Assuring quality and access in advanced practice nursing: A challenge to nurse educators

In an environment characterized by a projected oversupply of primary care p roviders and a public seeking higher quality, cost-effective care, advanced practice nurses will be measured not only by their comparative value in de livering conventional primary care, but also by the uniqueness of their con tributions to health outcomes. These value-added skills, distinctive to nur sing practice at all levels, include health education, disease prevention, health promotion, community resource access, and partnerships with patients . Government, private payers, and national and state regulators all authori ze increasingly independent practice by advanced practice nurses. When adva nced practice nurses assume such fully accountable primary care roles, thei r title and certification should be distinctive to that level of practice. A Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree would signal to the public that n urses - at their highest practice competency-are at the same level as other health professionals holding doctorates (such as MD, DDS, or PharmD). Copy right (C) 2000 by W.B. Saunders Company.