Читать книгу The Advanced Practice Registered Nurse as a Prescriber - Группа авторов - Страница 14

Louise Kaplan and Marie Annette Brown

This chapter emphasizes the importance of prescriptive authority as a component of advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) practice. An overview describes the development of, and transition to, the APRN role, with an emphasis on prescribing. The framework for rational prescribing rests on knowledge of the patient, knowledge about the nature of the health problem, and treatment using evidence‐based guidelines, standards of care, and strategies for promoting appropriate medication use.

The ability to independently prescribe medications is a hallmark symbol of the legitimacy of advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs). The public often perceives the prescriber role as what ‘defines’ an APRN. Therefore, a goal of APRNs is full practice authority and professional integrity to provide comprehensive patient care. APRNs prescribe medications not only to meet the needs of individual patients and families but also to meet societal needs and the expectations of a fully autonomous profession like nursing. Prescribing is a component of each of the four APRN roles: certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA), certified nurse‐midwife (CNM), clinical nurse specialist (CNS), and nurse practitioner (NP). Prescribing is within the scope of practice for NPs and CNMs in all 50 US states but is more limited for CNSs and CRNAs (National Council of State Boards of Nursing [NCSBN], 2020). This chapter provides information for APRNs to enhance expertise and confidence for successful adoption of the fully autonomous prescriber role.