Redesigning Care in the PACU With an Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (A-GACNP).

The adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner (A-GACNP) engages in all levels of care within the acute care setting. The postanesthesia care unit (PACU), a specialized entity within the acute care environment, encounters patients at their most vulnerable through various stages of awakening. The evolving state in the health care system today creates opportunity for innovations in the hospital setting that have yet to see the advantages of the nurse practitioner. The A-GACNP possesses the education, training, and skill necessary to treat patients in the critical stages of recovery from anesthesia. This article provides the rationale for incorporating the A-GACNP into the PACU. A systematic review of the literature will examine the benefits of the nurse practitioner in the acute care setting, the A-GACNP competencies, and propose a transformation of care in the PACU where the A-GACNP has an exclusive role.

Revitalizing Learning Outcomes for Adult Gerontology Advanced Practice Programs.

The implementation of the Consensus Model for Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Regulation has defined the model for advanced practice within the four recognized advanced practice nursing roles. The focus of graduate nursing program focus for care of the adult population has been broadened to include gerontology. The change toward increasing graduate program breadth and focus to a lifespan adult/gerontology population will result in the need for analysis and restructuring of advanced practice programs in order to incorporate gerontologic content. The purpose of this article is to describe a process for developing or revitalizing meaningful learning outcomes as an integral component in program revision and evaluation for advanced practice programs incorporating gerontologic content. Learning outcomes will be included with examples and definitions from the beginning basis of role-specific selected adult gerontology competencies through data collection and analysis for program improvement.

Certification and education as determinants of nurse practitioner scope of practice: An investigation of the rules and regulations defining NP scope of practice in the United States.

PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND: In 2008, a consortium of advanced practice nursing organizations authored the Consensus Model for APRN Regulation: Licensure, Accreditation, Certification, and Education. The document's aim is to provide guidance for states to adopt uniformity in the regulation of advanced practice registered nurse roles. Despite a target date to complete that work by 2015, there remains an extensive amount of variation in how states define the scope of practice (SOP) for nurse practitioners (NPs). DATA SOURCES: Based on the National Council of State Boards of Nursing online database, state (N = 51 [includes the District of Columbia]) NP practice acts and/or rules and regulations documents were examined for language describing SOP for NPs consistent with the language of the advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) Consensus Model. CONCLUSIONS: Results indicated that 18 states and the District of Columbia (37%) had specific regulations defining NP SOP by certification and/or educational preparation while 23 (45%) did not. The remaining nine states (18%) had SOP regulations that were interpreted as being ambiguous in relation to certification and/or educational preparation. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: The findings suggest much work is needed to ensure NP SOP accurately reflects NP board-certification and graduate educational preparation.