Essay Sample on Professional Identity of the Nurse: Role of the Nurse and Scope of Practice

Nursing professional is an area that require comprehensive professional identity through multidimensional training and experience. Nursing students are therefore required to adequately prepare as they transition to qualified practitioners. Nursing professional identity is the practitioner’s perception of their experience, qualification, and expertise as described in practice guidelines and frameworks (Poorchangizi et al., 2019). In this case, the training received, the role of the nurse, and the scope of practice all play a key role in the development of the nursing professional identity. While individual factors equally impact this aspect of professional development and perspective, the collective identity of nurses is based on the different specialization and level of qualification in line with the training received (Poorchangizi et al., 2019). This essay discusses the role and scope of my current nursing program, how it is presented in the Nurse Practice Act of the state of Florida, and compares the LPN and RN scope of practice.

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I am currently pursuing an associate’s degree in nursing. This program provides a professional pathway towards becoming a registered nurse. Associate degree nurses play significant supportive roles in healthcare facilities (Nursing Law Manual, 2008). The roles revolve around patient care. A registered associate’s degree nurse interacts with the patient to assess their condition and discuss their symptoms as instructed by the charge nurse. The practitioners also monitor the progress of patients and undertake specific records especially those pertaining to the depicted vital signs and progress in specialized care settings under supervision (Nurse Organization, 2019). The nurses keep a progressive account of the patients under their care and focus on ensuring that the care principles are observed to the required standards. Moreover, associate’s degree nurses administer medication to patients based on the confirmed diagnosis and recommendations made by senior doctors and as assigned by the charge nurse. Another critical role of associate’s degree nurse is patient education as assigned by their supervisors (Nursing Law Manual, 2008). The practitioners provide professional knowledge and guidance on a range of areas such as self-care, wellbeing, lifestyle, and dealing with diagnosis.

Working in the state of Florida as a nurse requires professional certification and registration. An associate’s degree nurse will therefore be required to meet the educational training requirements before commencing the practice in private or public facility. The scope of practice for the nursing practitioners is defined in the Nursing Practice Act (Florida Legislature, 2019). The act outlines the licensure of practice as well as the examination framework. Associate’s degree nurses working in the state of Florida plays a key role in supporting safe practice and quality patient-centered care. The onset of this essential goal starts with meeting the minimum expectations as outlined in the Nursing Practice Act of the state. Qualified and registered nurses who work in the state of Florida but fail to meet the practice quality requirements end up being prohibited (Florida Legislature, 2019). In this case, I am working towards improving my experience and expertise to endure that I meet the desired nursing competency to improve patients’ experiences and guarantee quality treatment outcomes (Poorchangizi et al., 2017). Associate’s degree nurses in Florida perform similar roles to any other ADN nurses across the globe, which revolves around conducting tests, patient education, progress recording, medication administration, and supporting diagnosis process.

The Nursing Practice Act for Florida state outlines distinct requirements for LPN and RN. A high number of Licensed Practicing Nurses in Florida care for patient diagnosed with acute or chronic needs. Others work in doctors’ offices to support key patient-related roles. It is estimated that over 38.8% of LPN professionals in Florida support long-term care, hospice, and home-based health services (Nursing Licenser, 2019). On the other hand, RN work in hospital setting because of their higher qualifications. RN in Florida plays a central role in complex patient care duties. Based on their experience and qualification, RNs administer medication, operate medical equipment, and monitor patients in acute care. The nurses also perform instructed diagnostic tests and establish care plans. Moreover, they support the healthcare system through collaboration with APRNs and doctors to ensure that quality standards are achieved (Nursing Licenser, 2019). Regardless of the distinct and interrelated roles that RN and LPN professionals, the Nursing Practice Act for Florida requires the professionals under the two categories to meet the underpinning registration and certification requirement and regularly update their subscriptions (Nursing Licenser, 2019).

In conclusion, as seen from the above discussion, being a registered associate’s degree nurse in Florida in a journey that require personal and professional commitment. I am working towards successfully completing the degree and meet the practice certification requirement. As seen from this excerpt, I need to work towards improving my nursing competencies and expertise especially in terms of patient engagement and person-centered care. Associate’s degree nurses are majorly assigned to supportive roles or specialized care beyond the confines of healthcare facilities, which implies that I need to learn more on how to work with patients in diverse settings.

References

Florida Legislature. (2019). The 2019 Florida Statues: Regulation of the Professions and Occupations in Nursing – The Nursing Practice Act. The Florida Legislature. Available at: http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=0400-0499/0464/0464PARTIContentsIndex.html

Nurse Organization. (2019). AND Guide – Associate’s Degree in Nursing: Salary, Benefits, and Programs. Nurse Organization. Available at: https://nurse.org/education/adn-guide/

Nursing Law Manual. (2008). The Florida Nurse Practice Act and the Scope of Nursing. Altamonte Springs, Florida, USA. Available at: https://www.thehealthlawfirm.com/uploads/Ch-6%20Florida%20Nurse%20Practice%20Act%20and%20Scope%20of%20Nursing-revised.pdf

Nursing Licenser. (2019). Practicing Nursing in Florida. Nursing Licenser Organization. Available at: https://www.nursinglicensure.org/practical-nursing/florida-lpn.html

Poorchangizi, B., Borhani, F., Abbaszadeh, A., Mirzaee, M., & Farokhzadian, J. (2019). Professional Values of Nurses and Nursing Students: a comparative study. BMC medical education, 19(1), 438. DOI: 10.1186/s12909-019-1878-2

Poorchangizi, B., Farokhzadian, J., Abbaszadeh, A., Mirzaee, M., & Borhani, F. (2017). The importance of professional values from clinical nurses' perspective in hospitals of a medical university in Iran. BMC medical ethics, 18(1), 20. DOI: 10.1186/s12910-017-0178-9