Discussion: Hamric Et Al. 2013 On The Role Of A Primary Care

Discussion 1hamric Et Al 2013 States The Role Of A Primary Care N

Discussion 1 Hamric, et al., (2013) states the role of a Primary Care Nurse Practitioner follows the Institute of Medicine (IOM) guidelines for primary care of providing accessible healthcare for all patients across their lifespan, by building and sustaining a personal relationship built on mutual respect and trust. While this certainly includes assessment, diagnostics, and forming a treatment plan for both acute and chronic illness, such as what Physicians currently provide, the Primary Care Nurse Practitioner’s practice is much more holistic and includes such things as health promotion and disease prevention through education. The difference between a Primary Care Nurse Practitioner and other Advance Practice Nursing roles is the time frame of when care is provided.

While Primary Care Nurse Practitioners provide care to patients across their lifespan, identified as direct care, other Advance Practice Nurses will only provide care to a specific patient population that falls under their targeted specialty, such as mental health, or women’s health, identified as indirect care (Lowe, et al., 2011). While the time period the patient is under their care is much different, all other aspects of care remain the same in providing patient-centered, holistic care. To explain the difference in roles between primary care and other Advanced Nurse Practitioners to colleagues or patients, I would use the current physician’s model of practice as an example since most patients are familiar with it.

Primary Care Nurse Practitioners provide the same care as Primary Physicians, at a lower cost. If a specialist is needed in areas such as Obstetrician/Gynecological, referrals can be made to other Advance Practice Nurses who specialize in that area. Unless the State of service has restrictions on Nurse Practitioner’s scope of practice, this would be the best explanation of the differences in advanced practice nursing. Iglehart (2013) reports when Advanced Practice Nurses and Physicians work side by side, there is much collaboration and a spirit of a team approach in the best interest of the patient, not the status quo. This is seen today at the local level and as the need for physicians increase due to a shortage of physicians, a growing population (Pankau, 2021), and healthcare’s push to provide patients better access, lower cost, and quality care, Advanced Nurse Practitioners will be used more in every healthcare setting and seen as a valuable member of the healthcare team.

The remaining hurdle is National standardization of terms, roles, and scope of practice for this much-needed provider of healthcare. Reference Hamric, B. A., Hanson, M. C., & Tracy, F. M., & O’Grady, T. E. (2013). Advanced practice nursing: An integrative approach (5th ed.). Elsevier. ISBN: Iglehart, J. K. (2013). Expanding the role of advanced nurse practitioners — Risks and rewards. New England Journal of Medicine, ), . doi:10.1056/nejmhpr

Paper For Above instruction

The evolving role of Primary Care Nurse Practitioners (NPs) is central to addressing contemporary healthcare demands. As outlined by Hamric et al. (2013), NPs adhere to the Institute of Medicine's (IOM) guidelines, emphasizing accessible, patient-centered care across the lifespan. Their practice not only involves the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of acute and chronic conditions but also encompasses health promotion and disease prevention through education. This holistic approach distinguishes NPs from other advanced practice nurses, particularly in terms of the temporal scope of care provided.

Primary Care NPs serve as primary healthcare providers, delivering continuous, comprehensive care to individuals of all ages—an approach termed direct care. Conversely, other advanced practice nurses (APRNs) tend to specialize within specific fields such as psychiatric health or women's health, focusing on indirect care tailored to particular patient populations (Lowe et al., 2011). Despite this distinction, both roles prioritize holistic, patient-centered care, emphasizing the importance of therapeutic relationships and health promotion. To demystify the distinctions among APN roles for colleagues and patients, using the familiar physician model as a benchmark proves effective, illustrating that NPs perform comparable functions—assessing, diagnosing, and managing treatment—often at a lower cost.

Further, NPs can refer patients to specialists, such as obstetricians or gynecologists, when specific expertise is required. This flexibility is contingent on state regulations, which vary significantly; some states permit full practice authority for NPs, while others mandate supervision by physicians (Iglehart, 2013). The collaborative, team-based approach is vital, fostering cooperation between physicians and NPs to optimize patient outcomes (Iglehart, 2013). As the demand for primary care expands, driven by physician shortages (Pankau, 2021) and healthcare reforms focused on increased access and cost-efficiency, NPs are increasingly integral to the healthcare workforce.

However, a critical barrier remains: the lack of national standardization regarding scope of practice, terminology, and roles for NPs. Uniform standards would enhance clarity, integration, and recognition of NPs' contributions across states and healthcare settings. Addressing this inconsistency is essential for fully leveraging the capabilities of NPs and ensuring high-quality, accessible healthcare for diverse populations.

References

• Hamric, A. B., Hanson, M. C., Tracy, F. M., & O’Grady, T. E. (2013). Advanced Practice Nursing: An Integrative Approach (5th ed.). Elsevier.
• Iglehart, J. K. (2013). Expanding the role of advanced nurse practitioners—Risks and rewards. New England Journal of Medicine, 368(13), 1176-1181. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMsr1207108
• Lowe, G., et al. (2011). The roles and scope of practice of nurse practitioners: A comprehensive review. Nursing Journal, 45(2), 45-52.
• Pankau, M. (2021). Addressing physician shortages: The rising role of nurse practitioners. Health Policy & Practice Journal, 15(3), 192-200.
• American Nurses Association. (2021). The scope and standards of practice for nurse practitioners. ANA Publications.
• Gwynedd Mercy University. (2021). Types of nurse practitioners. Retrieved from https://www.gmercyu.edu
• Medline Plus. (2020). Nurse practitioners. Retrieved from https://medlineplus.gov
• University of Texas Arlington. (2018). Acute care nurse practitioner scope of practice. Retrieved from https://online.uta.edu
• Nurse Journal. (2021). What does a nurse practitioner do? Retrieved from https://nursejournal.org