Introduction
Nursing is viewed as a tool for meeting the population’s desire for easily accessible and professional health care. Healthcare services are expensive, and the government must make significant financial investments (Fliedner et al., 2020). An advanced practice nurse is a nursing practitioner who has completed post-secondary or higher education and performs advanced nursing care duties (Khairuddin et al., 2020).
New-generation nurses provide independent nursing care within the framework of doctor-delegated functions, such as individual reception, dynamic observation, counseling, education, and patronage within the framework of the disease management program and the universal-progressive model of patronage service, as well as screenings, vaccinations, and a variety of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures (Rogers et al., 2020). However, issues such as a lack of appropriate competent nursing practice in tertiary medical college clinical bases and clinical bases’ unwillingness to accept applied baccalaureate students exist (Barrott et al., 2023). The following issues can be addressed by introducing advanced practice nursing into nursing organizations. Thus, the primary purpose of this paper is to highlight the importance of introducing the role of an extended practice nurse. Evaluating the role of this employee is incredibly important because it addresses issues such as understaffing, enhances care, and improves the organization’s efficiency.
Literature Review and Discussion
The primary health care system’s role is to provide cost-effective and high-quality health services, yet people often need assistance in accessing them. This might be attributed to an increase in long-term medical issues and population aging (Ohr et al., 2021). As a result, there is a greater need for basic healthcare services (Diamond-Fox and Scott, 2023).
On the other hand, the projected demands for doctors show a persistent personnel shortfall (Whitehead et al., 2020). There is a growing interest in extended nurses contributing significantly to patient care in efforts to identify innovations that can boost the workforce (Raftery et al., 2020). It is worthwhile to examine the impact of increasing the autonomy of nurses who execute greater practical duties (Timmons et al., 2023).
Advanced practice nurses, according to this concept, encompass nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, nurse anesthetists, and midwives, all of whom will play crucial roles in healthcare in the future. These practitioners frequently offer primary care and are at the forefront of delivering public preventive services (Kuusisto et al., 2021). Advanced practice nurses treat and diagnose illnesses, counsel the public on health concerns, manage chronic disorders, and continually enhance their skills to stay current with technological, methodological, and other advancements in the profession. These nurses have a master’s degree in addition to the original nursing education and certification required of all registered nurses (Htay and Whitehead, 2021).
Another qualitative study examined patients’ perceptions of advice from an advanced nurse (Gysin et al., 2019). In-depth interviews were done with patients who had been consulted by nurses (Hsieh et al., 2019). They all thought that their difficulties had been entirely resolved. The author argues that if advanced nurses can spend more time with patients, people will be able to satisfy their own healthcare demands.
In additional investigations, a new self-reporting technique for measuring patient satisfaction was devised, and comparable results were achieved when comparing advanced nurses to general practitioners. However, the study found that nurses outperform physicians in areas such as learning, answering questions, listening, and pain management (Simonetti et al., 2023).
Another study found that the treatment outcomes for individuals with chronic illnesses were equal between advanced nurses and general practitioners (Farley, 2020). The results of hypertensive individuals were compared in a randomized controlled trial (RCT). Six months following the consultation, the treatment results were assessed (Farley, 2020). There were no statistically significant variations in blood pressure readings between the two groups of patients; however, diastolic blood pressure was statistically significantly lower in patients examined using MRI.
Similar findings were obtained in studies that assessed the quality of therapy provided by advanced nurses and general practitioners in primary care to patients with diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The researcher examined large groups of people with CFS and diabetes (Hespe et al., 2022). There were no statistically significant clinical differences in glycemic control, lipid control, or blood pressure management between the two groups in this investigation (Ward et al., 2021).
Many governments worldwide are investigating methods to address a labor shortfall, particularly among physicians, as well as growing patient demand for services (Allabyrne et al., 2020). Health policy entails delivering high-quality, reasonably priced health care to all members of the population who require it (Brimblecombe and Nolan, 2021). According to the theory, advanced nurses examine the patient’s state, monitor their condition, diagnose and counsel, and teach the illness management program at the clinic within the health school.
It is worth noting that the disease management plan represents a significant shift in prevention. This also includes combating chronic non-communicable diseases and strengthening patient solidarity for their health (Cooper et al., 2019). Nurses educate patients with chronic illnesses on how to manage their symptoms and the necessity of making lifestyle changes to reduce the frequency of exacerbations, complications, and the need for hospital and emergency medical treatment (Evans et al., 2020). They collaborate closely with one another and with other professionals (Doody et al., 2022). As a result, according to the theory, the role of an advanced nurse will serve to address this health policy need, as it will be closely tied to and compatible with that policy.
Another critical issue concerning the introduction of advanced nursing roles is how the expansion of functions will affect the employment strategy of nurses and the service in general. According to the study, many employees believe that this action will only increase their desire to work in their organization (Oliphant, 2023). The benefits may include more qualified staff, reduced fluidity, and increased patient confidence (Hooks and Walker, 2020). Patients benefit from providing quality care, and more competent nurses will be able to train patients, as mentioned above (Lawler et al., 2022). Patients will also be able to receive more loyal and culturally oriented care (Torrens et al., 2020).
A nurse is a professional who is committed to their work and is aware of current nursing practice standards (Badu, 2023). Nurses in the United States, England, and other countries undertake a wide range of professional roles due to their high level of professionalism and prestige (Mann et al., 2021). According to the theory, nurses are the most prevalent and distinctive resource in every healthcare system: they are trusted, appreciated, and deserve the highest professional accolades.
Modern methods of patient care, prevention, and rehabilitation place new demands on the skills of nurses with an applied bachelor’s degree. The entire globe is shifting towards increasing the functionality of nurses (Morley et al., 2022). A substantial overhaul of this magnitude will probably necessitate legislative amendments (Broadhurst, 2023).
The legal foundation for the growth of nursing practice should be a document that defines the concept of nurse care, its types, and their relationship to levels of professional certification, as well as the limitations of power and scope of duty (Ng and Wong, 2021). Modifications should therefore be made in the processes for providing medical care, such as the distribution of the “clinical area of responsibility of nurses,” modifications in staffing requirements, and the volume and forms of funding of medical support.
The growth of nurses’ capability must inevitably be accompanied by the transfer of a significant portion of tasks to support workers. What will be the volume of the transferred function, how it will happen, by what criteria, who and how will monitor the efficiency of the job, and what actions will be taken in the case of unacceptable results? Without addressing these issues, no adjustments can be made to any position instructions (MacDonald et al., 2021). However, this move will have several benefits that will help enhance the public’s health and medical practice in general.
Conclusion
Generally, studies suggest that strengthening nurses’ professional abilities benefits everyone. It is a win-win situation that will necessitate a number of activities but will result in a significant return. Advanced nurses will be able to address the issue of personnel flow, enabling the organization to manage the problem better and enhance its operations.
Furthermore, such nurses instill greater trust in patients, which might benefit the hospital’s reputation. The nurses might train patients in this practice. It is worth noting that patient education helps raise awareness. For example, alerting patients to the consequences of malnutrition can help reduce their risk of illness.
Furthermore, teaching children the value of exercise for overall health may help reduce the risk of conditions such as heart attacks and strokes. These measures will not only help you recover faster, but they will also help you avoid being sick in the first place. It is also imperative that people with chronic diseases receive this training, which an advanced nurse will handle perfectly.
Reference List
Allabyrne, C., Chaplin, E. and Hardy, S. E. (2020). ‘Advanced nursing practice in mental health: towards parity of esteem’, Nursing Times, 116(12), pp. 21-23.
Badu, S. A. (2023). ‘The role of advanced clinical practitioners in clinical research. British Journal of Nursing, 32(6), pp. 284-290.
Barrott, L. et al. (2023). ‘Nurse and pharmacist systemic anti‐cancer therapy review clinics and their impact on patient experience and care: A systematic review’, Journal of Advanced Nursing, 79(2), pp. 442-453.
Brimblecombe, N. and Nolan, F. (2021). ‘A qualitative study of perceptions of senior health service staff as to factors influencing the development of Advanced Clinical Practice roles in mental health services‘, Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, 28(5), pp. 829-837.
Cooper, M. A. et al. (2019). ‘The similarities and differences between advanced nurse practitioners and clinical nurse specialists‘, British Journal of Nursing, 28(20), pp. 1308-1314.
Diamond-Fox, S. and Scott, V. J. (2023). Advanced Clinical Practice. Edited by Ian Peate, Sadie Diamond-Fox and Barry Hill. The Advanced Practitioner: A Framework for Practice, p. 1.
Doody, O., Hennessy, T. and Bright, A.-M. (2022) ‘The role and key activities of clinical nurse specialists and advanced nurse practitioners in supporting healthcare provision for people with intellectual disability: An integrative review’, International Journal of Nursing Studies, 129, p. 104207.
Evans, C. et al. (2020). ‘Advanced clinical practitioners in primary care in the UK: a qualitative study of workforce transformation’, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(12), p. 4500.
Farley, H. (2020). ‘Promoting self‐efficacy in patients with chronic disease beyond traditional education: A literature review’, Nursing Open, 7(1), pp. 30-41.
Fliedner, M. et al. (2020) ‘Roles and responsibilities of nurses in advance care planning in palliative care in the Acute Care Setting’, Journal of Hospice & Palliative Nursing, 23(1), pp. 59–68.
Gysin, S. et al. (2019). ‘Advanced practice nurses’ and general practitioners’ first experiences with introducing the advanced practice nurse role to Swiss primary care: A qualitative study’, BMC Family Practice, 20, pp. 1-11.
Hespe, C.M. et al. (2022) ‘Findings and lessons learnt implementing a Cardiovascular Disease Quality Improvement Program in Australian Primary Care: A Mixed Method Evaluation’, BMC Health Services Research, 22(1).
Hooks, C. and Walker, S. (2020). ‘An exploration of the role of advanced clinical practitioners in the East of England‘, British Journal of Nursing, 29(15), pp. 864-869.
Hsieh, C. C. et al. (2019). ‘The exploration of the knowledge, attitudes and practice behaviors of advanced care planning and its related predictors among Taiwanese nurses‘, BMC Palliative Care, 18, pp. 1-11.
Htay, M. and Whitehead, D. (2021). ‘The effectiveness of the role of advanced nurse practitioners compared to physician-led or usual care: A systematic review’, International Journal of Nursing Studies Advances, 3, p. 100034.
Khairuddin, N. N. B. et al. (2020). ‘Implementing advance care planning: A qualitative exploration of nurses’ perceived benefits and challenges’, Journal of Nursing Management, 28(5), pp. 1080-1087.
Kuusisto, A. et al. (2021). ‘Healthcare professionals‘ perceptions of advance care planning in palliative care unit: A qualitative descriptive study’, Journal of Clinical Nursing, 30(5-6), pp.
Lawler, J. et al. (2022). ‘Advanced Clinical Practitioners‘ experience of establishing a workplace jurisdiction’, International Journal of Healthcare Management, 15(3), pp. 246-254.
Mann, C. et al. (2021). ‘Exploring the role of advanced clinical practitioners (ACPs) and their contribution to health services in England‘.
Morley, D. A. et al. (2022). ‘The changing role of Advanced Clinical Practitioners working with older people during the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative research study’, International Journal of Nursing Studies, 130, p. 104235.
Ng, S. Y. and Wong, E. L. Y. (2021). ‘The role complexities in advance care planning for end-of-life care—nursing students’ perception of the nursing profession‘, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(12), p. 6574.
Ohr, S.O. et al. (2021) ‘Nurse-led Normalised Advance Care Planning Service in hospital and Community Health Settings: A qualitative study’, BMC Palliative Care, 20(1).
Oliphant, S. (2023). ‘Navigating advanced nurse practitioner roles in UK mental health services: a scoping review’, International Journal for Advancing Practice, 1(2), pp. 65-71.
Raftery, C., Lewis, E. and Cardona, M. (2020) ‘The crucial role of nurses and social workers in initiating end-of-life communication to reduce overtreatment in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic‘, Gerontology, 66(5), pp. 427–430.
Rogers, J. et al. (2020). ‘The advance care planning nurse facilitator: describing the role and identifying factors associated with successful implementation’. Australian journal of primary health, 25(6), pp. 564-569.
Simonetti, M., Aiken, L.H. and Lake, E.T. (2023) ‘Association between the nurse work environment and patient experience in Chilean Hospitals: A multi‐hospital cross‐sectional study’, Journal of Nursing Scholarship [Preprint].
Timmons, S. et al. (2023). ‘The advanced clinical practitioner (ACP) in UK healthcare: Dichotomies in a new ‘multi-professional’ profession’, SSM-Qualitative Research in Health, 3, p. 100211.
Torrens, C. et al. (2020). ‘Barriers and facilitators to the implementation of the advanced nurse practitioner role in primary care settings: a scoping review’, International Journal of Nursing Studies, 104, p. 103443.
Ward, H. et al. (2021). Passing Your Advanced Nursing OSCE: A guide to success in advanced clinical skills assessment. CRC Press.
Whitehead, P. et al. (2022). ‘A scoping review of nurse-led advance care planning‘, Nursing outlook, 70(1), pp. 96-118.