1. Increased Utilization of Nurse Practitioners Throughout the Health Care System. Good data exists regarding the integration of NPs in the health care system. In fact, a study was recently published in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, entitled “Community Outreach and Cardiovascular Health (COACH) Trial: A randomized, controlled trial of nurse practitioner/community health worker cardiovascular disease risk reduction in urban community health centers.” The study found that in the 12 month period following the intervention, the NP-guided group had improved total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, systolic blood & diastolic pressure, hemoglobin A1c and perceptions of the quality of their quality of their chronic illness care. Utilization of NPs is not about replacing any other profession . It is about improving a very wasteful and inefficient healthcare system.
2. Increased Visibility. With the increased utilization of NPs, there will also be increased visibility. Following that same logic, there will also be more available jobs and likely increased salaries. With the good, there will also be some bad existing in the form of those trying to reduce the role and scope of the NP. It is fairly expected territory and should not discourage any practicing or future NPs.
3. Updated State/Federal Regulations that are Inclusive of NPs. Many regulations at the State and Federal levels were made when the profession was very young and little evidence existed regarding patient outcomes with
NP utilization. There is a move to update these regulations to be inclusive of NPs to adequately reflect our education and training. An example, is the Home Health Care Planning Improvement Act of 2011, which would allow NPs (as well as Physician Assistants, Certified Nurse Midwives and Clinical Nurse Specialists) to order home care services for patients. Antiquated regulations prevent patient access to care and just makes the system more inefficient and wasteful. At the State level, we have seen about 15 states transition to autonomous practice and many other states are in the process of examining their regulations to appropriately reflect scope of practice.
4. Increased use of Health Information Technology. The transition to electronic health records (EHRs) are well underway and all clinicians must become comfortable with electronic clinical data management.
5. More NPs will Graduate with Doctoral Degrees. NPs are choosing to return to school for a terminal degree to further enhance their practice and education. This is not limited to the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) but also includes the PhD, DNS (Doctor of Nursing Science) and EdD (Doctor of Education). More doctorally prepared NPs will help educate future NPs and bring additional perspectives to clinical care.
No comments:
Post a Comment