Nurse Practitioner Scope of Practice in the United States

lactate Practitioners ar registered books who atomic number 18 outstandingly recognized for providing primary take and treating acute and chronic illness and diseases. They acquired practiced skills and experience through advance education and medical exam checkup training, and are certain to serve as wellness and medical care resources and interdisciplinary consultants for diverse populations during wellness and illness. nurse Practitioners whitethorn be generalists, interchangeable family nurse practicians, or specialists whose areas of expertise include pediatrics, geriatrics, and psychiatry.Nurse Practitioners render a enormous range of different types of deterrent and clinical services as authorized by a states Nurse rehearse Act that vary from state-to-state in which some allow independent practice for nurse practitioners. In the join States, the state from which a nurse practitioner is practicing gives the nurse practitioners license being certified by the Amer i back Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). Since the commerce is regulated by the state, the extended care-giving role played by Nurse Practitioners varies. Nurse practitioners in the community may be engaged in wellness maintenance organizations, home health care agencies, public health departments, school or college clinics, and physicians offices, to mention a few.With increase demand for primary care services to to a lower placeserved groups and communities, nurse practitioners are successfully qualified for rendering such(prenominal) service, being fully equipped with countenance knowledge and training. Standards for practice developed by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (1993) provide the specific activities that a nurse practitioner can consummate and govern the services granted.In general, regardless of specialty, the background signal of services practiced by nurse practitioners is divided into three categories. The first category covers the assessment of h ealth status. This includes activities such as obtaining medical and health record of an individual, performing breast feeding assessments, and conducting physical examination on patients. Nurse practitioners also perform preventive screening procedures ground on the patients age and history. such(prenominal) screening includes those for hearing, sight, and cancer. Identification of medical health risks and requirements is also chthonian the domain of practice of this profession.The second category is the application of suitable diagnosis based on previous examinations and clinical findings. They execute and interpret diagnostic studies such as routine laboratory tests, EKGs and X-rays. Diagnosing, treating, evaluating, and managing minor and common and acute and constant illness and diseases such as injuries, diabetes, and high blood pressure are being employed by nurse practitioners. Also, with proper training or with supervision, they are also allowed to perform minor surgeri es and procedures and may be inaugural Assistants in the OR.Central to the care provided by nurse practitioners are the conditions of the patients and the nurture stamp of illness on the lives of the patients and the patients relatives. Thus, supportive counseling and educating patients regarding their health behaviors stressing out health promotion and citing preventive measures on illness and diseases are also under the practice of nurse practitioners. Providing prenatal care, conducting well-child screenings and immunizations, prescribing rehabilitation treatments and medications, though limited in some states, are also being practiced. All of these fall under the third category and can be summarized as the management of the case.This further identifies the require of individual, family or community the assessment and interpretation of data collected. evaluation and execution of plan of care are also being show in the practice of such profession. Nurse practitioners also es tablish collaborative working relationship with physicians to provide comprehensive care and refer patients to separate health professionals as needed to meet the appropriate health and medical goals.Nurse practitioners with specialization may include other specific activities in their scope of practice in line with their acquired specialty to further serve the draw a bead on population. For pedriatric nurse practitioner, for instance, one may include the analysis of factors that may move the childs growth and development. Studies relating to abnormal and normal development in relation to anatomical, physiological, motor, cognitive, and social behavior of the child may be include in his scope of practice. Womens health care nurse practitioner may perform fertility counseling and infertility management and may also give prescription and management of birth control pills and diaphragms or provide family planning services.To further improve the scope of practice, there are nurse pra ctitioners that take advance training for certain clinical procedures. These procedures which can be accomplished by nurse practitioners with effective training which depends on previous experience and practice limitations of individual state Nurse serve Acts.The continuing progress to cope with changing health care needs of the society is the responsibility of the nurse practitioners. They unite the role of being a care resource person, counselor and educator, researcher and administrator especially in the field of primary health care. Members of such profession are credible for the expansion and improvement of the practice of such profession and this can be achieved through involvement and active participation in professional health care organizations and their activities as they ensure that the standards on the scope of practice for nurse practitioners are maintained.ReferencesKozier B., et al. (1998). Fundamentals of Nursing Concepts, Process and Practice.Addison Wesley Longma n, Inc.Nurse Practitioner Scope of Practice. (2007). American College of Nurse Practitioners. Retrieved 02 December 2007 fromhttps//www.aanp.org/?pageid=3465Sherwood G. et al. (2007). Defining Nurse Practitioner Scope of Practice