Week 1: Competencies of Advanced Nursing Practice APN

Advanced nursing practice competencies focus on the unique practice knowledge, skills, and attitudes a nurse practitioner must demonstrate as they work with adults across the lifespan in clinical settings. They are developed by experts in the field and provide clarity about what is needed to be successful in your career. Competencies need to be practiced so they can be used to effectively address a wide range of situations. In addition to real-world settings, there are virtual opportunities that can facilitate the development of competencies. For example, throughout this course, you will complete case study simulation assignments with virtual i-Human patients presenting a variety of medical conditions. These types of virtual simulations provide you with the formative practice needed to help guide and prepare you for the real-world clinical experience.

For this week, you will examine advanced nursing practice competencies and reflect on your strengths and challenges related to the competencies. In light of your reflection, you will consider how this course may help you attain your career goals or objectives. 

Learning Objectives

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Students will:

• Analyze strengths and challenges related to nursing practice competencies
• Describe professional career goals or objectives 

Discussion: Career Goals: Strengths and Challenges Related to Nursing Practice Competencies

An advanced practice nurse collaborates and communicates with patients, families, doctors, nurses, and specialists to ensure patients receive the care they need. As they diagnose, treat, manage, and educate patients, they are responsible for ensuring patient safety and maintaining ethical behavior. Competencies have been developed to help the advanced practice nurse to understand the practice knowledge, skills, and attitudes they need to be successful.

For this Discussion, you will examine advanced nursing practice competencies and reflect on your strengths and challenges related to the competencies. In light of your reflection, you will consider how this course may help you attain your career goals or objectives.

To prepare:

• Review the Learning Resources for this week, specifically the advanced nursing practice competencies. As you review the competencies, reflect on your own strengths and challenges when working with adults across the lifespan.  

By Day 3

Post a summary of your expectations of this course. Also, include a brief explanation of your strengths and challenges as they relate to nursing practice competencies when working with adults. Describe any career goals or objectives this course may help you accomplish in the Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) or Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP) role and explain why. Use your research to support your explanations by providing credible and scholarly sources. 

Read a selection of your colleagues’ responses.

By Day 6

Respond to at least two of your colleagues on two different days by offering a suggestion or resources to help your colleagues in addressing their personal strengths or challenges, or their career goals. Use your research to support your suggestions. Provide at least 3 credible and current scholarly sources.

Discussion Rubric

	Excellent Point range: 90–100	Good Point range: 80–89	Fair Point range: 70–79	Poor Point range: 0–69
Main Posting: Response to the discussion question is reflective with critical analysis and synthesis representative of knowledge gained from the course readings for the module and current credible sources.	Points Range: 40 (40%) – 44 (44%) Thoroughly responds to the discussion question(s). Is reflective with critical analysis and synthesis representative of knowledge gained from the course readings for the module and current credible sources. No less than 75% of post has exceptional depth and breadth. Supported by at least 3 current credible sources.	Points Range: 35 (35%) – 39 (39%) Responds to most of the discussion question(s). Is somewhat reflective with critical analysis and synthesis representative of knowledge gained from the course readings for the module. 50% of the post has exceptional depth and breadth. Supported by at least 3 current credible references.	Points Range: 31 (31%) – 34 (34%) Responds to some of the discussion question(s). One to two criteria are not addressed or are superficially addressed. Is somewhat lacking reflection and critical analysis and synthesis. Somewhat represents knowledge gained from the course readings for the module. Post is cited with fewer than 2 credible references.	Points Range: 0 (0%) – 30 (30%) Does not respond to the discussion question(s). Lacks depth or superficially addresses criteria. Lacks reflection and critical analysis and synthesis. Does not represent knowledge gained from the course readings for the module. Contains only 1 or no credible references.
Main Posting: Writing	Points Range: 6 (6%) – 6 (6%) Written clearly and concisely. Contains no grammatical or spelling errors. Further adheres to current APA manual writing rules and style.	Points Range: 5 (5%) – 5 (5%) Written concisely. May contain one to two grammatical or spelling errors. Adheres to current APA manual writing rules and style.	Points Range: 4 (4%) – 4 (4%) Written somewhat concisely. May contain more than two spelling or grammatical errors. Contains some APA formatting errors.	Points Range: 0 (0%) – 3 (3%) Not written clearly or concisely. Contains more than two spelling or grammatical errors. Does not adhere to current APA manual writing rules and style.
Main Posting: Timely and full participation	Points Range: 9 (9%) – 10 (10%) Meets requirements for timely, full, and active participation. Posts main discussion by due date.	Points Range: 8 (8%) – 8 (8%) Posts main discussion by due date. Meets requirements for full participation.	Points Range: 7 (7%) – 7 (7%) Posts main discussion by due date.	Points Range: 0 (0%) – 6 (6%) Does not meet requirements for full participation. Does not post main discussion by due date.
First Response: Post to colleague’s main post that is reflective and justified with credible sources.	Points Range: 9 (9%) – 9 (9%) Response exhibits critical thinking and application to practice settings. Responds to questions posed by faculty. The use of scholarly sources to support ideas demonstrates synthesis and understanding of learning objectives.	Points Range: 8 (8%) – 8 (8%) Response has some depth and may exhibit critical thinking or application to practice setting.	Points Range: 7 (7%) – 7 (7%) Response is on topic, may have some depth.	Points Range: 0 (0%) – 6 (6%) Response may not be on topic, lacks depth.
First Response: Writing	Points Range: 6 (6%) – 6 (6%) Communication is professional and respectful to colleagues. Response to faculty questions are fully answered, if posed. Provides clear, concise opinions and ideas that are supported by two or more credible sources. Response is effectively written in Standard, Edited English.	Points Range: 5 (5%) – 5 (5%) Communication is mostly professional and respectful to colleagues. Response to faculty questions are mostly answered, if posed. Provides opinions and ideas that are supported by few credible sources. Response is written in Standard, Edited English.	Points Range: 4 (4%) – 4 (4%) Response posed in the discussion may lack effective professional communication. Response to faculty questions are somewhat answered, if posed. Few or no credible sources are cited.	Points Range: 0 (0%) – 3 (3%) Responses posted in the discussion lack effective communication. Response to faculty questions are missing. No credible sources are cited.
First Response: Timely and full participation	Points Range: 5 (5%) – 5 (5%) Meets requirements for timely, full, and active participation. Posts by due date.	Points Range: 4 (4%) – 4 (4%) Meets requirements for full participation. Posts by due date.	Points Range: 3 (3%) – 3 (3%) Posts by due date.	Points Range: 0 (0%) – 2 (2%) Does not meet requirements for full participation. Does not post by due date.
Second Response: Post to colleague’s main post that is reflective and justified with credible sources.	Points Range: 9 (9%) – 9 (9%) Response exhibits critical thinking and application to practice settings. Responds to questions posed by faculty. The use of scholarly sources to support ideas demonstrates synthesis and understanding of learning objectives.	Points Range: 8 (8%) – 8 (8%) Response has some depth and may exhibit critical thinking or application to practice setting.	Points Range: 7 (7%) – 7 (7%) Response is on topic, may have some depth.	Points Range: 0 (0%) – 6 (6%) Response may not be on topic, lacks depth.
Second Response: Writing	Points Range: 6 (6%) – 6 (6%) Communication is professional and respectful to colleagues. Response to faculty questions are fully answered, if posed. Provides clear, concise opinions and ideas that are supported by two or more credible sources. Response is effectively written in standard, edited English.	Points Range: 5 (5%) – 5 (5%) Communication is mostly professional and respectful to colleagues. Response to faculty questions are mostly answered, if posed. Provides opinions and ideas that are supported by few credible sources. Response is written in standard, edited English.	Points Range: 4 (4%) – 4 (4%) Response posed in the discussion may lack effective professional communication. Response to faculty questions are somewhat answered, if posed. Few or no credible sources are cited.	Points Range: 0 (0%) – 3 (3%) Responses posted in the discussion lack effective communication. Response to faculty questions are missing. No credible sources are cited.
Second Response: Timely and full participation	Points Range: 5 (5%) – 5 (5%) Meets requirements for timely, full, and active participation. Posts by due date.	Points Range: 4 (4%) – 4 (4%) Meets requirements for full participation. Posts by due date.	Points Range: 3 (3%) – 3 (3%) Posts by due date.	Points Range: 0 (0%) – 2 (2%) Does not meet requirements for full participation. Does not post by due date.

Total Points: 100

Week 1: Competencies of Advanced Nursing Practice APN Sample Essay

The American population is aging, presenting numerous challenges for social and healthcare systems globally.  Older adults have complex and .comprehensive healthcare needs which are associated with high rates of hospitalization, utilization of healthcare services, and poor QoL (King et al, 2018). This implies that caring for older people places demands on primary healthcare services as healthcare providers try to meet the demands of older patients with multiple needs. Adult-gerontology nurse practitioners are a useful resource in meeting the needs of this patient population.

I live in the state of Maryland with my 16-year-old son, 18-year-old daughter, and husband. I have worked as long term care and post-acute/rehabilitation nurse performing a wide range of duties addressing the developmental, physiological, spiritual, psychological, cultural, and socio-economic needs of geriatric patients. It is for this reason that I have found a place in my heart for senior citizens. Thus, I have decided to pursue Adult-Gerontology Primary Care nursing as my specialty. The United States Census Bureau estimates that, by the year 2050, the worldwide population of individuals aged 65 years and older will grow to 1.53 billion (Booker, 2015). Going by this estimate, I am certain that I have made the right decision. By pursuing an Adult-Gerontology Primary Care nursing course, I will be competently prepared to care for geriatric patients.

I have exemplary communication skills which are one of the most important skills when working with families and patients. Most geriatric patients with multiple comorbidities lack the strength and energy to speak for themselves. Thus, they rely on gerontology nurses for support and guidance. Being a supportive nurse in such instances includes patient advocacy especially when there are severe concerns to be addressed. Besides, in nursing practice, communication takes different forms such as smiling. I often smile when providing routine care. Smiling gives senior citizens some sense of comfort and confidence that they will be taken care of. I have a compassionate, caring, and empathetic personality. Thus, I can easily share and listen to a patient’s feelings by listening and trying to comprehend their concerns. As a detail-oriented nurse, I am committed to professional development and caring for patients. In long term care facilities, a detailed nurse can easily identify potential errors and alterations and inform other members of a healthcare team.

Ramukumba & El Amouri (2019) emphasize the need for nurses to ensure accurate and prompt documentation of patient care as it promotes the flow of information for quality, continuity, and safe care. However, I must admit that I do not love doing paperwork and often procrastinate on filling forms and writing patient notes. Going forward after this course, I will try my best to keep updated records during my shift to avoid impeding other staff’s workflow and promote quality care.

Gerontology patients have comprehensive and complex needs which require specific knowledge such as a perfect understanding of the normal aging process and how age-related changes can influence the presentation of chronic debilitating conditions or acute illnesses. This course equips the author with the appropriate skills, .knowledge, and competency of interventions and assessments for health protection, health promotion, disease prevention, and long-term management.

References

Booker S. Q. (2015). Lessons learned about aging and gerontological nursing in South Africa. Curationis, 38(1), 1216. https://doi.org/10.4102/curationis.v38i1.1216

King, A., Boyd, M. L., Raphael, D. L., & Jull, A. (2018). The effect of a gerontology nurse specialist for high needs older people in the community on healthcare utilization: a controlled before-after study. BMC geriatrics, 18(1), 22. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-018-0717-3

Ramukumba, M. M., & El Amouri, S. (2019). Nurses’ perspectives on the nursing documentation audit process. Health SA = SA Gesondheid, 24, 1121. https://doi.org/10.4102/hsag.v24i0.1121