SYNTHESIS OF ADVANCED NURSING ROLES
BROWN_K_W5A2_SU_NSG5000
Kerry Ann Brown
South University

Due to the changing health care environment, the nursing profession is currently in a process of evolution. Scopes of practice and role expansions are being prepared. Some of these roles are traditional, such as nurse practitioners who have been fighting for equality and recognition since the early 19th century. With the advent of technological advancements in health care new roles such as nurse informaticists, recognized as a specialty in the later part of the 20th century, are being put into practice and defined. More responsibilities are being given to the nursing profession due to its knowledge base within the constructs of organization, implementation, and evaluation skills with a human approach. During the context of this class much knowledge was gained in respect to the nurse practitioner (NP), nurse administrator, nurse educator, and nurse informaticist (nurse informatics specialist). Because health care is changing, the aforementioned roles are also evolving, this paper will explore the commonalities with each advance practice role and analyze the roles and contributions of the nurse informatics specialist.
The nurse practitioner is a postgraduate prepared registered nurse, who has either a master’s degree or doctorate. Upon graduation, NPs possess a wealth of knowledge allowing them to independently manage direct clinical aspects of patient-centered holistic care (Hamric, Hanson, Tracy, & O’Grady, 2014). NPs empower their patients by allowing them involvement in their health care decision making process, thereby promoting health and well-being in quality, ethically driven, cost effective evidenced based practice models. Their core competency for independent practice distinguishes them from other advance nursing roles. At the same time