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A registered nurse (RN) is a nurse who has graduated or successfully passed a nursing program from a recognized nursing school and met the requirements outlined by a country, state, province or similar government-authorized licensing body to obtain a nursing license. An RN's scope of practice is determined by legislation, and is regulated by a professional body or council.
A Physician Assistant or Physician Associate (PA) is a type of healthcare professional. While these job titles are used internationally, there is significant variation in training and scope of practice from country to country, and sometimes between smaller jurisdictions such as states or provinces. Depending on location, PAs practice semi-autonomously under the supervision of a physician, or autonomously performing a subset of medical services classically provided by physicians.
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services located in North Bethesda, Maryland. It is the primary federal agency for improving access to health care services for people who are uninsured, isolated or medically vulnerable.
Pediatric nursing is part of the nursing profession, specifically revolving around the care of neonates and children up to adolescence. The word, pediatrics, comes from the Greek words 'paedia' (child) and 'iatrike' (physician). 'Paediatrics' is the British/Australian spelling, while 'pediatrics' is the American spelling.
Allied health professions are health care professions that provide a range of diagnostic, technical, therapeutic, and support services in connection with health care. Their services are allied with and support the work of a number of other professions not considered allied health professions, such as medicine, nursing, dentistry, optometry, pharmacy, and others listed below as "excluded professions".
A nurse practitioner (NP) is an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) and a type of mid-level practitioner. NPs are trained to assess patient needs, order and interpret diagnostic and laboratory tests, diagnose disease, formulate and prescribe medications and treatment plans. NP training covers basic disease prevention, coordination of care, and health promotion. One study found that although reasons for referrals to specialists are similar for both physicians and NPs, the quality of documentation in the referrals may be lower for NPs.
Nursing in the United Kingdom has a long history. The current form of nursing is often considered as beginning with Florence Nightingale who pioneered modern nursing. Nightingale initiated formal schools of nursing in the United Kingdom in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The role and perception of nursing has dramatically changed from that of a handmaiden to the doctor to professionals in their own right. There are over 700,000 nurses in the United Kingdom and they work in a variety of settings, such as hospitals, health centres, nursing homes, hospices, communities, and academia, with most working for the National Health Service (NHS). Nurses work across all demographics and requirements of the public: adults, children, mental health, and learning disability. Nurses work in a range of specialties from the broad areas of medicine, surgery, theatres, and investigative sciences such as imaging. Nurses also work in large areas of sub-specialities such as respiratory, diabetes, neurology, infectious diseases, liver, research, cardiac, and stoma. Nurses often work in multi-disciplinary teams but increasingly are found working independently.
A mental health professional is a health care practitioner or social and human services provider who offers services for the purpose of improving an individual's mental health or to treat mental disorders. This broad category was developed as a name for community personnel who worked in the new community mental health agencies begun in the 1970s to assist individuals moving from state hospitals, to prevent admissions, and to provide support in homes, jobs, education, and community. These individuals were the forefront brigade to develop the community programs, which today may be referred to by names such as supported housing, psychiatric rehabilitation, supported or transitional employment, sheltered workshops, supported education, daily living skills, affirmative industries, dual diagnosis treatment, individual and family psychoeducation, adult day care, foster care, family services and mental health counseling.
A health professional, healthcare professional, or healthcare worker is a provider of health care treatment and advice based on formal training and experience. The field includes those who work as a nurse, physician, physician assistant, registered dietitian, veterinarian, veterinary technician, optometrist, pharmacist, pharmacy technician, medical assistant, physical therapist, occupational therapist, dentist, midwife, psychologist, audiologist, healthcare scientist, or who perform services in allied health professions. Experts in public health and community health are also health professionals.
Nurses in the United States practice nursing in a wide variety of specialties and departments.
A nursing shortage occurs when the demand for nursing professionals, such as Registered Nurses (RNs), exceeds the supply locally—within a healthcare facility—nationally or globally. It can be measured, for instance, when the nurse-to-patient ratio, the nurse-to-population ratio, the number of job openings necessitates a higher number of nurses than currently available, or the current number of nurses is above a certain age where retirement becomes an option and plays a factor in staffing making the workforce in a higher need of nurses. The nursing shortage is global according to 2022 World Health Organization fact sheet.
The Medical Rural Bonded Scholarship (MRBS) Scheme is an Australian government program designed to address the shortage of doctors in rural areas. As part of the scheme doctors are required to work for 20 hours per week in an area classified as RA2-5 for 9 months of the year over 4-5.5 years, once they have attained Fellowship and commenced their return of service period. Where these doctors work for the rest of the time is up to them, the location they choose to work in is also up to them. although they are restricted to working in areas classified as RA2-5 for their return of service.
The National Health Service Corps (NHSC) is part of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, division of Health Resources and Services Administration, Bureau of Health Workforce.
Mid-level practitioners, also called non-physician practitioners, advanced practice providers, or commonly mid-levels are health care providers who assess, diagnose, and treat patients but do not have as extensive of an education as a physician. The scope of a mid-level practitioner varies greatly among countries and even among individual practitioners. Some mid-level practitioners work closely under the supervision of a physician, while others function independently and have a scope of practice difficult to distinguish from a physician. The legal scope of practice for mid-level practitioners varies greatly among jurisdictions, with some having a restricted and well-defined scope, while others have a scope similar to that of a physician. Likewise, the training requirement for mid-level practitioners varies greatly between and within different certifications and licensures.
Nursing is a profession within the healthcare sector focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life. Nurses can be differentiated from other healthcare providers by their approach to patient care, training, and scope of practice. Nurses practice in many specialties with differing levels of prescription authority. Nurses comprise the largest component of most healthcare environments; but there is evidence of international shortages of qualified nurses. Nurses collaborate with other healthcare providers such as physicians, nurse practitioners, physical therapists, and psychologists. There is a distinction between nurses and nurse practitioners; in the U.S., the latter are nurses with a graduate degree in advanced practice nursing, and are permitted to prescribe medications unlike the former. They practice independently in a variety of settings in more than half of the United States. Since the postwar period, nurse education has undergone a process of diversification towards advanced and specialized credentials, and many of the traditional regulations and provider roles are changing.
Mary Wakefield is an American nurse and health care administrator, who served in the Obama administration as acting United States Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services from 2015 to 2017, and as head of the Health Resources and Services Administration from 2009 to 2015.
The Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) Program is a federally funded program established in the United States in 1972 "to improve the supply, distribution, retention and quality of primary care and other health practitioners in medically underserved areas." The program is "part of a national effort to improve access to health services through changes in the education and training of health professionals." The program particularly focuses on primary care.
The National AHEC Organization (NAO) is the professional association of Area Health Education Centers (AHECs) in the United States. AHECs are regional organizations associated with The National AHEC Program. AHECs work in designated regions through community and academic partnerships to advance the availability of health care and health care education, focusing on rural and medically underserved areas. According to the NAO, approximately 120 medical schools and 600 nursing and allied health schools work with the AHEC system. AHECs affiliated with the NAO collaborate to educate, share resources, and strengthen local and national partnerships.
Throughout the United States, many rural communities are faced with severe healthcare workforce shortage issues. These regions often consist of a larger percentage of medically underserved individuals, in conjunction with fewer physicians, nurses, and other healthcare workers. The shortage of healthcare workers negatively impacts the quality of medical care due to decreased access to health services as well as an increase in workload placed on providers. Healthcare systems in rural communities generally have fewer personnel and infrastructure, creating substantial healthcare disparities among the United States population. Rural communities tend to have a higher incidence of chronic diseases, infant and maternal morbidity, and occupational injuries. These communities also consist of individuals who tend to be older and have a lower socioeconomic status, which directly relates to the high rate of uninsured individuals. Ethnic minorities are also increasing in number throughout rural areas, further adding to the size of healthcare disparities.
Nursing is the largest healthcare profession in the United States, with more than 3.1 million registered nurses. Between 2012 and 2022, employment for nurses is projected to grow by 19 percent, which is more than any other profession. Nurses make up the largest component of staff in hospitals but are also able to provide care in clinic settings, patient's homes, schools, nursing homes, public health agencies, and mental health centers. In addition, nurses can be found in the military, in industry, nursing education, and do health care research. Nurses in these various roles and settings can provide direct patient care and case management, but also develop and establish nursing practice and quality standards within complex healthcare systems. As each degree can provide a different level of care for patients and function in vastly different roles, it is important to differentiate between them. The levels of nursing degrees have different educational requirements, licensure, and credentialing that can vary state to state.
References
- ↑ "Records of the Public Health Service [PHS], 1912-1968". National Archives. 2016-08-15. Retrieved 2020-09-15.
- ↑ "Records of the Health Resources and Services Administration [HRSA]". National Archives. 2016-08-15. Retrieved 2020-10-02.
- ↑ "Bureau of Health Workforce | Official web site of the U.S. Health Resources & Services Administration". Hrsa.gov. 2019-06-02. Retrieved 2019-06-10.
- ↑ "Nursing | Bureau of Health Workforce". Bhpr.hrsa.gov. 2019-05-21. Retrieved 2019-06-10.
- ↑ "Nursing | Bureau of Health Workforce". Bhpr.hrsa.gov. 2019-05-21. Retrieved 2019-06-10.
- ↑ "Nursing | Bureau of Health Workforce". Bhpr.hrsa.gov. 2019-05-21. Retrieved 2019-06-10.
- ↑ "Health Careers | Bureau of Health Workforce". Bhpr.hrsa.gov. 2018-03-28. Retrieved 2019-06-10.
- ↑ "Health Careers | Bureau of Health Workforce". Bhpr.hrsa.gov. 2018-03-28. Retrieved 2019-06-10.
- ↑ "School-Based Loans and Scholarships | Bureau of Health Workforce". Bhpr.hrsa.gov. 2019-03-13. Retrieved 2019-06-10.
- ↑ "Health Careers | Bureau of Health Workforce". Bhpr.hrsa.gov. 2018-03-28. Retrieved 2019-06-10.
- ↑ "Geriatrics | Bureau of Health Workforce". Bhpr.hrsa.gov. 2019-06-02. Retrieved 2019-06-10.
- ↑ "About Public Health Training Centers". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2015-01-28.
- ↑ "Medicine | Bureau of Health Workforce". Bhpr.hrsa.gov. 2019-06-02. Retrieved 2019-06-10.
- ↑ "Loan Repayment | NHSC". Nhsc.hrsa.gov. 2018-12-10. Retrieved 2019-06-10.
- ↑ "Scholarships | NHSC". Nhsc.hrsa.gov. 2018-07-03. Retrieved 2019-06-10.
- ↑ "NURSE Corps Scholarship Program". Archived from the original on 2015-02-06. Retrieved 2015-01-28.
- ↑ "Faculty Loan Repayment Program". Archived from the original on 2015-01-25. Retrieved 2015-01-28.
- ↑ "Health Professions Student Loans". Archived from the original on 2015-02-15. Retrieved 2015-01-28.
- ↑ "Loans for Disadvantaged Students". Archived from the original on 2015-02-13. Retrieved 2015-01-28.
- ↑ "Nursing Student Loans". Archived from the original on 2015-02-11. Retrieved 2015-01-28.
- ↑ "School-Based Loans and Scholarships | Bureau of Health Workforce". Hrsa.gov. 2019-03-13. Retrieved 2019-06-10.
- ↑ "The NPDB - Home Page". Npdb.hrsa.gov. Retrieved 2019-06-10.
- ↑ 78 FR 20473