Sharp Memorial Hospital Trauma/ICU Team, October 2007-December 2007. Under preceptor supervision, I worked 124 hours in a Level I trauma center where I gave comprehensive care to patients, conducted physical examinations, patient assessment, diagnosis, testing and wound care. I also advocated for, managed and coordinated care educations to the patients and the surrounding community. Making rounds in ICU and recording any new entrant and developments to the family was one of the key responsibility that I was charged with.
Obtaining history; performing physical examinations; making diagnosis and ordering appropriate work-up treatment were also part of my job description. I also assisted in coordinating post-hospital discharge care and skilled nursing home discharge. My clinical experience involves managing a number of varied patient conditions which involve management of acute cases, emergencies and ordinary management of patients. Furthermore, I have served on a supervisory capacity for I have taken on the responsibility of taking rounds and recording development of patients in ICU.
This wealth of experience is useful in developing areas of practice nursing that are important to advanced nursing. The ability to ensure others learn aspects of nursing is important to advanced learning practice (Stanley & Marianne, 2005). Experience that I possess in dealing with families of patient and the development of care education is therefore important to advanced nursing. The experience I possess places me in a better position to ensure better clinical practice through direct relationships with clients or supportive and consultative efforts.
With the experience I poses I should be able to demonstrate competencies in advanced nursing. Scope of Practice There are two basic roles in advanced nursing practice: Nurse specialists and nurse practitioner. The nurse specialists is charged with more of administrative responsibilities and deals with formulation of policies and development of strategies that will ensure clients’ needs are met in the best way possible. In consideration of my academic qualifications and experience the latter role is more relevant to my qualifications.
Since I am a qualified nurse and possess the additional education and experience required to demonstrate competencies to diagnose, interpret, manage and prescribe pharmaceuticals within the legislated scope of nursing practice, the nursing practitioner role is more relevant to my qualifications. The role of the nurse practitioner is not replacing other healthcare providers rather is to bridge the gap that exists in service delivery, expanding healthcare options and supporting changes that will ensure improvements in healthcare systems.
Legal Jurisdiction Advance practice nurses must be registered, licensed and be accountable to registered nursing regulatory bodies established by federal legislations in each state. Additional regulations and standards are not always required since scope of practice is defined within the scope of registered nurse in any jurisdiction. In cases where it is necessary to redefine the scope and jurisdiction of practice, the redefinition must be within the scope of nursing as stated by labor laws and federal government legislations.