The Expanded Roles of Nurses in the Healthcare System

Licensure BHA 310
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Licensure BHA 310
The role of nursing in the U.S healthcare system and other countries is rapidly expanding due to the increased need for quality healthcare. The extended nurses’ responsibilities are being driven by bursting population numbers, a spike in chronic illnesses, and a relative significant workforce of nurses; this has led to a sharper focus on the function of nurses. Many countries are facing healthcare staff shortages and current imbalances in primary care, and are projected future shortfalls are triggered by the rise in chronic diseases and multimorbidity (Maier et al., 2016). One of the ways that have been used to explore the full potential of nurses entails the authorization of nurse practitioners to evaluate patients, diagnose, order, and interpret diagnostic tests as well as initiating and managing treatment interventions, including drug prescriptions.
The expanded roles of nurse practitioners are exercise under the armpit of the state board of nursing. The nurse practitioner’s education requirements, board certifications, and accreditation are usually consistent with national standards. Nurse practitioners more often hold bachelor’s degree in nursing, are licensed as a registered nurse, and have undergone an accredited graduate program that meets the national standards regarding advanced practice and clinical education, as well as passing the nurse practitioner certification exam. However, the state laws in some states continue to derail the role of the nurse in healthcare, as they restrict their capacity to practice to the extent of their skills.
Keeping in mind these challenges facing nurse practitioners, one of the contemporary issues of concern is the skill competency of nurse practitioners to deliver unmatched quality of care. Maier et al. (2016) findings illustrate that there is a consistent body of evidence suggesting that nurses with advanced education and skills are well-positioned to provide high-quality care, which is comparable to physicians in the context of acute and chronic illnesses. This observation is reinforced by findings in another study, which showed that the nurse-led teams, in comparison to physicians, led to patients’ satisfaction, improved quality of life, .less hospitalization, and reduced cost of health service...