Molding the future of advanced practice nursing

During this time when the walls that divide inpatient, outpatient, primary, tertiary, and community care are coming down, society should expect that the nursing profession will prepare and regulate advanced nursing practice for the good of patient care and society as a whole. To do so, schools with clinical practice graduate programs must create a consistent product; professional credentialing bodies must use consistent criteria to acknowledge advanced practice knowledge and expertise; and state boards of nursing must give legal recognition for advanced practice to these same nurses. Within this environment, advanced practice nurses will be prepared to serve society, even if their skills are applied in a variety of roles.