APN Clinical Roles (Case Study Sample)

APN Clinical Roles
Student Name
Institution
APN Clinical Roles
Introduction
An advanced practice nurse (APN) is a practitioner with intricate decision-making skills, who has acquired the knowledge base of an expert as well as clinical competencies for an extended practice. The nurse must be registered with the relevant board. The APN should at least have an experience of three years in their clinical specialty and be at an advanced level in terms of education. The educational advancement varies from place to place. Advanced practice nurses are trained in the management and diagnosis of common medical conditions (DeNisco & Barker, 2012).They collaborate with doctors and other health care professionals in providing multifarious nursing care to patients. The scope of practice of such nurses entails utilizing their integrative, cognitive, and technical abilities to put into practice safe and ethical procedures as well as the relevant protocols and guidelines.
Education
Advanced practice registered nurses (APRN) should have advanced education in any of their main roles. The main roles discharged by APRNs include, Certified Nurse Midwives, Certified Nurse Practitioners, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists, and Clinical Nurse Specialists. They must also be educated in at least one of the six population areas, which include pediatrics, women’s health, and family/individual health across various fields, including psychiatry/mental health, neonatal, and adult/gerontology (DeNisco & Barker, 2012).
The level of advanced education varies from state to state. In California, a graduate degree is the required entry level. In Washington, APRNs are required to be educated in a postgraduate or graduate certificate program. In Illinois, however, APRNs can have an Associate Degree of Nursing or a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.
Accreditation
In all three states, a nursing or nursing-related accrediting body, recognized by the United States Department of Education (USDE), must accredit all APN education programs. This category includes all postgraduate and graduate certificate programs (Rounds, Zych, & Mallary, 2013). In Washington, APRN education programs are housed within other graduate programs that are nationally accredited. However, such graduates must be qualified for national certification at an advanced level. In Illinois and California, there are in-state graduate programs that are pre-approved by the relevant body of professional regulation.
Certification
In all three states, individuals with the appropriate APRN education can sit for a national certification examination to assess their competencies in respect of the position. If a program prepares graduates for both primary care roles and acute care, the graduate must be equipped with the APRN population-focused competencies for both roles (Rounds, Zych, & Mallary, 2013). They must also successfully obtain documentation for both roles; the certification process is similar in the three states, though different bodies do it.
Licensure
In all the three states, individuals must have a registered nurse (RN) license obtained from their respective states before receiving the ARN license. Certification, licensure, and education of such candidates must be similar in terms of their specialty (Stanley, 2012). Qualifications for obtaining a license are similar in the three states. A candidate must produce official educational transcripts, proof of holding national cert...