title: [Educational issues and strategies to improve APN education].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was aimed at exploring the current status of graduate programs for an advanced practice nurse(APN) to recommend future directions of APN education.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 142 students enrolled in seven APN specialty programs, 67 professors who were involved in APN education, and nine nurse administrators participated in the study. Data was collected by questionnaires and focus group interviews.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The current definition of APN was found not to be specific enough to represent expected roles of APN in regards to knowledge, attitudes, roles, and skills. Standard curricula employed regardless of the area of APN specialty, lack of qualified clinical practice settings, as well as prepared instructors were found to be problematic.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The following needs to be addressed: 1. redefining of APN roles, 2. tailoring specialty areas of APN, 3. consolidating educational programs, and 4. ensuring APN role models and faculty. Suggesting a CNS role in Korean APN, areas of APN should be rearranged to clarify their roles and educational programs need to be further developed to meet the expectations and quality of APNs. It is necessary to ensure APN's employment in the health care system by laws and policies to perform advanced nursing roles.
authors.affiliation: College of Nursing, Yonsei University.
authors.forename: Kasil
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: Kang Mi Ja
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Keum Soon
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jee Won
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Myung Sook
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Sung
authors.forename: Eui Geum
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: Myung Ha
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Chae Weon
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Dong Sook
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Young Ran
authors.initials: YR
authors.lastname: Tak
authors.forename: Jee In
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Yoo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003479:Curriculum; D004509:Education, Nursing, Continuing; D004511:Education, Nursing, Graduate; D004521:Educational Measurement; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008875:Middle Aged; D009720:Nurse Clinicians / Q000193:education*; D009722:Nurse Practitioners / Q000193:education*; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D012956:Societies, Nursing; D013041:Specialties, Nursing / Q000193:education*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires