wk 6 classmate responses
By Day 6
Respond to at least two of your colleagues’ posts by sharing your thoughts on their specialty, supporting their choice or offering suggestions if they have yet to choose.
Classmate 1 post
Examining Nursing Specialties
Challenges of Making Your Specialty Choice
My nursing specialty choice is a family nurse practitioner (FNP). I had a challenge deciding on this specialty because there are many psychiatric nurse programs or options available at my school. The factors that drove my decision are that I believe FNP is an underserved and critical field that needs more nurses. I also see an opportunity to make a difference in my community by providing care for families who may not have access to medical care or may need additional help with their health and wellness. According to Woroch et al. (2018), the family nurse practitioner (FNP) role is to provide health care for individuals, families, and communities so that they can focus on overall well-being. Therefore, interacting with diverse groups of patients will allow me to make a difference in my community.
Professional Organization Affiliated with Your Specialty
The American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) is a professional organization for nurse practitioners that are affiliated with FNP. Dillon and Gary (2017) argue that membership in AANP is available to FNPs who are dedicated to promoting excellent health care through a holistic approach to patient care. AANP also has an FAQ section that answers common questions about becoming an FNP. According to Kleinpell et al. (2018), affiliation in AANP provides access to resources and information on topics such as advocacy, education, research, and public policy. The AANP offers a variety of opportunities for members to connect with others in the field, such as networking events and webinars.
According to Dillon and Gary (2017), to become a member of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), one must be licensed as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) or hold an approved graduate degree in nursing. Also, an individual should have at least one year of experience practicing as an APRN or working in a clinical setting.
Classmate 2
Nursing Specialization
I currently work in acute and long-term care facilities, and my experience in both settings has highlighted which MSN specialization I wantto pursue. Initially, I wanted to be an Acute- Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner and work in the hospital. However, when I started working in the long-term care facility with family nurse practitioners, I realized that being a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) aligns more with my professional interest. Working closely with physicians and FNPs in the skilled nursing facility fueled my interest in pursuing higher education. After gathering all the details and learning from their experiences, I have narrowed down my preference and decided that becoming a Family Nurse Practitioner best fit into my professional goal of providing quality care to all patients from across the lifespan, especially the elderly population with dementia in the nursing homes as well as in the community.
Having a full-time job and a busy family to attend to, I was initially hesitant to embark on this journey. However, I am confident that this program will suit me after learning about Walden University’s CCNE-accredited Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program designed for working nurses (Walden University, n.d.). Additionally, the University’s high standard of education will equip me with the advanced knowledge and critical skills necessary to provide high-quality nursing care. Hence, I am eager to pursue this academic goal and eventually put everything I learn from this program into practice according to the standards of nursing practice.
Professional Organization
I intend to join the California Association for Nurse Practitioners (CANP). I reside in the state of California, and I believe that by enteringthis local organization, I can be more informed about the statewide regulations and updates that will govern my practice as an independent nurse practitioner in the future (CANP, n.d.). This association has local chapters that allow its members to connect and network with and, as a group, better serve our community. According to Echevarria (2018), nurses must research and find the appropriate organization that best fits their goals. Joining the proper organization will help one be more active and productive in the organization of choice.