Advanced practice nursing in Latin America and the Caribbean: regulation, education and practice

Abstract

Objective: to identify the current state of advanced practice nursing regulation, education and practice in Latin America and the Caribbean and the perception of nursing leaders in the region toward an advanced practice nursing role in primary health care to support Universal Access to Health and Universal Health Coverage initiatives. Method: a descriptive cross-sectional design utilizing a web-based survey of 173 nursing leaders about their perceptions of the state of nursing practice and potential development of advanced practice nursing in their countries, including definition, work environment, regulation, education, nursing practice, nursing culture, and perceived receptiveness to an expanded role in primary health care. Result: the participants were largely familiar with the advanced practice nursing role, but most were unaware of or reported no current existing legislation for the advanced practice nursing role in their countries. Participants reported the need for increased faculty preparation and promotion of curricula reforms to emphasize primary health care programs to train advanced practice nurses. The vast majority of participants believed their countries' populations could benefit from an advanced practice nursing role in primary health care. Conclusion: strong legislative support and a solid educational framework are critical to the successful development of advanced practice nursing programs and practitioners to support Universal Access to Health and Universal Health Coverage initiatives.

Grupos de pesquisa em enfermagem no Brasil: comparação dos perfis de 2006 e 2016

“…Universities and other institutions of higher education are facilitators for the articulation with international researchers, which allows the consolidation of nursing of advanced practices, through the strengthening of decision-making skills, specialized knowledge and clinical competence (10) . In this context, the activities of research and production of new knowledge developed in groups encourage the sectorization by areas of interest, as well as aggregate researchers and professional experts, students and other members interested in the subject, encouraging the theoretical deepening and mastery of practice in their knowledge field (4) .…”

Práticas Avançadas de Enfermagem: percepção de egressos da residência e do mestrado profissional

“…After a first round of discussion, the subjects independently read an article on Advanced Nursing Practice in Latin America and the Caribbean. (12) To facilitate reading due to the short time available, the researcher highlighted the main excerpts that elucidated the definition of advanced nursing practice and how it had been developed in several countries.…”

The euphemism of good practice or advanced nursing practice

“…30,31,33 In Latin America, ANP is still incipient and only now, in the 21st century, through the promotion of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and of researches carried out in educational institutions, its existence has become a possibility. 29,34,35 In some of these realities, such as the United Kingdom, what determines whether a professional will be or not an evaluator/case manager, if he/she will be diagnosing and will be a prescriber of medications, are the guidelines established by the National Health System, not only for the ANP, but for all the professions with these prerogatives 29 , and not the professional councils, as in the case of Medicine and Dentistry in Brazil. However, for this register as a prescriber to occur in the National Health System, it is necessary to acquire capacity for clinical reasoning and the conduct of therapy.…”