Every Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) should develop a personal development plan (PDP). A PDP includes a written evaluation of the regulations and requirements needed to obtain licensure and practice in the APRNs designated geographical area.
The PDP should also include a personal action plan that reflects the results of one’s self-assessment, including one’s strengths, weaknesses, goals, and objectives. In order to develop a PDP, the APRN should be aware of and understand the state in which they plan to practice educational, regulatory, and licensure requirements. This paper aims to describe the APRNs scope of practice in the state of Florida, a personal assessment using Benner’s self-assessment tool, tactics for marketing and networking, a Curriculum Vitae, and a summary of the information acquired for the PDP.
APN Scope of Practice
Every state decides the guidelines or requirements for licensure, accreditation, certification, and education, also known as LACE, by which an APRN must abide by to practice in that state. Unfortunately, not all states are equal when it comes to the requirements for LACE and how much autonomy the APRN is allowed. In Florida, the Nurse Practitioner (NP) applicant must have a valid RN license, a master’s degree or a certificate in a nurse specialty area from a post master’s program, have completed at least 500 clinical hours, and have a national advanced practice certification from an accepted nursing specialty board (FLBON, 2017).
Per the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) (2017), nursing regulations and practice laws are set by each state. There are three levels at which an NP can practice: Full practice, reduced practice, and restricted practice (AANP, 2017). Full practice means the NP works under the authority of the state board of nursing (AANP, 2017). An NP who works in a state that allows full practice can evaluate and assess patients, diagnose, set up a treatment plan and manage the treatment plan, order diagnostic testing and interpret diagnostic results, and prescribe medications (AANP, 2017). Full practice for NPs is the scope recommended by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing and by the Institute of Medicine (AANP, 2017). Reduced practice means the state reduces the NPs ability to practice by at least one element (AANP, 2017). In reduced practice states, NPs must have a collaborative agreement with a healthcare provider before they can practice (AANP, 2017). Restricted practice means the state restricts the NP in at least one element of practice and it requires the delegation, supervision, and/or team management by a healthcare provider (most often a physician) before the NP can practice (AANP, 2017).
Florida is a restricted practice state. Per Florida’s administrative code, Rule 64B9-4.010(1), an ARNP “shall only perform medical acts of diagnosis, treatment, and operation pursuant to a protocol between the ARNP and a Florida-licensed medical doctor, osteopathic physician, or dentist” (FLBON, 2016, para. 1). The protocol delineates the professional agreement between the physician and the ARNP. Protocols must include the ARNPs information, the physician’s information, the practice’s information, a description of the ARNPs duties such as procedures the NP can perform, conditions for which the ARNP is allowed to manage and treat, medications the ARNP may prescribe, and situations in which the NP must contact the physician (FLBON, 2016). Currently, NPs in Florida are also restricted from signing a Baker Act, signing a death certificate, certifying DNR orders, and are not recognized by Medicare and Medicaid as primary care providers (FLBON, 2016). In March 2017, bill HB 7011 was presented during the March legislative session; this bill recommended independent practice for ARNPs (FLANP, 2017). As of April 2017, the bill is in the House, specifically being evaluated by the Health and Human Services Committee (The Florida Senate, 2017).
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