Assignment: APN Professional Development Plan Essay

Assignment: APN Professional Development Plan Essay

Assignment: APN Professional Development Plan Essay

A personal development plan (PDP) is essential for all advanced practice nurses (APN) (Halcomb et al., 2016). A PDP is a strategic plan that helps one establish goals, strategies, milestones, and timelines to achieve the set goals. It is a motivator and a roadmap to success and thus requires ongoing evaluation and assessment. Its preparation allows one to concretely visualize the possibilities of a bright future based on personal and social resources. Further, its use ensures that APNs positively impact the quality and flow of professional and personal advancements. The purpose of this paper is to indicate the APN scope of practice in the state of Florida, outline a personal assessment following the Benner’s self-assessment as well as a networking and marketing strategies followed.

APN Scope of Practice

To operate as a Nurse Practitioner in the state of Florida, one has to hold an active Florida RN license or an active multistate RN license from another jurisdiction (Kumar & Williams, 2018). Additionally, one must have a master’s degree or a post-master certificate in a nursing specialty area as well as a national advanced practice certification from an approved nursing specialty board. Generally, a nurse practitioner operates in three levels as dictated by various states. These levels include a full practice where one can evaluate patients, diagnose, order and interpret diagnostic tests as well as initiate and manage treatment (Halcomb et al., 2016). The second level entail a reduced practice where one can engage in at least one element of NP practice and a collaborative agreement with an outside health discipline. Lastly, there is a restricted practice where a nurse practitioner cannot operate even a single element of NP practice and has to be supervised, delegated or team –managed by an outside health discipline.

Florida falls under the restricted practice and thus a nurse practitioner has to be supervised by physicians. Under the supervision law, an arrangement between the NP and the physician has to be outlined (Kumar & Williams, 2018). The law also dictates that a physician should not oversee a nurse practitioner at more than four offices including the primary practice location. The supervising physician may not be present in person but the NP has to be available by phone for consultations. The patients also have to be notified of the instances when the physician is in and out of the clinic. The hours that the physician is present in the clinic have to be conspicuously posted in each office to alert the patient on the presence of the MD on the site. In terms of prescribing laws, Florida does not allow NP to prescribe controlled substance even when they are under supervision (Kumar & Williams, 2018). The limitation is set to prevent NPs from using prescriptions forms that have been pre-signed by a physician or operate using a Physician DEA number on a prescription. Lastly, the NPs are only allowed to sign for handicap parking permits but they cannot sign death certificates.

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Personal Assessment

According to Berner’s theory, for nurses to acquire and develop skills, they have to pass through five levels of proficiency namely:

novice, advanced beginner, competent, proficient and expert (Oshvandi et al., 2016). Personal analysis reveals that I am an advanced beginner since I can demonstrate marginally acceptable performance owing to the prior experience I have in actual situations. I am efficient and skillful in some parts of nursing although there is a need for occasional supportive cues. My knowledge of nursing is also developing. The analysis has created the need to undertake a personal assessment since it helps in exploring interests, discovering passion and establishing the suitable areas of practice.

From the assessment, my personal strengths entail good communication skills, patience, determination, and excellent listening skills. Effective communication and listening skills are essential in healthcare because they enhance patient assessment, diagnosis, and treatment (Pazar, Demiralp, & Erer, 2017). The skills also ensure that medical errors are reduced as well as unintentional harm to patients. They assist in offering individualized care and ensures that patients can disclose the true extent of their feelings and systems. The skills also satisfy the innate need of the patients and boost morals and job satisfaction among nurses.

In terms of weakness, the analysis reveals perfectionism and poor time management skills. Although perfectionism has a positive impact like ensuring patients are safe and offering the best clinical care, it is a weakness because I set unattainable expectations and I have to ensure that my nursing tasks are perfect, which consumes time. It also means taking time before completing shifts since one has to ensure that patient assignments are in great shape for the incoming nurse. The weakness in time management can be linked to perfectionism since I have the desire to complete all tasks. However, as an NP, there is a need to learn task delegation to ensure that care is optimized.

The analysis also led to the development of career goals with the short term goals being an inspiration to work in a long-term care facility to get knowledge and confidence to offer palliative care (Elliott, Begley, Sheaf & Higgins, 2016).  I also aspire to become a mentor to new NPs as a way of helping patients and giving back to the profession. The objective that will guide the practice is getting a clinical site that covers areas of interest.  The site will help in networking since one has to find a unique approach to handle the overwhelming numbers of NPs going into the workforce. The site will also ensure that the clinical hours offered add value to the future career since it will be exactly what employers expect once one secures a job.

Networking and Marketing Strategies

Marketing and networking ensure that one grows their professional connections and increases their chances of securing a job. One can either use operational networking within their area of practice as well as personal networking outside the place of employment such as professional organizations and social media. As a new NP, one can use events like convention center nursing meetings, continuing education seminars and conferences where one meets with peers and other professionals (Goolsby & DuBois, 2017). Once in the event, an NP should connect and establish rapport with new people, hand out business cards, LinkedIn page, and email as a way of keeping in touch. Further, they should also send thank you emails to new connections to create a lasting impression and turn acquaintance into future references. As a marketing tool, an NP should also create an elevator pitch that outlines skills, areas of interest and clinical strengths. Additionally, one can join a national organization like the National Association of Nurse Practitioners to gain access to insurance and free continuing education courses. There is also a need to participate regionally by joining organizations like Florida Nurse Practitioner Network (FNPN) and the Florida Association of Nurse Practitioners (FLANP) to get information like employment opportunities, connect and network with other NPS in the area, get opportunities to volunteer as a preceptor and access the preceptor list (Goolsby & DuBois, 2017). Lastly, an NP can use online networking via online groups of nurse practitioners.

Conclusion

A nurse practitioner has to come up with a personal development plan. As outlined above,in Florida State,  an NP, has to get an RN license, possess a master’s degree or post-master certificate as well as a national advanced practice certification. Additionally, one operates in restricted practice and cannot prescribe controlled substances or sign a death certificate. A personal analysis reveals that the author is an advanced beginner with strengths like excellent communication and listening skills. The author also is perfectionist and poor time manager. They plan to work in long term care and hours worked will concentrate in this filed to build the necessary skills and knowledge. Additionally, the author will network in local, national and regional organizations as well as use online platforms to ensure that they develop connections and increase chances of securing a job.

Introduction: Create an introduction to the Advanced Practice Nurse (APN). Discuss the goals and purpose of an APN professional development plan.

Next paragraph: Scope of Practice
Provide detailed information regarding education, licensure, and regulatory requirements, as well as practice environment details for the state of FLORIDA. Include information regarding full, limited, or restricted practice limitations as well as prescriptive authority.

Next Paragraph: Personal Assessment
Identify and discuss your position on Benner’s Novice to Expert ladder. Provide a personal assessment and reflect upon strengths, weaknesses, goals, and objectives.

Next Paragraph: Networking and Marketing Strategies
Provide detailed information regarding local and national professional organizations that advertise employment opportunities for APNs. Identified networking and marketing strategies and provide a rationale for their selections.

Last paragraph: Conclusion
Excellent summary of APN professional development plan. Conclusions are well evidenced and fully developed.

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Assignment: APN Professional Development Plan Essay

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