NURS 6003 Week 10 Examining Nursing Specialties
NURS 6003 Week 10 Examining Nursing Specialties
In this discussion post, I will explain my choice in a nursing specialty within the program, difficulties in making my choice, and the factors that drove my decision. I will also identify one professional organization affiliated with my chosen specialty and provide details on becoming a member.
The nursing specialty program I chose to study is family nurse practitioner. I had trouble deciding between an acute nurse practitioner and a family nurse practitioner because I have worked in an ICU my entire nursing career and I love it. However, COVID opened my eyes to the need for education and primary care communities lack. According to an article I found, 34 out of 50 states will have physician shortages by 2030 including primary and specialty care (Zhang et al., 2020). Family nurse practitioners provide services for individuals and families throughout the lifespan (Nurse.org Staff, 2020). Being bilingual as well I feel that my job will be even more rewarding in being able to be a provider in the hispanic population and promote health. My goal as an FNP is to avoid people from deteriorating and ending up in an ICU.
A professional organization affiliated with family nurse practitioners is the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. AANP not only provides memberships for Nurse Practitioners but also for nurse practitioner students, and retired nurse practitioners. The AANP’s mission is to empower nurse practitioners to advance quality health care through practice, education, advocacy, research, and leadership. Being a member of AANP also provides nurses with an opportunity to have a voice in Congress through the website’s advocacy center (American Association of Nurse Practitioners, n.d.). The AANP is definitely an organization I will be joining since I now know nurse practitioner students can be a part of this amazing organization. I am beyond excited to learn how to treat a broader patient population and to become a resource to urban families.
Resources
American Association of Nurse Practitioners. (n.d.) Why Join? https://www.aanp.org/membership/why-join
Nurse.org Staff. (2020). What is a Family Nurse Practitioner? https://nurse.org/resources/family-nurse-practitioner/
Zhang, X., Lin, D., Pforsich, H., & Lin, V. W. (2020). Physician workforce in the United States of America: forecasting nationwide shortages. Human resources for health, 18(1), 8. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12960-020-0448-3.
Discussion: Examining Nursing Specialties
You have probably seen one or more of the many inspirational posters about decisions. A visual such as a forked road or a street sign is typically pictured, along with a quote designed to inspire.
Decisions are often not so easily inspired. Perhaps you discovered this when choosing a specialty within the MSN program. This decision is a critical part of your plan for success, and you no doubt want to get it right. This is yet another area where your network can help, as well as other sources of information that can help you make an informed choice.
Note: Unless otherwise noted, initial postings to Discussions are due on or before Day 3, and response postings are due on or before Day 6. You are required to participate in the Discussion on at least three different days (a different day for main post and each response). It is important to adhere to the weekly time frame to allow others ample time to respond to your posting. In addition, you are expected to respond to questions directed toward your own initial posting in a timely manner.
To Prepare: Consider your decision to pursue a specialty within the MSN program, as well as your professional and academic objectives in relation to your program/specialization.
Post an explanation of your choice of a nursing specialty within the program by Day 3 of Week 10. Describe any difficulties you encountered (or are experiencing) in making your decision, as well as the factors that drove/are driving your decision. Identify at least one professional organization associated with your chosen specialty and provide information on how to join.
Respond to at least two of your colleagues’ posts by Day 6 of Week 10 by sharing your thoughts on their specialty, supporting their choice, or offering suggestions if they have yet to choose.
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RE: Discussion – Week 10 Initial Post
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In this discussion board, my career choice, career difficulties, and choice of association affiliation will be discussed.
My chosen profession is family practice with my Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN). The APRN regulatory model includes licensure, accreditation, certification, and education (APRN Consensus Work Group & the National Council of State Boards of Nursing ARPN Advisory Committee, 2008). With this degree, I plan on taking care of families in rural Ohio. I enjoy caring for the entire life span. I also have seven years of experience as a nurse in the primary care setting and feel like my colleagues have molded me to grow into this position.
The main difficulty I have is self-doubt. It is hard to believe that I am in this program. Little things keep me going. I recently had a high school friend reach out to me for insight into her grandson’s NICU stay. Last week I had a new coworker ask me to look in her ears because she knew my background and trusted my opinion. Examples like the ones above help me stay on track.
I plan on joining the Ohio Association of Advanced Practice Nurses (OAAPN). This association is committed to the health and welfare of all Ohioans (Ohio Association of Advance Practice Nurses, 2021). Through philanthropy opportunities the OAAPN promotes contributions to rural Ohio Appalachia, where I reside and care for my community members (Ohio Association of Advance Practice Nurses, 2021). Through memberships, career growth, professional development, and advocacy are some membership values that align with the American Nurse’s Association Using Stop and Standards of Practice (Echevarria, 2018).
In conclusion, I have a pretty well-developed plan with a great support system cheering me on! Maintaining the current schedule and believing in myself are some things to work on for continual growth.
References:
APRN Consensus Work Group & the National Council of State Boards of Nursing ARPN Advisory Committee. (2008). Consensus model for APRN regulation: Licensure, accreditation, certification & education. nursingworld.org
Echevarria, I. M. (2018). Make connections by joining a professional organization. Nursing, 48 (12), 35-38.
Ohio Association of Advance Practice Nurses. (2021). oaapn.org
RE: Discussion – Week 10
Examination of Nursing Subspecialties
Every decision we make in life is a consequence of earlier decisions that brought us down a certain road to the present decision. Similarly, each decision we make in the present influences the decisions we will face in the future. Choices are ubiquitous and constitute an endless chain reaction. In the past year, I have made numerous significant decisions regarding my nursing career. While I am still wondering if I have made the correct decisions, I am certain that “there is a growing demand for advanced practice registered nurses,” and if I want to contribute to my profession at a higher level, I must return to school to earn my master’s degree (Laureate Education, 2018).
The decision to enroll in a master’s degree was straightforward. However, it was followed by several crucial considerations, such as the sort of master’s degree I wanted to pursue, the school I wanted to attend, and how I would balance being a full-time nurse, mother, and wife. Although I encountered these obstacles when I decided to enroll in a master’s program, I immediately recognized that my desire is to become a family nurse practitioner, and the online, distance-learning program at Walden University made it easier to balance school and life. At this point in my life, I am confident in the choices I’ve made thus far, but I’ve reached another crossroads.
As a family nurse practitioner, I am currently at a crossroads where I must decide in which field I choose to specialize. Given my passion for cosmetics and beauty, I am strongly contemplating using my degree to enter the aesthetics nursing field. On the other side, with my training in critical care and my desire to help people in their time of need, I would miss dealing with sick patients and their families. Unfortunately, I do not yet have an answer to this decision, but I am fine with it since time will tell, and my true passion will lead me to my next step in life.
I intend to use resources such as professional nursing organizations to guide my decision, despite the fact that a number of factors, such as the field that would provide me with the most job satisfaction, scheduling, wages, and job security, all contribute to the decision that will determine my future for years to come. Professional nursing organizations have helped “support nursing practice, explain nursing principles, and encourage self-regulation” for more than a century, while also offering nurses with countless possibilities to positively impact the nursing profession (Cherry et al., 2019, p. 517). Given this information, I intend to join the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) as a student to guide my future nursing practice.
As a student, joining a nursing organization like the AANP will provide me with access to innovative nursing conferences, current publications for APRNs, free CEUs, and opportunities to network with other nurse practitioners in order to begin forming partnerships (American Association of Nurse Practitioners, n.d.). All of these possibilities will assist me in achieving my goal of becoming a successful family nurse practitioner in aesthetics, critical care, or whatever else I may discover along the way. Ultimately, “nurses should seek membership in organizations that will best satisfy their professional and personal aspirations,” and the AANP will allow me to do just that (Echevarria, 2018, p. 36). For the discounted student rate of $55 per year, joining the American Association of Nurse Practitioners seemed to be the obvious choice that will lead me in the proper direction to pursue my nursing passion as a master’s-level family nurse practitioner.
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References
Cherry, B. , Caramanica, L. , Everett, L. Q. , Fennimore, L. & Scott, E. (2019). Utilizing the Leadership Potential of Boards in Professional Nursing Organizations Journal of Nursing Administration, 49(11), 517-519.
Echevarria, I. M. (2018). Join a professional nursing group in order to develop your network. Nursing, 48 (12), 35-38. doi: 10.1097/01.NURSE.0000547721.84857.cb.
Produced by Laureate Education (2018). Final Thoughts on the Walden Path to a Master’s in Nursing [Video file]. Membership, American Association of Nurse Practitioners, Author, Baltimore, MD (n.d.). https://www.aanp.org/membership.
Select Grid View or List View to change the rubric’s layout.
Name: NURS_6003_Module01_
| Excellent | Good | Fair | Poor | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Main Posting |
45 (45%) – 50 (50%)
Answers all parts of the discussion question(s) expectations with reflective critical analysis and synthesis of knowledge gained from the course readings for the module and current credible sources.
Supported by at least three current, credible sources. Written clearly and concisely with no grammatical or spelling errors and fully adheres to current APA manual writing rules and style. |
40 (40%) – 44 (44%)
Responds to the discussion question(s) and is reflective with critical analysis and synthesis of knowledge gained from the course readings for the module.
At least 75% of post has exceptional depth and breadth. Supported by at least three credible sources. Written clearly and concisely with one or no grammatical or spelling errors and fully adheres to current APA manual writing rules and style. |
35 (35%) – 39 (39%)
Responds to some of the discussion question(s).
One or 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 two credible sources. Written somewhat concisely; may contain more than two spelling or grammatical errors. Contains some APA formatting errors. |
0 (0%) – 34 (34%)
Does not respond to the discussion question(s) adequately.
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 one or no credible sources. 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 Post: Timeliness |
10 (10%) – 10 (10%)
Posts main post by day 3.
|
0 (0%) – 0 (0%)
|
0 (0%) – 0 (0%)
|
0 (0%) – 0 (0%)
Does not post by day 3.
|
| First Response |
17 (17%) – 18 (18%)
Response exhibits synthesis, critical thinking, and application to practice settings.
Responds fully to questions posed by faculty. Provides clear, concise opinions and ideas that are supported by at least two scholarly sources. Demonstrates synthesis and understanding of learning objectives. Communication is professional and respectful to colleagues. Responses to faculty questions are fully answered, if posed. Response is effectively written in standard, edited English. |
15 (15%) – 16 (16%)
Response exhibits critical thinking and application to practice settings.
Communication is professional and respectful to colleagues. Responses to faculty questions are 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. |
13 (13%) – 14 (14%)
Response is on topic and may have some depth.
Responses posted in the discussion may lack effective professional communication. Responses to faculty questions are somewhat answered, if posed. Response may lack clear, concise opinions and ideas, and a few or no credible sources are cited. |
0 (0%) – 12 (12%)
Response may not be on topic and lacks depth.
Responses posted in the discussion lack effective professional communication. Responses to faculty questions are missing. No credible sources are cited. |
| Second Response |
16 (16%) – 17 (17%)
Response exhibits synthesis, critical thinking, and application to practice settings.
Responds fully to questions posed by faculty. Provides clear, concise opinions and ideas that are supported by at least two scholarly sources. Demonstrates synthesis and understanding of learning objectives. Communication is professional and respectful to colleagues. Responses to faculty questions are fully answered, if posed. Response is effectively written in standard, edited English. |
14 (14%) – 15 (15%)
Response exhibits critical thinking and application to practice settings.
Communication is professional and respectful to colleagues. Responses to faculty questions are 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. |
12 (12%) – 13 (13%)
Response is on topic and may have some depth.
Responses posted in the discussion may lack effective professional communication. Responses to faculty questions are somewhat answered, if posed. Response may lack clear, concise opinions and ideas, and a few or no credible sources are cited. |
0 (0%) – 11 (11%)
Response may not be on topic and lacks depth.
Responses posted in the discussion lack effective professional communication. Responses to faculty questions are missing. No credible sources are cited. |
| Participation |
5 (5%) – 5 (5%)
Meets requirements for participation by posting on three different days.
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0 (0%) – 0 (0%)
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0 (0%) – 0 (0%)
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