A time for international standards?: comparing the Emergency Nurse Practitioner role in the UK, Australia and New Zealand

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to compare the Emergency Nurse Practitioner (ENP) role in the UK, Australia and New Zealand. Whilst geographically distant, the role of the ENP within these three countries shares fundamental similarities, causing us to question, is this a time to implement international standards for the role? The ENP role in all three countries is gradually establishing itself, yet there are shared concerns over how the role is regulated and deficits in standardisation of scope of practice and educational level. Together these issues generate confusion over what the ENP role embodies. One method of demystifying the ENP role would be to progress towards international standards for regulation, education and core components of practice.