Document Type
Poster
Publication Date
2020
Abstract
Nurse Practitioners are valuable team members of the emergency department. When NPs are utilized to the full extent of their licensure, they can help decrease wait times, length of stay, and improve quality care and outcomes. Academic programs that help train NPs in the specialty area of the ED did not exist until 1990, therefore the knowledge and skills needed to be ready for practicing in the ED may vary based on prior experiences (American Academy of Emergency Nurse Practitioners, 2018). With the gap in education specific to the ED, organizations need to provide competencies that are specific to the type of care provided in the ED to help the NP practice safely (American Academy of Emergency Nurse Practitioners, 2018). The scope of practice of the NP is continually expanding to include advanced/invasive procedures (Wilbeck et al., 2011). The interventions initiated could be life sustaining and may include chest tube placement, endotracheal intubation, and central venous catheter insertion (Avadhani, 2017). Providing an online learning module and a skills day rotation for the invasive procedures allows the NP to get hands on experience prior before starting in the ED. A barrier identified in the research showed that 82% of physicians do not have a clear understanding of the role and scope of practice for the NP (Ruiz, 2020). Many physicians felt that if they understood the role of the NP, there would be a positive impact on patient satisfaction due to decreased wait times and patient experience during their care (Ruiz, 2020). Improving the role and skills of the NP in the ED is the only way they will ever be able to practice autonomously.
