Summary
Nurse practitioners (NPs) should develop various competencies that can take them closer to their aims. Each role and position requires specific skills that can support the delivery of high-quality, culturally competent, and personalized services to their respective patients. The leading skills that define my expertise as a registered nurse (RNs) include cultural awareness and professionalism. Such attributes empower me to monitor their patients’ demands and provide the best care. Critical thinking and compassion are superior skills that help RNs to engage with their patients (Hamric et al., 2014). Such caregivers are capable of communicating and managing time effectively.
However, some skills make me uncomfortable as a novice advanced practice nurse (APN) student, such as leadership, professional development, and legal and ethical aspects of nursing. Since my abilities in these areas are underdeveloped, I am planning to implement a powerful skill development plan (Hamric et al., 2014). The strategy entails the idea of continuous learning to acquire additional competencies in leadership, personal development, and care delivery. I will rely on journal entries to keep track of my achievements.
Consultation
Consultation stands out as a core competency for APN nursing. This skill helps distinguish APN practice nursing for me because it presents an effective strategy for liaising with others and acquiring additional skills (Hamric et al., 2014). There are specific elements of this competency that are important than others, such as knowing the key specifics and establishing a positive connection.
Differentiation of Terms
Patient education is the practice of providing patients with new ideas about their medical statuses. APN guidance is a process of addressing the developmental and emotional changes associated with nursing practice. Anticipatory guidance is a form of proactive sensitization and counseling intended to support risk assessment procedures (Hamric et al., 2014). APN coaching is a collaborative practice whereby professionals liaise with their patients and family members to deliver health-related aims.
While these terms are different, they all focus on the overall wellbeing of the targeted patients. Each term offers a diverse process for interacting with patients and supporting their demands. In APN practice, practitioners can incorporate such interventions to provide personalized education, guidance, and coaching depending on the demands of the targeted beneficiary. Education widens patients’ understanding of their health statuses and eventually empowers them to improve their experiences (Hamric et al., 2014). The primary aim of the guidance is to ensure that beneficiaries understand the risks anticipated throughout the care delivery. Patients will rely on it to be involved in the healing process. The aim of coaching is to engage both family members and patients to embrace the implemented medical procedures. The ultimate outcome is to deliver mutual and health-related goals.
Communication and Collaboration
Nurses rely on different communication types to address their patients’ medical demands. Collaboration entails working together to achieve common outcomes. In my practice, I have applied different communication types without relying on the concept of collaboration. For example, sometimes I interact with patients who are unresponsive depending on their conditions using non-verbal methods (Hamric et al., 2014). Each type of interaction would depend on the existing situation to help deliver positive outcomes. For example, a patient in a coma would require non-collaborative interaction to support the healing process. A responsive patient would benefit from a collaborative approach and communication to improve medical experiences. Unfortunately, parallel communication and functioning might hinder care delivery and cause distractions. Medical professionals who understand these issues will become expert caregivers.
Reference
Hamric, A., Hanson, C., Tracy, M. F., & O’Grady, E. T. (2014). Advanced practice nursing: An integrated approach. Elsevier Saunders.