Abstract
Advanced practice nursing is a critical venture that must be carefully authenticated before a medical professional gets a license and certification. In Louisiana State, LSBN is the responsible party that regulates APN practice. Others include AANA and AARP, which work hand in hand with the official board to offer regulatory services to APNs. Requirements for APN approval include education, where one should have a relevant medical degree that aligns with the specialization. A person should have a collaborative physician program that meets the state of clinical practice.
Additionally, an aspiring APN must show proof of medical competency by producing clinical records that are pro-medical development, such as research. LSBN requires APNs to have a COVID-19 jab administered to undertake clinical practice and training that shows awareness of the collaborative efforts in controlling COVID-19. Other requirements include a check on the authentic administration of CDS through specialists in the critical conditions department in healthcare. These screenings are essential since they assure quality and safety in patient care in Louisiana, the entire country, and the world.
Prescriptive Practice Safety and Quality
Advanced practice nurses (APNs) are critical in patient safety and quality. The terms encompass certified nurse-midwives, certified registered nurses’ anesthetists, and nurse practitioners. Nursing interventions under APNs can be termed as those that influence the outcome of care at a facility where medical practice is undertaken (Goudreau & Smolenski, 2023). It includes direct care to patients, management of the community’s welfare in terms of health, and execution of policies that regard health.
In the U.S., there are many states where advanced nursing can be practiced under legislative statutory. In this report, the preferred area is Louisiana State, which is in the southern part of the U.S. The choice of this region is due to the recent repealed practice requirements for APNs, where prescription of medications and offer of healthcare items and services is key according to a law passed in 2021. Therefore, the practice of advanced skills in nursing must show the relationship between the willingness to serve and the essentiality of meeting the nursing practice objectives.
Regulatory Bodies That Have Authority Over APN Practice in Louisiana
Certification, authentication, and licensing from the respective authorities are needed to practice advanced nursing. In the state, the Louisiana State Board of Nursing (LSBN) is the chief regulatory authority that licenses advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) (AANP, 2023). The eligibility for APN in Louisiana is determined by completing medical studies, post-graduate level, and a doctoral course in the respective nursing role. The other essential authority supplements LSBN are the Board of Midwifery, the Board of Public Health, and the American Nursing Association (ANA).
It is important to note that various resources may be helpful when it comes to state laws in the regulation of APNs in Louisiana. For instance, the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA) publishes a summary of state legislative requirements regulating APNs. Additionally, the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) gives fact sheets that are significantly useful in APNs regarding midwifery. American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) must offer concerns that may prevent nurses from practicing full-extent roles after licensing (AANP, 2023). Opinions that are rendered by the board on specific approaches to nursing matters are encompassed with state legal provisions.
Requirements by the APN Regulatory Authority for APN
The nursing venture must be checked well when it comes to practice in the community to avoid unqualified persons who may take advantage of the open market for healthcare practice. Therefore, LSBN requires APNs to ensure there is no risk of any personal or group liabilities regarding healthcare. In terms of education, prospective APNs must have completed graduate programs that prepare them fully to take their respective roles in the community. In that case, the programs must meet the curriculum guidelines regarding medical practice. That means a program is expected to award a master’s degree, doctoral degree, or post-master certificate under practitioner programs across the U.S. and other certified institutions globally.
It is vital to note that APNs who previously earned degrees before these legislative requirements may be exempted, but proof of competency must be declared. To be eligible for a license without a master’s degree, a nurse must have completed and graduated by December 31, 2005, or they have been admitted by the said date with consistent enrollment (“Louisiana: State Legislature, nd.”). Additionally, the program must have been validated by a third party, the Board of Nursing, and accepted so that approval is done.
Regarding physician collaboration and oversight, Louisiana State requires APNs to show proof they work under a collaborative agreement with a doctor. The requirement demands the submission of forms that show the existence of the matter before one is given the go-ahead. LSBN must approve an APN if they show a joint practice statement (“Joint practice statement: Collaboration and Collaborative Practice, 2023”). That means a nurse is required and allowed to consult additional healthcare providers about the care of patients. This matter is critical since decision-making is important because it shows the readiness to avoid any nursing liability. As per LSBN, the collaborating physician must be available for direct communication by email, phone, or any other simultaneous platform.
A practitioner must show a clinical record regarding chart review and formulary requirements for Louisiana APNs. The record must have captured data that answer clinical questions that aim at improving the activities in nursing that necessitate advanced care and patient safety. LSBN checks if a nurse has a structured chart review methodology that can be useful in undertaking research in the medical field (AANP, 2023). That means the board is assured that the individual seeking the license is resourceful in the industry since they can contribute to scholarly work or are aware of the need to address existing gaps in healthcare through clinical studies.
The emergence of coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, saw various changes implemented to collaborate on combatting the pandemic. The LSBN carefully ensures that the APN knows multiple changes recommended for avoidance or adoption (Edwards, 2022). First, the individual seeking to be licensed must show the board a written notice from a medical examiner that the professional is aware of the new measures that are put in place to control the prevalence of the disease.
The notice should capture specific areas where the person is competent in terms of training, experience, and exposure to environments characterized by the high rate of COVID-19. For example, LSBN will verify the notice within ten days before approving the request (Edwards, 2022). Additionally, the person applying must comply with the procedural metrics declared during the public health emergency by showing a commendable attempt to adhere to the procedures in their respective clinical areas. That falls under Executive Order Proclamation Number 59 JBE 2020 (Kleinpell et al., 2021). For example, the person must show administered vaccination for Covid-19 from a reputable company. Furthermore, the person must show a certificate in the administration of the jab through a holistic approach such as training, exposure, and relevant measures.
The prescription of controlled drug substances (CDS) is within the realms of APNs. LSBN will issue a license for a controlled dangerous substance that is set to expire after 90 days or 180 days, depending on the listing and schedule (“Louisiana: State Legislature, nd.”). That means APNs will be expected to meet the prescription capability of the CDS to meet the requirements. Thus, a person shall complete the application form and pay the expected fee set in R.S. 40:972 to LSBN (“Louisiana: State Legislature, nd.”). It is important to note that when applying, an APN must show an affidavit of verification sent to the LSBN by U.S. postal email. That includes other documents, such as notarized and original certificates, that show competency in handling CDS at an institutional level. LSBN has specific regulations for prescribing CDS, such as client education. An APN is expected to be accountable for any controlled drug issued to the patient without prior education.
Additionally, the board requires a person to countersign all discarded and wasted drugs, which covers medical disposal in CDS. The regulations ensure that APNs are liable and responsible when working in this critical area. Pain contract regulations in Louisiana require an APN to be certified in the subspeciality of pain management by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) (Cubelo et al., 2022). This means the department shall prescribe and publish the minimum standards to ensure effective operational success in pain management. Regarding refills, LSBN requires an APN to practice standards that allow authorization to individuals after a pain specialist examines a patient according to an occupational license on pain management and refills.
Implications of APN Prescribing Requirments on Safety and Quality of APN Practice
The requirements for APNs regarding safety and quality in nursing are evident. The first implication is a reduced mortality rate for the patient. That will be necessitated by preventing potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) to patients, which lead to adverse results, causing death (Goudreau & Smolenski, 2023). Thus, checking competency, education, and adherence to current trends in clinical practice assures patients of safety since the prescription of drugs will be from a careful consideration aimed at the person’s recovery. That will also be influenced by the guarantee that a professional has a collaborative element in clinical care that helps take a careful course of action.
The second implication will be efficacy in dealing with an advanced medical predicament in advanced nursing, hence meeting the quality. Thorough verification of a professional assures the LSBN that a person can offer a medical solution through their practice. For instance, the education factor is vital since it gives sustainability in the clinical venture by allowing innovation and coverage of existing gaps that enable success in healthcare management (Goudreau & Smolenski, 2023). This ensures quality through the development of holistic approaches that can necessitate appropriate prescriptions, medical research that opens new ways for clinical care metrics and reduced admissions from new methods used to cure or prevent the escalation of the prevalence of a medical condition.
Lastly, screening APNs before licensing eliminates potential risks to public health that may come from negligence, illegal nursing ventures, and half-baked clinical education. This guarantees safety and quality since a patient will have a better chance to live healthily if the correct medication is undertaken (Goudreau & Smolenski, 2023). Regarding quality, providing healthcare services through critical nursing practice will lay a foundation of reference concerning other problems that may come later, such as the pandemic related to COVID-19.
References
AANP. (2023). Louisiana: Information and resources for Louisiana N.P.s. American Association of Nurse Practitioners. Web.
Cubelo, F., Parviainen, A. D., Turunen, H., & Jokiniemi, K. (2022). Workplace integration strategies for internationally educated nurses (lens): Mixed-method systematic review, 3(5), 37–55. Web.
Edwards, J. B. (2022). Covid-19 public health emergency mitigation measures. State of Louisiana. Web.
Goudreau, K. A., & Smolenski, M. C. (2023). Health policy and advanced practice nursing: Impact and implications. Springer Publishing.
Joint practice statement: Collaboration and collaborative practice. Louisiana State Board of Nursing. (2023). Web.
Kleinpell, R., Myers, C. R., Schorn, M. N., & Likes, W. (2021). Impact of covid-19 pandemic on APRN practice: Results from a national survey. Nursing Outlook, 69(5), 783–792. Web.
Louisiana: State Legislature. Louisiana laws – Louisiana state legislature. (n.d.). Web.
