The Role of the APRN in Teaching the Trends and Issues

Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRN) is a registered nurse with masters or post master's degree and a specialist in serving a particular patient population or role.

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Types of APRNs

APRN education trains nurses to examine, diagnose and manage medical problems, order tests and even prescribe medicine.They also engage in continuing education to keep abreast with methodological, technological and other developments in the nursing field. APRN role is not limited to providing health care. They are also educators, consultants, counselors, mentors, and researchers.

Role of APRN in teaching the trends and issues to nurses

APRN are well-prepared to offer advanced patient care, and they have a great deal of knowledge and skills to share with RNs and other health practitioners.Since they undertake trends and issues continuing education, they know about the current developments in nursing trends. They can translate their advanced knowledge and experience to teach evidence-based nursing skills and advanced theory to students and practicing nurses in a clinical setting.APRNs play an active role in preparing the workforce for new needs to fit reformed health care roles at health care facility or national level.

Advanced education helps APRN in teaching the trends and issues to nurses

To become a nurse practitioner requires additional training for 2-4 years in addition to the time that someone takes to qualify as an RN. The extensive training makes APRNs have a better understanding of some issues that RNs cannot handle without supervisor of the physicians or a senior nurse. When nurses work under an APRN, they get an opportunity to learn more about administering primary care from a professional who has duties almost equal to those of doctors.

Focus by APRN in Teaching the Trends and Issues

There are numerous emerging trends and issues in nursing. When APRNs teach, their areas of focus include the following emerging trends and problems in health care:

Health education and disease prevention

APRNs have much potential to in participating as well as teach on preventive care that for many years was an area of practice for physicians. Most of the APRNs have skills in providing primary care managing a significant percentage of the care that doctors can provide.

Whereas doctors training has more emphasis on diagnosis and treatment, APRNs have training in the health promotion and disease prevention across the lifespan. Their knowledge places them in a unique position to influence the nurses to think more about empowering patients into making lifestyle changes and better health choices that help to prevent diseases.

The role of APRN extends beyond the nursing professions into the community. Some of the APRN play valuable roles in health promotion which is one of the trends and issues in patient care in their communities.

Evidence based practice (EBP)

EBP is still a developing issue in clinical practice. APRNs receive training about the application of evidence-based practice at points of care. They can identify necessary EBP competencies for particular specialties. As advocates of evidence based practice and therapy, an APRN is in a good position to advance this science of nursing by conducting research, translating outcome to the nurses and guide them on the way to apply it in a practical environment.

Technology in nursing practice

Increase access to technology is one often most significant trends in nursing. New ways of tech assisted the practice in keeping on emerging every day. APRNs have a role in teaching other nurses to work comfortably with the new technologies and use it to offer the best care options for the parents. They also provide education about emerging technology that will dictate the future of nursing. One such issue is the Internet of Things that allows nurse practitioners to send patients to discharge their patients from the hospital and use intelligent medication systems to monitor the status of their health from a distance.

The role of APRN in teaching the trends and issues is more important than before as nowadays there is a need for more accountability about the quality and cost of care. Patients can now use the internet to compare the clinical outcome, directions by nurses and safety scores.