There has been progress in nursing education from the time the training of nurses began. Advanced practice registered nurses consensus is a regulation model for the future that helps align the relationship among licensure, accreditation, certification, and education (LACE). The consensus model for APRNs is essential as it will help produce the uniformity that is believed to assist APRNs to work according to their education and licensure. It enables the nurses to participate fully in their training and qualifications. The consensus model helps to outline the four categories of nurses, including nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, certified nurse midwives, and certified registered nurse anesthetists (Sabo et al.,2017). It clearly outlines the clinical roles of each category of APRN. This paper will highlight the differences between ANPs and APRNs. It will also explain the appraisal of the population served by FPNs. The report will further discuss certification opportunities for FNPs, and the implications of FPNs in Minnesota.
Differences between ANP and APRN
The common belief is that every registered nurse with a master’s degree is automatically qualified to be in advanced nursing practice. However, this does not necessarily mean they are in advanced nursing practice. ANPs are APRNs who have earned a graduate-level nursing degree, either a master of science degree or a Ph.D., focusing on a nurse practitioner. One must already be a registered nurse and have good experience before becoming an ANP. ANPs are educated up to the masters level in clinical practice and have been assessed as competent by using their expert clinical skills and knowledge. One must first obtain a bachelor’s degree in nursing, pass the NCLLEX examination and receive an RN license, enroll in a graduate program, pass the national NPP certification board exams, and obtain NP licensure. ANPs are required to work independently to prescribe the medications and evaluate and refer patients to specialists when the need arises; They can also work as a team to help assess patients, diagnose, and interpret the test results. In contrast to advanced nursing practice, advanced practice nursing necessitates completing post-graduate study; as a result, nurses who work in this field possess superior instructional and medical knowledge and more proficiency and range of practice.
The APRNs make decisions concerning the type of care the patients receive compared to the ANP nurses. ANPs must set policies and some basic educational training to be allowed to practice. The advanced nursing practice involves the practices and interventions in nursing, leading to better patient outcomes. ANP mainly focuses on expanding the spectrum of the nursing practice that helps in acquiring nursing knowledge and progression in the nursing profession. ANPs and APRNs differ in terms of job specialization and responsibilities. ANPs can specialize in caring for several populations, including psychiatric, adult-gerontology, women’s health, neonatal, pediatrics, and family. ANP focuses on expanding the nursing practice spectrum, essential for acquiring nursing knowledge and professional progress. Besides, Advanced practice registered nurses are the primary care providers at the forefront of preventing and providing preventive services to the public. They include clinical nurse specialists, nurse practitioners, nurse midwives, and nurse anesthetists, whom all practice various roles according to their specialization (Tracy and O’Grady, 2018). The APRNs have acquired a master’s degree on top of the initial nursing education and licensing required for all registered nurses. ANP education curriculum is more based on the medical aspect, while APRN mainly contains nursing-based goals. Additionally, APNs take fewer managerial tasks than ANPs who actively take managerial tasks. Therefore, the ANPs role is a much more specialized role of an APRN.
Appraisal of Population Served by Family Nurse Practitioners
Family nurse practitioners provide various services that focus on providing healthcare services to different patients regardless of age, including adults, adolescents, infants, and seniors. They help in the provision of care for common and minor health conditions. Therefore, in most cases, FNs serve people with b chronic illnesses, including diabetes, cancer, and heart disorders, in rural areas, thus ensuring they can get the care they deserve and help save travel costs. FNPs majorly help in the provision of preventive services and thus help; lower the number of readmissions, revisits, and complications of disorders. In the state of Minnesota, the FPNs help to enhance the management of chronic diseases in rural and underserved communities. The population can be appraised by providing health teaching to the patient and their families. They teach them to prevent various disorders, including diabetes, obesity, and other cardiovascular conditions. FNP encourages people to eat well-balanced, nutritious meals to stay healthy (Cook et al.,2018). As an FNP, there is also a need to encourage people to do regular physical exercises. They can partner with community agencies to ensure an exercise center is established in the community where people can easily access it and carry out their physical activities. Physical activities help prevent and manage obesity, which is associated with several disorders, including osteoarthritis, type 2 diabetes, and other heart diseases.
The FNPs also appraise the population they serve by maintaining the patient’s privacy and confidentiality by keeping their health information where unauthorized individuals cannot access it. The FNPs can also appraise the population by organizing and carrying out free screening services, including free cancer screening. This will help in the early detection of problems, and thus early interventions are initiated before the further progression of the disorder. FNPs work with other nurses and other stakeholders in the nursing profession to serve as agents of change, evaluators of effective and ideal care, and managers.
Certification Opportunities for FNP
Certification is vital in Minnesota for the FNP to start operating freely. FNP board certification exam is available, a competency-based examination of the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). The certification of the FNPs aligns with the consensus model of APRN regulation which includes licensure, accreditation, certification, and education. Completing the eligibility requirements and passing the examination leads to the award of the credential, FNP-Board certified, which opens doors to several opportunities. The certification opportunities available for the FNPs encompass improved assessment capability and a wide range of skills that contribute to better outcomes for the population served.
Additionally, the other certification opportunities involve coming up with the correct diagnosis and the knowledge necessary to plan and successfully implement care for the relevant population. Since they work for patients of all ages, they are open to opportunities and can work in several areas. They can examine, prescribe medications, and create patient treatment plans (Dlamini et al.,2020). Therefore, the Fnps can work in nearly all healthcare facilities, including emergency rooms, hospitals, and urgent care establishments. The FNPs work in hospitals where they conduct checkups, perform procedures, order tests, treat illness, and assist the patients in carrying out their daily activities. They also can work in the internal medicine clinic to conduct exams, prescribe medications, and treat illnesses and injuries. To maintain the certification, the FPNs are required to renew every five years to be allowed to continue working.
FNP licensure, Accreditation, Certification, and Education Plan in Minnesota
APRN education comprises abroad-based education, consisting of three separate graduate-level courses in health assessment, pharmacology, and physiology/pathophysiology. It also includes appropriate clinical experience. The Minnesota board of nursing is responsible for regulating the APRNs working in the state. To be able to work as a credited family nurse practitioner, the person needs to complete a formal course of study in APRN to be placed into the Minnesota APRN registry. It can be at least a master’s degree or a post-master’s certificate. Additionally, the program must be accredited by the accreditation board of specialty nursing certification. The program can meet the Minnesota board of nursing–approved national certification agencies for NPs like the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners.
Additionally, the program should be able to provide preparation for the intended role and population. Then the nurse practitioner should take a certification through the American nursing credentialing center as an FNP. The person is then required to apply for a license, which the FNP should notify the Minnesota Board of Nursing upon achieving national certification as an FPN through the mail. Failure to register leads to penalties where $200 will be paid for the first month of unregistered practice and an additional $100 for each subsequent month. The FPN is then required to renew the registration with the Minnesota Board of nursing, although the person must maintain the national certification. The FNPs must renew their certification every five years and require seventy-five contact hours within their specialty to maintain their certification.
FNP Implications in Minnesota
An individual must complete a graduate-level education accredited by the accreditation board of specialty nursing certification nationally and be able to pass the program certification exam to work as a certified FNP in Minnesota. The FNPs perform various roles, including maintaining the patients’ records, ordering and performing diagnostic tests, and developing treatment plans for the patients. The FNPs must be licensed and maintain the licensure to be allowed to work in Minnesota (Dlamini et al.,2020). In Minnesota, FPNs can practice in various healthcare settings, including private practice, community health centers, universities, and healthcare systems. The top focus areas for FNPs are primary care, family, and urgent care. They also provide patient education concerning various healthcare issues.
Conclusion
The nursing profession has progressed, allowing nurses to specialize in different areas. FNPs in Minnesota have to meet the state requirements before they start to work in the state. They have to attain the required licensure, accreditation, certification, and educational requirements to work as FNPs in Minnesota. The FPNs can work in different areas, including outpatients, inpatients, and private practices. They provide different services to the patients, including carrying out a comprehensive assessment of patients of different ages and treating them (Poghosyan et al.,2017).
References
Cook, D. A., Pencille, L. J., Dupras, D. M., Linderbaum, J. A., Pankratz, V. S., & Wilkinson, J. M. (2018). Practice variation and practice guidelines: attitudes of generalist and specialist physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. PloS one, 13(1), e0191943. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0191943
Dlamini, C. P., Khumalo, T., Nkwanyana, N., Mathunjwa-Dlamini, T. R., Macera, L., Nsibandze, B. S., Kaplan, L., & Stuart-Shor, E. M. (2020). Developing and Implementing the Family Nurse Practitioner Role in Eswatini: Implications for Education, Practice, and Policy. Annals of global health, 86(1), 50. https://doi.org/10.5334/aogh.2813
Poghosyan, L., Liu, J., & Norful, A. A. (2017). A cross-sectional study of nurse practitioners as primary care providers with their patient panels and organizational structures. International journal of nursing studies, pp. 74, 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2017.05.004
Tracy, M. F., & O’Grady, E. T. (2018). Hamric & Hanson’s advanced practice nursing – E-book: An integrative approach (6th ed.). Elsevier Health Sciences. Franklin, M. R. (2020).
Sabo, J. A., Chesney, M., Tracy, M. F., & Sendelbach, S. (2017). APRN consensus model implementation: The Minnesota experience. Journal of Nursing Regulation, 8(2), 10-16. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2155-8256(17)30093-5
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