Career progression from registration clerk to family nursing practitioner

¶ … adult life, I have been immersed in the healthcare professions. Working in several different sectors of healthcare has afforded me the opportunity to understand different models of patient care, different administrative systems and organizational cultures, and also different philosophies and theories of nursing. After many years of working in the emergency care sector including work as an emergency room paramedic and ambulance worker for ten years, I transitioned to working in a position of leadership in my organization. As Director of Nursing, I have grown tremendously both professionally and personally. I have also witnessed transformations in care delivery as evidence-based practice and new medical information systems have been increasingly normative in healthcare. Although I love my work, my career has never once stagnated and I aim to continue to develop myself through ongoing professional advancement. The natural next step for me is to become a family nursing practitioner, which is why I am currently applying to the university\'s Family Nursing program.

Family nursing has long been an underlying goal of mine because my philosophy of nursing is holistic and grounded in caring theory. Caring theory is patient-centric, non-judgmental, and individualistic. The family nursing model is also one that takes into account issues related to family systems, culture, and worldview. Caring is more than an ethical, moral, and professional duty for nurses. I echo the sentiment that caring is a \"complex and trans-cultural process, grounded in an ethical and spiritual context,\" (de Guia-Rayos, 2014). Throughout my decades of experience, I have had the opportunity to work in diverse healthcare settings and most importantly, with a diverse patient population. Working with patients as a family nurse practitioner will allow me to apply the principles of caring directly to my community. My university career will help be develop the core competencies needed to succeed as a family nurse practitioner.

Family nursing also combines the core strengths of nurse leaders with those of the nurse who works directly with patients throughout daily practice. Because I have worked in both capacities as a nurse manager and a nurse practitioner, I understand all elements and aspects of the profession. Family nursing will come easily to me because I am able to understand the big picture issues related to health care administration and staff management, as well as the immediate needs of acute and long-term care. It is my vision to have a private practice or partnership with like-minded professionals, in which we can provide healthcare services to the community. To achieve this goal, I will be able to combine my knowledge of nurse leadership with evidence-based practice.

The level of care that can be given to patients within a family nursing context is higher than that would otherwise be available via an intermittent care model. The family nurse practitioner model ensures continuity of care throughout the patient\'s lifetime. The nurse understands each patient\'s needs, healthcare preferences, attitudes, and beliefs, as well as their official medical histories. Similarly, the family nurse practitioner understands the patient within the context of his or her culture, community, and family background. Emphasis is on prevention and long-term wellness, and is more proactive than reactive. With a family nurse practice, I can incorporate complementary techniques to provide options for holistic care for all patients.

In my experience, patients thrive when their healthcare services are compassionate and caring as opposed to purely clinical. In fact, clinical and medical interventions can be provided in ways that are caring, culturally competent, and patient-centric. Most of my patients appreciate when nurses work with them throughout the duration of their lives, forming relationships with the practitioner that help them to achieve their healthcare goals. Some of the core duties of the family nurse practitioner overlap with other areas of healthcare, allowing the patient to receive comprehensive care delivered by a trusting, competent, and caring professional (Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP), n.d.). For example, the family nurse practitioner recognizes signs and symptoms in patients they know well, and are therefore able to make more accurate diagnoses or recommend the appropriate interventions. A patient-centric approach seems like it should be the normative standard in healthcare but unfortunately it is not, as administrators are under a considerable amount of pressure to address financial or budgetary considerations first. Similarly, nurses work in environments that are stressful or disempowering are unable to focus on patient-centric care and are instead concerned with meeting the more abstract goals of their supervisors. Providing interactive, compassionate, and evidence-based care is the goal of family nursing.