Family nurse practitioners have played a significant role in transforming the healthcare system. Through their rigorous training, they are equipped with skills that are much needed to provide quality services to patients. In recent years, there has been an upsurge of lifestyle-related diseases such as diabetes and hypertension (Kuwabara, 2015). This is a major problem affecting millions of people globally. Cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and cancer are the main causes of morbidity and mortality in the world today (Arena, McNeil, Sagner & Hills, 2017). Some of these diseases can be avoided if people are educated on how to live healthy lifestyles. Family nurse practitioners have been at the forefront of providing comprehensive information to patients and their families. Consequently, patient outcomes have improved significantly.
Family nurse practitioners are also involved in the provision of preconception and prenatal care to women. These are very critical services that ensure that the health of pregnant women is protected. Pregnant women are particularly at risk of developing health problems if they are not managed properly (Gernand, Schulze, Stewart, West Jr, & Christian, 2016). They need good nutrition and immunization which ensures that they have good immunity which protects them from infections such as influenza. Family nurse practitioners have a broad understanding of these special requirements. Therefore, their services have improved the quality of life for pregnant women and children.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
The other role of family nurse practitioners in the provision of family planning services. Any country that desires to grow economically must control its population growth. This prevents the straining of the limited available resources. Furthermore, families that have embraced family planning can adequately provide for the children. In different states, family nurse practitioners assist couples to do family planning. This has improved their quality of life. Additionally, family nurse practitioners perform minor surgeries for example during emergencies such as accidents.
Despite the tremendous contribution of the family nurse practitioners to health, there is a myriad of challenges that engulf this profession. The main problem is that they are not easily accepted in society. For a long time, patients have developed trust in medical doctors to deal with their health problems. Many patients doubt whether family nurse practitioners have the requisite skills to deal with their problems. Lack of confidence in the services provided by family nurse practitioners affects their ability to serve many people who may need their services.
The other challenge for nursing practitioners is that they are viewed as providing unnecessary competition to physicians. Often they provide services at cheaper costs compared to physicians. Furthermore, there are areas where physicians cannot be accessed. In such instances, family nurse practitioners have played a significant role in ensuring that primary family care is provided. Both physicians and nurses should work as a team because they complement each other to improve patient outcomes (Gluyas, 2015). The result should ensure that the patient is the winner. Any act of competition between family nurse practitioners and physicians will compromise patient outcomes.
Healthcare facilities and state licensing agencies have also put restrictions on the scope of practice for family nurse practitioners. Some of the restrictions are not necessary because family nurse practitioners have adequate training to provide most of the primary care services. Such services include chronic illness care and writing prescriptions. In terms of health outcomes, primary care services provided by family nurse practitioners are the same as those of physicians (Swan, Ferguson, Chang, Larson & Smaldone, 2015). Therefore, family nurse practitioners must be also allowed to provide these services to the public.
Growing Workforce
According to the expert opinion of Coombs (2015), the demand for specialized nurses will keep rising steadily over the years. This can be attributed to the steady increase in demand for services yet the number of physicians is not enough. The Association of American Medical Colleges estimates that the shortfall in numbers of specialty physicians may be as high as 63,000 by 2025. On the other hand, the number of family nurse practitioners will keep rising over the same period. Coombs, 2015, states that the steady rise in the demand for services is attributed to the aging population. Between 2010 and 2020, the population of Americans above 65 years will have doubled. Consequently, the risks associated with old age will increase hence more demand for services offered by family nurse practitioners.
The National Center for Health Workforce Analysis as cited by Coombs (2015), indicates that Advanced Practice Nurses will comprise 30 % of the total workforce. According to Coombs (2015), the increase is attributed to the increased number of Advanced Practice Nurses who graduate from colleges. Furthermore, the training of physicians is more expensive hence less number of physicians graduate compared to nurses.
Core Competencies for Family Nurse Practitioner
The Canadian Council of Registered Nurse Regulators released a report in 2015 stating the key competence skills that must be exhibited by nurse practitioners. Some of these core competencies include professional responsibility and accountability (Creamer & Austin, 2017). Other competencies include ethical practice, knowledge-based practice, self-regulation and service to the public (Creamer & Austin, 2017). Every family nurse practitioner must practice based on their professional knowledge. According to Creamer & Austin, (2017), it wrong for a nurse to handle cases that are beyond their scope. Such acts endanger the life of the patient.
In Canada, according to Creamer & Austin, (2017), the number of people suffering from mental illness is expected to rise to 9 million. However, a large number of these patients do not receive medication attention. It is therefore upon family nurse practitioners to inform the public about the need to seek medical attention instead of suffering in silence. Many families suffer in silence yet they can be assisted to manage their stress levels.
Effects of Advanced Practice Nurse
Advanced Practice Nurses have had a significant contribution to the healthcare system. They have educated the public on healthy living to prevent lifestyle diseases. Lifestyle diseases have been on the rise over the years due to the sedentary lifestyle adopted by many middle-class citizens. Cases of diabetes and hypertension have been high. However, Advanced Practice Nurses have been educating people about the kind of food they need to eat and the need to do regular exercise.
Advanced practice nurses have also improved the accessibility of healthcare. It has helped thousands who could not receive medical care to receive it at affordable costs. The competition offered to physicians has also helped in preventing the cost of medication from rising. Consequently, families spend less on medication hence their quality of life improves. The entire healthcare system has also improved because of a better response to the needs of the public.
Conclusion
In conclusion, family nurse practitioners are very critical in promoting the health of the public. Their contribution to family planning, pediatric care and general health of the public is immense. Therefore, state agencies that are responsible for regulatory affairs must ensure that family nurse practitioners are given a chance to make a difference in society.
References
Arena, R., McNeil, A., Sagner, M. and Hills, A. (2017). The Current Global State of Key Lifestyle Characteristics: Health and Economic Implications. Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases , 59(5), pp.422-429.
Coombs, L. (2015). The Growing Nurse Practitioner Workforce in Specialty Care. The Journal For Nurse Practitioners , 11 (9), 907-909. doi: 10.1016/j.nurpra.2015.06.014
Creamer, A., & Austin, W. (2017). Canadian Nurse Practitioner Core Competencies Identified: An Opportunity to Build Mental Health and Illness Skills and Knowledge. The Journal For Nurse Practitioners , 13 (5), e231-e236. doi: 10.1016/j.nurpra.2016.12.017
Gernand, A. D., Schulze, K. J., Stewart, C. P., West Jr, K. P., & Christian, P. (2016). Micronutrient deficiencies in pregnancy worldwide: health effects and prevention. Nature Reviews Endocrinology , 12 (5), 274.
Gluyas, H. (2015). Effective communication and teamwork promotes patient safety. Nursing Standard (2014+) , 29 (49), 50.
Kuwabara, M. (2015). Hyperuricemia, cardiovascular disease, and hypertension. Pulse , 3 (3-4), 242-252.
Swan, M., Ferguson, S., Chang, A., Larson, E., & Smaldone, A. (2015). Quality of primary care by advanced practice nurses: a systematic review. International Journal for Quality in Health Care , 27 (5), 396-404.
