Discussion: Examining Nursing Specialties

Discussion: Examining Nursing Specialties

Sonya Spellman

Department of Nursing, Walden University

NURS 6003C: Transition to Graduate Study

     My chosen specialty is the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program. I have worked in the behavioral health/psychiatric setting for several years. I have seen how patients with mental healthcare needs have been able to return to functioning members of their families and communities when they have access to quality mental health services. This is my biggest motivation for wanting to become a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. I have seen firsthand the benefits of patients receiving the care they need. For example, I worked with a mother of 4 who was going to lose custody of her children. She was unable to stay employed and take care of her children due to auditory and visual hallucinations. I worked for a company where we managed and administered her medications. After consistently receiving mental health services. She retained custody of her children and returned to work.

     I want to be able to provide these services in my community. Since the area, I live in is rural and most of the community is low-income. I really see a need for more mental health care services. About two-thirds of primary care physicians (PCPs) reported in 2004-05 that they could not get outpatient mental health services for patients at a rate that was at least twice as high as that for other services (Cunningham, 2009).

     The difficulty that I had in making my decision for the specialty was choosing between the FNP or PMHNP program. Today healthcare is being approached from a holistic point of view. There has been a move toward integrating behavioral health and medical services (Correll et al, 2011). I eventually decided to focus on mental health due to my strong background in mental health.  And to meet the needs of patients. I plan is to develop a network of primary care providers to meet the needs and have a positive effect on my community.

     NAMI or the National Alliance on Mental Illness is the nation’s largest mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for Americans affected by mental illness. (NAMI, n.d.).  Membership for NAMI requires the creation of a free account or by joining the national, state, or local level. The choices for membership are a fee of sixty dollars per household, forty dollars for regular membership, or five dollars for an open-door membership for an individual, all on a yearly basis (NAMI, n.d.).

References

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Correll,Correll,  J. A., Cantrell, P., & Dalton, W. T., III. (2011). Integration of behavioral health services in a primary care clinic serving rural Appalachia: Reflections on a clinical experience. Families, Systems, & Health, 29(4), 291–302. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0026303

             Cunningham, P. J. (2009). Beyond Parity: Primary Care Physicians’ Perspectives On Access To Mental Health Care. Health Affairs, 28, w490–w501. https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.28.3.w490

             NAMI. (n.d.). Who we are? National Alliance on Mental Illness. Retrieved January 25, 2022, from: https://www.nami.org/About-NAMI

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9 months ago

Teresa Woody 

RE: Discussion – Week 10

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9 months ago

Stephanie Kachin 

RE: Discussion – Week 10 Response 2- Sonya

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Hi Sonya,

    Thanks for sharing your experiences as a mental health nurse and sharing your future goals. I agree this sounds like an excellent specialty to choose. Studies have shown a national shortage of mental health care providers (Jones, 2018). Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners can  more likely practice and bill independently and treat mental health and substance abuse disorders (Jones, 2018). Other benefits for psychiatric NP’s include providing mental health services in various settings and caring for patients in all age groups (Balestra, 2018). Roles include diagnosing mental health conditions, providing therapy, and prescribing medication as needed (Balestra, 2018). Thanks again for sharing your experiences.

References

Balestra, M. (2018). Liability Risks for Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners. The Journal of Nurse Practitioners, 14(9), 671-676, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nurpra.2018.08.003

Jones, E. (2018). Practice Characteristics of Nurse Practitioners in Mental Health and Psychiatric Settings, Archives of Psychiatric Nursing, 32(4), 599-603, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apnu.2018.03.012

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9 months ago

Stephanie Kachin 

RE: Discussion – Week 10 Response 2- Sonya

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9 months ago

Jamie Shoemaker 

RE: Discussion – Week 10-reply 1

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Hi Sonya! 

I really enjoyed your post. About 10 years ago I was a diehard psychology major. I went all the way into getting my bachelor’s and life happened. Unfortunately, I could not see it through due to my own mental health issues. Once I was able to get things together, I realized that mental health needs to be addressed as early as possible when the signs are there. Mental health goes unnoticed so often in the healthcare field because no one wants to put forth the effort it takes. Mental health is never a quick fix. These patients live with it, sometimes running their lives for them. I work in a low-income rural area where mental health is not treated as it should be. There are not enough resources to help the substantial number of people that are affected.  

Did you know as of 2016 there are around 222,000 nurse practitioners but only 2.4 percent are specialized in mental health (Regis College Online, 2021). One in five struggles with mental health issues statistics according to the American Psychiatric Nurses Association (Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing – Psychiatric Nursing, 2021). In the burn center where I work, out of 18 rooms, 16 of those patients have a schizophrenic history that has been left un-medicated. Most of the time these patients must be sedated more heavily than the other patients because of their tolerance to the medications. It usually takes putting their medications through a gastric tube for five to seven days to get a decent baseline of how they normally are when they have their medications onboard.  

Every single burn that comes in from a mental health population is self-inflicted due to some type of hallucination or general self-harm thoughts. These patients require delicate care throughout their stay. Burn patients require a different level of care and a patient not being in their right state of mind makes it dangerous. Mental health nursing will always have a place in my heart. No matter what field you go into with nursing, there will always be mental health challenges. Every nurse should have baseline knowledge to advocate for these patients. I am happy for you in your journey into this field. The world needs more psychiatric nurse practitioners. Good luck to you and your journey! 

 

Resources

 

Regis College Online. (2021, October 31). The High Importance and Demand of Psychiatric Nurses. https://online.regiscollege.edu/blog/high-importance-demand-psychiatric-nurses-2/ 

Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing – Psychiatric Nursing. (2021, March 18). APNA. https://www.apna.org/about-psychiatric-nursing/ 

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9 months ago

Mckenzey Bowers 

RE: Discussion – Week 10

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Hi Sonya, 

I enjoyed reading your post. Your story about the mother of 4 was so refreshing to read, and it just shows your passion for this specialty. I think that making the ultimate choice to stay with with mental health was a good one, given your background, but also you can truly see your heart is in this field, simply through this post alone. 

I, too, live in a small, rural area where there is a great need for mental health services. According to the CDC (2021), more than 50% of people will be diagnosed with some sort of mental illness in their lifetime. “Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States. It accounts for the loss of more than 41,000 American lives each year, more than double the number of lives lost to homicide” (MentalHealth.gov, 2017). It is refreshing to know that there are people out there like you that want to truly help those battling with their mental health.

References

Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2021). About Mental Health. Retrieved February 2, 2022, from https://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/learn/index.htm

MentalHealth.gov. (2017). Mental Health Myths and Facts. Retrieved February 2, 2022, from https://www.mentalhealth.gov/basics/mental-health-myths-facts

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9 months ago

Amber Williams 

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9 months ago

Kylene Benedetto 

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9 months ago

Quenia Alfrenard 

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9 months ago

Blessing Nnakwu 

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Hey Sonya,

I also practice in mental and behavioral health, and nothing brings me more joy than to see a patient make a life changing comeback while within our facility. Like you, I also wish to provide these services to those around me because I feel as though with the various presentations of mental illnesses, such as eating disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression vs constant stress from our ever-changing society, the difference between poor mental health and mental illness seems to be blurred (Healthdirect, 2020).

Nearly one in five U.S. adults live with a mental illness, making it very common according to the NIH (National Institute of Mental Health, 2022). Despite this, almost half of those with it are not getting the treatment needed (Ellis, 2019). Mental illnesses can range from “mild” to very severe, but all need to be addressed and treated.

References

Healthdirect. (2020). Types of Mental Illnesses. https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/types-of-mental-illness

Ellis, M. (2019, March 2). The real cost of untreated mental illness in America. https://www.constellationbehavioralhealth.com/blog/the-real-cost-of-untreated-mental-illness-in-america/

National Institute of Mental Health (2022, Jan). Mental Illness. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/mental-illness#:~:text=Mental%20illnesses%20are%20common%20in,mild%20to%20moderate%20to%20severe.

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9 months ago

Christine Hoffmann 

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Week 10 Initial Discussion Post

For my specialty within the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program, I have chosen the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) program. Mental health nursing was what captured my interest in nursing school and lead to my most memorable clinical experiences. It came quite naturally, as I was raised in a family littered with mental health and substance abuse issues. During this clinical rotation, I became well aware that I could make a difference in lives of others, much like those who had struggled in my family. Since graduating with my BSN, I have worked in a high-security forensic psychiatric setting. I have witnessed severe mental illness and have so much compassion for the field in which I have chosen. In addition, I have lived in rural Missouri all of my life and even in my workplace we have struggled with lack of providers to give care to our patients. Mental health issues are compounded in rural settings where there are a lack of providers to meet the needs of the community (Finley, 2019).

The International Society of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurses (ISPN) is a professional organization affiliated with my specialty. It was formed in the late 1990s after the unity of four psychiatric nursing organizations.  To join, you must fill out an online application form and pay a fee of $150 a year ($35 a year for a student). The membership period is  July 1 through June 30 (International Society of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurses, n.d.).

            While choosing this path was easy for me, I have met resistance from my employer who has requested that I instead choose the Nursing Informatics track. Nursing informatics integrates nursing science with information and analytical sciences (American Nurses Association, 2015). My place of employment is currently seeking a new electronic charting system and having a nurse with a degree in Nursing Informatics would be beneficial to selecting and implementation of the new program. However, while I have always been “tech saavy,” I do not find interest in the information technology sector and feel as if this track would not be a good fit for me.

References

American Nurses Association. (2015). Nursing informatics: Scope and standards of practice (2nd ed.). Silver Spring, MD: Author.

Finley, B. A. (2019). Psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners meeting rural mental health challenges. Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association, 26(1), 107839031988635. https://doi.org/10.1177/1078390319886357

International Society of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurses. (n.d.). Ispn.memberclicks.net. https://ispn.memberclicks.net/index.php?option=com_mcform&view=ngforms&id=32723#/

ISPN History. (n.d.). Www.ispn-Psych.org. Retrieved January 28, 2022, from https://www.ispn-psych.org/ispn-history

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9 months ago

Crystal Lewis WALDEN INSTRUCTOR MANAGER

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9 months ago

Christine Hoffmann 

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9 months ago

Jamie Shoemaker 

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Crystal Lewis WALDEN INSTRUCTOR MANAGER

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9 months ago

Janie Patterson 

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9 months ago

Mariah Quero 

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9 months ago

Sonya Spellman 

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9 months ago

Crystal Lewis WALDEN INSTRUCTOR MANAGER

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9 months ago

Rex Boyson Olpoc 

RE: Discussion – Week 10 Response 2 to Mariah

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Hello Mariah,

Interesting post on your responsibility as a dialysis RN and your plan of pursuing an unusual specialization which is the AGPCNP. You have valid reasons why you need to go for that specialization. This track suits you since in the future, you will take care of adolescents, young adult, and older adults who are fragile and sickly. According to the Adult-Gerontology NP Competencies Work Group (2016), AGPCNP will provide preventative, chronic, and acute care, with emphasis on continuous, chronic care to adult and gerontological patients, thus including well, at-risk, and still healthy patients.

There are a lot of benefits in joining a professional nursing organization. According to Echevarria (2018), professional development and career growth are two of the six important reasons why one must sign up for membership in professional nursing organizations. Being a member of ANNA will open doors of opportunities to increase one’s knowledge and competence that manifest current evidence-based practices pertaining to the care of patients with or at risk of kidney diseases, thus contributing to his or her professional development. In addition, ANNA may help one’s career grow by providing career development tools like CV writing or mock interview and provide platforms for members to post their credentials so that potential employers can look. In short, a nurse’s selected professional network might help him or her to be more marketable.

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Again, great post and may God bless you as you achieve your academic and professional goals in life.

References

Adult-Gerontology NP Competencies Work Group. (2016). Adult-gerontology acute care and primary care NP competencies. https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.nonpf.org/resource/resmgr/competencies/NP_Adult_Geri_competencies_4.pdf

Echevarria, I. (2018). Make connections by joining a professional nursing organization. Nursing, 48(12), 35–38. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.NURSE.0000547721.84857.cb

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9 months ago

Kylene Benedetto 

RE: Discussion – Week 10

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Hi Mariah,

I really enjoyed reading your post and thank you for sharing your experiences. It’s really amazing all of the different specialty areas you can go in to with an advanced nursing degree, particularly as an Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP). I never would have thought about specializing in nephrology, but it sounds like it’s a field that is close to your heart and that I was an easy decision. According to the American Nephrology Nurses Association (n.d.), a nephrology nurse cares for individual across the lifespan, and it sounds like your choice of working as an AGPCNP will fill this role. Have you thought about what type of clinical setting you would want to work in? Great job with your post and I wish you all the luck in your journey.

Kylene

References:

American Nephrology Nurses Association. (n.d.). The nephrology nursing specialty – background information. Retrieved February 4, 2022, from https://www.annanurse.org/professional-development/practice/scope-of-practice/background-information

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9 months ago

Amber Williams 

RE: Discussion – Week 10

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The master’s specialty that I chose to pursue is FNP (Family Nurse Practitioner). Nurse Practitioners are key to addressing the current and future shortage in health care, according to the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. In choosing this academic path I was conflicted. Ive only been a nurse for 2.5 years but I knew before graduating with my BSN that I wanted more for my career. I started out wanting to be a CNM but after working in labor and delivery and seeing the scope of practice and their strenuous schedules that a CNM entails I knew that wasn’t the path i wanted to take. I still very much enjoy my job and would love to continue my journey within Womens Health. I enjoy taking care of pregnant women and also their newborns for the first few hours of life. I would love to stay within that area of practice somehow. When applying for my masters I also did want to have some versatility in choosing what type of job I intend to take, without having return back to school. My intentions are also to find a job more flexible with hours to spend more time with my children.

The AANP (American Association Nurse Practitioner) is an organization I could be involved in once becoming a nurse practitioners. To join is simple, just have to have completed the program and pay a 150.00 annual fee. The benefits include meetings, email subscription newsletters and so much more.

 

American Association of Nurse Practicioners (2014). Retrieved from https://aanp.org

Finneran, J. M., & Kreye, J. M. (2021). Empowering the novice family nurse practitioner: Promoting readiness to practice through immersion in an innovative educational strategy. Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, 33(5), 383–390. https://doi.org/10.1097/JXX.0000000000000336

Ramira, M. L., Peraza-Smith, G. B., McLeod, R., & Clark, M. J. (2018). Challenges, Barriers, and Satisfiers of Foreign Educated Physicians with the Family Nurse Practitioner Role in the United States. Journal of Cultural Diversity, 25(1), 12–22.

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9 months ago

Christine Hoffmann 

RE: Discussion – Week 10

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Week 10, Response 1

Hi Amber! I respect your decision in choosing the Family Nurse Practitioner track rather than the CNM track. The use of Certified Nurse Midwives leads to better access and positive health outcomes amongst mothers and babies, but their use is an under-researched topic due to political limitations (Mattison et al., 2020). I have personally used the services of a Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner (WHNP) for the last five of my eight children and have experienced excellent care and treatment. WHNPs provide gynecologic, obstetric, sexual, and reproductive health care for women from puberty and through post-menopausal care (National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health white paper: The essential role of Women’s Health Nurse Practitioners, 2020). Over the last decade, I have grown quite the relationship with my WHNP who has followed me through several complicated and high-risk pregnancies. There are several different fields that you can pursue as a nurse practitioner in the OB and pediatrics related fields and the Family Nurse Practitioner is broad enough to cover many options.

References

Mattison, C. A., Lavis, J. N., Wilson, M. G., Hutton, E. K., & Dion, M. L. (2020). A critical interpretive synthesis of the roles of midwives in health systems. Health Research Policy and Systems, 18(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12961-020-00590-0

National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health white paper: The essential role of Women’s Health Nurse Practitioners. (2020). https://www.npwh.org/lms/filebrowser/file?fileName=NPWH%20White%20Paper%20The%20Essential%20Role%20of%20WHNPs%20final%207.13.2020.pdf

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9 months ago

Mckenzey Bowers 

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9 months ago

Christy Elmore 

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9 months ago

Crystal Lewis WALDEN INSTRUCTOR MANAGER

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9 months ago

Crystal Lewis WALDEN INSTRUCTOR MANAGER

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9 months ago

Kylene Benedetto 

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Week 10 Discussion Post

            I always knew I wanted to work in the mental health field, but my path to the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) program was not direct. I initially planned on becoming a psychologist, but after many discussions with a PMHNP that I worked with I saw the value in changing course. According to Chapman et al. (2018), there is an increased demand for PMHNPs as the number of psychiatrists has been steadily declining. Research shows that PMHNPs provide similar care as psychiatrists including diagnostic assessment, psychotherapy, and medication management, and that the care they provide is equal in quality and positive patient outcomes (Chapman et al., 2018).

            Although I was confident in my decision to become a PMHNP, I was met with some challenges along the way. When I graduated from nursing school, the graduate program I planned to attend closed their PMHNP program. Because I do not have my BSN, but a bachelor’s in another field, I had limited options at the time. I started a graduate program to become a primary care nurse practitioner with the idea to then get my certification as a PMHNP, but I wasn’t happy in the program and soon left it. Since starting at Walden, I have felt very confident in my decision to continue my education and finally pursue this degree.

            One professional organization that will be helpful as I work towards and practice as a PMHNP is the American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA). The APNA is a resource for psychiatric nurses at all levels and provides not only resources and current research, but also offers opportunities to network and collaborate with other psychiatric nursing professionals (APNA, n.d.a). You can join the APNA either online, by mail, or by phone, and there are discounts for students, retired nurses, and active-duty military personnel (APNA, n.d.b). Membership in a professional nursing organization is essential for nurses to continue to develop their skills and practice and serves as an important gateway into advocacy for the patient and community (APNA, n.d.a).

 

References

American Psychiatric Nurses Association. (n.d.a). About apna. Retrieved January 29, 2022, from https://www.apna.org/about-apna/

American Psychiatric Nurses Association. (n.d.b). Rates and how to join or renew. Retrieved January 29, 2022, from https://www.apna.org/membership/join-or-renew/

Chapman, S. A., Phoenix, B. J., Hahn, T. E., & Strod, D. C. (2018). Utilization and economic contribution of psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners in public behavioral health services. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 54(6), S243-S249. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2018.01.045

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9 months ago

Claudy Jean Gilles 

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Hello Kylene,

In my opinion, It is the best move to start the PMHNP program, Lots of people need help with their mental issues. And membership is also important, it is an opportunity to know more about this specialty. This networking opportunity will give you a lot of insight into the Mental health program and the ups and downs and opportunities to be a volunteer. You will have enough skills to promote well-being through prevention and education, in addition to the assessment, diagnosis, care, and treatment of mental health and substance use disorders. And also as a volunteer mental health nurse, you will have the possibility to have a strong therapeutic relationship with the individuals.

 

References:

American Psychiatric Nurses Association. (n.d.b). Rates and how to join or renew. Retrieved January 29, 2022, from https://www.apna.org/membership/join-or-renew/

American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP). (2021). Membership. Retrieved February 1, 2022, from https://www.aanp.org/membership

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9 months ago

Tricia Fulling 

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9 months ago

Crystal Lewis WALDEN INSTRUCTOR MANAGER

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9 months ago

Quenia Alfrenard 

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9 months ago

Crystal Lewis WALDEN INSTRUCTOR MANAGER

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Hi, Quenia,

What does the  APNA signify to you? Should you include your professional affiliation in your resume and/or CV?

Good post!

Dr. Lewis

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9 months ago

Caspertine Johnson 

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I chose Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Certification to add to my list of credentials for both personal and professional insight. My personal desire is to gain more information and understanding of psychiatric conditions (Castillo, 2019). Adding this certification to my professional profile will add to job security and the ability to be versatile in practice.

Difficulties that I have encountered are time management and maintaining my dedication to the completion of the program (Ghiasvand, Naderi, Tafreshi, Ahmadi & Hosseini, 2017). I often must refer to my personal and professional reasons for starting the program as motivation to finish. Over the years I have found it difficult to participate in additional activities and organizations.

I currently am a member of the American Nurses Association and Georgia Nurses Association. I am currently looking to join additional organizations. I hope to benefit from resources and networking with others. Consideration of the organizations’ mission statement will offer insight into the ones that are the best fit (Echevarria, 2018).

 

                                                                                          References

Castillo, E. G., Ijadi-Maghsoodi, R., Shadravan, S., Moore, E., Mensah, M. O., 3rd, Docherty, M., Aguilera Nunez, M. G., Barcelo, N., Goodsmith, N., Halpin, L. E., Morton, I., Mango, J., Montero, A. E., Rahmanian Koushkaki, S., Bromley, E., Chung, B., Jones, F., Gabrielian, S., Gelberg, L., Greenberg, J. M., … Wells, K. B. (2019). Community Interventions to Promote Mental Health and Social Equity. Current psychiatry reports, 21(5), 35. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-019-1017-0

Echevarria, Ilia, PhD, MS, RN, CCRN-K & NEA-BC, CENP. (2018). Make connections by joining a professional nursing organization. Nursing, 48, 35-38. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.NURSE.0000547721.84857.cb

Ghiasvand, A. M., Naderi, M., Tafreshi, M. Z., Ahmadi, F., & Hosseini, M. (2017). Relationship between time management skills and anxiety and academic motivation of nursing students in Tehran. Electronic physician, 9(1), 3678–3684. https://doi.org/10.19082/3678

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9 months ago

Crystal Lewis WALDEN INSTRUCTOR MANAGER

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Hi, Caspertine,

How do you plan to continue networking, after graduation? Nursing associations are great way to start!

Good  post!

Dr. Lewis

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9 months ago

Caspertine Johnson 

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Professor,

Great question! I plan to attend job fairs, career luncheons and potential Walden Alumni events (Crawford, 2019). I often have heard great influential leaders say it’s not always what you know but who you know.

 

Crawford, H. (2019). How to Network After College. U.S. News and World Report. https://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/articles/how-to-network-after-college

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9 months ago

Christy Elmore 

RE: Discussion – Week 10 Response 2

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Hello Caspertine!

I think Mental Health is a specialty area that is very much in need of additional practitioners, and I applaud you for pursuing this step in your professional journey.  I feel I can relate to the hardships you have encountered along the way regarding time management.  I am a mother of four and have worked two jobs a large part of my nursing career.  I planned to start pursuing the MSN program long before now but kept waiting until I thought I would have more time.   Before I knew it, twenty years had elapsed and I found I’m still just as busy, just in different ways. 

I am a family person, and I don’t like to miss anything so it’s hard sometimes to create an effective balance between work, school, and family. A study I researched found that when essential grounds for improving time management skills are set, students are not only more able to be successful in planning ahead but have an overall increase in life satisfaction and communication skills (Demirdag, 2020). 

A professional organization I investigated is the AANP.  This organization allows you to join as a student and begin utilizing the benefits such as professional support in the era we are currently in, as well as networking opportunities, access to journals, and many other resources (American Association of Nurse Practitioners, 2021).  I feel tactics like; improving our time management skills and utilizing AANP as an additional support system, are additional methods we can use to promote our success in becoming the practitioners we desire to be.  I wish you all the best on your journey!

References 

American Association of Nurse Practitioners. (2021). AANP Member Benefits. https://www.aanp.org/membership/member-benefits

Demirdag, S. (2020, November 30). The mediating role of life satisfaction in the relationship between time management and communication skills. Educational Administration: Theory & Practice. Retrieved February 6, 2022, from https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1291004

 

 

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9 months ago

Caspertine Johnson 

RE: Discussion – Week 10 Response 2

COLLAPSE

Christy

Thank you for your response. I am active in AANP as well. Currently, I have used it most notably for becoming licensed. It offers many resources for such (American Association of Nurse Practitioners, 2021). The most insight I have gained since graduating is the people that have helped me along the way. Mostly preceptors and trainers who can identify with the common issues encountered being “new” or “just starting”. My hope is that I will be fortunate enough to pay it forward!

American Association of Nurse Practitioners. (2021). AANP Member Benefits. https://www.aanp.org/membership/member-benefits

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9 months ago

Mckenzey Bowers 

RE: Discussion – Week 10

COLLAPSE

The specialty I chose within the Master of Science in Nursing program is Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP). I have been a nurse for a few years now, where I have solely worked in the women’s center, consisting of labor and delivery, postpartum, and the newborn intensive care unit (I float between all three units); however, for as long as I can remember, I have always wanted to be a pediatric nurse practitioner. It wasn’t until just recently I changed my mind and made the decision to do FNP. Nevertheless, I do intend on specializing in pediatrics after I get my FNP degree. As difficult as it was to do family instead of pediatrics, I made this decision because I did not want to get “stuck” in the pediatric field if I later determined that I didn’t like it. “FNPs provide primary care for patients at all life stages” (NurseJournal, para. 1, 2022). Pursuing a career as an FNP has endless opportunities, which is why I ultimately chose this route.

One professional organization that is affiliated with FNPs that I could join would be the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), which is one of the largest nurse practitioner membership organizations (NursingProcess.org, 2022). It is very easy to become a member of the AANP, and the benefits and opportunities becoming a member are endless. The membership process is as easy as going to the website, click the “Join AANP” link, and paying the membership fee (AANP, 2021). A few benefits and opportunities this membership entails include “advocacy for your practice and the greater NP role, hundreds of hours of free CE (continuing education),” etc. (AANP, 2021).

References

American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP). (2021). Membership. Retrieved February 1, 2022, from https://www.aanp.org/membership

NurseJournal. (2022). Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) Career Overview. Retrieved February, 2022, from https://nursejournal.org/nurse-practitioner/fnp/

NursingProcess.org. (2022). Retrieved February 1, 2022, from https://www.nursingprocess.org/

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9 months ago

Amber Williams 

RE: Discussion – Week 10

COLLAPSE

Hi McKenzey,

I enjoyed your post this week. I can completely relate to your journey in also to why you chose FNP. I am currently a Labor and Delivery nurse and thought that I wanted to be a Certified Nurse Midwife but chose FNP due to scheduling and also I wanted versatility although my heart will always be with Obstetrics/womens health. According to Nurse Journal an FNP can work in the hospital, private practice, and/or internal medicine clinic.  Another reason why I felt like FNP was the right fit for me because it would bring a chance to truly connect with my patients and their families. Although with the unfortunate pandemic that has arose I feel like its still possible to have a connection with my patients and their families. As a future FNP it is going to be vital that we stay up to date on as much as we can. It is now more important than ever for nurses and nurse leaders to project their voice when it comes to experience and knowledge in order to protect themselves and the patients (2021).

Turale, S. (2021). COVID-19: Nursing Challenges into the Future. Pacific Rim International Journal of Nursing Research, 25(2), 165–170.

Family nurse practitioner career overview. NurseJournal. (2022, January 25). Retrieved February 3, 2022, from https://nursejournal.org/nurse-practitioner/fnp/

 

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9 months ago

Crystal Lewis WALDEN INSTRUCTOR MANAGER

RE: Discussion – Week 10

COLLAPSE

Hi, Mckenzey,

How will your academic and professional networks impact your success, during your educational journey? Why is it necessary to continue to expand your networks, through affiliations such as with a professional association?

Good post!

Dr. Lewis

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9 months ago

Janelle McEwen 

RE: Discussion – Week 10

COLLAPSE

Over the years, my long-term goal was to be a critical care nurse. However, having my baby last year substantially shifted the trajectory of my career as I made a decision to join the Walden University MSN degree – Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) specialty so that I can specialize in primary care and take a more active role in managing their patients’ health. The FNP specialty track will allow me to gain autonomy over my nursing practice. According to information from the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) (n.d.) database show that 21 states and the District of Colombia have approved “full practice” for NPs, which will allow me to assess, diagnose, and prescribe medications independently. The authority to practice independently will give me a chance to set my schedule, and subsequently, enable me to gain a positive work-family-life balance, which I need as I raise my son. Besides, I understand that care from FNPs are continuously demanded in the U.S., with data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projecting that at least 200,000 NPs will be required by 2026 (AANP, n.d.). The above represents a 36% job growth and stable job security.

I did not really face challenges or conflictions when making the choice for FNP specialty, except that I was uncertain on how I can balance work, school, and family duties. AANP is one of the professional organizations affiliated with FNPs, which I can currently join as through the student membership avenue (AANP, n.d.). Joining AANP as a student will offer me networking opportunities. My membership will also give me a chance to tap into the numerous benefits, including continuing education, ability to network, and advocacy practice, as well as access to resources availaed to NP students to kickstart their career and education.

References

AANP. (n.d.). What’s my member type? https://www.aanp.org/membership/whats-my-member-type

American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP). (n.d.). NP fact sheet. https://www.aanp.org/about/all-about-nps/np-fact-sheet

Walden University. (n.d.). Master of Science in Nursing Degree Online. https://www.waldenu.edu/online-masters-programs/master-of-science-in-nursing

 

 

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9 months ago

Crystal Lewis WALDEN INSTRUCTOR MANAGER

RE: Discussion – Week 10

COLLAPSE

Hi, Janelle,

How will your affiliation with professional associations enhance your opportunities to network?

Great post!

Dr. Lewis

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9 months ago

Janelle McEwen 

RE: Discussion – Week 10

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Hello Prof, professional associations, like AANP, often promote regional or national nursing or medical conferences or workshops on their websites. Such events are excellent opportunities for expanding my professional network, hearing about best practices in other regions or businesses, and learning new skills. I can also submit a proposal to present a workshop at a conference, which will boost my exposure to others in my FNP field and I might even get some or all of my expenses paid.

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9 months ago

Sonya Spellman 

RE: Discussion – Week 10

COLLAPSE

Hi Janelle,

Great post! Considering the lack of physicians, you would think all states would give nurse practitioners full practice. Based on current utilization patterns, demand for primary care providers is expected to grow more rapidly than physician supply (Dillon & Gary, 2017). Removing barriers at all levels that potentially prevent NPs from practicing to the full extent of their education and training is critical not only to increase primary care capacity but also to make NPs more efficient and effective providers (Park et al, 2018).  I hope all states will eventually allow all nurse practitioners to practice independently to ease the shortage of healthcare providers.

References

Dillon D, Gary F. (2017). Full Practice Authority for Nurse Practitioners. Nurs Adm Q: 41(1):86-93. doi: 10.1097/NAQ.0000000000000210

Park, J., Athey, E., Pericak, A., Pulcini, J., & Greene, J. (2018). To What Extent Are State Scope of Practice Laws Related to Nurse Practitioners’ Day-to-Day Practice Autonomy? Medical Care Research and Review: MCRR, 75(1), 66–87. https://doi.org/10.1177/1077558716677826

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9 months ago

Rex Boyson Olpoc 

RE: Discussion – Week 10 Main Post

COLLAPSE

Becoming an advanced practice registered nurse would give me a sense of autonomy and responsibility in my practice. I want to advance my career and make a difference in people’s lives, and I believe this right here is the opportunity for me to achieve both. In addition, I wanted to expand my scope of practice and hope that one day I could have full practice authority.

I have easily selected the MSN Family Nurse Practitioner specialization because of the flexibility it gives. Later, I would be in a strategic position if I want to pursue other specializations. Another reason why I chose FNP is because of its variability. Being a future FNP, I can provide care to patients of all ages – from infant to elderly. According to Nurse.org (2019), FNPs are the primary point of care for families and can serve as valuable resources for people in the community. I envision myself ordering and performing laboratory and diagnostic tests and interpreting the results, diagnosing diseases, managing treatment of diseases and urgent situations like doing suturing, coordinating care, counseling, and doing health education to patients, families, and communities. Becoming an FNP gives me a broad area and scope of practice. In addition, being an FNP allows me to perform risk evaluation of healthy patients, thus preventing illnesses. Likewise, being an FNP in the primary care setting, I can influence patient behavior by being their primary care provider, and this entails establishment not just rapport but long-term provider–patient relationship.

 

A professional nursing organization that is noteworthy for nurse practitioners is the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. The community has greater than 119,000 thousand members comprised of NPs and NP students whose goals are to improve patient care and advance the profession (AANP, n.d.). This organization is an avenue for all NPs to strengthen their professional network. According to Cherry et al. (2019), being an active member in one or more professional nursing organization contributes to the professional growth of a nurse. One can become a member by joining online wherein one has to provide his or her email address or download a membership application form and submit it to them.

American Association of Nurse Practitioners. (n.d.). About the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP). https://www.aanp.org/about/about-the-american-association-of-nurse-practitioners-aanp

Cherry, B., Caramanica, L., Everret, L. Q., Fennimore, L., & Elaine, S. (2019). Leveraging the power of board leadership in professional nursing organizations. JONA: The Journal of Nursing Administration, 49(11), 517–519. https://doi.org/10.1097/NNA.0000000000000805

 

Nurse.org. (2019, July 24). FNP guide – family nurse practitioner: Salary, benefits & programs. https://nurse.org/education/fnp-family-nurse-practitioner-degree/

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9 months ago

Janelle McEwen 

RE: Discussion – Week 10 Main Post

COLLAPSE

Hello Rex, I enjoyed reading your insightful post, and I agree with you that FNPs are an essential part of the health care landscape, providing wellness guidance and necessary care services to patients in need (Kralewski et al., 2016). I am sure we will help manage patient caseloads at hospitals, clinics, and medical practices, working alongside physicians and specialists to care for the sick, injured, and healthy patients that after graduating. The role of the family nurse practitioner is increasingly important as patients struggle to access care resources in some areas of the United States (American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), n.d.). Are FNPs in your state have the autonomy of practice?

References

American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP). (n.d.). NP Fact Sheet. Retrieved February 2, 2022, from https://www.aanp.org/about/all-about-nps/np-fact-sheet

Kralewski, J., Dowd, B., Curoe, A., Savage, M., & Tong, J. (2016). The Role of Nurse Practitioners in Primary Healthcare. The American Journal of Managed Care, 21(6), 12–23. https://www.ajmc.com/view/the-role-of-nurse-practitioners-in-primary-healthcare

 

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9 months ago

Rex Boyson Olpoc 

RE: Discussion – Week 10 Response to Janelle

COLLAPSE

Hello, Janelle

Thank you for responding to my post and for the added information regarding the lack of access to health care for those underserved communities. In the state of North Carolina, APRNs still do not have full practice authority, but there is an ongoing push in the form of legislations both in the House and Senate of the North Carolina General Assembly which are House Bill 277 and Senate Bill 249, respectively (North Carolina Nurses Association, 2021). The two bills are both known as the SAVE Act, which will allow APRNs to have full practice authority, and they are currently being referred to different committees both in the House and Senate of the NC General Assembly.

References

North Carolina General Assembly. (2021, March 11). SAVE Act aims to help NC patients access healthcare providers. https://ncnurses.org/about-ncna/latest-news/save-act-aims-to-help-nc-patients-access-healthcare-providers/

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9 months ago

Mariah Quero 

RE: Discussion – Week 10 Main Post

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9 months ago

Rex Boyson Olpoc 

RE: Discussion – Week 10 Response to Mariah

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9 months ago

Elizabeth Magloire 

RE: Discussion – Week 10 Main Post Response 2

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9 months ago

Claudy Jean Gilles 

RE: Discussion – Week 10

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9 months ago

Janelle McEwen 

RE: Discussion – Week 10

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9 months ago

Christine Hoffmann 

RE: Discussion – Week 10

COLLAPSE

Response 2, Week 10

Hello Claudy! Great post! As a long-term psychiatric nurse, I commend you for making this decision. When I began working mental health nursing immediately after nursing school, my friends looked at me as if I had a third eye! However, the decade that I have worked in the field has been very rewarding. Do you have any experience in psychiatric nursing as a Registered Nurse? There are several settings in which you may choose to work (Psych Nurse FAQs, n.d.). I work in a forensic mental health facility which houses a solely adult population. While I have enjoyed my work with the adult population, I find that working with children could be even more rewarding. Adverse childhood experiences are linked to increased health problems in adulthood, including mental illness (The lasting effects of childhood trauma, 2020). Of all of the patients that I have cared for over the year, a great deal of them had experienced great trauma in childhood. The identification of such trauma and early trauma-focused treatment may lead to better outcomes into adulthood (The lasting effects of childhood trauma, 2020). For that reason, I have great interest in working with the child population.

References

Psych Nurse FAQs. (n.d.). APNA. Retrieved February 4, 2022, from https://www.apna.org/psych-nurse-faqs/

The lasting effects of childhood trauma. (2020, April 28). Health Essentials from Cleveland Clinic. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/childhood-traumas-lasting-effects-on-mental-and-physical-health/

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9 months ago

Crystal Lewis WALDEN INSTRUCTOR MANAGER

RE: Discussion – Week 10

COLLAPSE

Hi, Claudy,

How could your professional organization affiliation allow you to stay abreast of the latest research, which may impact your practice?

Great post!

Dr. Lewis

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9 months ago

Mariah Quero 

RE: Discussion – Week 10

COLLAPSE

Hello Claudy,

You have written an inspirational post and thank you for sharing it with us. I respect your decision to care for patients with mental health problems. I think that you can make a big difference in their lives with your dedication. It seems that you have done a lot of research on being a mental health nurse practitioner and this is an important part of choosing your specialty. Mental illness is more common than what some of us think and sometimes, people who have mental illness just do not want to talk about it because if various reasons. As a mental health nurse practitioner, you can use a holistic approach to prevent, identify, and treat these patients. Being able to help these patient through recovery from mental illness is very rewarding.

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9 months ago

Ryslande Eugene Dominique 

RE: Discussion – Week 10

COLLAPSE

Hi Claudy,

I enjoyed reading your post! Thank you for sharing your experiences. We have a lot in common and share multiple identical professional goals. As you mentioned working with mental health requires caring and compassion. I appreciate your determination and the passion you have for mental health as we know, working with mental health patients is not easy, especially since many of them suffer from anxiety and trauma. From my experience, I realized that dealing with mental health patients can be very challenging. Mental health problems are on the rise. All people, young and old, face many challenges that lead to mental health disorders. Most of them need a lot of support and therapy.

The Covid 19 Pandemic affects individuals and society and causes disruption, anxiety, stress, stigma, and xenophobia. An individual’s behavior as a unit of society or a community has marked effects on the dynamics of a pandemic that involves the level of severity, degree of flow, and aftereffects (Psych Nurse FAQs. n.d.). 

                                                                       References

 

Psych Nurse FAQs. (n.d.). APNA. Retrieved February 4, 2022, from

 https://www.apna.org/psych-nurse-faqs/

 

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9 months ago

Ryslande Eugene Dominique 

RE: Discussion – Week 10

COLLAPSE

Multiple difficulties were experienced while deciding what nursing specialty to pursue, and the main reason for the difficulty stems from nearly all the APRN roles appearing seductive. Evaluation of all the roles associated with APRN proved integral in helping the society, and this is what personal drive into pursuing the nursing profession is all about. The decision to pursue mental health nursing stems from the desire to serve the population and help people with mental issues heightened with the COVID-19 pandemic. Cases of adolescent suicide are also on the increase, and the most effective strategy for managing this issue is mental health care services integral in depression management, and this also served as an integral decision to pursue mental health (Frissora & Ranz, 2021).

 An example professional organization affiliated with mental health nurses is the American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA), which currently holds over 15,000 members. Qualified professional nurses and postgraduate students form most of these members, and membership is always through subscription. The primary subscription basis is monthly and yearly fees (Kesten & El-Banna, 2021). American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) also serves as an integrated organization for affiliation, and the main difference between American Psychiatric Nurses Association and American Association of Nurse Practitioners is that the latter is more broad compared to the former, as it entails professional and students nurses from multiple specialties, unlike the former that entails only professional nurses and students specializing in mental health care. Membership into the American Association of Nurse Practitioners is mainly through invitation. The importance of joining a professional organization is that it aids in advancing one’s career and offers an avenue for networking integral in the nursing fraternity (Curley, 2019).

 

References

Curley, A. L. (2019). Population-based nursing: Concepts and competencies for advanced practice. Springer Publishing Company.

Frissora, K. M., & Ranz, J. M. (2021). A Community Psychiatry Nurse Practitioner