AACN Scope and Standards for Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Practice

AACN Scope and Standards for Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Practice describes and measures the expected level of practice and professional performance for acute care nurse practitioners. This edition aligns with the "Consensus Model for APRN Regulation"—also called the LACE Model—developed to create national congruence for licensure, accreditation, certification, and education for advanced practice nurses.

AACN Scope and Standards for Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Practice incorporates advances in scientific knowledge, clinical practice, technology, and other changes in the dynamic health care environment. It offers a practical tool for students, educators, and advanced practice nurses caring for high acuity or critically ill patients and their families in every setting.

The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN), publishers of AACN Scope and Standards, is the largest specialty nursing organization in the world, representing the interests of more than 500,000 nurses who are charged with the responsibility of caring for acutely and critically ill patients. The association is dedicated to providing its members with the knowledge and resources necessary to provide optimal care to critically ill patients.

All of AACN's published standards are authoritative statements that describe the level of care or performance common to the profession of nursing by which the quality of nursing practice can be judged. For more about AACN, visit www.aacn.org.