APRN Consensus Model Newsletter, January 2013

Delaware State Board of Nursin - Advanced Practice Nursin Committee

APN Committee Newsletter - January 2013

APRN Consensus Model address all these issues. The model has By: Allen V. Prettyman, PhD, CFNP been endorsed by 47 national nursing organizations. The organizations recognized The Advanced Practice Nursing (APN) that no Committee of the State Board of Nursing and uniform the Delaware Nursing Association (DNA) model for worked collaboratively to offer presentations regulation in all three counties in Delaware. The of APRNs presentations were designed to provide across the education and open dialog about the states Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) exists. Consensus Model. Approximately 20% of Currently, licensed APNs in Delaware attended the each state meetings. Members from the State Board of independently determines the APRN scope of Nursing APN Committee engaged the practice, which APRN roles are recognized, meeting participants and answered questions the criteria for their entry into practice, and during each presentation. This article which certification examinations are provides a summary of the information accepted. These issues create barriers for discussed during the APRN presentations. APRNs to easily practice across state lines and therefore decreases patient access to Over 267,000 APRNs in the United States healthcare. The goal of the consensus model and over 1,200 licensed APRNs in Delaware is to establish a set of national standards and have become an integral component of the regulations that will not only protect public healthcare system. The steadily increasing safety but also enhance patient access to number of healthcare by improving APRN mobility APRNs across state lines. licensed to A central component of the consensus model practice in is to define the four roles and population foci Delaware of APRNs. The roles in the model include and their Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist importance (CRNA), Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM), in meeting Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS), and Certified healthcare needs of patients made it clear Nurse Practitioner (CNP). Each APRN role is that there is a need for more standardized directly linked to at least one of the six and clearly defined regulation of the population foci. education, certification, accreditation, and licensure for APRNs. The Consensus Model for APRN Regulation was developed to

The six population foci defined by the model following issues that need to be addressed in are: order to implement the APRN consensus model in Delaware. ¾ Family / Individual across the life-span

¾ Adult-Gerontology ¾ Change title from Advanced Practice ¾ Pediatrics Nurse (APN) to Advanced Practice ¾ Neonatal Registered Nurse (APRN). ¾ Women's Health / Gender Related ¾ Remove the collaborative practice ¾ Psych / Mental Health agreement requirement. ¾ Change the current Joint Practice Committee to an APRN Advisory The consensus model requires that APRN Committee. education programs must be at the graduate and or post-graduate level. The curriculum must include appropriate clinical experiences The APN Committee welcomes your of sufficient breadth and depth related to the comments and feedback regarding the APRN consensus model. To reach the committee, role and population foci. The APRN programs must be nationally accredited, and their contact the Delaware State Board of Nursing at: graduates must be eligible for national certification in their role and associated Phone: (302) 744-4500 Fax: (302) 739-2711 population foci that can be used for state customerservice.dpr@state.de.us licensure as an APRN. Email:

After completing an accredited APRN References: graduate level education program and National Council of State Boards of Nursing successfully passing a national certification (2012), Campaign for the APRN Consensus Model exam in their role and population foci, an and Toolkit. https://www.ncsbn.org/aprn.htmindividual may apply to the State Board of American Nurses Association (2012), APRN Consensus Model Toolkit. Nursing for APRN licensure. Licensure and http://www.nursingworld.org/consensusmodelscope of practice are based on graduate education in one of the four roles and population foci. State Boards of Nursing will license APRNs as independent practitioners with no regulatory requirements for APN Committee Meetings collaboration, direction or supervision. The APRN license will allow for mutual recognition Join the Dialog! of APRNs through the APRN compact. A grandfathering clause will exempt those Dates locations and times for APN APRNs already practicing in the state from Committee meetings are posted on: the new eligibility requirements. www.dpr.delaware.gov - click on The consensus model provides a framework Nursing and then on Meetings, in which to evaluate the status of current Agendas and Minutes on the left. APRN state licensure requirements. The APN Committee reviewed the current status of APRN licensure in Delaware related to its alignment with the APRN consensus model. The APN Committee has identified the