Comparison of Nursing Specialties
Week 6 | Part 4: Finalizing the Plan
I have considered various options for my nursing specialty, including a close look at my selected (or currently preferred) specialty and second-preferred specialty. I have also developed a justification of my selected (or preferred) specialty. Lastly, I have examined one professional organization related to my selected or preferred specialty and considered how I can become a member of this organization.
First choice: Mental health Nurse Practitioner
2nd choice: Family Nurse practitioners
The results of my efforts are below.
Directions: Complete Step 1 by writing 2-3 paragraphs in the space below comparing the nursing specialty you have selected – or the one you prefer if your choice is still under consideration - to your second preference. Identify each specialty and describe the focus and the role that graduates are prepared for. Identify any other differentiators you feel are significant, especially those that helped or may help you reach a decision.
Complete Step 2 by writing a paragraph identifying and justifying your reasons for choosing your MSN specialization. Be sure to incorporate any feedback you received from colleagues in this week’s Discussion Forum.
Complete Step 3 by examining and identifying one professional organization related to your selected or preferred specialty. Explain how you can become a member of this organization.
Step 1: Comparison of Nursing Specialties
Use the space below to write 2-3 paragraphs comparing the nursing specialty you have selected – or the one you prefer if your choice is still under consideration - to your second preference. Identify each specialty and describe the focus and the role that graduates are prepared for. Identify any other differentiators you feel are significant, especially those that helped or may help you reach a decision.
Step 2: Justification of Nursing Specialty
Use the space below to write a paragraph identifying and justifying your reasons for choosing your MSN specialization. Be sure to incorporate any feedback you received from colleagues in this week’s Discussion Forum.
Step 3: Professional Organizations
Use the space below to identify and examine one professional organization related to your selected or preferred specialty. Explain how you can become a member of this organization.
Nursing Specialty
Name
Institution
Due Date
Nursing Specialty
Choosing a preferred nursing specialty is admittedly one of the most difficult things one does. Aside from the many available options, the issue of doubt and questioning whether one has made the right choice for their career can make the process a lot harder. In addition, the entire process takes time, and without guidance and mentorship, one is likely to choose a specialty they may come to dislike later. Having a first and second choice can help make the process easier because one can simply compare the pros and cons of each and then make an informed decision. Below is a detailed analysis of my preferred specialty, my second choice, a justification of my specialty, and the description of an organization associated with my preferred choice.
Comparison of Nursing Specialties
First, my first or preferred choice is a mental health nurse practitioner or a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner. On the other hand, my second choice is a family nurse practitioner. These two specialties are advanced practice nurse professions and require special training and education to qualify for one. The role of a family nurse practitioner is to provide primary care for all patients regardless of age. These nurses mainly deal with physical ailments or other medical issues, including sore throats or infections. A family nurse practitioner (FNP) can also perform physical examinations and is equipped to diagnose, order tests, and offer counsel to their patients (Ohio University, 2020).
Mental health nurse practitioners (MHNP) also provide care to patients of all ages. However, unlike FNPs, their role is more defined and does not entail or cater to patients’ physical ailments. MHNPs mainly assess their patients’ mental health status. These professionals gather information concerning their patients by performing psychiatric evaluations, looking through their patients’ medical history, and identifying and assessing the risk factors influencing a patient’s mental health (Regis College, 2021). Their focus is only on mental health issues, different from FNPs, whose focus is wider. For example, an FNP’s role allows them to assess mentally disturbed patients. However, the depth of assessment is limited, and only MHNPs can go the distance and depth during the assessment of mental health issues.
Even though they are different, these two professions are similar in practicing as an FNP or an MHNP. One needs to acquire an advanced degree in nursing. What usually happens is that a registered nurse enrolls in an MSN program, and they obtain their degree in either of the two. The following are exams specific to either profession, which must be passed before a person assumes their title and starts practicing.
Justification of Nursing Specialty
There are different reasons why I have MHNP as my first and preferred option. The first one is the ability to focus on a particular area. As already indicated, an ...