NR 510 Leadership and Role of the APN APN Professional Development Plan

NR 510 Leadership and Role of the APN APN Professional Development Plan

Advanced practice nurse (APN) is a position characterized by one’s independence, leadership skills, and professionalism. Nurse practitioners in Florida are certified to perform a variety of activities, including patients’ assessment, treatment, and drug prescription. To apply for a job in the field of AP nursing, one has to evaluate the regulations and guidelines of the state, in which the APN is planning to work. One should assess his or her qualities and skills to establish the level of experience and readiness for the job. Finally, it is vital for students and recently graduated nurses to learn various networking strategies and marketing techniques which can help find a suitable job and impress the employer before, during, and after the interview. This paper analyzes the scope of practice for the APN in the state of Florida, provides a personal assessment of the author based on the Benner’s Self-Assessment Tool, includes an example of a possible Curriculum Vitae (CV), and discusses some networking and marketing techniques for successful employment.

APN Scope of Practice

Florida’s regulations allow APNs to perform a broad range of activities. Sastre‐Fullana, Pedro‐Gómez, Bennasar‐Veny, Serrano‐Gallardo, and Morales‐Asencio (2014) note that the level of autonomy of APNs has greatly increased over the years. However, some practices remain unavailable or limited for nurses in Florida. The scope of practice for APNs is outlined in the Nurse Practice Act of the state. APNs can administer and dispense drugs and controlled substances, if they possess necessary training related to the area of expertise. HB 423 ARNP/PA Controlled Substance Prescribing bill authorizes physician assistants and advanced registered nurse practitioners to prescribe controlled substances under current supervisor standards for PAs and protocols for ARNPs beginning January 1, 2017 (Florida Board of Nursing, 2018).

Under the bill, an ARNP’s and PA’s prescribing privileges for controlled substances listed in Schedule II are limited to a seven-day supply and do not include the prescribing of psychotropic medications for children under 18 years of age, unless prescribed by an ARNP who is a psychiatric nurse. Prescribing privileges may also be limited by the controlled substance formularies that impose additional limitations on PA or ARNP prescribing priveleges for specific medications. An ARNP or PA may not prescribe controlled substances in a pain management clinic (Florida Board of Nursing, 2018). APNs can also choose and start specific therapies for patients, order labs and medication and diagnose and treat medical condition. However, it is vital to remember that all procedures of an APN should be recorded in a special supervisory protocol, which should be available to the department upon request.

APNs also have different specialties which further expand their scope of practice. For example, certified registered nurse anesthetists may perform anesthetic services and order various diagnostic procedures and preanesthetic medication, participate in preanesthesia care, and treat them during postanesthesia recovery (Florida Board of Nursing, 2018). Certified nurse midwives have a different set of available activities, which are also covered by the Nurse Practice Act. The healthcare facility at which these specialists work should have an established protocol for procedures that midwives can perform. For instance, some minor surgical procedures and management of obstetrical patients are possible for these nurses. Furthermore, a psychiatric nurse can prescribe psychotropic substances for treating patients with mental disorders. All in all, the actions of an APN should all be outlined in a protocol with a managing physician, who supervises the practice of nurses.

Personal Assessment

The significance of personal evaluation in the process of entering the job market cannot be overstated. It is clear that nursing students need to have a set of professional skills to succeed in their search for a suitable position. However, one’s training is not the only part that should be accounted for before applying for opened positions. Nurses should understand their level of preparedness and expertise in various areas of this profession. For example, the Benner’s Model views self-assessment as a range of experiences in different situations that can happen in the workplace (Lima, Newall, Kinney, Jordan, & Hamilton, 2014). One’s competence is also related to confidence, preparedness, and understating of self.

Self-assessment can include different categories of preparedness and one’s thoughts about the future. According to Lima et al. (2014), the competence of graduate nurses is hard to measure due to the lack of work experience. While most students usually work while receiving their education, their cu