Introduction
Nurse practitioner (NP) licensing boards across the country, usually a state’s Board of Nursing (BON), employ scope of practice (SOP) as a foundation for professional regulation. The procedures, actions, and processes that NPs can do as part of their professional licensing are defined by this concept. A family nurse practitioner (FNP) cares for a wide range of patients and thus has a wide scope of practice. An FNP may be helping pediatric or geriatric patients who have different needs and therefore require a varied level of care. In terms of settings, an FNP can work in private hospitals or outpatient facilities located in rural or urban areas. For this reason, anyone willing to work in the family health sector is expected to apply a high level of integrity and accountability when interacting with patients at all levels.
One of the critical areas of practice for an FNP is the provision of mental health care. FNPs are the first line of mental health care as they are the ones to assess and assist patients before other caregivers. According to research, there is an increased need for healthcare workers in the FNP sector. This follows from the high prevalence of mental health challenges. In the U.S., for example, it is estimated that one out of five adults is suffering from a mental health problem (Balestra, 2019). This makes the role of an FNP very crucial for the sustenance of families and communities, by extension. The research by Balestra (2019) further reveals that adolescents in the range of 14-18 years also suffer from a mental disorder, accounting for 49.5% of mental disorders. An FNP, therefore, has to learn how to approach mental health challenges affecting both children and adults.
The scope of practice for an FNP entails the initial diagnosis of uncomplicated mental health challenges and treatment of mild symptoms. Depending on the state’s regulation, FNPs should understand the depth and breadth of their practice to avoid violations that could result in legal suits. According to Balestra (2019), FNPs are required to test their patients for mental disorders, which could entail anxiety, depression, and such symptoms. An FNP is expected to make an informed judgment of the extent of the problem and the level of care needed. Although they are permitted to treat mild cases, they are expected to refer chronic cases to a psychiatric nursing practitioner. Failure to refer such cases may result in a violation of the SOP with severe consequences to follow.
In summary, FNPs are frequently the first line of treatment for patients with mental diseases such as depression, anxiety, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. According to Balestra (2019), FNPs are well-positioned to deliver mental health treatment, including everything from mental health screening to early intervention, consistent with the FNP concept of patient-centered care. However, compared to psychiatric mental health NPs or other behavioral health professionals, FNP education primarily covers a portion of mental health care and may not adequately train FNPs to manage patients with complicated mental diseases.
Role Delineation
One crucial role of an FNP is the management of patients’ mental health conditions. This role begins with the understanding family health care necessitates nurses to ensure their patient avoids risk factors related to mental disorders, gets diagnosed properly, and receives full treatment (Balestra, 2019). My goal here is to ensure that a patient fully recovers from all mental health conditions and pursues a healthy life. To meet this role, I will apply the knowledge gained in training and experiences to provide all necessary details to the patient before mental health diagnosis. This implies that I will have to inform the patient why they need to be tested for mental health disorder to facilitate their informed consent on the same. Following diagnosis, I should be in a position to offer the first line of care to handle all the mild cases and refer the chronic cases to a psychiatrist for specialized care.
The second crucial role of an FNP is establishing a good nurse practitioner-patient (NP-Pt) relationship. This relationship is very critical in the scope of practice of an FNP. It determines how well an FNP performs their duties and impacts the response from the patients. I will cultivate an excellent NP-Pt relationship through good communication skills and ethical conduct. Caring for family mental health requires nurses to fully understand their patients and respect their cultural and ethical beliefs (Balestra, 2019). From my experience, patients respond better to treatment when they have established a good rapport with the NP. As a primary caregiver for family mental issues, I will be very close to the patients to enable them to freely discuss their challenges and seek solutions that give satisfactory results.
Conclusion
In conclusion, an FNP is a crucial caregiver responsible for family health care. The scope of practice for an FNP is quite extensive since it involves people from all age groups. The varied needs and conditions of the patients call for the application of effective health management practices. Establishing a good relationship with patients is akin to maintaining a healthy family and a successful career practice.
Reference
Balestra, M. L. (2019). Family nurse practitioner scope of practice issues when treating patients with mental health issues. The Journal for Nurse Practitioners, 15(7), 479–482.