NURS 6531 Midterm Exam Review (Week 1-6)
Competencies of Advanced Nurse
Practitioners
• How to apply advanced practice nursing competencies to clinical settings
Upon completion of a nurse practitioner program, nine core competencies were defined as the foundational
components instilled in the graduate regardless of the areas of specialty. These competencies consist of:
1. Scientific foundation
These competencies ensure that nurse practitioners graduate with a comprehensive background in medical
sciences. All nurse practitioner students are required to take foundational pathophysiology and
pharmacology, but depending on their specialty, they may take additional courses.
o Thinks critically about data and applies this evidence to improving practice.
o Allows knowledge from the humanities and other disciplines to inform one’s work in nursing.
o Incorporates research findings to enhance practice methods and patient outcomes.
o Creates fresh evidence-based approaches and techniques, paying thought to research findings,
core theory, and experience from practice.
2. Leadership
Leadership competencies focus on professional accountability, scholarship, and advocacy. These skills ensure
that nurse practitioner students understand their scope and standards of practice and that they are prepared to
lead healthcare teamsThe leadership competencies also encompass cultural sensitivity, engagement in
professional organizations, and communication skills.
o Embraces high leadership opportunities to facilitate change.
o Liaises effectively between various parties (e.g., healthcare teams, patients, community, policy
advocates) in efforts to improve healthcare.
o Applies critical and reflective thinking to one’s leadership.
o Acts as an advocate for resource-efficient, cost-effective, and quality care.
o Elevates practice by incorporating innovations.
o Has excellent oral and written communication skills.
1
, o Joins professional associations, advocacy groups, and other activities to improve healthcare.
3. Quality
Quality care, as defined by the NONPF, refers to the degree to which health services increase the desired
health outcomes consistent with professional knowledge and standards. Quality competencies focus on
understanding how to access and use information databases and how to critically evaluate research findings.
• The quality core competencies include the following:
o Applies the best and most contemporary research findings to clinical practice.
o Considers the complex relationships between cost, safety, access, and quality in healthcare
delivery.
o Assesses the effects of organizational structures, financial management, policy, and other factors
on healthcare.
o Offers feedback in peer reviews to “promote a culture of excellence.”
o Tailors care for each practice situation and use interventions as necessary.
4. Practice inquiry
Practice inquiry competencies focus on translational research, i.e., taking academic research and applying it
to the clinical setting. These competencies ensure that nurse practitioner students understand how to apply
research to improve their patients’ health outcomes.
• The practice inquiry core competencies include the following:
o Translates new knowledge into practice through leadership.
o Uses clinical experiences to inform practice and improve patient outcomes.
o Applies investigative abilities in a clinical setting to improve healthcare.
o Facilitates practice inquiry, both individually and in partnerships.
o Transmits knowledge from inquiry to others.
o Thinks critically about the individual applications of clinical guidelines.
2
,5. Technology and information literacy
Information literacy, as defined by the NONPF, refers to the use of digital technology, communications
tools, and/or networks to access, manage, integrate, evaluate, create, and effectively communicate
information.
The goal of these competencies is to teach nurse practitioner students how to use available technology to
enhance the safety and health outcomes of their patients. To achieve these objectives, NP schools may
require students to take an informatics course.
• The technology and information literacy core competencies include the following:
o Uses appropriate technology to manage information.
o Translates health information for various users.
o It helps patients and caregivers understand conditions and treatments.
o Informs the design of effective clinical information systems.
o Facilitates health information technologies that allow for the evaluation of care.
6. Policy
Health policy, as defined by the NONPF, refers to the set of decisions on health, which influence health
resource allocation. These can be made at organizational, local, state, national, and global levels. These
competencies teach nurse practitioner students on how to influence legislation to improve health issues and
social problems like poverty, literacy, and violence.
• The policy core competencies include the following:
o Understands the interdependence of clinical practice and policy.
o Promotes ethical approaches to improving access, cost, and quality.
o Pays thought to policy’s context (e.g., legal, social, etc).
o Assists in creating health policy.
o Examines the cross-disciplinary impact of policy.
o Analyzes the influence of globalization on healthcare policy.
7. Health delivery system
The health delivery system competencies refer to the planning, development, and implementation of public
and community health programs. These competencies also educate students on healthcare reform and
organizational decision-making.
• The health delivery system core competencies include the following:
3
, o Incorporates knowledge of organizations and systems to improve healthcare.
o Utilizes negotiation and relationship-building to positively affect healthcare.
o Minimizes patient and provider risks.
o Develops culturally competent care.
o Analyzes the impact of the healthcare system on all stakeholders.
o Thinks critically about organizational structures and resource allocation.
o Works with others to improve the continuum of healthcare.
8. Ethics
These competencies encompass understanding the ethical implications of scientific advances and learning to
negotiate ethical dilemmas specific to that student's patient population.
• The ethical core competencies include the following:
o Uses ethics in decision-making.
o Analyzes the ethical impact of all decisions.
o Understands ethical complexities in healthcare delivery to individuals and populations.
9. Independent practice
The independent practice competencies ensure that a nurse practitioner can function as a licensed independent
practitioner. The NONPF defines a licensed independent practitioner as an individual with a recognized
scientific knowledge base, who is permitted by law to provide care and services without direction or
supervision. These competencies encompass the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of patients within the
student’s population focus. For example, a psychiatric nurse practitioner would learn to diagnose and treat
mental illness and addiction.
• The independent practice core competencies include the following:
o Works effectively as an autonomous practitioner.
o Offers health promotion and protection; preventative care; counseling; treatment planning and
implementation; and palliative or end-of-life care.
o It can distinguish between normal and abnormal health findings.
o Knows screening and diagnostic protocols.
o Prescribes medications following regional laws.
o Provides healthcare over the lifespan of individuals and families.
4
Competencies of Advanced Nurse
Practitioners
• How to apply advanced practice nursing competencies to clinical settings
Upon completion of a nurse practitioner program, nine core competencies were defined as the foundational
components instilled in the graduate regardless of the areas of specialty. These competencies consist of:
1. Scientific foundation
These competencies ensure that nurse practitioners graduate with a comprehensive background in medical
sciences. All nurse practitioner students are required to take foundational pathophysiology and
pharmacology, but depending on their specialty, they may take additional courses.
o Thinks critically about data and applies this evidence to improving practice.
o Allows knowledge from the humanities and other disciplines to inform one’s work in nursing.
o Incorporates research findings to enhance practice methods and patient outcomes.
o Creates fresh evidence-based approaches and techniques, paying thought to research findings,
core theory, and experience from practice.
2. Leadership
Leadership competencies focus on professional accountability, scholarship, and advocacy. These skills ensure
that nurse practitioner students understand their scope and standards of practice and that they are prepared to
lead healthcare teamsThe leadership competencies also encompass cultural sensitivity, engagement in
professional organizations, and communication skills.
o Embraces high leadership opportunities to facilitate change.
o Liaises effectively between various parties (e.g., healthcare teams, patients, community, policy
advocates) in efforts to improve healthcare.
o Applies critical and reflective thinking to one’s leadership.
o Acts as an advocate for resource-efficient, cost-effective, and quality care.
o Elevates practice by incorporating innovations.
o Has excellent oral and written communication skills.
1
, o Joins professional associations, advocacy groups, and other activities to improve healthcare.
3. Quality
Quality care, as defined by the NONPF, refers to the degree to which health services increase the desired
health outcomes consistent with professional knowledge and standards. Quality competencies focus on
understanding how to access and use information databases and how to critically evaluate research findings.
• The quality core competencies include the following:
o Applies the best and most contemporary research findings to clinical practice.
o Considers the complex relationships between cost, safety, access, and quality in healthcare
delivery.
o Assesses the effects of organizational structures, financial management, policy, and other factors
on healthcare.
o Offers feedback in peer reviews to “promote a culture of excellence.”
o Tailors care for each practice situation and use interventions as necessary.
4. Practice inquiry
Practice inquiry competencies focus on translational research, i.e., taking academic research and applying it
to the clinical setting. These competencies ensure that nurse practitioner students understand how to apply
research to improve their patients’ health outcomes.
• The practice inquiry core competencies include the following:
o Translates new knowledge into practice through leadership.
o Uses clinical experiences to inform practice and improve patient outcomes.
o Applies investigative abilities in a clinical setting to improve healthcare.
o Facilitates practice inquiry, both individually and in partnerships.
o Transmits knowledge from inquiry to others.
o Thinks critically about the individual applications of clinical guidelines.
2
,5. Technology and information literacy
Information literacy, as defined by the NONPF, refers to the use of digital technology, communications
tools, and/or networks to access, manage, integrate, evaluate, create, and effectively communicate
information.
The goal of these competencies is to teach nurse practitioner students how to use available technology to
enhance the safety and health outcomes of their patients. To achieve these objectives, NP schools may
require students to take an informatics course.
• The technology and information literacy core competencies include the following:
o Uses appropriate technology to manage information.
o Translates health information for various users.
o It helps patients and caregivers understand conditions and treatments.
o Informs the design of effective clinical information systems.
o Facilitates health information technologies that allow for the evaluation of care.
6. Policy
Health policy, as defined by the NONPF, refers to the set of decisions on health, which influence health
resource allocation. These can be made at organizational, local, state, national, and global levels. These
competencies teach nurse practitioner students on how to influence legislation to improve health issues and
social problems like poverty, literacy, and violence.
• The policy core competencies include the following:
o Understands the interdependence of clinical practice and policy.
o Promotes ethical approaches to improving access, cost, and quality.
o Pays thought to policy’s context (e.g., legal, social, etc).
o Assists in creating health policy.
o Examines the cross-disciplinary impact of policy.
o Analyzes the influence of globalization on healthcare policy.
7. Health delivery system
The health delivery system competencies refer to the planning, development, and implementation of public
and community health programs. These competencies also educate students on healthcare reform and
organizational decision-making.
• The health delivery system core competencies include the following:
3
, o Incorporates knowledge of organizations and systems to improve healthcare.
o Utilizes negotiation and relationship-building to positively affect healthcare.
o Minimizes patient and provider risks.
o Develops culturally competent care.
o Analyzes the impact of the healthcare system on all stakeholders.
o Thinks critically about organizational structures and resource allocation.
o Works with others to improve the continuum of healthcare.
8. Ethics
These competencies encompass understanding the ethical implications of scientific advances and learning to
negotiate ethical dilemmas specific to that student's patient population.
• The ethical core competencies include the following:
o Uses ethics in decision-making.
o Analyzes the ethical impact of all decisions.
o Understands ethical complexities in healthcare delivery to individuals and populations.
9. Independent practice
The independent practice competencies ensure that a nurse practitioner can function as a licensed independent
practitioner. The NONPF defines a licensed independent practitioner as an individual with a recognized
scientific knowledge base, who is permitted by law to provide care and services without direction or
supervision. These competencies encompass the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of patients within the
student’s population focus. For example, a psychiatric nurse practitioner would learn to diagnose and treat
mental illness and addiction.
• The independent practice core competencies include the following:
o Works effectively as an autonomous practitioner.
o Offers health promotion and protection; preventative care; counseling; treatment planning and
implementation; and palliative or end-of-life care.
o It can distinguish between normal and abnormal health findings.
o Knows screening and diagnostic protocols.
o Prescribes medications following regional laws.
o Provides healthcare over the lifespan of individuals and families.
4
