Advanced practice nursing initiatives in Africa, moving towards the nurse practitioner role: Experiences from the field

doi:10.1111/inr.12835

. 2024 Jun;71(2):205-210.

doi: 10.1111/inr.12835. Epub 2023 Mar 28.

Advanced practice nursing initiatives in Africa, moving towards the nurse practitioner role: Experiences from the field

Deborah C Gray^{1

2}, Melanie Rogers^{3

4}, Minna K Miller^{5

6

7}

Affiliations

¹ Clinical Associate Professor, Associate Director Graduate Nursing Programs, School of Nursing, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia, USA.
² Deputy Director, ICN Nurse Practitioner/Advanced Practice Nurse Network Global Academy of Research and Enterprise, Geneva, Switzerland.
³ Professor of Advanced Practice, Department of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Huddersfield, Huddersfield, UK.
⁴ Director, ICN Nurse Practitioner/Advanced Practice Nurse Network Global Academy of Research and Enterprise, Geneva, Switzerland.
⁵ Nurse Practitioner, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Respiratory Medicine, BC Children's Hospital, Vancouver, Canada.
⁶ Adjunct Professor, School of Nursing, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
⁷ Project Coordinator, ICN Nurse Practitioner/Advanced Practice Nurse Network Core Steering Group, Geneva, Switzerland.

PMID: 36974885
DOI: 10.1111/inr.12835

Advanced practice nursing initiatives in Africa, moving towards the nurse practitioner role: Experiences from the field

Deborah C Gray et al. Int Nurs Rev. 2024 Jun.

. 2024 Jun;71(2):205-210.

doi: 10.1111/inr.12835. Epub 2023 Mar 28.

Authors

Deborah C Gray^{1

2}, Melanie Rogers^{3

4}, Minna K Miller^{5

6

7}

Affiliations

¹ Clinical Associate Professor, Associate Director Graduate Nursing Programs, School of Nursing, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia, USA.
² Deputy Director, ICN Nurse Practitioner/Advanced Practice Nurse Network Global Academy of Research and Enterprise, Geneva, Switzerland.
³ Professor of Advanced Practice, Department of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Huddersfield, Huddersfield, UK.
⁴ Director, ICN Nurse Practitioner/Advanced Practice Nurse Network Global Academy of Research and Enterprise, Geneva, Switzerland.
⁵ Nurse Practitioner, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Respiratory Medicine, BC Children's Hospital, Vancouver, Canada.
⁶ Adjunct Professor, School of Nursing, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
⁷ Project Coordinator, ICN Nurse Practitioner/Advanced Practice Nurse Network Core Steering Group, Geneva, Switzerland.

PMID: 36974885
DOI: 10.1111/inr.12835

Abstract

Aim: This paper discusses the development and progression of the advanced practice nurse practitioner role in Africa.

Background: Providing adequate primary health care is problematic in Africa. The World Health Organization and International Council of Nurses proposed that nurses, specifically advanced practice nurse practitioners with the requisite skills in disease prevention, diagnosis and management, can be key to solving the primary care issue.

Sources of evidence: This paper utilized publications from PUBMED, CINAHL, policy papers, websites, workgroups, conferences, and the experiences and knowledge of authors involved in leading and moving forward key events and projects.

Discussion: Four African countries have formally adopted the advanced practice nurse practitioner role, with significant interest from countries throughout Africa, and ever-increasing requests for assistance regarding initiation, development and integration of advanced practice roles. Initiatives to advance the roles have been supported by the International Council of Nurses Nurse Practitioner/Advanced Practice Nurse Network and Global Academy of Research and Enterprise. Next steps and projects for future role development are discussed.

Conclusions: There is a progression towards the adoption of the advanced practice nurse practitioner role in Africa, and further mechanisms are suggested to allow full uptake and utilization.

Implications for nursing practice: Prioritization and investment in initiatives implementing nurse practitioner/advanced practice nurse roles in Africa allows nurses to pursue further education, advanced role and leadership opportunities consistent with Nursing Now goals.

Implications for health policy: Implementation of nurse practitioner/advanced practice nurse roles increases the primary care workforce, consistent with recommendations and priorities in the World Health Organization Global Strategic Directions for Nursing and Midwifery 2021-2025 helping countries ensure that nurses optimally contribute to achieving universal health coverage and other population health goals.

Keywords: Advanced Practice Nurse; Advanced Practice Nursing; Africa; Nurse Practitioner; global health; global nursing; health policy; international advanced practice nursing; primary health care; regulation.

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References

REFERENCES

1. Anglophone Africa Advanced Practice Nurse Coalition. (2018) AANPNC report. Available at: [Accessed 12th February 2021]. https://afrophc.org/wp‐content/uploads/2020/11/africa‐apn‐coalition‐proj...
1. Beauchesne, M.A., Honig, J., Sevilla, S., Carryer, J., Debout, C., Ganz, F.D. et al. (2020) A snapshot of clinical educational experiences for advanced practice nurses worldwide. The Nurse Practitioner, 45, 14–22. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.NPR.0000694700.16463.c7
1. Bryant‐Lukosius, D. & Dicenso, A. (2004) A framework for the introduction and evaluation of advanced practice nursing roles. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 48, 530–540. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365‐2648.2004.03235.x
1. Christmals, C.D. (2021) Global APN case studies in spirituality‐ stories of hope from Africa. In M. Rogers (Ed). Spiritual dimensions of advanced practice nursing‐ stories of hope. Geneva: Springer.
1. Christmals, C.D. & Armstrong, S.J. (2019) The essence, opportunities and threats to advanced practice nursing in sub‐Saharan Africa: a scoping review. Heliyon, 5. e02531 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2019.e02531

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[1] Anglophone Africa Advanced Practice Nurse Coalition. (2018) AANPNC report. Available at: [Accessed 12th February 2021]. https://afrophc.org/wp‐content/uploads/2020/11/africa‐apn‐coalition‐proj...

[2] Anglophone Africa Advanced Practice Nurse Coalition. (2018) AANPNC report. Available at: [Accessed 12th February 2021]. https://afrophc.org/wp‐content/uploads/2020/11/africa‐apn‐coalition‐proj...

[3] Beauchesne, M.A., Honig, J., Sevilla, S., Carryer, J., Debout, C., Ganz, F.D. et al. (2020) A snapshot of clinical educational experiences for advanced practice nurses worldwide. The Nurse Practitioner, 45, 14–22. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.NPR.0000694700.16463.c7

[4] Beauchesne, M.A., Honig, J., Sevilla, S., Carryer, J., Debout, C., Ganz, F.D. et al. (2020) A snapshot of clinical educational experiences for advanced practice nurses worldwide. The Nurse Practitioner, 45, 14–22. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.NPR.0000694700.16463.c7

[5] Bryant‐Lukosius, D. & Dicenso, A. (2004) A framework for the introduction and evaluation of advanced practice nursing roles. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 48, 530–540. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365‐2648.2004.03235.x

[6] Bryant‐Lukosius, D. & Dicenso, A. (2004) A framework for the introduction and evaluation of advanced practice nursing roles. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 48, 530–540. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365‐2648.2004.03235.x

[7] Christmals, C.D. (2021) Global APN case studies in spirituality‐ stories of hope from Africa. In M. Rogers (Ed). Spiritual dimensions of advanced practice nursing‐ stories of hope. Geneva: Springer.

[8] Christmals, C.D. (2021) Global APN case studies in spirituality‐ stories of hope from Africa. In M. Rogers (Ed). Spiritual dimensions of advanced practice nursing‐ stories of hope. Geneva: Springer.

[9] Christmals, C.D. & Armstrong, S.J. (2019) The essence, opportunities and threats to advanced practice nursing in sub‐Saharan Africa: a scoping review. Heliyon, 5. e02531 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2019.e02531

[10] Christmals, C.D. & Armstrong, S.J. (2019) The essence, opportunities and threats to advanced practice nursing in sub‐Saharan Africa: a scoping review. Heliyon, 5. e02531 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2019.e02531

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Advanced practice nursing initiatives in Africa, moving towards the nurse practitioner role: Experiences from the field

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Advanced practice nursing initiatives in Africa, moving towards the nurse practitioner role: Experiences from the field

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