Nurse Practitioner Practice in Louisiana

¶ … registered nurse (RN) possessing advanced level education (a master's degree or doctoral degree), and corresponding skills, scope of nursing practice, and knowledge that reflects their educational qualification(s) is termed as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN). On the other hand, Nurse Practitioners (NPs) are APRNs who deliver quality patient care services (UAPRN, n.d).

Although physician assistants (PAs) possess the requisite skills to perform specific duties by themselves, they carry out these duties under their supervising doctor's authority. In contrast, nurse practitioners (NPs) may have greater autonomy. This means that they can independently perform some assistance and healthcare-related tasks, without a physician's supervision, contingent on state laws, their educational level, and additional qualifications and certifications acquired by them. Because it is compulsory for PAs to work together with a qualified physician, their working hours are very closely linked with their supervising physician's work hours. NPs, in contrast, may have greater autonomy in this respect, as well (Cresswell, 2013).

c. The Louisiana State Board of Nursing (LSBN) licenses registered nurses who are eligible to assume the role of APRNs in 4 general categories: NP, clinical nurse specialist (CNS), certified nurse midwives (CNMs), and certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) (Graduatenursingedu.org, n.d). LSBN is an administrative agency founded under Louisiana state law, acting within Louisiana's governmental structure and having legal authority. To safeguard the health and life of Louisianans, the law, Revised Statutes of 1950, R.S. 37:911 et seq., as amended and re-enacted, which governs RN practice, deputes to the LSBN the responsibility of creating and issuing nursing practice standards; regulating nursing practice by RNs and APRNs; providing for licensures and examinations of nurses practicing as RNs and APRNs; and setting up standards for academic programs to prepare nursing students to take up the practice of nursing (Louisiana State Board of Nursing, n.d).

d. Expert guidance and coaching is established by knowledge levels, the ability to utilize adult coaching rules, and the capability of customizing evidence-based academic interventions on the basis of individual patient needs, and that of their families (Cooke, Gemmill & Grant, 2008). The patient-NP relationship in a primary care setting develops a sound base for the guidance and coaching competence. However, guidance and coaching competence coincides with the individual practice skills, as well as with information and technology literacy. In addition, NP guidance and coaching focuses on the wide range of concerns pertaining to age and development. A sound link has been forged with guidance and coaching emphasized. Further, coaching makes use of NP abilities such as scientific bases and healthcare delivery system proficiencies. Coaching continues, over time, to strengthen the partnership between the NP and patient. NPs possess in-depth knowledge with regard to the 'change process', in addition to a range of tools to be utilized, based on the patient's standing in the change cycle. Another primary care tool for NPs is time. NPs in a primary care setting are available to patients longitudinally as they traverse the stages of development and health problems (In Hamric et al., 2014). The second difficult APRN characteristic, consultation, is established by employing specialties from other disciplines, such as physical therapy, social work, medicine, and psychology for the purpose of enriching and formulating an all-inclusive teaching program (Cooke, Gemmill & Grant, 2008). Relationships that are consultative in nature are crucial to NPs in primary care. Relationships with social workers, other advanced practice nurses, physicians, nurses, and others in the healthcare services sector guarantee patient access to all-round care. Consultation may be of an informal (with coworkers) or formal nature. The former style forms part of daily routine in nurse-managed facilities, and covers facets of independent practice and collaboration competency (In Hamric et al., 2014).