A family nurse practitioner (FNP) is an advanced practice nurse who is primarily focused on providing care for patients during their lifespan (Hoyt & Proehl, 2015). This includes working with patients and their families in a close manner. Usually, FNPs are responsible for treating chronic diseases, but sometimes they also have to manage acute conditions. Therefore, a nurse plays the role of an educator, promoter of healthy behaviors, and the role involving health assessment.
Interview with Ms. Garza
- Ms. Garza reported that in the majority of cases, she works with some families and patients for a considerably long time. Access to the patient’s family history has a significant impact on the quality of care. The primary reason is that when an FNP is aware of past chronic conditions or diseases that were prevalent in the patient’s family, it is considerably easier to predict the development of these disorders in the patient.
- According to Ms. Garza, the most important barrier to working with children is that it is essential to find the right approach to them, as well as explain that they should not be afraid of medical procedures.
- In the majority of cases, Ms. Garza manages chronic diseases. The primary scope of the FNP’s work is to prevent illnesses and treat existing conditions, and thus acute conditions are rare in her working routine.
- Since the family history of patients is usually well-known by Ms. Garza, she does not have significant troubles with diagnosing.
- Ms. Garza observes that she applies the principles of evidence-based practice in her work constantly, as her work is largely dependent on the provision of evidence-based interventions.
- Nurse and physician shortages, which are typically observed in Florida, have a significant impact on Ms. Garza’s practice. Due to the shortages, the workload is considerably high sometimes, and in some cases, she has to work as a critical care registered nurse.
- According to Ms. Garza, the role of preventive care in her practice is immense. She states that since her work is primarily focused on the provision of lifespan-long care, it is of high significance to prevent diseases since it is easier than treating acute conditions.
- In general, Ms. Garza describes her role as the family nurse practitioner as being the most important supporter of familial health. She argues that the most important aspect of her work is to promote patient outcomes as well as to educate patients so that they could better understand their health and related processes.
- The role of the Advanced Nursing Practice Concept in the work of Ms. Garza is highly important. According to her, she feels that it is necessary to employ theoretical knowledge in order to provide the highest quality care.
- As it is stated by Ms. Garza, the most challenging aspect of her work is that she for Ms. bonds and close relationships with her patients and their families, and thus it is difficult for her to observe when her patients are in pain. Also, the high workload is another significant challenge.
- Ms. Garza mentions the application of the Advanced Nursing Practice Concept in her work. She believes that by applying theoretical frameworks of care to practice, it is possible to cope with the mentioned challenges more effectively.
Number and Types of Clients Seen in Advanced Practice (AP) Role
First of all, it is essential to identify the type of organization to which Ms. Garza is related. As it is known, she is certified as a critical care registered nurse (CCRN). Therefore, she works in the acute care office of the hospital settings in Miami, Florida. As of 2017, it is estimated that there was a total of 976,577 emergency room visits in Miami-Dade County, which could be compared to 559,591 visits in 2005 (“Total emergency room visits,” 2018). However, she primarily practices as an FNP. Therefore, her clients include people from considerably various age categories as she has to provide care for whole families in some cases.
Qualifications Required for a Family Nurse in Florida
The professional fit for the role of FNP is provided on the Florida Board of Nursing website, where the qualification requirements for licensing an FNP are listed (“Advanced registered nurse practitioner,” 2018). These requirements include a valid Registered Nurse license, the master’s degree, as well as proof of malpractice insurance or exemption (“Advanced registered nurse practitioner,” 2018). Also, the process of approving the application for the advanced practice nurse license along with fees and related Florida statutes and rules are provided on the website. Another important legislation is the Nurse Practice Act, enacted by the Florida Board of Nursing in order to ensure that all applicants meet minimum requirements for advanced nurse practice (“Florida Board of Nursing,” 2018). This Act controls the presence of all necessary competencies for being an advanced practice nurse.
State of Florida’s Nurse Practice Act and Board of Nursing Oversight
The Florida Board of Nursing ensures that the services provided by a nurse align with the Nurse Practice Act. The Act promotes education among nurses actively by stressing the significance of catering to the needs of diverse populations. However, it also restricts nurses by setting limitations to the extent of their responsibilities, such as disclosure of patients’ data to relatives.
Conclusion
An FPN is capable of performing education-related and assessment-oriented roles to improve the well-being of families within a community. With the help of the Nurse Practice Act, an FPN can meet the needs of diverse families and prevent a range of health issues. Therefore, it is essential to focus on helping Ms. Garza train their skills and acquire new knowledge.
References
Advanced registered nurse practitioner. (2018). Web.
Florida Board of Nursing. (2018). Web.
Hoyt, K. S., & Proehl, J. A. (2015). Family nurse practitioner or acute care nurse practitioner in the emergency department? Advanced Emergency Nursing Journal, 37(4), 243-246.
Total emergency room visits. (2018). Web.