At nurse practitioner school, there will be much discussion about the skills you acquire and refine during your clinical rotations. You can make a record of the skills you develop.
Practitioners need more than just the clinical skills they learn in school to be successful. Some skills required to excel as a family nurse practitioner are intangible, such as communication, problem-solving, organizational, and leadership skills, which you must develop and hone over time.
Who Is a Family Nurse Practitioner?
Family nurse practitioners play a crucial role in the health care system, offering vital services and advice to those who require it. These practitioners assist physicians and specialists in overseeing patient care at hospitals, clinics, and medical practices, providing care to ill, injured, or healthy patients.
The significance of the role of the family nurse practitioner is growing as certain parts face difficulties in accessing healthcare services. These health professionals are enthusiastic about enhancing the well-being of patients and aiding in a practical, top-notch healthcare system.
Nurses looking to advance their careers and are wondering how to become a nurse practitioners in Florida should consider pursuing an advanced degree at Texas Woman’s University. They have an online Master of Science in Nursing: Nurse Practitioner degree offering an FNP track. It helps you acquire the expertise needed to progress in your nursing career and utilize sophisticated abilities to enhance the wellness of various communities.
What Does a Family Nurse Practitioner Do?
FNPs offer comprehensive health care services for all ages, from newborns to older people. They perform health examinations, look for signs of illness, provide treatments, and patients to promote a patient’s overall health.
FNPs provide care to people who are healthy, injured, have viral symptoms, or are dealing with chronic conditions such as diabetes and high cholesterol.
Family nurse practitioners are essential providers of preventive care services that can help prevent the need for costly emergency room visits and hospital admissions.
These measures involve advising patients to maintain a healthy lifestyle, prevent illness, and comply with treatment instructions.
FNPs can aid in the establishment of standardized office protocols, the formation of personalized patient care plans, and the production of educational materials.
Family Nurse Practitioner Common Responsibilities
Here are the leading family nurse practitioner typical responsibilities.
Record Patient Health Histories
Record patient health histories is a responsibility shared between a certified nurse assistant and a family nurse practitioner in a family practice setting. The certified nurse assistant will document, enter and check the boxes on the health history in their patient record.
They will record the history in the box and place the patient’s physician order authorization in another container.
The Family Nurse Practitioner will read the history to determine proper interventions, take account of the patient and complete the patient history record. They will do so by entering all the past in the appropriate boxes.
These two individuals should confer when it is necessary to make a change to the Health History record.
Perform Physical Exams
Any family nurse practitioner should know the steps necessary to perform and take pride in physical exams. Performing physical exams, considered the health practitioner’s core responsibility, is nothing to take lightly.
The family nurse practitioner’s education is to be fully transparent. A thorough understanding of the scope of your role and its inherent duties should be at the front of your mind, as it can often be frustrating.
This frustration has led me to come up with the idea of performing a physical exam in a family nurse practitioner assessment. This idea concerns using written materials as a guide for performing Physical Exams.
Observe and Assess the Patient’s Symptoms
The family nurse practitioner will observe, assess and describe to the patients their health status while taking a thorough medical history. They will complete appropriate diagnostic tests and treatment plans if necessary.
The professional is responsible for performing physical examinations on patients the physician has chosen to receive before unexpected or preventable illnesses or injuries occur.
A physician may order or perform these exams because of an accident, sudden illness, acute pain or bleeding, or trauma from a domestic violence incident.
Order Tests and Analyzes Results
The responsibility of ordering tests and analyzing results is because the results of tests on patients in the family practice provide primary health care within the scope of the course.
This shared responsibility is assigned to all licensed family practice nurses because all nurses order tests on patients in the family practice setting. The family nurse practitioner may order a diet history, physical examination, and most x-rays or other difficulties that another nurse or physician may need.
Prescribe Medications
Prescribe Medications is the responsibility of the family nurse practitioner, who can perform many of the functions of the physician under certain limitations and with greater flexibility than that imposed by the physician.
The family nurse practitioner can prescribe medications, schedule appointments, order diagnostic tests, prescribe lab tests, and advise patients to follow up with a specialist, an alternative care doctor, or other healthcare practitioners.
The family nurse practitioner can prescribe only prescription medications, meaning they cannot specify over-the-counter medications, nutritional supplements, and herbal preparation.
The Family Nurse Practitioner is required only to prescribe medically justified medication since they use the physician’s license for the prescription.
What Are the Important Clinical Skills and Qualities Every Family Nurse Practitioner Needs to Provide High-Quality Primary Care?
Here are the skills which make an excellent family nurse practitioner.
Leadership
Many family nurse practitioners assume positions of authority in the medical industry. Family nurse practitioners must be able to manage crises and stress effectively as leaders.
Teamwork is essential for success in the medical field, as it requires working with other healthcare professionals to provide the best care for patients. Family nurse practitioners must be adept at assigning tasks to others and be willing to assist in ensuring that patient care is effective.
A successful leader can apply strategic thinking to handle disputes and bring about transformation in the workplace.
Mental Health Evaluation
A mental health evaluation can take various forms, though basic mental health evaluation techniques provide FNPs with insight into their patient’s mental well-being. It can range from a set of quick questions to assess their awareness to a more comprehensive appraisal exploring their symptoms of depression.
FNPs can use their foundational knowledge of mental health evaluations to identify various mental health issues, such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, and cognitive disorders.
Mental health evaluation is a crucial psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner skill. It is vital to Provide patient-centered, holistic care, even if the FNP will not manage the condition long-term.
Flexibility
Family nurse practitioners must possess the ability to think on their feet and adjust to unpredictable situations to provide adequate care. It requires a high level of flexibility, which allows them to make the most of their time and provide the best possible care for their patients.
Being employed in the healthcare industry often results in a vibrant, swift-moving atmosphere. Some nurse practitioners can have night shifts and three-day work weeks, with the hours varying.
Family nurse practitioners must stay updated with the ever-evolving healthcare landscape and must prepare to adjust their practices accordingly. You must be open to collaborating with various people in the patient population and among other medical personnel.
Organization and Time Management
Organizing your time and prioritizing your daily duties will be essential for success in this job. Family nurse practitioners typically have a busy schedule and must manage their time efficiently to reduce anxiety.
There needs to be a balance between spending time with patients and taking care of administrative tasks, supervising staff, and conducting research.
This position requires excellent organizational skills to ensure accuracy when dealing with paperwork and charting. They must avoid mistakes to guarantee successful outcomes.
Analysis
Having a scientific basis for their work is an essential skill for nurse practitioners. Family nurse practitioners must use critical thinking to evaluate scientific evidence to devise strategies to enhance patient care.
Science and humanity courses equip FNPs with the knowledge and abilities to work effectively in their medical environment. Nurse practitioners are an integral part of the research process. Family nurse practitioners, in particular, must be able to assess research outcomes and implement them into their practice.
They not only collect qualitative and quantitative data to form or revise theories and concepts, but they also do much more. Family nurse practitioners in primary care must be able to swiftly assess actual patient conditions and develop the most suitable treatment plan.
Diagnostics
A family nurse practitioner must be able to diagnose patients, which is an essential skill.FNPs must evaluate their patients’ symptoms to decide if an acute or chronic illness is present, which is a fundamental part of their role.
One must possess the ability to interpret and execute diagnostic tests effectively. As such, gathering patient history information, performing a physical examination, and conducting tests are all essential steps in the diagnostic process.
FNPs must use critical thinking to assess the data gathered from the patient and form an accurate diagnosis to create a suitable and successful treatment plan.
Treatment Planning
Family Nurse Practitioners must possess the ability to not only diagnose patients but also to create and implement treatment plans. In certain situations, the family nurse practitioner might suggest that the patient consult a specialist.
A patient’s course of action may involve both medicinal and non-medicinal therapies. Family nurse practitioners can carry out medical treatments and prescribe medications in all states.
They determine the implementation measures to guarantee a successful treatment. By providing follow-up care, FNPs can adjust their interventions to ensure that patients are making progress in their recovery.
Conflict Resolution and Mediation
It is resolving or alleviating a disagreement or potential conflict between two parties. Emotionally charged patients and their families may be agitated, leading to conflicting personalities between them or staff.
NPs can create a safe and secure work atmosphere by resolving conflicts and mediating disagreements. These are invaluable skills that can not only be applied to the workplace but also to one’s own life.
The best way to hone your family nurse practitioner skills is to practice. Clinical experiences allow you to apply what you have learned in real-life situations and develop the skills to mediate disputes effectively.
Education
Family nurse practitioners have educational qualifications that are more advanced than those of most registered nurses. With their advanced education, FNPs can teach others. They use this skill to inform families and patients about their healthcare needs and reasoning.
In addition, FNPs can inform patients how to maintain a healthy lifestyle to avoid physical and mental health problems. Family nurse practitioners must be able to give patients the tools to make informed decisions about their health, effectively manage illnesses, and provide quality healthcare in the home environment.
Active Listening
Hearing what others say enables family nurse practitioners to identify the requirements of their personnel and individuals under their care. Active listening involves paying attention to ensure that others feel heard and understood.
It is essential in healthcare to recognize their needs and give them space to express their ideas. They can achieve patient-centered care by paying attention to and responding to patients’ needs and perspectives.
Empathy
Having compassion and working in the healthcare industry are closely related. Having the capacity to empathize with someone else enables you to give the most effective care possible.
Showing compassion enables you to better address the requirements of both patients and staff. The patients should know that your concern for them goes beyond their medical needs and that you care deeply for their well-being.
Showing empathy will establish a bond of trust between you and them, ensuring they have faith in your treatment.
Electronic Medical Records
The days of paper charting are almost behind us, as most medical records are now stored electronically using electronic medical record (EMR) systems. As a family nurse practitioner, it is essential to have the skills to use these systems effectively.
It will include information about the patient, such as their age, past medical conditions, drugs they are taking, details from their medical appointments, test results, vital signs, and more.
This system allows you to order tests and prescribe medications. Examples of EMR systems that use this feature are Epic, Athena Health, and Cerner PowerChart Ambulatory.
A thorough understanding of the EMR system will save you time and ensure that there is documentation of all necessary information about your patient. Moreover, it will alert you to any potential omissions, such as essential vitals or prescriptions.
Telemedicine
Telemedicine uses technology to provide healthcare remotely, enabling clinicians to assess, diagnose, and interact with patients from a distance. It can involve contacting someone via telephone, video conference, sending pictures, and keeping records via secure internet-based systems intended for this purpose.
The advancement of healthcare has led to changes in the skillset of family nurse practitioners. The COVID-19 pandemic has amplified the need for telemedicine, making it an increasingly sought-after skill for family nurse practitioners.
An increasing number of healthcare providers are offering telemedicine services to patients who don’t need to be physically present. As a family nurse practitioner, you will likely need to incorporate this care into your job, primarily if you work in an outpatient clinic.
Clinical Documentation
It involves recording the patient’s medical background, vital signs, present complaints, medical treatment, and other relevant information. One of the critical abilities you will obtain as an FNP is the ability to produce accurate clinical records.
It involves documenting the specifics of your interactions with patients in written notes. This guide and organizational tool aid you in assessing, diagnosing, and treating your patient and document your clinical decision-making process for other clinicians and insurance companies to view.
These clinical notes are typically structured using the SOAP (Subjective, Objective, Assessment, Plan) approach.
Personal Protective Equipment
This skill involves understanding which PPE is necessary for different situations and putting on and taking off PPE. Personal protective equipment has been crucial to healthcare professional training for many years.
Still, the COVID-19 pandemic has made it one of the most critical skills for family nurse practitioners. Using appropriate PPE can help prevent the spread of infectious diseases and protect you while caring for patients at risk of transmitting an infectious disease.
The pandemic has necessitated increased use of protective wear such as gowns, masks, and N95 respirators to conserve resources and avoid wasting materials. No matter what specialty area a nurse practitioner works in, they are likely to employ the same nursing skills in their clinical practice.
Final Thoughts
Top family nurse practitioners possess acquired and learned skills alongside certain personality traits. They enable them to cooperate in a team, connect with their patients, assess their health, and provide quality care.
The great thing about being a nurse practitioner is that you collaborate with other clinicians who each bring their expertise to the team. It is an ideal setting for collaborative learning, which should lead to a rewarding career.