Family Nurse Practitioners (FPN)
Ariel
Discussion
Persons interested in practicing as Family Nurse Practitioners (FPN) must possess a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing, and then thereafter work towards a Master of Science in Nursing program that specifically focuses on family practice. Master’s education will prepare the individual for advanced clinical practice involving families (Writers, 2020). A Doctor of Nursing Practice can also be considered. An FPN aspirant must have passed the NCLEX-RN exam which is undertaken once one has earned their Bachelor’s degree. AACN suggests that the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) is the terminal degree required to prepare nurse practitioners. According to ACNN, the DNP offers guarantee of improved health outcomes in the nursing practice since the higher the education, the higher the quality of care provided.
The state licensing authority dictates the scope of practice (“Becoming a Family Nurse Practitioner”, 2020). The laws governing FNPs varies from one state to another because there is currently no uniform model of regulations for FNPs. Therefore, the state where an FNP holds their FNP license determines the scope. AANP, that is, The American Association of Nurse Practitioners defines the role of FNPs, and the credentials for FNPs are provided by the ANCC, that is, the American Nurses Credentialing Center. A political or professional organization plays a great role in advocating for the needs of FNPs in their profession. In Florida, APRNs must be supervised by physicians, and this arrangement should at all times be outlined in writing. Secondly, a registered nurse in Florida cannot upgrade to an APRN without the APRN license, even if they have the RN license. Last but not the least, APRNs in Florida are not allowed to prescribe controlled substances to patients even when being supervised by the physician. These strict regulations bar APRN nurses in Florida from possessing full practice authority. To champion for regulations that are more favorable to the APRNs in Florida, I would resort to legislative advocacy.
References
Becoming a Family Nurse Practitioner: The Complete Guide. Onlinenursing.cn.edu. (2020). Retrieved 18 May 2020. Retrieved from https://onlinenursing.cn.edu/resources/becoming-a-family-nurse-practitioner-guide
Writers, S. (2020). How to Become a Family Nurse Practitioner | Degrees, Requirements, and Steps. May 2020. Retrieved from https://www.nursepractitionerschools.com/faq/how-to-become-family-np/.
Robert
Educational requirements to become an FNP.
For one to become an FNP, it’s mandatory that one must have completed the advanced nursing degree programs to have obtained the necessary specialized training and experience. This experience is very much needed to carry out assessment, treatment, counseling, as well as monitoring of the family’s healthcare effectively. The educational requirements vary among states, but the majority of the states require the FNP to have at least a master of science in Nursing while some other countries opt for the Doctor of Nursing Practice program. Also, academically needed is the completion of the registered nursing programs and hence earning of the licensure as RNs (STUDY, 2019).
AACN recommended terminal degree for NPs, who determines the scope of practice of FNPs
The American Association of Colleges of Nursing has recommended that any nurse seeking a terminal degree in nursing practice ensures that he/she undertakes the DNP program. This is the Doctor of nursing practice, which is much more equipped with the necessary extensive knowledge in evidence-based practice, quality improvement, and systems leadership, among other prime areas in the nursing profession (AACN, 2020). the scope of practice by the FNP is majorly determined and defined by the State Boards of Nursing or better known as the National Council of States Board of Nursing (NCSBN). Additionally, the scope of practice by the FNPs can also be influenced by the various certification agencies in the state and the professional advocacy groups as well as various influential nursing organizations. All of these organizations can have an impact on advocating for the FNP’s independent practice without the physician oversight (NURSE JOURNAL, 2020).
Who credentials and what’s the role of professional and political organizations in defining the functions of the FNPs.?
The ANCC family nurse practitioner board certification examination is the competency-based examination that provides a credible credential as related to the skills and clinical knowledge of the nurse practitioners. Once one successfully takes the test and successfully passes, one is accredited to the Family Nurse Practitioner Board Certified (FNP-BC). The accreditation board for specialty nursing certification, therefore, accredits this ANCC certification (ANCC, 2020). as clearly seen in other disciplines and practices, political and professional influences play a significant role in the defining of the part of the various professionals. This is no exception in the FNP practice where some prominent organizations e.g., ANA, AACN, NLN, to name but a few, have a significant influence in the definition of the roles of nurses. These professional nursing organizations provide their members with the necessary certification opportunities, education as well as educational conferences which help ensure that these nurses can stay at the forefront of the practice changes. They additionally advocate for the promotion and use of evidence-based practice and offer representation to the nurses who face victimization in their workplaces regarding these problems. The political organization also plays a role in advocating for the enacting of policies that ensure improved quality care of the patients and policies, which ensure that these nurses are duly compensated and offered freedom to practice effectively (Schneider, 2020).
Reviewing Florida’s APRNs regulations.
Some of the regulations provided by the state of Florida regarding an APRN include the following. Any APRN is required to get two separate licenses to practice in the state RN license and APRN license. Additionally, one needs to provide proof of national certification to be granted licensure to practice in Florida. Additionally, Florida set regulations to dictate that a Florida RN cannot upgrade to an APRN and also dictate that all nurse practitioners ensure that they file their nursing protocols. I find some of these regulations to be very satisfactory and fair. I would, however, propose that the law which states that the Florida state doesn’t maintain a list of the approved APRN nurses to be altered. I feel that the country needs to complete a source verification for all the APRNS practicing in its soil in an attempt to ensure transparency and ensure effective monitoring of these APRNs and ensure that their needs are met and that they can practice in satisfactory conditions. I would, therefore, engage the various influenceable nursing organizations in the area to try and get a collective voice, which will be much more powerful when advocating for this change (FLORIDA BOARD OF NURSING, 2020).
REFERENCES
AACN. (2020). AACN fact sheet – DNP. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Homepage. https://www.aacnnursing.org/News-Information/Fact-Sheets/DNP-Fact-Sheet
ANCC. (2020). Family nurse practitioner certification (FNP-BC) | ANCC. ANA. https://www.nursingworld.org/our-certifications/family-nurse-practitioner/
FLORIDA BOARD OF NURSING. (2020, May 18). Florida Board of nursing,» advanced practice registered nurse (APRN). Florida Board of Nursing – Licensing, Renewals & Information. https://floridasnursing.gov/nursing-faqs/advanced-practice-registered-nurse-aprn/
NURSE JOURNAL. (2020, April 27). Family nurse practitioner role & scope. NurseJournal.org. https://nursejournal.org/family-practice/role-scope-of-practice-of-a-family-nurse-practitioner/
Schneider, A. (2020). Nursing organizations: The role they play in professional development. https://www.rn.com/nursing-organizations-the-role-they-play-in-professional-development/
STUDY. (2019, September 26). FNP – Family nurse practitioner: Educational requirements. Study.com. https://study.com/articles/FNP_-_Family_Nurse_Practitioner_Educational_Requirements.html
IDALMIS
Professional Roles and Responsibilities
Much the same as primary care physician, FNPs give long-lasting, thorough care through illness management, health education, and preventative health services. Like different APRNs, FNPs must hold an RN license and be nationally certified and state-authorized to practice as an NP. To gain national licensure as an FNP nurse through either the ANCC or the AANP, medical attendants must complete at least a master of science in nursing (MSN) (Mark & Patel, 2019). The American Nurses Association (ANA) has developed the Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice. This report gives links to the different certifying associations that have published scope and standards of practice documents enumerating the procedures of care in evidence-based practice for NPs in most patient populace groups, just as other non-NP APRNs (Mark & Patel, 2019).
Mark & Patel (2019) states that under the guidance of the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN), many influential nursing associations, including certification organizations and professional advocacy groups, are working at the state and national levels to advocate for administrative change allowing all NPs to practice freely, without doctor oversight. National NP training program accreditation necessities and competency-based principles guarantee that NPs are prepared to provide safe, high-quality, cost-effective patient-centred care upon graduation. Clinical practice competency and expert advancement are signs of NP education.
There are generally three significant categories of practice regulations that are imposed against the APRN in the province of Florida. These…
