ADVANCED NURSING PRACTICE: PART 1 OF 2: Understanding advanced nursing practice

Rolfe, Gary

Gary Rolfe is professor of practice development and innovation, College of Human and Health Sciences, Swansea University.

• This article has been double-blind peer reviewed

Nursing Times 110(27):p 20-23, July 2, 2014.

The advanced nurse practitioner role should be re-examined to ensure it advances nursing skills rather than plugging gaps created by a shortage of doctors

In this article…

» Why we must debate the concept of advanced nursing practice

» The history of advanced practice

» Controversy of the development of the advanced nursing role

Abstract

Rolfe G (2014) Advanced nursing practice 1: understanding advanced nursing practice. Nursing Times; 110: 27, 20–23.

Articles published in Nursing Times in 2012 presented the role of the advanced nurse practitioner as an extension into the territory of junior doctors in response to pressures in healthcare resources. This article traces the history of advanced practice and suggests that a more appropriate model, post Francis report, should focus on fundamental skills and core nursing values. Rather than attempting to plug a gap created by a shortage of doctors by developing medical skills, nurses should value and promote advanced nursing practice, which is driven by patients’ needs for the care that doctors are unable and unskilled to provide.