Discussion Post 

APA /references (my specialty is going to be oncology and one professional organization affiliated to mi could be ONS (ONCOLOGY NURSE SOCIETY).

You have probably seen one or more of the many inspirational posters about decisions. A visual such as a forked road or a street sign is typically pictured, along with a quote designed to inspire.

Decisions are often not so easily inspired. Perhaps you discovered this when choosing a specialty within the MSN or PMC program. This decision is a critical part of your plan for success, and you no doubt want to get it right. This is yet another area where your network can help, as well as other sources of information that can help you make an informed choice.

Reflect on your decision to pursue a specialty within the MSN or PMC program, including your professional and academic goals as they relate to your program/specialization/certification.

Post an explanation of your choice of a nursing specialty within the program. Describe any difficulties you had (or are having) in making your choice, and the factors that drove/are driving your decision. Identify at least one professional organization affiliated with your chosen specialty and provide details on becoming a member.

RESOURCES 

• Bickford,      C. J., Marion, L., & Gazaway, S. (2015). Nursing:      Scope and standards of practice, third edition – 2015Links to an external      site.. Retrieved from http://ebooks.iospress.nl/publication/12524
• Cherry,      B., Caramanica, L, Everett, L. Q., Fennimore, L., & Elaine, S.      (2019). Leveraging the power of board leadership in professional      nursing organizationsLinks to an external site.. JONA: The      Journal of Nursing Administration, 49(11), 517-519.
• Echevarria,      I. M. (2018). Make connections by joining a professional nursing      organizationLinks to an external site.. Nursing, 48(12),      35–38.  
• Truant,      R., & Chan, R. J. (2017). Future ready: Strengthening oncology nursing      leadership in the context of professional oncology nursing      organizations. Canadian Oncology Nursing JournalLinks to an external      site., 27(1), 2-4.
• Walden      University. (n.d.). Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)Links to an external      site.. Retrieved November 14, 2018, from      https://www.waldenu.edu/masters/master-of-science-in-nursing
• Document: Academic Success and Professional Development Plan      Template Download      Academic Success and Professional Development Plan Template(Word      document).

Choose among the following to review your specialization’s Scope and Standards of Practice or Competencies:

• Nursing      Informatics

Ebook: Nursing Informatics: Scope and Standards of Practice
American Nurses Association. (2015). Nursing informatics: Scope and standards of practiceLinks to an external site. (2nd ed.). Silver Spring, MD: Author.

• “The       Scope of Nursing Informatics Practice: Functional Areas of Nursing       Informatics” (pp. 18–39)
• Nursing      Education

Article: Core Competencies for Academic Nurse Educators
Fitzgerald, A., McNelis, A. M., & Billings, D. M. (2020). NLN core competencies for nurse educators: Are they present in the course descriptions of academic nurse educator programs?Links to an external site. Nursing Education Perspectives, 41(1), 4. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.NEP.0000000000000530

Note: The competencies for the Academic Nurse Educator do not encompass the competencies or scope and standards of practice for the Nursing Professional Developer. The set of competencies associated with that specific role within the Nurse Education specialization will be examined in future competencies throughout your specialization program of study.

• Nurse      Executive

Website: Nurse Executive Competencies
American Organization for Nursing Leadership. (2015). AONL Nurse Executive competenciesLinks to an external site.. Retrieved from https://www.aonl.org/resources/nurse-leader-competencies

• Public      Health Nursing

Website: Public Health Nursing Competencies
Quad Council Coalition. (2018). Community/Public Health Nursing [C/PHN] competenciesLinks to an external site.. Retrieved from https://www.cphno.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/QCC-C-PHN-COMPETENCIES-Approved_2018.05.04_Final-002.pdf

• American      Nurses Association. (2013). Public health nursing: Scope and standards of practiceLinks      to an external site. (2nd ed.). Silver Spring, MD: Author.
• APRN

Website: APRN Consensus Model
APRN Consensus Work Group & the National Council of State Boards of Nursing APRN Advisory Committee. (2008). Consensus model for APRN regulation: Licensure, accreditation, certification & educationLinks to an external site.