Running head: ADVANCED NURSING PRACTICE 1 ADVANCED NURSING PRACTICE 6 Advanced Nursing Practice Role Student’s Name: Alien R Perez Institution: South University Professor: Dawn Julian Date: 09/06/2016 Introduction An advanced practice-nursing role in the specialty area is that of a family nurse practitioner (FNP). Typically, FNPs practice in primary care settings. The National Patient Safety Goals (NPSGs), the family nurse practitioner’s role is clinical in nature since the practitioner must possess clinical skills to carry out important functions such as management and assessment of chronic and acute conditions. The role of FNP enhances patient safety since it places immense emphasis on health promotion, disease prevention and interdisciplinary collaboration to improve patient care outcomes. The FNP also fosters patient safety through emphasizing on the provision of holistic and culturally congruent care. Conducting further research on the role of the FNP will help in providing greater understanding of the scope of this advanced practice role. Apart from exploring the FNP role, this discussion also highlights insights gained from an expert opinion article and two scholarly research articles that have scrutinized different aspects of the role. Discussion FNPs play an indispensable role in the health care system, particularly in the primary care settings where the mainly practice. The NPSGs affirm that the FNP role is clinical in nature. To this end, it recognizes these practitioners as clinical experts with an obligation of implementing holistic interventions that focus on both cure and care. According to Hamric, Hanson, Tracy, & O'Grady (2014), FNPs offer comprehensive, continuing and client-centered care to individual patients as well as members of their families. Therefore, they must have the desired academic expertise and clinical skills needed for guaranteeing the success of disease prevention initiatives, and health promotion efforts. The clinical skills are also critical for ensuring the FNPs are effective in dispensing their duties of assessing, managing and treating acute as well as chronic illness in populations of interest (Hamric et al., 2014). Distler (2013) acknowledges that apart from diagnosing and treating illnesses, FNPs additionally provide preventive care services that often include routine check-ups, immunizations, screening tests, personalized counseling and health risk assessments in the target populations. As such, these nurse practitioners play a central role in promotion of patient safety. Moreover, through emphasis on providing holistic care, FNPs are able to build strong, lasting relationships with patients, families and communities. These relationships empower the family nurse practitioners to dispense culturally sensitive care. Eventually, the strong rela ...

1. Running head: ADVANCED NURSING PRACTICE
1
ADVANCED NURSING PRACTICE
6
Advanced Nursing Practice Role
Student’s Name: Alien R Perez
Institution: South University
Professor: Dawn Julian
Date: 09/06/2016
Introduction
An advanced practice-nursing role in the specialty area is that
of a family nurse practitioner (FNP). Typically, FNPs practice
in primary care settings. The National Patient Safety Goals
(NPSGs), the family nurse practitioner’s role is clinical in
nature since the practitioner must possess clinical skills to carry
out important functions such as management and assessment of
chronic and acute conditions. The role of FNP enhances patient
safety since it places immense emphasis on health promotion,
disease prevention and interdisciplinary collaboration to
improve patient care outcomes. The FNP also fosters patient
safety through emphasizing on the provision of holistic and
culturally congruent care. Conducting further research on the
role of the FNP will help in providing greater understanding of
the scope of this advanced practice role. Apart from exploring
the FNP role, this discussion also highlights insights gained
from an expert opinion article and two scholarly research
articles that have scrutinized different aspects of the role.
Discussion
FNPs play an indispensable role in the health care system,
particularly in the primary care settings where the mainly
practice. The NPSGs affirm that the FNP role is clinical in

2. nature. To this end, it recognizes these practitioners as clinical
experts with an obligation of implementing holistic
interventions that focus on both cure and care. According to
Hamric, Hanson, Tracy, & O'Grady (2014), FNPs offer
comprehensive, continuing and client-centered care to
individual patients as well as members of their families.
Therefore, they must have the desired academic expertise and
clinical skills needed for guaranteeing the success of disease
prevention initiatives, and health promotion efforts. The clinical
skills are also critical for ensuring the FNPs are effective in
dispensing their duties of assessing, managing and treating
acute as well as chronic illness in populations of interest
(Hamric et al., 2014).
Distler (2013) acknowledges that apart from diagnosing and
treating illnesses, FNPs additionally provide preventive care
services that often include routine check-ups, immunizations,
screening tests, personalized counseling and health risk
assessments in the target populations. As such, these nurse
practitioners play a central role in promotion of patient safety.
Moreover, through emphasis on providing holistic care, FNPs
are able to build strong, lasting relationships with patients,
families and communities. These relationships empower the
family nurse practitioners to dispense culturally sensitive care.
Eventually, the strong relationships promote patient safety in
addition to improving access and enhancing quality of care.
Hamric et al. (2014) contend that FNPs must exhibit various
attributes to guarantee their success. For instance, they must
have empathy, effective communication and critical thinking
skills. They must also be willing to implement evidence-based
practices in their daily routines.
Various research and expert opinion articles have dissected the
scope of the FNP role. For instance, an article by Freed,
Dunham, Loveland-Cherry, & Martyn (2011) strived to
investigate the role of family nurse practitions with specific
emphasis on the pediatric setting. The title of this study
published in the journal Pediatrics was “Family Nurse

3. Practitioners: Roles and Scope of Practice in the Care of
Pediatric Patients”. The method Freed et al. (2011) utilized to
conduct their inquiry was mailing surveys to FNPs working in
pediatric settings across the nation. The researchers make a
clever observation by acknowledging that even though the US
has witnessed a drastic rise in the number of well-trained family
nurse practitioners over past decades, a majority of them are
nonetheless not practicing in the pediatric settings. Empirical
results from the study by Freed et al. (2011) revealed that
although 66% of the respondents reported catering to children,
pediatric patients only constituted a miniature fraction of the
overall patient population seen by the FNP. In light of their
findings, the scholars concluded that even in the near future,
there is little likelihood that FNPs will have any considerable
effect on the accessibility of either primary or subspecialty care
for children.
The other enlightening research article is by Hoyt & Proehl
(2015), which goes by the title “Family Nurse Practitioner or
Acute Care Nurse Practitioner in the Emergency Department?”
Unlike the article by Freed et al. (2011), the one by Hoyt &
Proehl (2015) looks at the shifting trends characterized by nurse
practitioners increasingly preferring to work in EDs (emergency
departments). The researchers in this study reiterate that the
ability of ACNP and/or FNP to work in an ED depends upon
various factors including academic preparation, credentialing,
regulatory agency (mainly state board of nursing), on-the-job
training and continuing education. From conducting a
comprehensive survey regarding demographics, certification,
additional preparation, routine responsibility and practice
setting, Hoyt & Proehl (2015) established that a vast majority
(approximately 65%) of FNPs that practiced in a non-traditional
setting worked in a high acuity emergency department.
According to the researchers, additional training that prepared
the FNPs to succeed in the high acuity emergency departments
included training in pharmacology, ordering of diagnostic tests
and laboratory interpretation. Hoyt & Proehl (2015) reached the

4. conclusion that since there is an emergent trend of NPs and
FNPs practicing more in nontraditional settings, they can reap
significant benefits from increased mentorship and formal, on-
the-job training.
In an expert opinion article dubbed “The Role of the Family
Nurse Practitioner”, Distler (2013) provides a thoughtful
commentary on the evolution, expanding scope and projected
future of the FNP role. The writer commences by
acknowledging that the amplification of healthcare coverage as
necessitated by the ACA (Affordable Care Act) calls on nurse
practitioners including FNPs to take an active role in order to
ensure that all Americans including the growing population of
the elderly receive the needed coverage. In addition, the
researcher affirms that in the various settings where they work
such as private practice, community/public health, independent
practice and armed forces, FNPs must strive to ensure that the
care they dispense is holistic and client-centered. Distler (2013)
also avers that family nurse practitioners play a central role in
meeting the nation’s escalating primary care needs because of
their advanced preparation and knowledge in health care
literacy, health promotion and disease prevention. In
conclusion, Distler (2013) estimates that the demand for family
nurse practitioners between 2008 and 2025 in the US will
increase by 94%. This highlights the need for improving
training institutions across the nation to help produce competent
and well-qualified FNPs.
Conclusion
FNPs play a critical role in dispensing holistic care to patients,
their families and entire communities where they practice,
which is mainly in primary care settings. These professionals
usually possess the desired clinical skills and relevant academic
knowledge needed for undertaking various duties such as health
literacy promotion, disease prevention, management and
assessment of acute and chronic conditions. Hence, FNPs have a
positive contribution on patient safety. Noteworthy, the articles

5. by Hoyt & Proehl (2015), Freed et al. (2011) and Distler (2013)
have aided to offer revealing insights into the scope, nature of
work and role of FNPs in the contemporary society. The lessons
learned will find meaningful application in my professional
development.
References
Distler, J. (2013, December 18). The role of the family nurse
practitioner: Let’s take a look. Retrieved August 05, 2016, from
http://www.healthcarecommunication.com/Main/Articles/The_ro
le_of_the_family_nurse_practitioner_11775.aspx
Freed, G. L., Dunham, K. M., Loveland-Cherry, C., & Martyn,
K. K. (2011). Family Nurse Practitioners: Roles and Scope of
Practice in the Care of Pediatric Patients. Pediatrics, 126 (5).
Retrieved August 04, 2016, from
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/126/5/861
Hamric, A. B., Hanson, C. M., Tracy, M. F., & O'Grady, E. T.
(2014). Advanced practice nursing : an integrative approach (5
ed.). St. Louis, Missouri: Elsevier/Saunders.
Hoyt, K. S., & Proehl, J. A. (2015). Family Nurse Practitioner
or Acute Care Nurse Practitioner in the Emergency Department?
Advanced Emergency Nursing Journal:, 37 (4), 243-246.
Retrieved August 05, 2016, from
http://journals.lww.com/aenjournal/Fulltext/2015/10000/Family
_Nurse_Practitioner_or_Acute_Care_Nurse.1.aspx