Therapeutic Nursing Vs. Advanced Practice Nursing

To non-nursing individuals, specialty nursing and advanced practice nursing may be similar. However, for the nursing professionals there is a huge difference between the two practices. Advanced practice nursing is more than a specialty nursing practice because of the incorporation of the different competencies, such as higher education/knowledge, autonomy, and expertise (Hamric, Hanson, Tracy, and O’Grady, 2014). Beitz (2000) has stated that "specialty nursing practice is the application of a range of theoretic and practical therapeutics to patient care issues in a defined clinical area within the larger field of nursing" (p. 57). We should put the two practices under the lens to understand their differences.
The educational requirements
differ between the two because to specialize in a specific field in nursing, such as medical-surgical nursing, the nurse needs to have at least an associate degree in nursing, although some nursing specialties require at least a bachelor’s degree. Hamric et al. (2014) have identified graduate education as one of the elements in defining advanced practice nursing. However, whether you have an associate degree or graduate degree in nursing, if one wishes to specialize in any nursing field, the individual needs to acquire the in-depth knowledge or education of that specialty. For example, if an advanced practice nurse (APN) wants to be a wound, ostomy, and continence (WOC) nurse, he/she needs to “complete a formal, accredited WOC full scope or specialty education program” (WOCNS, 2017a, para. 2).
The scope of practice is also different because you are expected to perform your specialty within your knowledge and as an RN.
On the other hand, an APN practicing a specialty can perform more than what is expected of that specialty. That is because APNs not just provide care but also diagnose and treat their patients, which the latter may vary depending on the state in which you practice. Aside from that, they can be front runners when it comes to legislation and policies relating to that specialty. Any specialty nurse needs to adhere to the specific scope and practice of that nursing specialty. For example, a WOC nurse can practice his/her specialty anywhere and live up to the standards and the scope of practice of that
specialty.
The first thing we do after we have completed the nursing program is to get licensed.
Our license is our credential to show our competence to practice nursing. This is the same with specialty and advanced practice nursing. WOCNS (2017b) has stated that “the purpose of credentialing programs is to protect the public by establishing standards for professional practice, and to assess individual nurses’ knowledge and skills related to practice” (p. 3). That said, for the protection of our patients, any specialty nurse needs to receive credentials from a qualified specialty accrediting/credentialing organization. In addition to the accreditation given by a specialty nursing organization, an RN or APN needs to obtain credentials from the state where he/she will practice. Regulations for nursing, whether in specialty or in advanced practice, are governed by the nurse practice act or NPA which is enacted by all states and territories (NCSBN,
n.d.).
All I can say is that to provide safety for our patients, we need to demonstrate our knowledge and skills by acquiring the credentials needed to practice in our chosen field of nursing.
References
Beitz, J. M. (2000). Advanced practice nursing: Specialty practice, advanced practice, and WOC nursing: Current professional issues and future opportunities. Journal Of WOCN: Wound, Ostomy And Continence Nursing, 2755-64. doi:10.1016/S1071-5754(00)90043-3
Hamric, A. B., Hanson, C. M., Tracy, M. F., & O’Grady, E. T. (2014). Advanced practice nursing: An integrative approach. (5th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier.
NCSBN. (n.d.). Nurse practice act, rules, & regulations. Retrieved from https://www.ncsbn.org/nurse-practice-act.htm
Niebuhr, B., & Biel, M. (2007). Article: The value of specialty nursing certification. Nursing Outlook, 55176-181. doi:10.1016/j.outlook.2007.02.002
Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurses Society (WOCNS). (2017a). WOC nursing. Retrieved from http://www.wocn.org/?page=become_a_woc_nurse
WOCNS. (2017b). Position statement: Entry level wound, ostomy and continence nurse education and certification. Retrieved from http://c.ymcdn.com/sites/www.wocn.org/resource/resmgr/Publications/WOCN_WOCNCB_PS_-_Entry_Level.pdf