Nurses Focus on a Future that Demands Acute Care

The nurse practitioner role is growing in acute care settings. If you’re an NP who’s trained in primary care, it’s important to consider how the future of health care will impact your field and your career path. This article explains how proper training and credentials prepares you to effectively work in acute care. Nurses Announcements Archive Article

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Nurses Focus on a Future that Demands Acute Care

There's no shortage of studies, statistics and research on the essential roles nurses play today in primary care. A rapidly growing patient population and expanded access to health insurance have combined to cause a surge in demand for health care that physicians alone simply cannot provide.

Nurses have answered that calling and they've done so in a big way. Over 205,000 licensed nurse practitioners are treating and managing care for patients, supplementing physicians and contributing to a better quality of care.

The advanced practice role has been widely accepted in primary care for several decades. It's why nearly 90 percent of NPs are trained in primary care.

But there's yet another impending health care shift on the horizon. Our nation's health care needs are changing and that change corresponds to an aging, elderly population. According the US Census Bureau, by 2030, people age 65 and older in the United States will more than double from 35 million to 71.5 million, with the oldest of the population -- people over age 85 -- as the fastest growing segment. The American Journal of Nursing (AJN) recognizes that nurses will care for more adults over 65 than any other patient population. The aging Baby Boomer population is both educated and articulate about their health, yet they will have more complex, acute care needs than previous generations.

As nurses, we rely on our education, training and experience to prepare us and make us qualified to treat patients. So when asked to fill acute care roles with primary care skills and credentials, it's our duty to respond and be the best possible advocate for the patient. The NP role is no longer emerging in acute care - it's here. And it's growing in a big way.

How do NPs best prepare to assume roles in acute care?

Get the proper education for your role.

In-classroom, supervised, clinical training is the ideal way to build credibility for your role. On-the-job training may provide practical, focused experience, but it’s not a replacement for building specialized knowledge and skills. There are many accredited Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner programs that can be completed in 12 months, without the need to earn a second master’s degree. If you’re an NP in Denver, Regis University has such a program.

Get certified for your role.

Nearly all NPs are certified but acute care credentials are very new. Building your education is the first step to earning a national acute care certification that'll help take your career further. Plus, credentials make you marketable for roles where your peers may not yet hold the proper designation.

As health care professionals, we're confronted with ethical dilemmas on a daily basis. We're asked to respond to challenging situations and seek out ways to provide service to those in need. Keeping an eye on the future and preparing for impending shifts in health care is a way to not only advance your nursing career, but to advance the entire field of nursing.

Are you an NP trained in primary care that's practicing in an acute care setting? Or are you looking to move into acute care? Share your experiences and how you've shifted - or plan to shift - from primary to acute care.

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