There are many concepts and practices that a nurse must be aware of that are applicable during the course of day-to-day activities and job duties (Blais & Hayes, 2015). Among these are the models of transition, the roles of the nurse, and the education, credentialing, role, and focus of the nurse practitioner in comparison to others within the profession. This paper will provide a brief exploration of each of these three different areas, offering practical examples of the first two constructs within the life of the writer, and providing a comparison between the nurse practitioner requirements and the general practitioner requirements in the third.
My Models of Transition in Nursing
While there are many different models of transition, two of the primary models of transition in nursing are the Bridges Model of Transition and the Spencer & Adams Model of Transition (Blais & Hayes, 2015). The Bridges Model of Transition was created in 1991 by William Bridges (Blais & Hayes, 2015). The model states that individuals go through three different stages of transition during times of change, identified as: 1) ending, losing, and letting go; 2) the neutral zone; and 3) the new beginning (Blais & Hayes, 2015). The Spencer & Adams Model of Transition is a seven stage model of change that assists those affected by change in adjusting more easily to the new state of affairs; it was developed in 1988 (Blais & Hayes, 2015; Davidson & Manderscheid, 2008). The stages, which are less a change model and more a means of assisting others in becoming accepting of change, are: 1) identification of the degree to which the change takes the individual by surprise; 2) the clarity of expectations held by the individual regarding change; 3) the stage of life that the person is in who is experiencing the change; 4) the number of other changes the person is experiencing at the same time; 5) truth; 6) the degree of self-awareness held by the individual; and 7) the duration of time in which the change will complete (Blais & Hayes, 2015; Davidson & Manderscheid, 2008). I have applied the Bridges model of transition within the course of every change experienced at work; the process of change is identified, and the change starts to occur, the transitional phase in which the change becomes standardized, and the period in which the changed process becomes the norm. In coping with such changes, the Spencer & Adams transition model is applied. An example would be when I found out that our vacation practices were changing. I was surprised, but got over this quickly, it was an easy change, with a defined time period, and after the first rocky process of getting through the different forms, the change was accepted as commonplace.
My Roles in the Nursing Profession
I assume multiple roles in my position as a nurse, including the role of the nurse, but also the consoler, the stern caregiver, and the authority figure, in addition to my roles as adult, child, and student. Role theory serves to discuss the manner in which the role of the individual affects the amount of satisfaction, stress, and strain that a person experiences (Cranford, 2013). In my role as a nurse, I find that there are times of high and low stress, times with great satisfaction and times where there is no satisfaction to be had. Sometimes the high satisfaction correlates to the high stress times, others to the low stress times; the amount of satisfaction is related to the amount of success that was present within the accomplishment of the given task. Recent research indicates that the role of the nurse is high stress the majority of the time, which can place an additional burden on those who would assume the role, decreasing overall job satisfaction and contributing to potential burnout (Cranford, 2013). From my perspective, however, I do not see the role as a high stress role all the time, merely a job with periods of high stress. I am using reflection in order to deal with role stress as it occurs, and that is assisting me in taking on increased responsibilities, transitioning me out of the role of the student.
Comparison of the Family Nurse Practitioner and Family Practice Medical Doctor
The nurse practitioner is a registered nurse (RN) who has completed a master’s degree or higher, though he or she has not gone through medical school, as a family practice doctor (MD) would have (Van Vleet & Paradise, 2015). As a result, the NP does not have a doctoral degree, with the certification seen as lower than the MD due to the decreased time spent in school; however, due to the shortage of MDs in the nation, many NPs are being tapped to act as primary care individuals, and, depending on the state, some may be required to work under the direction of an MD while others might be autonomous (Van Vleet & Paradise, 2015). The role and the focus of the two are similar, in that they both act as primary treatment providers for those needing general medical care, and in most cases both can write prescriptions and provide care, with a NP being able to do approximately 80-90% of the activities that an MD can accomplish (Van Vleet & Paradise, 2015).
Conclusion
In understanding all of the applied concepts, it becomes possible for the nurse to have an increased understanding of the job, the affects of the job, and the differences between the profession and other professions. Transitioning during periods of change, understanding the roles that the nurse may adopt, dealing with stress and satisfaction, and understanding the role of the NP are vital to a nurse being able to complete his or her job successfully. By ensuring that the individual has the tools necessary to do the job to the best of his or her ability, the nursing profession, and those in it, will thrive.
- Blais, K., & Hayes, J. (2015). Professional Nursing Practice: Concepts and Perspectives (7th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.
- Cranford, J. (2013). Bridging the Gap: Clinical Practice Nursing and the Effect of Role Strain on Successful Role Transition and Intent to Stay in Acadamia. International Journal of Nursing Education Scholarship, 10(1), 99-105. doi:10.1515/ijnes-2012-0018
- Davidson, J., & Manderscheid, S. (2008). Room to Learn: An Integrated Critical Review of the Literature on Leadership Transition. Ufhrd.co.uk. Retrieved 7 June 2016, from http://www.ufhrd.co.uk/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/605-room-to-learn-an-integrated-critical-review-of-the-lite.pdf
- Van Vleet, A., & Paradise, J. (2015). Tapping Nurse Practitioners to Meet Rising Demand for Primary Care. Kff.org. Retrieved 7 June 2016, from http://kff.org/medicaid/issue-brief/tapping-nurse-practitioners-to-meet-rising-demand-for-primary-care/
