Given the thrust toward the APN title, medical providers must be educated regarding the scope of practice that is uniquely nursing. There will be an even greater need for interdisciplinary education to further encourage the concepts of appropriate utilization of resources as well as collaborative practice. It symbolizes diversity, individual scopes, and a holistic spectrum. I think so. Yet we must carefully examine the benefits and liabilities of each role before blending them.
Nurses are vital to assuring that the patient remains the focus of care.
The clients we serve must be assured that the nomenclature represents a standard in education, credentialing and regulation that designates quality. This is even more imperative when the nurse as APN will care for the client across the life span, as is the case in parent-child nursing. This care will be given primarily in the community, with only periodic episodes in the acute care setting. In effect, the tenet of wellness will necessitate the community to be our client. In this time of evolution, we must seize the moment.