Advanced Nursing Practice: Exploring Roles and Opportunities is a practical yet complete introduction to all aspects of the advanced practice nursing role including competencies, practice, reimbursement, and leadership. Because authors Dr. Hart and Dr. Bell realize that streamlined pathways continue to be developed that aid nurses in obtaining graduate degrees quickly, they have strived to create a text that is manageable within compressed time frames while also ensuring students master all of the critical knowledge expected of Advanced Practice Nurses through thoughtful aligned to AACN\u2019s Essentials competencies and with core competencies in specialty areas. The authors have achieved a manageable text through concise writing and an unwavering focus on need-to-know content. Dr. Hart and Dr. Bell have created a one-stop text for practical application of all advanced practice roles. In addition to the commonly covered roles— including certified nurse anesthetists (CRNAs), certified nurse midwives (CNMs), clinical specialists (CNSs), and nurse practitioners (NPs and DNPs)—the authors will also address nursing education and nursing administration. Gone are the days of instructors supplementing additional information to cover these specialties! Dr. Hart and Dr. Bell provide nurses with an authoritative source for not only knowing what career choices are available, but to gain insight into and appreciation for the realities of the role. Part I addresses the driving forces and policy shaping Advanced Practice Roles. They authors provide an overview of current challenges within the U.S. health system that increase the needs for nurses with advanced degrees. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing\u2019s (AACN) Essentials of Master\u2019s Education for Advanced Practice Nursing (2011) and Essentials of Doctoral Education for Advanced Nursing Practice (2006) are covered to present differentiation of educational competencies that are required as the nurse moves from a generalist, undergraduate role to a specialized, graduate-prepared role. Also covered are considerations in education that include degree options, post-master\u2019s certificates, licensure, certification, and the need for continuing education. Parts II, III, and IV presents each of the three types of roles – educator, administrator, and clinical. In defining each of these, information—specific to each role—is provided. The authors discuss the various populations served by each type of advanced practice nurse as well as the different practice settings in which you would find each type of advanced practice nurses. Professional competencies are reviewed as a means of identifying scope and standards of practice. Various Nurse Practitioner roles, including certified Nurse Midwife, Clinical Nurse Leaders, and Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist are presented along with their corresponding core competencies. Unique to this text is the attention given to the Educator and administrator roles, fully exploring professional requirements, competencies, and certification. Educational and administrative roles each have a separate chapter with review of core competencies as a certified nurse educator and nurse executive. Licensure and certification requirements for each advanced practice role are covered. Each chapter in these sections have the standard format of a discussion of what is involved in the role and sub-specialization opportunities, a review of settings in which they practice, types of populations and services that would be encountered. This consistency in informational layout is a bonus to educators who can then create assignments that allow for individualization in career choice within the same assignment parameters. Part V , The Leadership Journey, recognizes that attaining advanced professional roles is an evolving process and not a destination. This section o