“Producing a health care system that delivers the right care—quality care that is patient centered, accessible, evidence based, and sustainable—at the right time will require transforming the work environment, scope of practice, education, and numbers of America’s nurses” (Institute of Medicine [IOM], 2011, p. 4). In the U.S., nurses constitute the largest sector of health care professionals (IOM, 2011). With such large numbers, the nursing profession is positioned to affect how the health care system is able to meet the growing demand for safe, high-quality, and effective health care services. +++++++++++++
Historical
The role of nurse practitioner has expanded dramatically since the term was first introduced in the U.S. during the 1960s and 1970s (Cockerham & Keeling, 2014). The first pediatric nurse practitioner (PNP) program was established in 1965 by Loretta Ford, RN and Henry Silver, MD at the University of Colorado (Cockerham & Keeling, 2014). National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP) was established in 1973 (American Association of Nurse Practitioners [AANP], 2015). In 1974, the American Nurses Association (ANA) developed the Council of Primary Care Nurse Practitioners (AANP, 2015). The Association of Faculties and Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (AFPNP) was established and began to develop pediatric nurse…show more content… Arkansas is one of 17 states with reduced practice (AANP, 2015). In states with reduced practice, practice and licensure laws reduce the ability of nurse practitioners to engage in a least one element of practice (AANP, 2015). I believe the current practice environment challenges APRNs to become involved in state level policy making and push for profession led