Assignment Instructions
Identify at least two regulatory bodies, and your state's nurse practice act, that specify certification, licensure requirements, or scope of practice for your specialty. Discuss the way these influence the educational requirements and experiences for your specialty. Advanced practice registered nurses must incorporate the APRN consensus model in their response.
Sample Answer
Identify at least two regulatory bodies, and your state's nurse practice act, that specify certification, licensure requirements, or scope of practice for your specialty.
The two regulatory bodies that specify the certification and licensure requirements are the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) and the American Nurses Association (ANA). AANP aims to empower nurses to advance the quality of care services through education, practice, research, advocacy, and leadership (University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2023). ANA is a premier professional organization that represents the interests of more than 3.6 million registered nurses. It advances the nursing profession by fostering high standards of nursing practices, promoting an ethical and safe work environment, fostering the nurses' health and wellness, and advocating for issues that affect the general public and nurses in general (University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2023). My state of practice is Virginia and the Nurse Practice Act describes regulations governing the practice of nurses.
Discuss the way these influence the educational requirements and experiences for your specialty. Advanced practice registered nurses must incorporate the APRN consensus model in their response.
AANP requires Nurse Practitioners (NPs) to complete a master's or a doctoral degree or advanced clinical training that goes beyond the initial Registered Nurse preparation. The organization requires nurses to undergo lifelong learning by attending clinical and didactic courses that require them to practice in acute, primary, and long-term healthcare settings. For NPs to be recognized as expert healthcare providers, they must undergo regular peer review, and clinical outcome evaluations, take rigorous national certification, and adhere to the code of ethics (AANP, 2023). ANA requires the nurses to have a Diploma in Nursing, an Associate Degree in Nursing, or a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from a reputable institution. It also requires the nurses to undertake the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX)-RN for certification (ANA, 2023). On the other hand, the Virginia Nursing Practice Act requires nurses to have a Bachelor's Degree in Nursing and Associate's Degree in Nursing from an accredited institution. Also, it is a requirement that nurses in Virginia have at least 500 direct care client hours for them to practice.
References
AANP. (2023). What's a Nurse Practitioner (NP)? American Association of Nurse Practitioners. https://www.aanp.org/about/all-about-nps/whats-a-nurse-practitioner#:~:text=All%20NPs%20must%20complete%20a,registered%20nurse%20(RN)%20preparation
ANA. (2023). How to become a nurse. American Nurses Association. https://www.nursingworld.org/practice-policy/workforce/what-is-nursing/how-to-become-a-nurse/
University of Hawaii at Manoa. (2023, August 5). Professional & Regulatory Organizations. University of Hawaii at Manoa - Nancy Atmospera-Walch School of Nursing. https://nursing.hawaii.edu/nursing-student-resources/professional-and-regulatory-organizations/