Examine roles and competencies of advanced practice nurses essential to performing as leaders and advocates of holistic, safe, and quality care. (CO1) 

Advanced practice nurses (APNs) play an essential role in providing holistic, safe, and quality care to patients across the lifespan. To perform as leaders and advocates of such care, APNs require specific roles and competencies that are essential to their practice.

Roles of Advanced Practice Nurses:

1. Provider: APNs are trained to provide primary and specialty care to patients across the lifespan, utilizing evidence-based practice to ensure safe, holistic, and quality care.
2. Educator: APNs are responsible for educating patients, families, and healthcare professionals on healthcare topics, health promotion, and disease prevention.
3. Advocate: APNs advocate for patients and their families by providing information, counseling, and support.
4. Manager: APNs are responsible for managing patient care, coordinating resources, and delegating tasks to other members of the healthcare team.
5. Researcher: APNs conduct research and participate in clinical trials to improve patient outcomes and advance the field of nursing.

Competencies of Advanced Practice Nurses:

1. Clinical competency: APNs must have a comprehensive knowledge of clinical practices, including physical assessment, diagnosis, and treatment planning.
2. Leadership and management skills: APNs must possess strong leadership and management skills to effectively manage patient care and coordinate resources.
3. Communication skills: APNs must have excellent communication skills to effectively communicate with patients, families, and healthcare professionals.
4. Professionalism: APNs must maintain high ethical and professional standards, including confidentiality, respect for patient autonomy, and cultural sensitivity.
5. Evidence-based practice: APNs must be able to use evidence-based practice to make clinical decisions and provide safe, effective, and quality care.
6. Collaboration: APNs must be able to work collaboratively with other healthcare professionals, including physicians, nurses, and allied health professionals.
7. Health promotion and disease prevention: APNs must have a comprehensive understanding of health promotion and disease prevention to educate patients and families on how to maintain optimal health.

In summary, advanced practice nurses play a crucial role in providing holistic, safe, and quality care to patients across the lifespan. To perform as leaders and advocates of such care, they must possess specific roles and competencies, including clinical competency, leadership and management skills, communication skills, professionalism, evidence-based practice, collaboration, and health promotion and disease prevention.