Role of the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse in Crisis Response

Abstract

As clinical leaders, advanced practice registered nurses are often called upon to respond to crises. Although frameworks for emergency preparedness and response have been established by the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties and the International Council of Nurses, the advanced practice registered nurse community is not consistently prepared to participate in crisis response. Merging of the previously established frameworks allows identification of additional opportunities for advanced practice registered nurses to be educated and engaged in emergency preparedness and all-hazards response, including preparation activities, communication, safety and security, incident management, assessment, intervention, and recovery. Additional areas of focus are leadership, ethics, and end-of-life care. Use of the existing frameworks combined with the lessons learned from the COVID-19 response can empower advanced practice registered nurses to improve their readiness to respond to future crises.