1FUTURE PROSPECTS OF A NURSE PRACTITIONER Nurse practitioners are autonomous, licensed clinicians who are involved in patient care and managing people’s health conditions. They are advanced practice registered nurses whoareconcernedwithassessingtheneedsofpatients,conductdiagnostictestand prescribing medications. All nurse practitioners should possess some core competencies for delivering effective patient care. They should be able to critically analyze data and evidence for improving nursing practices and also should be able to translate research for ensuring better outcomes. They should develop novel ideas and approaches based on the integration of knowledge from both theory and practical knowledge for delivering efficient healthcare service(Crews, 2019). They should possess leadership qualities along with proper critical thinking which will help them in initiating a process or guiding others, foster collaboration with various stakeholders. The nurse practitioners should be efficient in communicating practice knowledge both verbally and with writing(Thomas, 2017). The Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) development plan requires nurse practitioners to perform self-assessment based on their goals, career objectives, strength, and weakness. Knowing their strength allows them to explore their passion or interest and also help them in determining which area of practice will be best suitable for them. Furthermore, good communication skills and ability to listen properly is also crucial in the healthcare industry, because patients want someone to listen to their need. Nurse practitioners should also possess the quality of a mentor or an educator who will guide the other nurses to achieve their goals(Wilson, 2017). Proper networking and marketing strategies are important for nurse practitioners as it helps them expand their professional network which can foster new opportunities. It assists them in collaborating on research projects with evidence-based practice. The Florida Nurse Practitioner Network (FNPN) has designed a website that providestoolsforeducationalandprofessionaldevelopmentalongwithemployment opportunities.
2FUTURE PROSPECTS OF A NURSE PRACTITIONER My experience as a nurse practitioner has taught me many things. It has helped me in implementing my knowledge in clinical settings and apply my critical thinking skills in the development of a different diagnostic approach for various health-related problems. It also helped me to play the role of a mentor or an educator, guided the other nurses and encouraged them to get involved in teamwork. I also learned how to play the role of an advocate for a given population serving their health rights. I also came to know about the ethical, legal and cultural issues which are related to primary care and the strategies and considerations a nurse practitioner should follow to provide holistic and effective health service to patients. I worked as a collaborator within the interdisciplinary team to ensure culturally competent care. Though the role of a nurse practitioner has allowed me to gain plenty of clinical experience, I am still not very confident about the management roles. I am more comfortable in the role of a mentor or patient educator or as an advocate for culturally sensitive care. However, I believe that by gaining expertise in the managerial field I will be able to grow and develop myself better as a clinician(Hudspeth & Klein, 2019). Besides, it will also guide me in effective planning and organization of the nursing team, and allow me to have better control over a situation with enhanced decision-making abilities. In conclusion, it can be said that the positive impact of the nurse practitioners on patient life has been recognized worldwide but still there are some areas regarding proper regulatory framework, licensing and authorization issues that need to be taken care of immediately to ensure provision foradvanced patient care services.
3FUTURE PROSPECTS OF A NURSE PRACTITIONER REFERENCE: Crews, J. A. (2019).Development and Evaluation of a Nurse Practitioner Directed Wound Care to Improve the Quality of Life of Patient with Chronic Wounds in a Skilled Nursing Facility(Doctoral dissertation, Wilmington University (Delaware)). Hudspeth, R. S., & Klein, T. A. (2019). Understanding nurse practitioner scope of practice: Regulatory, practice, and employment perspectives now and for the future.Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners,31(8), 468-473. Thomas, A., Crabtree, M. K., Delaney, K., Dumas, M. A., Kleinpell, R., Marfell, J., & Wolf, A. (2017). Nurse practitioner core competencies content.The National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties. Wilson, T. R. (2017). Time and NP practice: Naming, claiming, and explaining the role of nurse practitioners.The Journal for Nurse Practitioners,13(9), 583-589.