Family Nurse Practitioner Role

Words: 512
Pages: 3

Implications
The cornerstone of nursing practice is patient teaching. Every interaction between the family nurse practitioner and an elderly patient present a teachable moment. Research studies have demonstrated the patient adherence to drug regimen and aggressively monitoring blood glucose level can effectively reduce complications from this chronic disease. Thus, elderly population with diabetes can benefit from a qualified well-trained healthcare provider regarding management of diseases. The family nurse practitioner is uniquely positioned to educate this vulnerable population about management of diabetes. In fact, family nurse practitioner (FNP) role is to screen and identify disorders across the life-span. This role also encompasses prescribing
…show more content…
As a leader, the FNP can establish relationships within the community to assist the elderly with health maintenance. For example, California State University San Marcos offers many nursing programs to the community. The FNP can partner with the university nursing school and the Joslyn Senior Center to create the Health Maintenance Program for Seniors (HMPS). The program calls nursing students to establish a basic health maintenance plan for the seniors at the Joslyn Senior Center. This entails education about a balanced healthy diet, the appropriate exercise for seniors, check blood pressures, and blood glucose testing. The nursing students can also assist the seniors with filling prescriptions, obtaining lab value, and reading medications labels, and administering insulin. If a result was not within normal limits, the student would refer the senior to clinic to be follow-up by the FNP. The students will receive credit for clinical hours and gain a better understanding of DM among the elderly population. This is one example of how a FNP as leader can establish a partnership that impacts of the lives of seniors with