Ask any RN or physician what an advanced practice nurse (APN) "is" and you will receive various answers:
* A nurse with a master's degree
* A nurse with a master's degree in nursing
* A nurse with a bachelor's degree
* A nurse practitioner
* A clinical nurse specialist
* A critical care nurse
* A nurse with lots of experience
* A certified nurse (critical care registered nurse, certified emergency nurse, or certified registered nurse anesthetist)
Ask the human resources recruiter at your hospital for a job description for an APN. It is a fairly safe bet that no such job description exists.
The STN has a special interest group (SIG) for advanced practice trauma nurses. Members of STN can go to the advanced practice trauma nursing SIG Web page and view a list of the 164 members of that SIG. Of these 164 members, 95 have listed their titles.
* 10 clinical nurse specialists
* 21 nurse practitioners
* 8 directors of trauma programs, emergency services, injury prevention, and neuroscience
* 26 managers of trauma programs or education/injury prevention
* 13 trauma coordinators
* 8 staff/specialty RNs
* 1 PI specialist
* 3 trauma registry/medical information
* 2 flight nurses
* 1 fellow strategic improvement
* 1 advanced practice nurse
* 1 regional resource leader
What is an APN? An APN is a collective term used to identify an RN with a graduate degree and completion of a certification examination in one of the following specialties: clinical nurse specialist, nurse practitioner, certified nurse anesthetist, and certified midwife.
However, as exemplified by the various roles related by the STN APN SIG members, the "job description" can vary widely.
Clinical expertise, research, injury prevention, leadership, education, and collaboration are foundations of advanced practice trauma nursing. I encourage all APNs to join the APN trauma nursing SIG. Read the STN position papers on clinical nurse specialists and nurse practitioners in trauma nursing. Lend your voice and expertise to the SIG. Help clarify and further define the roles. Educate physicians, nurses, and hospital administrators on the value that an APN can provide to your trauma programs. As fewer and fewer surgical residents choose trauma as a specialty, the trauma APNs are ready and able to exercise their multitude of skills in the provision of direct patient care to the trauma patient.
The APN SIG cochairs are as follows:
Cristy M. Thomas, DNP, FNP-BC
Trauma Nurse Practitioner
University of NV School of Medicine
2040 W. Charlsten, Suite 302
Las Vegas, NV 89102
[email protected]
Yvonne Michaud, MSN, RN
Trauma Nurse Practitioner
Trauma and Burn Program Manager
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Boston, MA 02115
[email protected]