TOPIC IS PEDIATRIC NURSE PRACTITIONER

Pediatric Nurse Practitioner

Pediatric Nurse Practitioner

Introduction

Nursing is a profession that blends the rich traditions of the past with the ever changing realities of today's health care industry. Nursing is not simply an assortment of special skills and the nurse is not simply a person proficient in performing these specific tasks. Nursing is a profession. I believe this statement to be true because of several factors. The Title 19 Code for Nurses is titled “Standards for Professional Nursing Practice”. The status of nursing as a profession reflects the values that society places on the work of nurses and how central nursing is to the good of society. “By being a professional we imply that the person is conscientious in actions, knowledgeable in the subject and responsible to self and others.” (Brickhouse,2008,878)

Discussion

This paper reviews the current oral health-related curriculum and credentialing process for PNPs and evaluates the need for policy changes that would maximize the potential role of PNPs in reducing oral health disparities among children.

Current and Potential Role of PNPs

PNPs can play an important role in providing oral health screening, early risk assessment, and preventive services to children who are at the highest risk for early childhood caries. Of the over 125 000 nurse practitioners in the United States, nearly 13 000 are PNPs.They are more likely than physicians and dentists to practice in underserved areas and to care for large numbers of patients who are uninsured or on Medicaid. A recent survey of graduates from 13 PNP programs in the United States found that 45% provided care in medically underserved areas, 66% provided care to children with Medicaid coverage, and 25% provided care to children with no or limited health care coverage.( Dye.2007)

Also, PNPs are employed in a variety of health care settings, including but not limited to ambulatory centers, private practices, outpatient and inpatient hospital settings, urgent care and emergency settings, and community health settings. Health promotion and disease prevention strategies are embedded in PNP practice and include routine health care maintenance, assessment, diagnosis and treatment of common acute and chronic conditions, and anticipatory guidance at each health care visit. Thus, PNPs are well positioned to begin the oral health care process, including ensuring that patients establish a dental home by 12 months of age.

Improving Through PNPs

Several publications and PNP textbooks reinforce the important role of PNPs in addressing oral health issues among children. Advising families in proper oral health, fluoride supplementation, prevention of damaging oral health habits and tooth decay, and the need for referrals to pediatric dentists are standard for anticipatory guidance. The use of anticipatory guidance allows parents, caregivers, and children to understand how, in the case of oral health, the oral cavity changes over time and to develop age-appropriate, risk-reduction strategies for each stage of tooth development. Using this approach, PNPs empower parents to be the “health champion role model” for their children.( Nash,2004)

PNPs are particularly well positioned to provide oral health screening and preventive services because of the holistic, family-centered, ...