Overview/Description: The final assignment will synthesize what you have discovered about the different advanced practice roles and scope of practice found in the master of nursing curriculum: NP, nurse educator, nurse informaticist, and nurse administrator. You will review all roles and then examine the specialty for which you were admitted, focusing on the scope of practice, core competencies, certification requirements, and legal aspects of practice for that specific role. You will also identify the practice environment and population you will be working with, as well as peers and colleagues. In addition, you will discuss your future leadership role and participation in professional organizations.

Your paper is to be based on current literature, standards of practice, core competencies, and certification bodies for your chosen role. The paper should be 10-12 pages excluding the title and reference, and APA format is required.

Criteria:

• Advanced Practice Roles in Nursing:

o Compare and contrast the roles of the NP, nurse educator, nurse informaticist, and nurse administrator in advanced practice nursing pertaining to clinical practice, primary care, education, administration, and research.

• Selected Advanced Practice Role:

o Examine regulatory and legal requirements for the state in which you plan to practice.

o Describe the professional organizations available for membership based on your selected role.

o Identify required competencies, including certification requirements for your selected role.

o Predict the organization and setting, population, and colleagues with whom you plan to work.

• Leadership Attributes of the Advanced Practice Role:

o Determine your leadership style (http://psychology.about.com/library/quiz/bl-leadershipquiz.htm).

o Identify leadership attributes you currently possess, and attributes you may need to develop.

o Determine how to attain and evaluate those missing attributes.

• Health Policy and the Advanced Practice Role

• Visit the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (http://www.rwjf.org/en/about-rwjf/newsroom/features-and-articles/health-policy.html) and identify a health policy issue. Conduct a review of literature and address the following:

o Describe the current policy and what needs to change; justify your conclusions with citations from the literature.

o Provide the process required to make the change with key players and parties of interest.

o Explain how you could lead the effort to make or influence the change in policy.

o Predict the effect on healthcare quality if the change in policy is implemented.