Nursing Practitioners make up the bulk of healthcare providers in the USA. They are very versatile and can be found in any area and healthcare setting. They practice acute care, outpatient care, and many other specialties. If required, they can serve in positions of management and leadership, conduct research on affiliated topics and matters, and serve as teachers in nursing faculties and healthcare organizations. In terms of practice, their role resembles that of doctors (Painter, n.d.). They have undergone advanced medical training in order to provide high-quality healthcare. Once a student graduates and receives the title of Nurse Practitioner, there are plenty of opportunities to follow and goals to pursue. The purpose of this case study is to identify organizations where one can work as a healthcare professional.
Types of Organizations Available for Nurse Practitioners
Due to their versatility, NPs can work in a variety of healthcare organizations. These organizations include but are not limited to (Painter, n.d.):
- Hospitals, Acute Care centers, Ambulatory Care centers.
- Outpatient settings
- Nursing homes, long-term care
- Private homes
- Hospices and palliative care centers
- Government and community healthcare centers
- Universities and other healthcare institutions
- Private healthcare businesses and facilities
- Private practice
For this case study, I will be employed at the university of Miami as an Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner. It is a large medical and educational facility that has over 13,400 faculties and staff (“Fast facts,” 2017).
Types and Number of Clients
The university’s official site states that its UHealth practitioners have more than 2,000,000 patient encounters every year (“Fast facts,” 2017), thus offering plenty of job opportunities and experiences for healthcare professionals. Due to its all-inclusiveness, the types of patients that visit Miami University’s UHealth facilities range from children to older patients. Types of medical requests vary as well, from receiving flu shots to performing complex operations and giving palliative and long-term care.
The Advanced Nurse Practitioner Role
According to the ICN definition of advanced nursing practice, “a Nurse Practitioner/Advanced Practice Nurse is a registered nurse who has acquired the expert knowledge base, complex decision-making skills and clinical competencies for expanded practice, the characteristics of which are shaped by the context and/or country in which s/he is credentialed to practice. A master’s degree is recommended for entry level” (“Defining advanced practice,” 2017)
This definition is accepted at the University of Miami, as it outlines and defines the role of an Advanced Nurse Practitioner.
Implementation of My Nursing Role in the Organization
I am going to be a Family Nurse Practitioner, which is a subdivision of the ARNP. As such, I will be expected to fulfill a wide variety of duties and tasks associated with my position. These tasks are (“Career opportunities,” 2017):
- Patient assessment from both physical and psychosocial perspectives. This will include interviewing them, analyzing their health history, performing physical examinations, and diagnostic studies.
- Assisting doctors in various medical procedures. These include checking vital signs, performing nursing assessments, performing blood drawing, and analyzing a patient’s history and physicals.
- Improving health outcomes through coordination of care, high efficiency, and coordination of healthcare services to ensure patient safety.
- Following collaborating physician protocols for patient treatment.
- Coordinating scheduling and referral processes within the University of Miami.
Aside from these duties, I may be required to fill in for administrative duties in a status of nurse the manager. These duties will include but not be limited to (“Career opportunities,” 2017):
- Offering assistance with completing and maintaining UM clinical budget.
- Including expense receipts into quarterly budget reports in order to ensure accuracy and accountability of nursing expenses.
- Assisting with marketing activities performed both inside and outside the campus.
- Participation in community healthcare activities such as flu shot fairs, pamphlet distribution, free basic consultations, etcetera.
- Providing disciplinary actions if it is required.
- Assisting with finding, interviewing, and hiring RN, MA, and LPN staff members.
- Providing insight and leadership for unit operations in a greater overarching scope of strategic planning and expansion.
- Supporting, providing education, and enforcing infection-control both inside and outside of the hospital setting.
- Cooperating and working together with other members of the medical community. This includes nursing staff, medical staff, various adjoined departments, patients, and visitor.
- Performing all related nursing duties according to the daily assignments.
As a family physician, I am to treat a variety of patients – children, older patients, young couples, women that are either preparing for pregnancy or already pregnant, and so on. Requests for medical assistance will also vary in their severity.
Board of Nursing in my State
As a Family Nursing Practitioner, I am expected to work within my scope of practice under ANCC and AANP Board Certifications. The main nursing board under which most if not all nursing practitioners in Miami are working is the Florida Board of Nursing, which is responsible for educating, disciplining, monitoring, and providing licenses for nurses to be able to practice medicine in Florida. According to the Nursing Practice Act and the University of Miami’s internal policies towards potential candidates, the minimum competencies for the position are as followed (“Licensing and registration,” 2017):
- ANCC or AANP certification
- 1 year of clinical experience as an ARNP
- Possessing an ARNP license valid in the state of Florida
- Maintaining ACLS and PALS certification appropriate to the clinical area of expertise.
References
Career opportunities. (2017). Web.
Defining advanced practice. (2017). Web.
Fast facts. (2017).
Licensing and registration. (2017).
Painter, A. (n.d.). How to become a nurse practitioner? Web.