Advanced Practice Nursing: An Integrative Approach, Essay Example

The advanced practice nurse possesses a number of critical responsibilities that impact patient care outcomes. This requires an understanding of its evolution throughout history and what steps have been taken to improve the visibility and strength of this role at an advanced level. Nurses have continued to expand their skills, knowledge, and capabilities over the past century and thrive in complex and multifaceted environments in which they are able to contribute on many different levels (Joel, 2015). In addition, the practice setting continues to grow in scope and degree of difficulty, thereby enabling nurses to practice at expert levels in alignment with physicians with whom they collaborate on a regular basis to improve patient care quality (Joel, 2015). Moreover, advanced practice nurses have been instrumental in expanding the scope and breadth of research-based evidence that influences decision-making throughout many nursing units (Joel, 2015). These actions have enabled advanced practice nurses to examine many options associated with the care and treatment of patients and to understand how to treat patients in a collaborative context in order to meet their needs (Joel, 2015).

Advanced practice nurses are trained and educated to address common problems within the nursing profession and which affect patients with an expanded approach that is designed to facilitate continuous learning and an understanding of how to apply evidence-based principles to practice and in treating patients at a high level (Hamric, Hanson, Tracy, & O’Grady, 2013). Nurses at this level must also be able to adapt to a variety of high-pressure situations and to multitask under a variety of conditions to promote greater efficiency (Hamric et.al, 2013). It is the responsibility of these professionals, from the earliest stages of their careers, to be cognizant of the demands of the profession and to recognize their roles in maintaining a well-balanced approach to achieving effective patient care outcomes and clinical responsibilities at the highest possible level.

References

Hamric, A. B., Hanson, C. M., Tracy, M. F., & O’Grady, E. T. (2013).Advanced practice nursing: An integrative approach. Elsevier Health Sciences

Joel, L.A. (2013). Advanced Practice Nursing: Essentials of Role Development. F.A. Davis Company.