It is hard to disagree that advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) still face many challenges in their practice, which may influence on their overall performance and experiences with clients. The necessity of addressing the issues and structuring the different systems in the advanced nursing practice is recognized, and there were various attempts to clarify and standardize the most essential aspects. For example, in 2008, the APRN Consensus Work Group and the APRN Advisory Committee introduced the Consensus Model for APRN regulation: licensure, accreditation, certification, and education (LACE) (Mack, 2018). The purpose of this paper is to discuss the impact of this initiative.
There were many reasons for the creation and implementation of the Consensus Model. For example, APRN roles were not clearly defined, education programs lacked standardization, and advanced practice registered nurses could not get common legal recognition in many states (Doherty et al., 2018). These and many other concerns were taken into account when developing the model, and it is possible to say that it actually improved access to APRN care. According to Doherty et al. (2018), “the Consensus Model standardizes licensure, accreditation, certification, and education and defines advanced practice RN (APRN) roles based on population foci” (p. 66). In other words, the significance of this model lies in its main purpose. It aims to bring medical practitioners, the public, and the legislature together in their understanding of the valuable role of APRNs (National Council of State Boards of Nursing, 2008). The intention is also to support their ability to practice without unnecessary limitations.
Therefore, it is hard to disagree that this model increases people’s access to APRN care. Mack (2018) notices that considering numerous advantages of the Consensus Model, it should be finally adopted by all states so that state-to-state practice mobility is enhanced. In order to make it easier for nurses to learn about the programs, the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (2021) provides them with numerous resources.
References
Doherty, C. L., Pawlow, P., & Becker, D. (2018). The consensus model: What current and future NPs need to know. Am Nurse Today, 13(12), 65-7.
Mack, R. (2018). Increasing access to health care by implementing a consensus model for advanced practice registered nurse practice. The Journal for Nurse Practitioners, 14(5), 419-424.
National Council of State Boards of Nursing. (2008). Consensus model for APRN regulation: Licensure, accreditation, certification & education. Web.
National Council of State Boards of Nursing. (2021). APRN consensus model toolkit. NCSBN.