Advanced practice nursing

[loisane]

I would like some opinions about advanced practice nursing.

I was taught in my MSN program that there are four types of APNs-certified registered nurse anesthetists, certified registered nurse midwives, nurse practitioners and clinical nurse specialists. Each one a separate category, but all APNs.

I am a CRNA. I have met some other CRNAs on line who are under the impression that CRNAs are nurse practitioners. Apparently, some states issue a special "advanced registered nurse practitioner license" to CRNAs (and to the other APNs as well, I assume)

My position is that the wording of this license does not make a CRNA a NP. Organized nursing (education and professional associations) do not consider a CRNA a NP.

My position is being met with quite a bit of disbelief. Any input from you educators? Am I missing something? Can anyone elaborate on this "ARNP" license? (I am thinking maybe it was devised early in the evolution of APNs, before there was much agreement on who is who). My state does not issue an additional license, but does designate "advanced practice" if a RN is certified in one of the four specialties.

loisane crna

[globalRN]

loisane, a CRNA is NOT a NP unless they have also met the cert reqs for NP, but in many states the CRNA is placed in the same category as all advanced practice nurses: ARNP.

The nurse practitioner bit means advanced registered nurse practitioner NOT what the term NP really means just as a CNS also a ARNP is not a NP.

It is a little confusing.

I wish states would just use the categories of ANPs in their issuing of licenses: CRNA, CNS, NP and CNM.

So much simpler to understand/

globalRN: FNP

[2banurse]

Well, I'm confused, what is the difference between a NP and an ARNP? Which title would enable a nurse to work independently from an MD?

Kris

[globalRN]

2banurse:

ARNP is a title for all licensed advanced practice nurses which is used for some states: you sign as ARNP

If you write ANCC certification for nurse practitioner and are certified: you can sign as APRN, BC

If you cert as NP through AANP: I believe you sign as NP-C

so if you are licensed in say New Hampshire where you don't require MD supervision and are nationally certified through both AANP and ANCC you could sign as:

J. Doe, MS, RN, ARNP, APRN,BC, NP-C

[globalRN]

I sign off written correspondence (letters)

MS, RN, APRN, BC but I would rather that

people could look at that and say...oh ....she's a FNP: MS, RN, with a C(for certified) or BC (for board certified)

but 'they' don't make it easy to figure out exactly what credentials one holds.

So when you see ARNP: the person could be a CRNA, NP, CNS or a CNM

Same with APRN, BC.(advanced practice registered nurse-board certified):not necessarily an NP

Only the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners are unequivocably NPs: NP-C

I would have written the AANP cert rather than the ANCC cert

for a couple of reasons, one being the fact that that is a NP organization, except the logistics weren't as flexible as the ANCC exams(which was paramount in the decision) and I didn't want to spend more $$$ getting dual certification. I understand that the AANP exam is computerized in 2003 so that would definitely help others to make the decision to write AANP vs ANCC.

Yes, I can definitely see why it is confusing.

[loisane]

globalRN: FNP wrote:

wish states would just use the categories of ANPs in their issuing of licenses: CRNA, CNS, NP and CNM.

So much simpler to understand/

I heartily second that recommendation!

Appreciate the input. I guess I was looking for a little validation, thanks to all of you for providing it

loisane crna