Educational outcome mastery
Below are eight curricular outcomes the Auburn University School of Nursing Primary Care Nurse Practitioner program believes to be essential for success as a primary care nurse practitioner. My education at AUSON was shaped around these principles in many different areas of the classroom and clinical practice. I have given you insight as to what these outcomes mean to me and I have also provided examples of how I have mastered each of the outcomes.
Assume a position in a primary care setting as a primary care nurse practitioner, upon successful completion of national certification exam.
The courses that make up the curriculum at Auburn University's Primary Care Nurse Practitioner program have provided me with a varied knowledge that takes my foundation as an Rn to the next level as a nurse practitioner. The program was designed to provide a well rounded education for the advanced practice nurse and included Theoretical Foundation, Women's Health, Cultural Diversity, Ethical Principles, Pediatrics/Adult/Geriatric Care. Through countless hours of clinical experience and classwork, I have gained the knowledge needed to successfully pass the national certification exam and acquire a position as a nurse practitioner.
Provide comprehensive primary health care emphasizing health promotion and disease prevention to individuals, families, and groups across the lifespan.
Health promotion and disease prevention is the essence of building a healthier society. Through assessment and family medical history healthcare providers can ascertain a patient's potential for future medical issues. Health promotion also provides a way to prevent many illnesses that may come up in a patient's life. Through education healthcare providers have the opportunity to stress the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle and its benefits in preventing long term health ailments like hypertension, obesity and Type 2 diabetes. In addition, the availability of immunizations designed to protect our population from several disease processes should be offered to patient's to further promote their health.
Utilize and conduct research that will promote quality health care and its delivery to improve clinical outcomes for selected population groups.
Evidence based practice is the cornerstone of healthcare, and through 3 semesters of Evidence Based Practice classes I gained a better understanding of what it means to apply evidence to how healthcare is delivered. The 3 semesters spent learning about evidence based practice involved a substantial project that put into motion the entire evidence based process. Individually, each MSN student set out to make a small change in particular area of healthcare of their choice. Each semester built on the next which allowed each aspect of the process to be explored and understood. The ultimate goal was to complete a small test of change which culminated with a poster presentation on the outcomes of each students project. The picture at the left displays my poster and the link below will display the full extent of my evidence based project.
Manage available technology and/or information systems in the delivery of primary care.
Technology can be seen throughout healthcare, especially at the bedside. Electronic medical records (EMR) are popping up in physician offices, hospitals and specialty care facilities. The government is also pushing the medical community toward paperless charting through the use of EMR. In my clinical experiences I used a hybrid EMR system; which means that the majority of the charting and provider orders were electronically communicated, but paper charting was also used to convey the type of visit, physical exam and provider medication orders. True EMR is totally paperless, and communicates all aspect of a patient's care in electronic format. EMR is the future of healthcare, but the full effect of EMR's will not be seen until infrastructures are devised where a patient's record can be communicated electronically with all of the patient's physicians.
Implement culturally competent primary care with a focus on quality improvement and safety that incorporates the socioeconomic, political, ethical, and diversity variable of each population.
Cultural sensitivity is especially important in healthcare. Awareness of the fact that we live in a country with many different nationality's a belief systems is crucial to delivering appropriate care to patient's. Through clinical experience I have come in contact with many different types of individuals and had the opportunity to practice delivering safe, culturally competent care. Also, identifying patient's that may not have the means to financially afford their care or treatments is of the utmost importance when treating clients. The course of treatment should be geared toward success, and by providing patient's with resources and medications that are suitable to their socioeconomic status also displays a providers competence in providing care specific to each individual.
Apply theoretical foundations and change principles while leading in the development and implementation of innovations that advance practice in a primary care setting.
Theories are the foundation of any aspect of science, but in the nursing field there are theories that guide our practice on a daily basis. Understanding those theories and applying them to your daily practice as a healthcare provider will ensure care that is well though out and conscious of the foundations from which our field is based. Through my study of nursing theories I have gained a knowledge of the importance theories bear on our practice going into the future.
use ethical principles in decisions regarding issues related to individuals, populations, and health care delivery systems.
Tackling ethical issues in healthcare strong values and understanding. Providing the highest level of care is the focus of all healthcare providers, but providing it in an ethical manner should be a huge factor in the care of patient's, as well. Through study and clinical experiences, I have been exposed to ethical dilemma's and the appropriate steps one should take to handle such issues. The examples that have been provided for me in the healthcare setting have shown me that through providing care to a diverse population your ethical values will be tested, but ultimately how one chooses to address those ethical issues directly impacts how the patient will perceive their medical care.
Provide advocacy and leadership in the primary care setting that addresses the needs of culturally diverse populations, providers, and environments.
Transitioning into a role that carries with it a set of people managing skills alongside newly learned clinical skills is a huge weight to bear for a new graduate. However, by remembering that one must lead by example will aide in making that transition a bit easier. My clinical experience has provided me with healthcare providers that exhibit the qualities of respect, admiration and compassion in their chosen careers. The ability to maintain a level head in a crisis situation is crucial in healthcare, and by the leader of the healthcare team maintaining their composure; others will follow suit. The leaders that I have been able to learn from have shown me such leadership qualities, and I hope as I make the transition from RN to APN I will be able to foster those characteristics as well.