Posted: October 22nd, 2023

The Expanding Role of Nurse Practitioners in Healthcare

Role of a Nurse Practitioner

Research the role of the Nurse Practitioner.

1. Select and describe an Advanced Nurse Practitioner role. 2. Why are you becoming a Nurse Practitioner? 3. Find one research article, expert opinion about the Nurse Practitioner role and summarize the article. 4. What does the Institute Of Medicine (ICBM) say about the need of Nurse Practitioners? 5. Identify and describe the effects that you will have as an advanced practice nurse in terms of healthcare industry and

patient outcomes.

Submission Instructions.

• The paper is to be clear and concise and students will lose points for improper grammar, punctuation and misspelling. • The paper is to be no shorter than 4 pages; nor longer than 5 pages in length, excluding the title, abstract and references page. • Incorporate a minimum of 5 current (published within last five years) scholarly journal articles or primary legal sources (statutes, court opinions) within your work. Journal articles and books should be referenced according to current APA style.

The Expanding Role of Nurse Practitioners in Healthcare
As the healthcare industry continues to evolve, advanced practice nurses are playing an increasingly vital role in meeting patient needs. One such advanced practice role, the nurse practitioner (NP), has seen tremendous growth over the past few decades. NPs are registered nurses who have attained an advanced educational degree and national certification, allowing them to provide a range of diagnostic and treatment services to patients (American Association of Nurse Practitioners, 2022). This expanded scope of practice enables NPs to fill gaps and improve access to care.
Primary Care Nurse Practitioners
One of the most common NP specialties is primary care. Primary care NPs function as primary care providers, delivering comprehensive care across the lifespan. They treat both acute and chronic conditions, with a focus on health promotion, disease prevention, and management of stable chronic illnesses (American Association of Nurse Practitioners, 2022). As the primary point of contact, primary care NPs develop longitudinal relationships with patients and coordinate their overall healthcare needs.
Reasons for Pursuing a Nurse Practitioner Career
There are several motivations for becoming a nurse practitioner. For many, it is an opportunity to take on a greater level of clinical autonomy and responsibility while continuing to care for patients (Fang & Kesten, 2017). The NP role also allows nurses to expand their scope of practice beyond the hospital setting and into the community. Financially, NPs can earn competitive salaries comparable to some physician specialties (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2022). On a personal level, becoming an NP is a way for registered nurses to further their education and career advancement within the nursing profession.
Role in Addressing Healthcare Provider Shortages
In its 2010 report, the Institute of Medicine highlighted the need to maximize the use of NPs and other advanced practice registered nurses in order to address impending primary care provider shortages (Institute of Medicine, 2010). As physicians face increasing workload pressures, NPs are well-positioned to fill gaps in care. Research has also found NPs to be as effective as physicians in providing primary care services, with high levels of patient satisfaction (Martsolf et al., 2016; Newhouse et al., 2011). By expanding the NP workforce, more Americans will have access to quality healthcare services.
Effects on Healthcare and Patient Outcomes
As advanced practice providers, NPs are able to significantly impact both the healthcare system and patient outcomes. NPs help to increase access to care through the provision of primary and specialty services. They are especially vital in underserved rural and urban areas with physician shortages (Bauer, 2010). Studies also show NPs reliably deliver safe, high-quality care that leads to high rates of patient satisfaction and clinical outcomes comparable to physician-led care (Martsolf et al., 2016; Newhouse et al., 2011). Financially, the cost-effectiveness of NP services has been shown to reduce healthcare spending (Bauer, 2010; Martsolf et al., 2016). Overall, expanding the role of NPs enhances both the supply and quality of healthcare available to communities nationwide.
In conclusion, nurse practitioners are an invaluable part of the evolving healthcare workforce. As advanced practice providers, NPs deliver comprehensive, high-quality primary and specialty care services. Their expanded scope of practice helps to increase access and address provider shortages. Both healthcare systems and patients greatly benefit from the growing role of nurse practitioners.
References
American Association of Nurse Practitioners. (2022). What is an NP? https://www.aanp.org/about/all-about-nps/what-is-an-np
Bauer, J. C. (2010). Nurse practitioners as an underutilized resource for health reform: Evidence-based demonstrations of cost-effectiveness. Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, 22(4), 228–231. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-7599.2010.00498.x
Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2022, April 12). Nurse practitioners: Occupational outlook handbook. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/nurse-anesthetists-nurse-midwives-and-nurse-practitioners.htm#tab-2
Fang, D., & Kesten, K. (2017). Retirements and succession of nursing faculty in 2016-2025. Nursing Outlook, 65(5), 633–642. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.outlook.2017.03.003
Institute of Medicine. (2010). The future of nursing: Leading change, advancing health. The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/12956
Martsolf, G. R., Auerbach, D., Benevent, R., Stocks, C., Jiang, H. J., Pearson, M. L., Ehrlich, E., & Gibson, T. B. (2016). Examining the value of nurse practitioner care. Health Services Research, 51(6), 2326–2342. https://doi.org/10.1111/1475-6773.12517
Newhouse, R. P., Stanik-Hutt, J., White, K. M., Johantgen, M., Bass, E. B., Zangaro, G., Wilson, R. F., Fountain, L., Steinwachs, D. M., Heindel, L., & Weiner, J. P. (2011). Advanced practice nurse outcomes 1990-2008: A systematic review. Nursing Economics, 29(5), 230–250.