Nurse practitioners in the United Kingdom: some considerations of the literature.
This article identifies issues leading up to changes in British health care and addresses the literature surrounding specialist and advanced nursing practice. American literature on advanced nursing practice includes specialist nurses and nurse practitioners (NPs), whereas the British debate isolates specialist and advanced nursing practice. The credentialing, regulation, and titling of advanced nursing practice in the United Kingdom is in abeyance while discussions address how specialist practice can encompass both clinical nurse specialists and NPs. Care is therefore required when making cross-cultural comparisons of advanced nursing practice. The problems associated with lack of clarity in the preparation and assessment of the advanced nurse practitioner are highlighted, and questions are raised about the nonacademically prepared experienced nurse clinician. Issues of NP accountability and responsibility are addressed.
Offredy
M
M
University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, England. M.V.Offredy@herts.ac.uk
D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D006801:Humans; D007587:Job Description; D009720:Nurse Clinicians / Q000193:education* / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009722:Nurse Practitioners / Q000193:education* / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006113:United Kingdom; D014481:United States