The Role of APRNs in Texas Children’s Hospital’s Revolutionary TAPP Model

Texas Children’s Hospital Transformational Advanced Professional Practice APRN Model

The Texas Children’s Hospital Transformational Advanced Professional Practice (TAPP) APRN Model is a revolutionary approach in the realm of advanced practice nursing. Building on the foundations laid by the Strong Memorial Hospital model, the TAPP model incorporates essential domains that reflect the evolving role of Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs). This model integrates six professional development domains, ensuring a comprehensive, family-centered care approach that adapts to the unique needs of the healthcare system, patient population, and individual APRN strengths.

To better reflect the current conceptualization of the APRN role, the TAPP model added two additional domains to the Strong model: quality and safety, and credentialing and regulatory practice. These additions are crucial in ensuring that APRNs at Texas Children’s Hospital are equipped with the tools and knowledge to provide the highest level of care while adhering to the necessary regulatory standards.

Key Components of the TAPP APRN Model

1. Patient Care Domain

   • The TAPP model emphasizes direct, comprehensive, family-centered care as the core of the APRN role. This domain focuses on delivering high-quality care that addresses the needs of both patients and their families.

2. Professional Development Domains

   • Organizational Priorities: Aligning APRN practice with the strategic goals of the hospital.
   • Quality and Safety: Implementing practices that ensure patient safety and improve care quality.
   • Evidence-Based Practice and Research: Integrating the latest research findings into clinical practice.
   • Education: Promoting continuous learning and professional development for APRNs.
   • Transformational Professional Practice: Leading change within the healthcare setting.
   • Credentialing and Regulatory Practice: Ensuring compliance with licensing and regulatory standards.

The Three Continuums of APRN Practice

An added strength of the TAPP model is the description of APRN practice along three continuums: clinical expertise, health, and role.

• Clinical Expertise Continuum: Reflecting Benner’s (1984) model of expert practice, this continuum assesses the varying levels of expertise among APRNs, from novice to expert.
• Health Continuum: This continuum covers the range of patient care provided by APRNs, from healthy individuals to those with complex, acute conditions.
• Role Continuum: This continuum describes the progression of APRNs from dependence on colleagues and mentors to assuming more independent roles in patient care and professional domains.

Adaptability of the TAPP APRN Model

While the TAPP model is designed primarily for APRNs, it has been noted that the model can be adapted to include physician assistants. This adaptability raises questions about the emphasis on APRN-specific practice models. However, it also opens the door for interdisciplinary collaboration, which can enhance patient outcomes.

Table: Overview of the Texas Children’s Hospital TAPP APRN Model

Learn more about the Texas Children’s Hospital TAPP APRN Model

FAQs

Q: What is the Texas Children’s Hospital TAPP APRN Model?
A: The TAPP APRN Model is an advanced practice nursing model developed by Texas Children’s Hospital. It builds on the Strong Memorial Hospital model and includes additional domains such as quality and safety, and credentialing and regulatory practice.

Q: How does the TAPP APRN Model differ from the Strong Memorial Hospital model?
A: The TAPP model adds two new domains—quality and safety, and credentialing and regulatory practice—while also emphasizing a family-centered care approach. It also includes three continuums (clinical expertise, health, and role) that further define APRN practice.

Q: Can the TAPP APRN Model be applied to all APRN roles?
A: While the model is primarily designed for APRNs, it has been noted that it can be adapted to include physician assistants, although this may dilute the APRN-specific focus.

Q: What are the professional development domains in the TAPP APRN Model?
A: The professional development domains include organizational priorities, quality and safety, evidence-based practice and research, education, transformational professional practice, and credentialing and regulatory practice.

Q: Why is the TAPP APRN Model important?
A: The TAPP APRN Model is important because it provides a comprehensive framework for APRNs to deliver high-quality, family-centered care while also advancing their professional development and ensuring compliance with regulatory standards.