NR 500 Week 1 Discussion, The Value of a Master’s Prepared Nurse
(September 1, 2018)
Consider the current healthcare delivery models & practice settings. Reflect on how
nursing practice is transforming in response to the current demands of the healthcare
system & answer the following questions:
1. What differentiates the practice of a master’s-prepared nurse compared to that of a
baccalaureate-prepared nurse?
2. What is the value of a master’s degree in nursing?
3. What do you consider to … the most essential professional competency for a
master’s-prepared nurse practicing in the 21st century? Refer to AACN Essentials, NLN
competencies, & CCN Nursing Conceptual Framework. Use at least one outside scholarly
article to support your position. Provide an example to illustrate an application to
professional practice.
Lifelong learning should be at the core of all nurses throughout their careers. We all
know that knowledge is powerful & for most, it impacts our lives in so many ways; how
we perceive & translate those experiences. In the 20 th century, the value of continued
education through advanced degrees was not an area that was encouraged for the
nursing profession. When I began my nursing career almost 35 years ago, very few
advanced practice nursing programs existed, & no one encouraged that progression as
we were the bedside care givers & the physicians were the team who impacted patient
outcomes. Today over half of the nursing staff I work with are obtaining advanced
degrees. The true value of master’s degrees & higher in nursing is now seen as
exceptionally advantageous for the providing quality outcomes in the ever-changing
healthcare industry in the 21st century.
Master’s prepared nurses achieve knowledge through management research, clinical
practice applied from advanced theories, leadership roles, emerging technologies as
well as applied sciences. Emerging research is beginning to show the direct correlation
between advanced nursing degrees & patient outcomes along with improved quality
throughout our expanding healthcare systems today. The growing needs of healthcare
has increased the need for master’s level prepared nurses to address the gaps between
those of the bachelor’s level prepared nurses. ("Essentials of Master's Education,"
2011). The governing bodies of our profession, the American Association of Colleges of
Nursing (AACN, American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE), ANA & the
National League for Nursing (NLN) have collaborated to improve patient care through
safety & quality initiatives that are achieved with highly educated professional nurses.
Interprofessional Education that is required for master’s prepared nurses focuses on the
interdisciplinary models to improve health outcomes & health care delivery systems
(Gerard, Kazer, &, 2014). The interprofessional behaviors taught in master’s level
curriculums, encourages behaviors such as engaging other professionals to compliment
one’s own expertise, patient- centered problem solving, collaborative communication
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, between all care providers, the patient & their support system to impact quality patient
outcomes.
Going back to my initial statement that knowledge is power. Obtaining an advanced
degree in nursing will allow me to collaborate at a much higher level & continue
impacting my patients outcomes.
References
Gerard, S. O., &Kazer, M. W. (2014, July-August). Past, present, & future trends of
master's education in nursing. Journal of Professional Nursing, 30, 326-332.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.profnurs.2014.01.005
("Essentials of Master's Education," 2011) The essentials of master's education in
nursing . (2011). Retrieved from
http://www.aacnnursing.org/Portals/42/Publications/MastersEssentials11.pdf
WEEK 2
Healthcare Policy (graded)
The implementation of the Affordable Care Act means that many more citizens now have access to
healthcare. However, some still “fall through the cracks.” Describe the role of the Nurse Leader (any
one of us) when uninsured or under-insured patients present for care.
What is the policy where you work?
Professor Scivally & Classmates
Where I work at, the policy is that everyone has to be covered by Medicaid prior to enrollment with our
insurance.Medicaid reviews eligibility status every year. During the yearly reviews the enrollees have to
document their income & assets again, especially if either the income or assets have changed much in
the previous year. The ones that do fall thought the cracks are the ones that never reviewed eligibility
status with the Medicaid & we have no way of knowing if the member is Medicaid eligible or ineligible.
My place of employment has an extended 90 day period for all members who lost coverage. (Finkelman,
2012), states that “any type of leadership position eventually requires the use of delegation to ensure
that the job gets done & that effective patient outcomes are met”.
As a nurse case manager my focus is on care coordination, financial management & resource utilization
to yield cost-effective outcomes that are patient-centric, safe & provided in the least restrictive setting.
“With the transformation of the healthcare system well underway, care coordination is now being
highlighted by hospitals, health systems, & insurers as a key tool in improving patient health &
satisfaction & controlling healthcare costs”. (ANA 2015).
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