Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Essay

The advanced practice provider is a master’s prepared nurse, engaged in clinical care within an expanded scope of practice beyond that of a Registered Nurse. The expanded clinical scope defines independent licensure beyond that of a Registered Nurse and incorporates developed clinical skills and services outside the framework of the RN.

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) and other widely accepted sources describe the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse is a mastered prepared nurse who provides direct clinical care in roles such as CNP, CRNA, and CNM. Therefore, the question could be proposed in multiple cases where the individuals are not active within clinical care settings but have the advanced education that would qualify

For me, the word “practice” implies activity that the clinician is engaging in as a career and not one meaning a graduate level of education that’s been completed. Definitively Nurse Practitioners, Nurse Anesthetist, Nurse Midwives meet this criterion for an advanced level of clinical education and thus, provide clinical services beyond that of a Registered Nurse. However, how the individual chooses to use their advanced knowledge and clinical skills within the confines of their particular work environment is argumentatively a different topic. Therefore, an individual such as those mentioned or a masters or doctoral prepared RN for administration, research or education may decide to seek out and apply their expanded training in a non-clinical role. In this case, the individual may choose to utilize their advanced knowledge and experience to serve as a clinical advocate for the profession vs. an active clinician. In my opinion, I feel these nurses who are not clinically active, should still be considered APRN, as they are still applying their higher level of education, just in a non-clinical