Critical Analysis: Advanced Nurse Practitioner Role in Australia

This report provides a critical analysis of the role of the Advanced Nurse Practitioner (ANP) in Australia. It begins with an introduction highlighting the significance of ANPs within the evolving healthcare landscape, addressing challenges such as an aging population and increasing healthcare demands. The report defines the ANP role, detailing their responsibilities, clinical competency, and the educational requirements for certification. It explores the ANP's role in Australia, comparing it to established roles in other countries, and discusses the evolution of the role, including legislative barriers and professional opposition. The report examines the functions of ANPs, including patient care, improving healthcare access, and innovative roles such as treatment access and mentorship. It then critically evaluates the ANP role, discussing registration, certification, and the standards set by Australian Nursing and Midwifery Council (ANMC) and Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA). The report highlights the challenges faced by nurses and the contributions of ANPs, particularly in addressing shortages of general physicians in remote areas. The analysis references several peer-reviewed journal articles to support its evaluation of the ANP's role and functioning. The report concludes with a summary of the key findings regarding the ANP role in Australia, and the implications for healthcare.

Critical Analysis of The Role of The
Advanced Nurse Practitioner (ANP)

Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN CONTENT...........................................................................................................................1
Meaning of ANP..........................................................................................................................1
Role of ANP within Australia......................................................................................................1
CRITICALLY EVALUATE and APPRAISES ROLE...................................................................3
REFERNCE.....................................................................................................................................6

INTRODUCTION
The role of nurse into Australia is very much significant as it is been evaluating due to
changing need in health care sector on regular bases. Other than this there are many challenges
which are currently included within current era like related to ageing of population in Australia
and increasing demand of public in regard to social health care. In this current assessment role of
Advance Nurse Practitioner (ANP) who is registered nurse having knowledge and experience of
clinical services. Critically evaluation of role of ANP is been conducted within this report from
peer reviewed journals articles so that role and functioning could be easily understood.
MAIN CONTENT
Meaning of ANP
The nurse practitioner or Advance Practice Nurse is the one who is having registration as
certified nurse acquiring knowledge in field of health care sector. They are the one who could be
making complex decision regarding patients and having clinical competency so that it could be
shaping their practice. There are various roles, activities and duties which they need to perform
like that of having expert knowledge, complex decision making skill and then having the ability
based on clinical practices (Who are Nurse Practitioners, 2018). There is also an Master Degree
based entry level including the educational program at advance level and formal form of
recognition while preparing nurse practitioner. ANP need to get registered and the certification
would be given to them which are helping into their further practice as nurse.
The Australian College of Nurse Practitioner (ACNP) which is body of practice of nurse
within country, active in advance in nursing practice helping in improving access to health care.
Role of ANP within Australia
The role and duty of ANP would be understand in improving health of patient by taking
care in order they are providing service to them and improving access to healthcare for clients.
So nurse practitioners are those who are registered with having adequate amount of education
with the experience of their clinical role (Development of the Nurse Practitioner Standards for
Practice Australia, 2018). All the other parts of world would be having very well established
role of these Advance Nurse Practitioner in countries like that of UK, USA and Canada but in
Australia their role and importance have been evaluating over the past 50 years. So this role is
still under the planning phase in Australia which started during year 1990 and still there are
barriers based on legislative with the opposition of other professionals. Then in year 2001 there
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were some nurse practitioners who were appointed in New South Wales as there were no doctors
in most of the remote areas of New South Wales. Then there was build-up of more workforce
related to that of ANP with increased amount of qualification and experience into their roles in
Australia. Then till year 2011 there were about 624 endorsed nurse practitioners within country
who were providing their care and guidance in Australia.
All these role which is been played by midwifes, enrolled nurse and registered nurse
would be protected under National Law, Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) are
all under the scope (McDonnell and Smith, 2015). The role and definition of these nurse would
be laid down under Australian Nursing and Midwifery Council (ANMC) and there are also some
standards which are been included within this standard. This nurse practitioner is basically
registered with having authority to function separately and with collective as team so that they
could extend and advance in clinical role. They would be assisting and managing the clients or
patients using their ability and knowledge related to nursing and health of all individuals which
could not be specified to certain level. There are various skills, values, theories and practice that
are to be followed in nursing profession by all so that they are providing innovative health care
service. While on other hand their scope as practicing nurse would be limited to context under
which they are been working or practising as well.
All practitioner nurse would be having their role as per all other service providers in same
sector like that related to medical, aged service and health and then they would be promoting
social health care (Comiskey and Begley, 2014). Other than this there is also included innovative
roles of nurse like that of treatment access, cost effective care, providing outreach service and
mentorship as well. There is also various kind of clinical practice including emergency, diabetes,
women and child care, sexual health, chronic heart disease, cardiology, respiratory and pain
management. These are various areas which a practicing nurse needs to carry on daily bases
which are the advance practise. There are majority of nurse who are been employed within
public sector of Australia which is having accurate learning and caring environment under this
then they are to provide effective range of health service. Nurse would be divided under two
category like that of generalist and specialist nurse practitioners who are working as mental
health specialist or women health expert.
ANP would be very much important to those areas which are not having better access to
social health care like the remote areas or dispersed geographical parts of Australia. The role
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played by Advance Nurse Practitioner is not just limited to treating people having problems with
their health and mental issues which is to promote clinical support for the care need to patient.
On the other hand general practice support nurse would be those which is registered or enrolled
to as nurse. In order to register as nurse the practitioner by applying into NMBA which is the
registration standard for the endorsement for nurse practitioner (Bryant‐Lukosius and
Schwendimann, 2016). There are many challenges which are been faced by nurse of Australia
like that of increasing aging population, increased into accidents, growing demand of public,
rising cost of treatment and inefficient into the health systems as well. So all the national policies
would be governing how to lower down these prolonged solutions or bring about cost
effectiveness it would also be finding about more innovative process or solution related to these.
There are many important and major contribution of these Advance Nurse Practitioners
among the best is their ability to replace themselves as doctors as there is increased shortage of
General Physicians in remote areas of Australia. Like for example if there is patient who is
suffering asthma need to be treated refereeing to their history and then carrying on normal chest
check-up. This decision would be taken as per the part of nurse who is having knowledge of risk
assessment and how to prevent them as well. As nurse could be able to visit home of that patient
by also staying with them in their house which is not possible by doctor. Then they are to live
and work with that patient in order to spend time with them so that they could come to know
what is the actual problem and how could they prevent them (The role of advanced nurse
practitioners, 2018). In this way it would be helping general physicians to concentrate on their
more important patient as half of their work would be undertaken by ANP only.
ANP is having very wide scope of their working while there is not specified into any kind
of law or regulations about their working like they could be making diagnosis and providing
treatment as well.
CRITICALLY EVALUATE and APPRAISES ROLE
The normal nurse practitioner could be defined to as those having master’s in nursing
under certificate for nurse it could be analysed like that of Australian Nursing and Midwifery
Council (ANMC) and Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA). Then they need to
register again after every 5 years of expiry of certificate which would also be requiring 1000
hours of clinical practice. While on the other hand Boyko, Carter and Bryant‐Lukosius, (2016)
included that Advance Nursing Practitioner should be having master’s degree with specialisation
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into APRN examination and their certificate would also be available through above stated
council only. The focus point within this practise could be related to nurse anesthetise, certified
nurse and midwife (CNM) and clinical nurse specialist (CNS). They are also having power to
prescribe medication but not to all APRN would be having this as is depending upon only on
specialisation authority. Within this health care sector it could be included that nurse are playing
very important and vital role to play as they are to assist doctors of hospitals and private practice
clinics as well.
O'keeffe, Corry and Moser, (2015) included that most of normal physicians should be
having collaborative agreements with the general one so that they could be able to practice in
other parts of country as well. While on the other hand in APRN there is collaboration with all
nurse and the physicians as well and also including hospital administrators. These roles that are
all specified above must be setting out important concept of providing guidance at the time of
establishment of the Advance nurse and midwife practitioner for the role of nurse in Australia. In
order to get this eligibility in becoming ANP nurse should be having following to be registered
as nurse, must be having master’s degree with them and postgraduate is most essential with
experience of about 7 years including 5 years’ experience in specialist area. This could be
included various areas which could be adopted by practitioner nurse like that in accidents and
emergency, addiction, teenage health, chest pain, midwifery, pain management, primary care and
many more.
According to Jennings and Gardner, (2015) it could be said that both the standard boards
would be merged into one specified registration within Australia from July 2010. The standards
boards are Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) and other regulatory bodies as
well. The aim of this board would be related to reflecting standards in actual and planned out
practice. All the applicants of NMBA should be completing their approval and then must be
having master’s degree which is to be of 5000 hours for the advance practice and then that are
applicable for NP. From the special registration of nursing profession there were some findings
identified like including lack of importance of evidence with having special practice and
improving health of patient.
It is said by Bryant‐Lukosius and Schwendimann, (2016) that advance nursing practice
(ANP) within Australia could be including those who is specified to one particular individual
into their role of practice like that of registered nurse and practitioner. So it could be included
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that this is particular level of practice and not termed to as role. So this is having very wide
context as regarded to others like that of general nurse and outlined to other areas with some
other legislative functions and requirements. All these specified roles would be included so that
decision regarding to selection as nurse practitioner. The role of advance nurse practitioner could
be that related to caring, promoting health of patient and regulating access to all facilities to
remote areas patient or clients within Australia. as per one survey done it could be analysed on
bases of some theme like that of use of language, level of behaviours, expression of attribute in
guiding NP behaviour and use of standards within the scope of NP practice.
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REFERNCE
Books and Journals:
Boyko, J.A., Carter, N. and Bryant‐Lukosius, D., 2016. Assessing the spread and uptake of a
framework for introducing and evaluating advanced practice nursing roles. Worldviews on
Evidence
‐Based Nursing, 13(4), pp.277-284.
Bryant‐Lukosius, D., and Schwendimann, R., 2016. Framework for evaluating the impact of
advanced practice nursing roles. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 48(2), pp.201-209.
Comiskey, C., and Begley, C., 2014. A national cross‐sectional study measuring predictors for
improved service user outcomes across clinical nurse or midwife specialist, advanced nurse
practitioner and control sites. Journal of advanced nursing, 70(5), pp.1128-1137.
Jennings, N., and Gardner, G., 2015. The impact of nurse practitioner services on cost, quality
of care, satisfaction and waiting times in the emergency department: a systematic
review. International journal of nursing studies, 52(1), pp.421-435.
McDonnell, A., and Smith, C., 2015. An evaluation of the implementation of Advanced Nurse
Practitioner (ANP) roles in an acute hospital setting. Journal of advanced nursing, 71(4),
pp.789-799.
O'keeffe, A.P., Corry, M. and Moser, D.K., 2015. Measuring job satisfaction of advanced nurse
practitioners and advanced midwife practitioners in the Republic of Ireland: a
survey. Journal of nursing management, 23(1), pp.107-117.
Online:
Development of the Nurse Practitioner Standards for Practice Australia. 2018. Accessed
through: <http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1527154415584233>.
The role of advanced nurse practitioners. 2018. Accessed through:
<https://www.nursinginpractice.com/article/role-advanced-nurse-practitioners>.
Who are Nurse Practitioners. 2018. Accessed through:
<http://anmf.org.au/documents/reports/Fact_Sheet_Snap_Shot_Nurse_Practitioners.pdf>.
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