Running head: ADVANCED NURSING ROLES
Roles In Advanced Nursing Practice
STUDENT NAME
Chamberlain University College of Nursing
Course Number:
NRP500NP
May 2019
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ADVANCED NURSING ROLES
Roles in Advanced Nursing Practice
The nursing profession is in a constant state of growth and change.
Similarly, and
unequivocally, the same is true for advanced nursing practice roles such as the Certified Nurse
Practitioner, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, and Certified
Nurse Midwife.
These roles will be covered throughout this paper, in addition to the writer’s
rationale for choosing the Clinical Nurse Practitioner role as well as strategies for transitioning
into this role and plans after graduation.
Role Exploration
As the British Journal of Nursing so eloquently points out, being an advanced practice
nurse means that the individual has achieved a level between a senior practitioner and a
consultant.
The same journal further specifies that nurses “working at advanced practice level
should show evidence of Master’s-level learning, such as studying at postgraduate certificate or
diploma level while working towards a Master’s.” (Farrelly, 2014).
As is the case at the
baccalaureate level, advanced practice nurses are also required to complete varying degrees of
continuing education and remain engaged in professional growth and development.
Certified Nurse Practitioner (CNP)
The role of the Certified Nurse Practitioner (CNP) is defined by the American
Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) as “licensed, independent practitioners who practice
in ambulatory, acute, and long-term care as primary and/or specialty care providers.” (American
Association of Nurse Practitioners, n.d.)
“Decades of research confirm that nurse practitioners
provide safe, high quality care.”
(Devine, 2017). CNPs take personal health histories, diagnose
health problems, order diagnostic testing and interpret results, and prescribe medications
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ADVANCED NURSING ROLES
accordingly and as needed.
CNPs treat patients independently and approach patient care in a
holistic manner and with a patient-centered focus.
CNPs can work in a variety of settings
including acute care, community, rural areas, and private/independent practice.
Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS)
“Clinical nurse specialists are advanced practice registered nurses who are prepared at the
graduate level (master’s or doctorate) in nursing and have advanced skills, having been trained in
physiology, pharmacology, and physical assessment in addition to their specialty role.
They
engage in health promotion and maintenance through assessment, diagnosis, and management of
acute and chronic patient problems, including pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic
approaches.”
(Davidson, Rahman, & Casida, 2019).
According to Davidson, Rahman, &
