The Expanding Role of the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse

Nurse practitioners and physician assistants are increasingly becoming the front line for patient care by tackling many procedures formerly associated with physicians, according to recent research from USA Today.

The publication found that there was an increase in nurse practitioners providing psychotherapy, pelvic exams and other procedures. Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) also received a 16 percent increase in Medicare payments in 2013, while general practice physician payments dropped 7.6 percent.

These findings exemplify a larger trend in the health care industry – the growing need for nurses who have numerous specialties and excel at providing patient care.

The growing need for Advanced Practice Registered Nurse

Two forces are driving the healthcare industry’s growing need for specialized non-physicians:

•  An aging population requires and increasing level of primary and acute care.
•  With a shortage of physicians also expected in the coming years, APRNs will increasingly become the provider of first choice.

As primary and acute care providers, APRNs have more opportunities than ever before to provide patients with comfortable and positive health care experiences.

Herzing’s Advanced Practice Registered Nurse program

Herzing University offers multiple nursing masters programs online. These programs are designed so that nurses can engage in coursework on a flexible schedule.

We relish the opportunity to help lead the next generation of nurse educators and nurse practitioners into the workforce. All while continuing to address the demand for nurses in the healthcare industry.

Catherine Kotecki, RN, PhD, APN, is a practicing advanced practice nurse with a specialty as a clinical nurse specialist in adult health. She serves as the Department Chair of Online Nursing at Herzing University. With over 30 years of experience in higher education, Dr. Kotecki's driving passion is helping people get the education they need to advance their careers. She is married and has two grown sons. ________________________________________