Essay On Advanced Practice Nurse Professional Development

Advanced Practice Nurse Professional Development Plan

Michael Miadzielec

Chamberlain University: Nurse Practitioner Track

NR500NP Foundational Concepts and Advanced Practice Roles

Dr. Heidi Garguilo

June 4, 2023

Advanced Practice Nurse Professional Development Plan

Professional development of the advanced practice nurse (APN) requires a keen understanding of the APN’s scope of practice, required and expected competencies, and necessary leadership skills. A thorough exploration of these elements will allow the APN student to develop a clear path to licensure, assess their current strengths and areas for growth, and develop a plan to ensure they receive the education and training necessary

Attending conferences on technology and informatics allows for both an overview of current advances as well as an opportunity to gain firsthand experience with the technology in a controlled and educational environment.

Leadership Skills

Three leadership skills that are required to lead as an APN within complex systems are effective communication, clinical reasoning and judgement, and emotional intelligence. Part of being an effective leader is the ability to efficiently and judiciously solve problems within a complex system. These leadership skills support that role and allow for the APN to clearly identify issues, make ethical and appropriate decisions, and execute solutions requiring the coordination of many entities within the healthcare system.

Three Leadership Skills Required to Lead in Complex Systems

Effective communication is essential for APNs to lead within complex systems to clearly understand issues as well as effectively execute solutions within a collaboration. To accurately judge any situation requires gathering as much relevant information as possible. Effective communication supports decision making by allowing the advance practice nurse the opportunity to understand all aspects of an issue from both patients and colleagues (Barratt,

Educational requirements include completing a graduate-level nursing program and completing continuing education. License requirements include having a current RN license, obtaining national certification in a specialty through examination, and undergoing an application process through the Ohio Board of Nursing. Regulatory requirements include communication with the Board as required to show proof of continued eligibility for licensure, and staying up to date with the current laws that affect advanced nursing practice.

APN practice in Ohio is considered a limited practice, and its authority is dictated by the APN’s national certification specialty, education and training background, and their employer’s SCA. APNs are authorized to prescribe medications and treatments provided they follow all state and federal prescribing laws and the medication is within their scope of practice as well as their collaborating physician’s scope of practice (Ohio Board of Nursing,