NURS 6003 Examining Nursing Specialties

My first step when choosing a nursing specialty within the program was to know what I absolutely did not want to do within this profession. I Immediately knew that I was not interested in psychiatric nursing, pediatrics or maternity. Nursing education is a specialty that I am very interested in, but not at this time. I would love to be an adjunct faculty at a college or university once I have been a nurse for 15 years or greater. Having been a nurse for only 7 years, I believe that gaining more experience in the field will help me to become an even better instructor. Moreover, I realized that I was no longer interested in working in a hospital setting so the acute care nurse practitioner program also did not seem like a good fit for me. I chose the adult gerontology primary care nurse practitioner (AG PCNP) program because I wanted to work with the older population and build long-term relationships with my patients. I also like the fact that this specialty’s scope of practice is based on patient needs rather than the setting itself (Adult-Gerontology NP Competencies Work Group, 2016).

Findings show that religious engagement among students declines during college, but their spirituality shows substantial growth. “Students become more caring, more tolerant, more connected with others, and more actively engaged in a spiritual quest.” (“Cultivating the Spirit – Spirituality in Higher Education”) The authors also found that spiritual growth enhances other outcomes, such as academic performance, psychological well-being, leadership development, and satisfaction with college. The study also identified a number of college activities that contribute to students’ spiritual growth. Some of these–study abroad, interdisciplinary studies, and service learning–appear to be effective because they expose students to new and diverse people, cultures, and ideas. Spiritual development is also enhanced if students engage in “inner work” through activities such as meditation or self-reflection, or if their professors actively encourage them to explore questions of meaning and purpose. (“Cultivating the Spirit – Spirituality in Higher (Alexander W, 2010)”). By raising public awareness of the key role that spirituality plays in student learning and development, by alerting academic administrators, faculty, and curriculum committees to the importance of spiritual development, and by identifying strategies for enhancing that development, this work encourages institutions to give greater priority to these spiritual aspects of students’ educational and professional development.

Professional organizations seek to advance the profession and interests of its members. However, the cost of membership can be a deterrent for many nurses especially if a nurse wants to become a member of multiple organizations. Since membership to these organizations comes at a cost, it would behoove the nurse to take time choosing an organization to join. Choosing the right organization includes ensuring that membership in a particular organization is in line with personal and professional goals (Echevarria, 2018). As a future AG PCNP, I am interested in becoming a member of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP). I believe that no matter the specialty, it is extremely important to build a solid foundation as I advance in the nursing profession in a new role. NURS 6003 Examining Nursing SpecialtiesThis organization provides flexibility with membership, offering six options for membership based on where you are in your career. For example, there is a student NP membership with an annual fee of $55. This membership is made specifically for the student nurse practitioner who does not have experience in the role. It provides opportunities for networking and free continuing education courses to facilitate career growth (American Association of Nurse Practitioners, n.d.). In order to apply for membership, simply click the link that says “Join AANP” and the user will be redirected to another page for which they will be given prompts to join. Licensing information is required and the annual fee is due at the time of registration (American Association of Nurse Practitioners, n.d.).

References
Adult-Gerontology NP Competencies Work Group. (2016). Adult-gerontology acute care and primary care NP competencies. https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.nonpf.org/resource/resmgr/competencies/NP_Adult_Geri_competencies_4.pdf
American Association of Nurse Practitioners. N.d. Membership. Retrieved November 1, 2021 from https://www.aanp.org/membership
Echevarria, I. M. (2018). Make connections by joining a professional nursing organization. Nursing, 48(12), 35–38.
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2 months ago
Clinton Rumley
RE: Patrice Williams: Initial Post
COLLAPSE
Hi Patrice,
Thank you for providing details on your professional nursing journey. I sympathize with your struggles on deciding where you feel you are a best fit after achieving your graduate nursing degree. We are similar in our choices, I also did not see myself working in psychiatric or maternal-fetal medicine. I have been working in acute care and recently made the switch from the FNP program to the Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner program.
Adult-Gerontology Primary Care nurse practitioners (AGPCNP) are responsible for developing relationships with their patients that will assist them in preventing acute exacerbations of chronic diseases and the development of new illnesses.
According to the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (2020):
Many AGPCNPs work in long-term care settings, hospital-based clinics and private practices, which may require them to obtain medical histories, perform physical examinations, order screening tests, interpret diagnostic tests and administer age-appropriate pharmacological and nonpharmacological therapies. AGPCNPs may also manage transitions between care settings, provide patient and caregiver education and evaluate caregiver competence (para. 2).
You described that you want to develop strong patient-caregiver relationships, so I feel that you are making the right choice. These patients will be part of your long-term clientele, so when you are making decisions based on their health status, you will be well aware of not only their health history, but of social, environmental, and financial factors that attribute to their health.

Greetings, fellow Walden Colleagues; I have been a registered nurse for the past 14 years and presently enrolled in the Adult and Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner program. Foremost, I believe that the curriculum set out by Walden will satisfy the necessary academic requirements I need for certification as an Adult and Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner. In addition, Walden’s vision, mission, and social change initiatives can satisfy my professional and academic goals and path in becoming a scholar-practitioner.

I chose to major in Adult and Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner because of the desire to provide care to individuals across the human life span. Walden School of Nursing envisions the same, “contributions of nursing and its’ related disciplines at Walden will be seen as a source of education to satisfy the need for nursing services for every individual throughout their life span at an individual, societal, and global level. (Walden University, 2015).

In an ever-changing society, nurses would face situations requiring a critical thinking approach to finding a resolution. One of my professional goals is to be a critical thinker, in which I can provide valid and applicable solutions to different clinical and social situations that may arise. After reading Walden’s Vision statement, I believe they can help me attain my professional goal to be a critical thinker. “Walden believes that knowledge gained at the institution would allow students to affect solutions to societal challenges and by extension global society” (Walden University, 2018).

I have chosen to focus on the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP) program. A lot of thought has gone into this decision. At first, I wanted to focus on the family nurse practitioner (FNP) route. However, after speaking with my student success advisor, she informed me that it sounded like the AGPCNP route was a better fit for me. I also completed the questionnaire on the Walden University website that helps determine which MSN specialization is right for you. The quiz identified that the AGPCNP program or the Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner program was best for me. Because I primarily would like to work with the adult population, I can focus my studies through the AGPCNP focus on this population. The AGPCNP focus will prepare me to guide the health and well-being of patients 13 years and older (Walden University, 2022)

I have gone back and forth on deciding which focus is best for me. I always thought obtaining my FNP would open many more opportunities. However, I know I do not have the desire to work with the pediatric population. I also started my nursing career in labor and delivery and am familiar with this population. However, it looks like focusing my studies on the AGPCNP specialization will allow me to work in Women’s Health if I desire. The AGPCNP focus will help me promote a more equitable system serving individuals with compassion and dignity (Walden University, 2022). The AGPCNP focus will prepare me to manage disease prevention, health promotion, health maintenance, and restore care in adolescents and adults (Walden University, 2022). I will be prepared to deliver quality primary care services and make an impact on the patients and community I serve (Walden University, 2022).

There are many professional nursing organizations I could join that are affiliated with the AGPCNP focus, including the National Gerontological Nurses Association, Gerontological Advanced Practice Nurses Association, Coalition for Nurses in Advanced Practice, American Association of Nurse Practitioners, and American College of Nurse Practitioner, to name a few. According to Echevarria (2018), nurses should join professional organizations that best fit their goals. The Gerontologic Advanced Practice Nurses Association (GAPNA) represents the interests of advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) caring for older adults (Gerontological Advanced Practice Nurses Association, 2022). The GAPNA opens opportunities for APRNs in education, leadership, research, advocacy, networking, and improvements in evidence-based practice (Gerontological Advanced Practice Nurses Association, 2022). The GAPNA provides educational resources and up-to-date information about the care of older adults; it also offers opportunities for networking (Gerontological Advanced Practice Nurses Association, 2022). There are many membership benefits, including a subscription to the official Journal of GAPNA, quarterly newsletters, and access to legislative news (Gerontological Advanced Practice Nurses Association, 2022). Membership also includes discounts on renewal fees, study materials, the American Nursing Credentialing Center Certification, conferences, and professional memberships (Gerontological Advanced Practice Nurses Association, 2022). Membership fees are $100 annually, and members can join online (Gerontological Advanced Practice Nurses Association, 2022). Students, registered nurses, APRNs, and retired nurses may become members. Students in advanced practice courses receive all the same benefits as APRNs; however, they do not have voting privileges (Gerontological Advanced Practice Nurses Association, 2022). Students may also benefit from grants and scholarships (Gerontological Advanced Practice Nurses Association, 2022).

Incorporation of Social Initiative/Change

No one individual is a team, nor can they individually affect social change. Therefore, I believe that communication and interaction with other professionals will improve my professional goal of affecting social change. Walden University affords social and professional networking through its student café initiatives, discussions, and projects. In addition, Walden School of Nursing holds my same belief of “positive social change can lead to an improvement in both the human and social conditions” (Walden University, 2015).

Additionally, due to the nursing field’s dynamic changes, there will always be a continuous expansion of knowledge. Therefore, “Both the development and maintenance of professional networking relationship would allow for ideas and information exchange to keep nurses knowledge base relevant” (Schmitt, n.d.).

References

Schmitt, K. (n.d.). 5 reasons nurses should engage in professional networking. BluePipes Blog.

https://blog.bluepipes.com/5-reasons-nurses-should-take-professional-networking-seriously/

Walden University. (2018, March). Vision, mission, and goals. Walden University – Acalog ACMS™. https://catalog.waldenu.edu/content.php?catoid=153&navoid=49950

Walden University. (2015, March). School of nursing mission and vision. Walden University –

Acalog ACMS™. https://catalog.waldenu.edu/content.php?catoid=117&navoid=32441

Since you expressed interest in primary care and nursing education, I feel that this puts you in an interesting position to become a nursing leader. Primary care will allow you to understand the influence of laws, public policy, and epidemiology on the health of your patients. It is important that you are aware of health policy because it will affect the care that your patients receive, as well as insurance premiums, medication affordability, and more. As a nurse educator, your job will be to teach the foundations of nursing to students who will develop their own self-concept as a nurse and hopefully seek out leadership roles. The profession needs nursing leaders to influence policymakers to create laws that improve healthcare working conditions and protect staff and patient safety. The AGPCNP competencies include a section on policy. These competencies explain that professional nurses should advocate for healthcare laws that dismantle barriers to care, understand the policymaking process and the factors that influence laws, and evaluate the effects that health policies have not just on a single area, but across the globe. Ultimately, the nurse practitioner should promote improved delivery of services to the patient to improve safety and health outcomes (Adult-Gerontology NP Competencies Work Group, 2016). I hope you give this some thought as nursing education really needs to include policy development! We need nurses invested in leadership and transformation of the field.

Great post!
Clint R.

References
Adult-Gerontology NP Competencies Work Group. (2016). Adult-gerontology actue care and primary care NP competencies. The National organization of nurse practitioner faculties. Retrieved November 4, 2021, from https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.nonpf.org/resource/resmgr/competencies/NP_Adult_Geri_competencies_4.pdf
American Association of Nurse Practitioners. (2020, June 17). Are you considering a career as an adult-gerontology primary care nurse practitioner? Retrieved November 4, 2021, from https://www.aanp.org/news-feed/are-you-considering-a-career-as-an-adult-gerontology-primary-care-nurse-practitioner

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2 months ago
Lucy Njogu
RE: Patrice Williams: Initial Post
COLLAPSE
Hello Patrice,
The approach you took towards choosing your nursing specialty is quite interesting. For most people – me included – the first step was figuring out what they wanted to do. However, I see the point in your approach since knowing what you do not want to do leaves you with a choice of specialties you will be comfortable with. Research has shown that many nursing students choose their career paths based on superficial observations (Marcinowicz et al., 2016). Therefore, knowing what you do not like about a specialty helps you avoid making an ill-informed decision that will affect the rest of your professional life. I also admire your interest in working with the elderly and taking up the responsibility of preparing future generations of nurses. The number of Americans aged six-five and older will account for 20% of the entire population (Fulmer et al., 2021). This trend implies that gerontology will become an essential field to prove quality care among older adults. As you pointed out, gaining more experience through interacting with patients will help build your knowledge, which is crucial to teaching nursing students. Overall, your approach towards selecting nursing specialties shows that you are committed to the betterment of the profession.On the other hand, selecting which professional nurse organization to join can also be a big decision for any nurse. These organizations have different values and missions, and a nurse needs to find an organization that aligns with their values.

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The membership cost is one of the most significant barriers to joining a professional nurse organization since some have very high fees. However, research has established that most nurse practitioners are interested in improving their profession, competence, and valuable professional programs (Rowley et al., 2019). Therefore, these are some factors to consider when deciding whether or not to join a specific organization. As implied in your post, building a solid foundation is critical to your advancement through the profession. I would also add that one should choose an organization that advocates for improving professional and patient care.. Since you are interested in taking up nursing teaching in the future, it could be valuable to consider how the different professional nurse organizations can help you prepare for this career path.
References
Fulmer, T., Reuben, D., Auerbach, J., Fick, D., Galambos, C., & Johnson, K. (2021). Actualizing better health and health care for older adults. Health Affairs, 40(2), 219-225. https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2020.01470
Marcinowicz, L., Owlasiuk, A., Slusarska, B., Zarzycka, D., & Pawlikowska, T. (2016). Choice and perception of the nursing profession from the perspective of Polish nursing students: A focus group study. BMC Medical Education, 16(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-016-0765-3
Rowley, T., Balk, J., Guo, J., & Wallace, A. (2019). Factors influencing nurse practitioners’ decisions to join nurse practitioner associations. Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, 32(2), 152-159. https://doi.org/10.1097/jxx.0000000000000231
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2 months ago
PATRICIA OMOROGBE
RE: Patrice Williams: Initial Post
COLLAPSE
Hello Patrice,
Patrice, your discussion on the choice of specialty as adult gerontology primary care nurse practitioner (AG PCNP) is well done. You have brought up well detailed analysis based on the course requirements, which is an indication of good grasp of the course content. One of the best things with this specialty is the autonomy enjoyed by the nurse practitioners. AG PCNPs are exposed to wide range of duties such as ordering medical tests, taking advance case histories, referring patients to specialists, and medication management and prescription (Michael et al., 2019). However, as a nurse specialized in geriatrics, you should acknowledge the common challenges facing AG specialty. One of the challenges is being sensitive to the aging process by recognizing the unique challenges the elderly people encounter as they undergo emotional, physical, and social revolutions of aging (Kennedy-Malone et al., 2018). There is also need to understand common mental health issues among the elderly people such as depression and the strategies to support them and their families (Zerwekh, 2018). Importantly, AG PCNP should acknowledge and be ready to face death and loss of the seniors by developing various self-care techniques that can be utilized to address loss in healthy ways.

References
Kennedy-Malone, L., Martin-Plank, L., & Duffy, E. (2018). Advanced practice nursing in the care of older adults. FA Davis.
Michael, M., Wilson, C., Jester, D. J., Andel, R., D’Aoust, R., Badana, A. N., & Hyer, K. (2019). Application of curriculum mapping concepts to integrate multidisciplinary competencies in the care of older adults in graduate nurse practitioner curricula. Journal of Professional Nursing, 35(3), 228-239. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.profnurs.2019.01.007
Zerwekh, J. (2018). Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Certification Review-E-Book. Elsevier Health Sciences.

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2 months ago
Iliuva Ramirez
RE: Patrice Williams: Initial Post
COLLAPSE
Hello Patrice

I agree with you that choosing a nursing specialty requires one to evaluate their interests. As healthcare grows more complex, many people decide to focus their efforts on a specific nursing area. There are numerous benefits if specializing in a particular area of nursing, including greater job security, increased salary potential, and increased respect and recognition. Considering your personality and interest when choosing a nursing specialty is important. Every nursing specialty has its own environment and pace; thus, individuals select the specialty that complements their personality style or interests them. One should also reflect on why they choose nursing as their profession and reflect on what made them become nurses, which will help them narrow down what they are looking for in the nursing career. After self-reflection, the next step is to consider what excites you about the nursing career. Choosing a specialist that aligns with an individual’s passions and personal interests will ensure job satisfaction.
In addition to an individual’s interests, the other thing you can consider is your goal. Generally, once you have an idea of your nursing interests, thinking about your future for your nursing career or what you wish to accomplish is also important. Before choosing a nursing specialty, you should ask yourself where you want to see yourself in the next team years. Identifying your goal for your nursing career will help you determine the steps you should take to achieve your goals. Your chosen nursing specialty is gerontology primary care nurse practitioner (AG PCNP). I do not know much about this nursing specialty, but reading your post has enabled me to understand what it entails. Joining a professional organization is also beneficial to all nurses. Joining a professional organization helps one stay updated on the current knowledge and practices available globally, locally, and regionally (Clement, 2016). You should consider joining the organization you are interested in, as it will help you stay updated on the current issues and opportunities as you continue to advance in your career.
References
Clement, N. (2016). Professional organization membership. Essentials of Management of Nursing Service and Education, 3(1), 690-690. https://doi.org/10.5005/jp/books/12694_77