Scope of Practice, Issues in Health Policy/Legislation, and Challenges



Scope of Practice, Issues in Health Policy/Legislation, and Challenges

Introduction

There has been a tremendous growth in the field of Acute Care Nurse Practitioners (ACNP). Acute Care Nurse Practitioner or practice nurse is completed graduate-level education and training program in the diagnosis and management as well as complex medical cases. The popularity and expansion of these roles is largely dependent on the changes in medical residency requirements, pressure from the health care organizations for reducing the stay of inpatients at hospital, overall need of cutting cost and increasing the patients' acuity (Miller, 2011). This paper aims to analyze the scope of practice, issues in health policies and challenges in the field of ACNP.

History of ACNP Role

The history of the areas of nursing education has many branches. The nursing practice program was first created by Nurse Practitioner Loretta Ford, MD, in 1965 in University of Colorado. This program has given nurses experienced some advanced nursing roles and nursing practitioners for children. In the late 1960s until the 1970s, and expectations of continued shortage of doctors followed by lack of funding and attendance at various certificates and nursing programs. By the eighties, it has been transferred to nursing programs at the graduate level and a master's degree. Then they started national organizations and councils to request a master's degree for the practice of nursing. Generally, with the passage of time, it has become nursing profession as a result of an academic study (Miller, 2011).

The role of ACNP is largely based on dealing with both physical and mental cases by recording case history, physical examinations and physical therapy, tests and treatments of patients within the scope of the order of practice. The primary role of ACNP is to provide the primary health service delivery to the patient, and to examine patients of all ages, depending on the selected and specified range of practice (Mclaughlin, et.al, 2007). For ACNP the nurses and given a license to practice, Nurse Practitioners awarded a national area of specialization (family, pediatrics, adult care, etc.), the license is through nursing councils as well as the medical boards. Nurse Practitioners provide a wide range of health care services, and should have wide acceptance among patients and by the public (Wyckoff, et.al, 2009).

Licensure vs. Certification

The Licensure in nursing profession is defined as the mandatory credential process developed by the government usually at state level with aims of practicing the profession legally. The law state that if the profession is licensed than an individual can practice it without a license. For obtaining license the procedure may vary from state to state and government to government. On the other hand the certification may be defined as voluntarily credential process which is often revolve around national level in terms of its scope and it is usually sponsored by non governmental agencies, NGO,s and private sector entity. As its nature is voluntary, an individual needs a license or certification in order to practice a profession (Miller, ...