A family nurse practitioner is an advanced practice nursing specialty (Zerwekh, 2016). Being Registered Nurses, they serve under a physician in their role as primary and specialty care providers. Like the family doctors, they work with their patients throughout their life and in most instances serve as their patients’ sole provider of the health care services. Among the things they do includes; diagnosis of diseases, ordering the patient for a lab test, conducting the routine checkups, assisting in minor surgical procedure and prescribing medication and therapy to their patients.
Currently, many states are doing away with restrictions that limit the family nurse practitioners roles (Neal-Boylan, 2011). Among the regulations, which requires one to qualify as a family nurse practitioner, includes being licensed to practice as a Registered Nurse. Moreover, you must be eligible to sit for national board certification examinations. This can only be done through the American Association of Nurse Practitioners or America Nurses Credentialing Centre.
are as defined by the nurse practice act (Fenstermacher & Hudson, 2016). The board of nursing also governs them. However, other councils, regulations, and laws may affect the functioning of the family nurse practitioners. The certifying body is the American Nurse Credentialing Centre, which sets the scope and standards of the practice. However, there is no current discussion, which is underway for the roles of the family nurse practitioners in the recent times apart from the review of the certification process.
Several resources exist which ensures nurses advocate for their roles. The Essential Nursing Resource usually support the nurses in their education, administrative, and research. Moreover, more resources are availed to the family nurse practitioner through the provision of free materials such as brochures, posters, and promotion items. Also, we have Podcasts through taking notes.
Online resources are also available to the family nurse practitioners, which includes financial assistance, articles relating to the family nurse practice and job opportunities and benefits in certain areas. All these resources help the family nurses in their provision of services.
