Discussion: Examining Nursing Specialties NURS 6003
Discussion: Examining Nursing Specialties NURS 6003
You have probably seen one or more of the many inspirational posters about decisions. A visual such as a forked road or a street sign is typically pictured, along with a quote designed to inspire.
Often decisions are not so easily inspired. Perhaps you discovered this when choosing a specialty within the MSN program. This decision is a critical part of your plan for success, and you no doubt want to get it right. This is yet another area where your network can help, as well as other sources of information that can help you make an informed choice.
To Prepare:
- Reflect on your decision to pursue a specialty within the MSN program, including your professional and academic goals as they relate to your program/specialization.
By Day 3
Post an explanation of your choice of a nursing specialty within the program. Describe any difficulties you had (or are having) in making your choice, and the factors that drove/are driving your decision. Identify at least one professional organization affiliated with your chosen specialty and provide details on becoming a member.
Support main post with 3 of more current, credible sources and cite source within content of posting and on a reference list in proper APA.
By Day 6
Be sure to offer support from at least 2 current, credible sources in each required response to classmates’ main post and cite per APA.
Respond to at least two of your colleagues on two different days, by sharing your thoughts on their specialty, supporting their choice or offering suggestions if they have yet to choose.
Also Read:
NURS 6003 Academic Success and Professional Development Plan Part 3: Research Analysis
Submission and Grading Information
Grading Criteria
To access your rubric:
Week 6 Discussion Rubric
Post by Day 3 and Respond by Day 6
To participate in this Discussion:
Discussion: Examining Nursing Specialties NURS 6003 Example
Choice of Nursing Specialty
After considering all of the nursing specialties available in the MSN program, I decided on population-focused nurse practitioner (NP). A population-focused NP works in a variety of settings in the healthcare field, including hospitals, academia as nurse educators, and leadership as policymakers and influencers. Clinical expertise, communication skills, and advanced education and training enable NPs to perform effectively in various settings. An NP goes beyond registered nurses (RNs) in terms of education and clinical training by earning a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)-Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) with a specific focus such as pediatrics, family medicine, or gerontology (Population-Focused Competencies Task Force, 2013). While NPs work in various settings and have a wide range of competencies, their primary roles in patient care revolve around disease prevention and health management.
Difficulties in Making the Choice
One of the most difficult decisions to make before beginning an MSN program is the specialty. There are several nursing specialty programs from which to pick, which is a difficult undertaking. Furthermore, although one may be interested in a certain specialization, it is pretty easy to succumb to the pressure and influence of friends, family, and peers who may have conflicting perspectives about a particular nursing specialty. My greatest dilemma, I confess, was the several nursing specializations from which I had to choose one.
Also, I had friends and family who expected me to choose a specific path, only to be disappointed by my decision to pursue a different nursing specialization. The fact that a population-focused nurse practitioner specialization focuses on the whole population and allows a nurse to practice in pediatrics, gerontology, or family medicine (Population-Focused Competencies Task Force, 2013) was the motivation for my choice of the area. As a result, despite the difficulties, I ducked all other influences from family and friends and picked this specialty.
Factors that drove my Decision
This nursing specialty has always piqued my curiosity. Since my first years of practice as an RN, I have encountered a wide range of patients and have been able to address their difficulties. Regardless of the patient’s age, whether pediatric or geriatric, I have always carried out my responsibilities with rigor and the necessary skill. Aside from my enthusiasm for the subject, I have an FNP preceptor, and the knowledge and skills I have gained from her have contributed to my interest in population-focused nursing practice. During clinical rotations, I also got to know nursing students pursuing FNP MSN programs, which piqued my interest even further. As I look forward to pursuing a population-focused nurse practitioner-FNP course, my major inspirations are my interest and the impact of prominent persons in the specialty.
Professional Organization Affiliated with the Chosen Specialty and Details of Membership
The International Family Nursing Association (IFNA) is one of the professional organizations with which FNPs are affiliated. IFNA believes in a compassionate family on health, human dignity, social justice, and respect for everyone (IFNA, 2022). The organization’s mission is to improve family health by (1) serving as a global unifying force and voice for family nursing, (2) sharing knowledge, skills, and practice to foster family nursing practice, and (3) fostering nursing leadership through education, scholarship, and research (IFNA, 2022).
To become a member, a nurse goes to the IFNA website and clicks on the membership icon to select the membership level that best fits them. Level 1A, the Sustaining Active Member, for example, requires a $225.00 prescription that is valid for one year and has no automatically repeating payments (IFNA, 2022). However, one must have the requirements, including academic credentials before applying for membership.
References
IFNA. (2022, September 25). Association information. International Family Nursing Association. https://internationalfamilynursing.org/association-information/mission/
Population-Focused Competencies Task Force. (2013). Population-focused nurse practitioner competencies. Ymaws.com. https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.nonpf.org/resource/resmgr/Competencies/CompilationPopFocusComps2013.pdf