Collaborative practice agreements for advanced practice nurses: what you should know

Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma and Society of Trauma Nurses advanced practitioner position paper: Optimizing the integration of advanced practitioners in trauma and critical care

Nurse practitioners and physician assistants, collectively known as advanced practitioners (APs), enhance the provision of care for the acutely injured patient. Despite their prevalence, institutions employ, train, and utilize these providers with significant variability. The Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma, the Society of Trauma Nurses, and the American Association of Surgical Physician Assistants acknowledge the value of APs and support their utilization in the management of injured and critically ill patients. This position paper offers insight into the history of, scope of practice for, and opportunities for optimal utilization of APs in trauma, critical care, and acute care surgery services.

Innovations in Care: The Nurse Practitioner in the PACU

Recognizing the advantages of the advanced practice nurse (APN), an urban medical center of 500+ beds created an innovative position. The decision was made to hire a nurse practitioner to manage patients seen in the busy PACU. This article is a description of the program. The article includes background, objectives, qualifications of the practitioner, collaborative practice agreement, delineation of privileges, and educational plan. The role description and daily practice plan of the practitioner are also discussed.

Strategies for success in the acute care nurse practitioner role

This article reviews issues related to development of the role of the acute care nurse practitioner (ACNP). Strategies for ensuring success in the role are outlined, including the importance of communication about the role, maintaining competency, forming collaborative relationships, and the value of networking. The ACNP represents an innovative role in advanced practice nursing. Demonstrating the outcomes of ACNP practice ensures recognition of the impact and value of this unique role.

Attitudes and beliefs for effective pediatric nurse practitioner and physician collaboration

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this study was to explore the attitudes and beliefs of pediatric nurse practitioners (PNPs) and pediatricians concerning collaborative practice relationships and to explore the themes that emerged to establish a definition of collaborative practice between PNPs and pediatricians as it applies to current practice trends.

METHODS

Twenty-four PNP and pediatrician dyads were identified through a random sampling technique from a list of names of certified PNPs obtained from the National Certification Board of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners and Nurses. Questionnaires were mailed to certified PNPs and the collaborating pediatrician. Data were collected and analyzed using both quantitative and qualitative methodology.

RESULTS

All PNPs and pediatricians were board certified and most had 6 or more years experience in a collaborative practice. The qualitative data revealed that open communication and a relationship built on mutual trust and respect, sharing of knowledge, and clinical expertise are essential components of a collaborative practice relationship if the shared goal of excellent patient care is to be achieved. Attitudes of importance in a collaborative practice relationship rated significantly higher by the PNPs included "respect for you as a professional" and "advocate for child health issues."

CONCLUSION

The data revealed that the words "supervision" and "independence" should be changed to "consultation" when describing a contemporary collaborative practice relationship between a nurse practitioner and physician.

Acute care nurse practitioner collaborative practice negotiation

Acute care nurse practitioner (ACNP) roles are increasing in number and scope with expanding opportunities available for collaborative practice. Negotiating for these positions is challenging, but manageable with knowledge about essential components of collaborative practice negotiation. Understanding the process of self-assessment and needs assessment will enable the ACNP to approach the task better equipped. Interview preparation is the key to presenting an employer with a professional, organized portfolio. The ACNP can achieve the goal of negotiating a collaborative practice partnership by demonstrating dependability, honesty, and sound nursing and medical practice. Continuity and detail are the means by which the ACNP enhances quality care in collaborating in patient care management. This article explores the process of negotiating a collaborative practice role and provides examples from physician and ACNP collaborative practice experiences.

Longitudinal survey of acute care nurse practitioner practice: year 2

The acute care nurse practitioner (ACNP) is a unique advanced practice nursing role that has expanded since the first national certification examination became available in 1995. This article reports on the results of year 2 of an annual survey of ACNPs as part of a 5-year longitudinal study exploring ACNP role development. Responses from 545 ACNPs 2 years after national certification reveal continued development and challenges in practice. Role components continue to highlight the comprehensive care model of ACNP practice in terms of coordination of patient care, interactions with family members, consultation, and discharge planning. Important issues identified by participants including the need for clinical experience, the importance of negotiation, and networking also are discussed.