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NR500
Roles in Advanced Practice Nursing
Chamberlain College of Nursing
NR500: Foundational Concepts and Advanced Practice Roles
Roles in Advanced Practice Nursing
The nursing profession provides many different opportunities for career advancement if a
registered nurse (RN) chooses to further their education to a master's level to become an
advanced practice nurse (APN). RNs and APNs mutually have the same mission to competently
and safely care for the patient, but their scope of practice and roles are different. A master's
education trains APNs to provide assessment, diagnose medical problems, order diagnostic tests
and equipment, and order medication prescriptions (National Council of State Boards of Nursing,
2020). There are different but similar steps to transition from an RN to an APN. The purpose of
this paper is to study the four APN roles and how it differs from educational preparation, work
environment, and describe my journey to transition from an RN to a certified nurse practitioner.
Four APN Roles
Since the birth of the APN role over half a century ago, practicing APNs continues to
surge as they are expecting to be vital members within the health care system (Zhang et al.
2020). APNs have four focused roles which are certified nurse practitioner (CNP), clinical nurse
specialist (CNS), certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA), and certified nurse-midwife.
(CNM). Below is the description for each APN's education requirement, work environment, and
role description.
Certified Nurse Practitioner
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A CNP is an APN that can assess, diagnose, and treat patients in various clinical settings.
A CNP is required to complete a master's level education on advanced physical assessment,
pharmacology, pathophysiology, nursing theory, leadership, and epidemiology (AANP, ). The
first CNP program was created at the University of Colorado in 1965 by Dr. Loretta Ford and Dr.
Henry Silver, which has since inspired nurses to reach a growing CNP workforce of over
290,000 across America (American Association of Nurse Practitioners [AANP], 2020). A CNP
is qualified to practice in various settings and specialties and have special responsibilities
different from an RN but similar to activities traditionally performed by physicians (Martin-
Misener, R. et al., 2015). According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (2020), CNP
works in a variety of environments such as ambulatory care settings, hospitals, long-term care
facilities, private homes, and educational institutions. Within the CNP's scope of practice, they
can provide a wide range of duties. Such duties are physical assessment, diagnose and treat
medical conditions, order and interpret diagnostic tests, prescribe medications, perform medical
procedures, and provide education and resources for disease prevention to promote a healthy
lifestyle in diverse patient populations (AANP, 2020).
Clinical Nurse Specialist
Like CNPs, CNSs are APNs with a master's degree. According to the Board of
Registered Nursing (2020), CNSs completes two to three years of a graduate-level education
focused on research, consultation, and clinical leadership in an accredited college. The inception
of the CNS program was established at Rutgers University by Dr. Hildegard Peplau in 1954
(National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists, 2017). Cooper et al. (2019) point out while
CNPs and CNSs have similarities in roles, their work setting, duties, and patient population are
relatively different. The most common practice settings for CNSs are at inpatient hospitals, but
NR500
Roles in Advanced Practice Nursing
Chamberlain College of Nursing
NR500: Foundational Concepts and Advanced Practice Roles
Roles in Advanced Practice Nursing
The nursing profession provides many different opportunities for career advancement if a
registered nurse (RN) chooses to further their education to a master's level to become an
advanced practice nurse (APN). RNs and APNs mutually have the same mission to competently
and safely care for the patient, but their scope of practice and roles are different. A master's
education trains APNs to provide assessment, diagnose medical problems, order diagnostic tests
and equipment, and order medication prescriptions (National Council of State Boards of Nursing,
2020). There are different but similar steps to transition from an RN to an APN. The purpose of
this paper is to study the four APN roles and how it differs from educational preparation, work
environment, and describe my journey to transition from an RN to a certified nurse practitioner.
Four APN Roles
Since the birth of the APN role over half a century ago, practicing APNs continues to
surge as they are expecting to be vital members within the health care system (Zhang et al.
2020). APNs have four focused roles which are certified nurse practitioner (CNP), clinical nurse
specialist (CNS), certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA), and certified nurse-midwife.
(CNM). Below is the description for each APN's education requirement, work environment, and
role description.
Certified Nurse Practitioner
, 2
A CNP is an APN that can assess, diagnose, and treat patients in various clinical settings.
A CNP is required to complete a master's level education on advanced physical assessment,
pharmacology, pathophysiology, nursing theory, leadership, and epidemiology (AANP, ). The
first CNP program was created at the University of Colorado in 1965 by Dr. Loretta Ford and Dr.
Henry Silver, which has since inspired nurses to reach a growing CNP workforce of over
290,000 across America (American Association of Nurse Practitioners [AANP], 2020). A CNP
is qualified to practice in various settings and specialties and have special responsibilities
different from an RN but similar to activities traditionally performed by physicians (Martin-
Misener, R. et al., 2015). According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (2020), CNP
works in a variety of environments such as ambulatory care settings, hospitals, long-term care
facilities, private homes, and educational institutions. Within the CNP's scope of practice, they
can provide a wide range of duties. Such duties are physical assessment, diagnose and treat
medical conditions, order and interpret diagnostic tests, prescribe medications, perform medical
procedures, and provide education and resources for disease prevention to promote a healthy
lifestyle in diverse patient populations (AANP, 2020).
Clinical Nurse Specialist
Like CNPs, CNSs are APNs with a master's degree. According to the Board of
Registered Nursing (2020), CNSs completes two to three years of a graduate-level education
focused on research, consultation, and clinical leadership in an accredited college. The inception
of the CNS program was established at Rutgers University by Dr. Hildegard Peplau in 1954
(National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists, 2017). Cooper et al. (2019) point out while
CNPs and CNSs have similarities in roles, their work setting, duties, and patient population are
relatively different. The most common practice settings for CNSs are at inpatient hospitals, but
