PREPARED NP: Preparation for Emergency Care Delivery Among Nurse Practitioners

Abstract

The PREPARED NP (Preparation for Emergency Care Delivery Among Nurse Practitioners) study sought to describe the certification of the advanced practice registered nurse working in emergency care settings. A 14-item survey using the nomenclature and classification of advanced practice registered nurses from the Consensus Model for APRN (Advanced Practice Registered Nurse) Regulation was disseminated widely via social media, email, and newsletters. A total of 746 respondents completed the survey, with 713 respondents reporting that they work in the emergency care setting as advanced practice nurses. The majority reported their current certification as a family nurse practitioner (FNP). The data from this study underscore the variability in certification requirements for NPs working in emergency care settings. The lack of a single population-level certification examination that meets the needs of emergency care NPs appears to have national implications. Although further clarification and understanding of advanced practice nurse certification in emergency care settings are needed, the findings in this study support further research to inform practice and policy surrounding the emergency NP workforce.