Introduction
Nowadays, nurses not only provide medical assistance to people in need but also tend to play roles of mediators between the management of the hospital and patients and become role models and active political leaders (Iglehart, 2013). Advanced-Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) tend to perform their duties in a diversity of settings while catering to the array of patients’ demands (Iglehart, 2013).
To become valued and qualified professionals, APRNs have to have well-developed leadership skills and target at establishing trusting relationships with patients. Consequently, the primary purpose of this paper is to develop a case scenario, describe the type of the organization, and several clients to understand the working principles of RN and APRN. Simultaneously, implementing the professional fit for the advanced nursing role and referring to the board of nursing that will support this initiative in the case organization is also important.
Description of the Organization
The selected organization is a clinic that specializes in offering family medicine to patients of all ages. This medical entity provides its services to the local community while catering to the needs of 1000 patients. The clinic highly cares both about its patients and employees, as it offers not only exceptional services but also provides a favorable working environment and creates a friendly atmosphere. To ensure effective communication with a patient, the organization has a well-developed website, and patients can make appointments online.
Apart from offering only primary care, the clinic has a sufficient network of other medical providers and can refer a patient to other professionals if necessary. These partnerships ensure the clinic’s position in the market and help it retain its clients. Thus, it is currently looking for young specialists to cater to the needs of their patients and promote their brand image. Florida Family Clinic can be discovered as one of the examples that comply with the described case scenario, and I want to work in this medical institution in the recent future.
Professional Fit for Advanced Nursing Role
In the context of this organization, it is evident that the most appropriate professional fit is Registered Nurse (RN) or APRN, as these specialists have required qualifications to perform duties successfully and cater to the needs of the patients. Thus, specifically speaking, an RN or APRN with a focus on family medicine (FRN) can be also regarded as appropriate, but it is only one of the variations of RN. Selecting this specialist is a rational sense, in this case, a nurse will play a role of an intermediary between the board of the clinic and the patients while ensuring the delivery of high-quality services (Rortveit et al., 2015).
Thus, in this case, both RN and APRN will be discovered. As it was mentioned earlier, today, nurses not only have to prescribe medication and treatment based on evidence-based practice and theoretical knowledge but also promote a healthy lifestyle, ensure the compliance with the immunization schedule, and be engaged in political life (Kemppainen, Tossavainen, & Turunen, 2013). It could be said that only these specialists have the required experience and professional characteristics that can be utilized to develop trusting relationships with patients and convince them to follow the suggested treatments and change their habits.
Implementing a Nursing Role in the Organization
In the context of the presented clinic, this role can be easily implemented, as RNs or APRNs are irreplaceable actors in this entity. In the first place, these professionals can perform routine tasks such as updating patients’ records. Along with that, they can help physicians examine several patients at the same time since they have a unique blend of knowledge and evidence-based practice to make an appropriate diagnosis. Answering the phone calls, reporting progress, and monitoring the effectiveness of the prescribed treatment can be discovered as duties that can be easily handled by RN or APRN due to the relevant practical and educational backgrounds.
It could be said that apart from the basic RN’s duties described above, in the context of this clinic, an RN can play the role of a manager. Today, the nursing roles continue to expand, and nurses have to have well-developed leadership skills that will help delegate responsibilities successfully, minimize the percentage of medical errors, and decrease waiting time (Huber, 2013). For example, in the case organization, several medical assistants are responsible for handling administrative tasks. Family doctors cannot regularly monitor their actions due to the continuous flow of patients. In this instance, an RN or ARNP can take this responsibility and play the role of a supervisor.
Conclusion: The Board That Supports This Position
Lastly, due to the paramount importance of RN in family medicine, the Florida State Board of Nursing actively supports this position in the selected sphere. For example, as it is reflected in Nurse Practice Act and Florida Administrative Code (Rules About Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioners, ARNP is the most desired professional to work in partnership with a family physician, and the agreement of their collaboration has to be reflected in ARNP protocol (Florida Board of Nursing, 2017). It is stated in these documents that ARNP can obtain data, interview patients, make diagnoses, manage healthcare records, monitor progress, and promote health, and these characteristics comply with the implementation of this role described above (Florida Board of Nursing, 2017). Overall, it could be said that choosing this career track is rational, as ARNP has a unique set of skills and competences to work in family medicine.
References
Florida Board of Nursing. (2017). ARNP protocol.
Huber, D. (2013). Leadership and nursing care management. Maryland Heights, MO: Elsevier Health Sciences.
Iglehart, J. (2013). Expanding the role of advanced nurse practitioners – Risks and rewards. The New England Journal of Medicine, 368(1), 1935-1941.
Kemppainen, V., Tossavainen, K., & Turunen, H. (2013). Nurses’ role in health promotion practice: An integrative review. Health Promotion International, 28(4), 490-501.
Rortveit, K., Hansen, B., Leiknes, I., Joa, I., Testad, I., & Severinsson, E. (2015). Patients’ experiences of trust in the patient-nurse relationship – A systematic review of qualitative studies. Open Journal of Nursing, 5(1), 195-209.