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Advanced Practice Nursing ( Apn )

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Advanced practice nursing (APN) has always been a thought-provoking notion for the nursing profession and there continues to be confusion in the terminology surrounding the roles. Nursing continues to struggle with the conceptualization of advanced practice as evident by the unceasing ambiguous use of this term in healthcare and the lack of understanding of this distinct and much needed discipline. The term advanced practice nursing first appeared in the nursing literature in the 1980’s, as it represents the future frontier for nursing practice (Ruel & Motyka, 2009). The numerous systemic health care changes occurring because of The Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act (ACA) make this an ideal time for the full use of advanced practice nursing. With the new adoption of the ACA, the focus of client healthcare is shifting away from hospital-based care toward community-based care that will be lead primarily by APN’s. Physicians are not predicted to lead this change due to the current critical shortage of public health and primary care physicians (Cowen & Maisano, 2013). Also, health care now is faced with the challenge of the new influx of patients suddenly insured by the ACA who never sought treatment before, but are now seeking primary care physicians. Encouraging nurses to gain new independent roles seems to be the government’s response in delivering a more cost effective and efficient way of dealing with this health care crisis we face. With the advanced

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