seek prescriptive authority, one must submit a nurse protocol agreement to the Georgia Board of Nursing that has been approved by the Georgia Composite Medical Board. After approval of the protocol, one is eligible to apply the DEA number to obtain prescriptive authority.
APRNs can only prescribe schedule III-V controlled substance, and they are required to obtain and submit a written protocol with the relevant supervising physician. They also have to be authorized to prescribe. In Georgia, APRNs have restricted practice. A written protocol between the supervising physician and the NP is required. The written protocol specifies medical acts that the physician delegates and provides for immediate consultations. Nurse practitioners in Georgia are not explicitly recognized as primary care providers. APRNs in Georgia do not have the authority to prescribe schedule II drugs. They also have limited ability in ordering diagnostic tests.v
