Identify stressors and develop a plan of action attacking the roots of the stresses.

DISCUSSION 1

Besides its reputation of being the most trusted profession in the U.S (Gallup, 2024) for 22 consecutive years, nursing is unarguably one of the most dynamic professions worldwide. From the Nightingale era until now, nursing has evolved into a multi-disciplinary profession with a variety of career specialties, among which Advanced Practice Nursing. Although APRN, consisting of CNS, NP, CNS, and CRNA, is currently one of the fastest growing professional careers (Sharon A., C et al), there are, however, several barriers that have slowed down the progress of Advanced Practice Registered Nursing. New graduate

Among the barriers that affect the progress of APRNs is role strain, characterized by a sense of frustration and anxiety triggered by various stressors associated with an increased demand in role performance (O’Grady et al 2018). In other words, role strain can be a feeling of overwhelm related to workload. A suggested way to cope with role strain is to primarily identify stressors and develop a plan of action attacking the roots of the stresses. Role ambiguity is another barrier that commonly slows down the progress of APRN. Simply stated, Role is ambiguity occurs when there is not enough information available to complete a particular task, mainly due to lack of clarity about the expectations (O’Grady et al 2018). However, role ambiguity is not always a bad thing according to experts. It leaves room, for it leaves room for creativity. The way to deal with roll ambiguity is to be aware of one’s own professional role, leadership and conflict resolution skills and ability to work in collaboration with others (O’Grady et al 2018). In some, this roll can be a veritable opportunity to think out of the box, to showcase one’s talent and creativity. The third barrier that is important to highlight is role conflict. Role conflict is, if not the most, one of the most frequent occurrences in any work environment. Role conflict occurs when there are mutual disagreements about role expectations. Thera are two main types of role conflict: intraprofessional role conflict and interprofessional role conflict (O’Grady et al 2018). Intraprofssional role conflict exists within the nursing profession. Since the beginning of nursing, there were conflicts over nursing education, between nursing organizations, nursing specialties such as CNM, NP, CRNA etc. On the other hand, interprofessional role conflicts happen among different professions in the health care spectrum, as in the case of physicians-APRNs conflict.

All in all, there are several barriers that have slowed down the progress of Advanced Practice Nursing. However, with the use of appropriate tools and strategies, those barriers can be overcome and APRNs professionals can continue to pursue their career in a good intra/interprofessional atmosphere.

DISCUSSION 2

Advanced practice nursing encompasses an array of roles and specialties that can build upon the foundational knowledge skills of a registered nurse. APNs are extremely important in the healthcare system. They contribute to patient care development, policies, educational assistance, leadership roles, and a variety of other things. APNs include clinical nurse specialist (CNS), certified nurse midwife (CNM), and nurse practitioners (NP). Each role has a unique responsibility and requires advanced education and training clinically. This essay aims to investigate the barriers of today’s advanced nursing practice.

Unfortunately, with the important role of these types of nurses, there are many barriers. These include a lack of understanding the APN role, state and federal regulations along with institutional practices. These nurses undergo a very rigorous nursing training and educational schedule to obtain their certificate. They must demonstrate expertise and have a high standard in their specialty area. They must also stay abreast with all the latest advancements in healthcare.

One of the most important or significant barriers to advanced practice nursing is in the scope of practice when it comes to regulations across different states and federal. These regulations actually determine what an advanced practice nurse can and cannot do. This may include ordering diagnostic testing, prescribing medications, and independently managing patients. Advanced practice nurses have to work under direct supervision and collaborate with physicians which limits their ability to practice to the full extent of their training. With doing so, it can cause ineffectiveness within the healthcare system. Recently, the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies or IOM has recommended that the scope-of-practice barriers be removed in order for APNs to practice to the full extent. (Kugler et al., 2012)

Another barrier to this type of nursing would be education and training. This is typically at a Masters or Doctorate level. With that being said, there are significant barriers when it comes to accessibility and availability for these types of educational programs. The demand for advanced nurses often exceeds the capacity of existing programs which can definitely lead to longer waitlists and a more competitive process for admissions. Educational infrastructure expanding with providing financial support to potential students are crucial steps in overcoming these barriers.

In conclusion, the barriers to advance practice nursing has a variety of roles that are extremely essential to our healthcare system. APNs encompass a multifaceted amount of different challenges. Until these barriers are properly handled, there will continue to be a reduction of productivity from APNs and other healthcare professionals. (Kleinpell et al., 2022) Whether it’s regulatory financial, professional, educational, or legislative, it requires an extreme amount of effort. Not limited to policy makers but educators, healthcare organizations, and nurses themselves.

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You should respond to at least two of your peers by extending, refuting/correcting, or adding additional nuance to their posts. Your reply posts are worth 2 points (1 point per response.)
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