Research Paper On Advanced Practice Nurse

Advanced Practice Nursing The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (2015) describes an advanced practice nurse as a nurse with a graduate level education in a specific area of study including nurse anesthesia, nurse midwifery, nurse practitioner, and clinical nurse specialist. Advance practice nurses have been crucial to meeting the demands of the growing patient population due to the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. These nurses bridge the gap between physician and patient and are a vital part of the healthcare team. There are a variety of specializations and educational paths nurses may pursue in order to advance their career towards advanced practice nursing.

APN Roles

The Clinical Nurse Leader is an advanced practice nurse

An article by Ponte and O’Neill (2013), states that applicants entering a nurse practitioner program must have a bachelor’s degree in nursing along with clinical nursing experience. In comparison, the article states that physician assistant programs encourage an undergraduate education focused on the sciences followed by a two year graduate program. All physician assistants must pass the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination to become certified while nurse practitioners obtain certification in their specialty under state certifying organizations (Ponte & O’Neill, 2013). Salaries for physician assistants and nurse practitioners are comparable. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2014), the mean annual wage for a physician assistant in the U.S. is $97,280 compared to nurse practitioners average of $97,990 annually. The scope of practice between physician assistants and nurse practitioners is also similar. The article by Ponte and O’Neill (2013), explains that while both physician assistants and nurse practitioners can diagnose and treat patients, their independence varies from state to state. Most physician assistants must be overseen by a physician in their specialty; meanwhile in some states, nurse

Perhaps the most controversial of these occurs when discussing the doctorate level of education for nurse practitioners. According to Zaccagnini and White (2014), because of the increasing complexities in patient populations, the need for a higher level of education is becoming more evident for nurses interested in furthering their career. The doctorate of nursing practice was instituted to fulfill this need and will likely be the degree required for all nurse practitioners (Joel, 2013). However, titling of these nurses as “Doctors of Nursing Practice” has created confusion not only for patients, but for practitioners themselves. Zaccagnini and White (2014), explain that despite nurse practitioners having a doctoral degree, the title “Doctor” should be reserved only for practicing physicians in a healthcare