Nurse leaders have worked hard in order to revolutionize the entire nursing practice. Nurses provide differentiated care and support to their patients. Each “advanced role tends to have unique core competencies depending on the specialization” (Halstead, 2012, p. 36). Such advanced roles are critical towards providing the best care to different patients. These advanced roles are either clinical or non-clinical. Non-clinical roles include those of Nurse Administrators and Nurse Educators. Clinical advanced roles include those of Nurse Practitioners. Such roles are relevant towards providing quality and timely care to patients.
Comparing and Contrasting the Core Competencies of Nurse Educators and Nurse Practitioners
Core competencies are the duties and capabilities of different nurses and caregivers. Each advanced nursing role has its core competencies. Such competencies promote the quality of health support or care. The role of Nurse Educators is to teach and train future nurses. These educators “use their skills and knowledge to equip future nurses with the best competencies” (Halstead, 2012, p. 64). Nurse Educators should acquaint themselves with new technologies in order to support nursing practice.
These educators should possess several competencies. The first one is the ability to facilitate efficient and continuous learning. They should create the best learning environment for their students. They should implement a set of learning strategies depending on the targeted needs of the students. The second competency is the ability to use their skills effectively. Learners use such skills in order to become competent caregivers (Halstead, 2012). They should use the best behaviors to achieve their educational goals. The third one is the ability to use evaluation and assessment methods. They should also “evaluate the effectiveness of the learning process in the classroom or clinical setting” (Halstead, 2012, p. 75). The educators should also formulate the best curricula and program outcomes. The programs should reflect the health needs of the targeted population. These Nurse Educators should ensure their learners provide evidence-based care to their patients. The learners should function properly within the nursing environment (Halstead, 2012). Nurse Educators should be the best agents of change and leadership. The approach creates the best environment for nursing practice and education. These Nurse Educators should pursue continuous learning and Quality Improvement (QI).
Nurse Practitioners (NP) provide advanced care to patients with various healthcare needs. Nurse Practitioners are RNs who dedicate their lives to the health demands of their patients. They offer the best care to “newborn babies, adolescents, adults, and the elderly” (Nurse Practitioner Core Competencies, 2011, p. 2). These NPs diagnose and provide the best treatment for various health complications. They also “provide immunizations and manage various diseases such as hypertension, ulcers, diabetes, HIV/Aids, high blood pressure, and asthma” (Nurse Practitioner Core Competencies, 2011, p. 2). These practitioners can provide independent care to their patients. Nurse Practitioners should possess certain competencies in order to provide the best care and patient support.
Every Nurse Practitioner should have a strong scientific knowledge or foundation. The practice is necessary towards developing the best nursing theories and approaches. The second competency is the ability to lead others. Nurse Practitioners should provide the best support to their nurses and employees. Leadership improves the level of communication in every healthcare facility. These practitioners should be ready to use evidence-based ideas in their nursing practices (Nurse Practitioner Core Competencies, 2011). They should also be competent in information and technology literacy. NPs should always integrate the best technologies and competencies to support the quality of patient care. They should understand and apply every nursing or medical policy in their respective healthcare centers. The practitioners should maintain the best ethical principles and codes of conduct whenever providing the required patient care. Nurse Practitioners should also possess Independent Practice Skills (IPS). Such competencies “ensure these NPs function efficiently as independent caregivers” (Halstead, 2012, p. 69).
Differences and Similarities in the Implementation of these Competencies
These individuals are Advanced Role Practitioners (ARP). They provide more skills and ideas to other nurses thus improving the quality of healthcare outcomes. They should be able to empower their nurses or students. They should be the best leaders in their respective teams or hospitals. These advanced roles require patience and ability to monitor the quality of care availed to patients and their families. Nurse Practitioners and Nurse Educators should use new technology to support every change in healthcare practice (Nurse Practitioner Core Competencies, 2011). Such similarities explain why these individuals work hard to support the needs of their patients.
Such competencies differ in a number of ways. Nurse Educators focus on the educational needs of their students. They should also use the best skills to support their learners. They also focus on “the laboratory, workplace, and classroom needs of their students” (Halstead, 2012, p. 58). These educators also welcome every new practice or idea in the field of nursing (Halstead, 2012). On the other hand, Nurse Practitioners focus on the diseases and conditions affecting many patients. They should acquaint themselves with the best nursing practices in order to provide independent care to every patient. Such Nurse Practitioners should be able to prescribe the right medicines for every disease. They should support the best policies and codes of practice in order to improve their professional practices.
Reference List
Halstead, J. (2012). Nurse Educator Competencies: Creating an Evidence-Based Practice for Nurse Educators. New York: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Nurse Practitioner Core Competencies. (2011). Web.