We already are a stratified profession. There are legitimate roles and jobs that we already occupy as a result of our educational preparation. B.S.N. nurses have public health theory and experience in their curriculum. It makes sense that this educational preparation would be part of the criteria that qualifies one for a job as a Public Health Nurse. Hospital care is episodic nursing care for which we all received preparation in our entry level programs, regardless of whether it was diploma, B.S.N. or A.D.N. Bear in mind, that many CNA members who work in public health clinics, jails and Kaiser Permanente clinics do so in an office nurse role quite admirably with A.D.N. or diploma preparation.
Additional education is necessary to function in an expanded role.
Advanced practice curriculums prepare nurses for the roles of nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, nurse anesthetists and nurse midwives. The use of the title is protected. This stratification is clinically based and makes sense. CNA has historically supported thoughtful practice expansion and recently sponsored the clinical nurse specialist-titling bill signed into law last year. But don t be fooled about the differentiated practice model.