title: The first nurse practitioner graduate programme in Japan.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This paper describes the establishment of the first Japanese nurse practitioner graduate programme and legislative activities to institutionalize nurse practitioners in Japan.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  To address the super-ageing population, Oita University of Nursing and Health Sciences initiated the first academic graduate level nurse practitioner programme in Japan, based upon the global standard defined by the International Council of Nurses.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In 2010, Oita University of Nursing and Health Sciences graduated the first nurse practitioner. We believe that nurse practitioners will be highly valued in Japan for thoughtful nursing care to the fragile elders living in rural and urban Japan.
authors.affiliation: The Center for Nursing Education, Research and Collaboration, Oita University of Nursing and Health Sciences, Oita, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fukuda
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Miyauchi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tonai
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ono
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Magilvy
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Murashima
mesh_terms: D003406:Credentialing / Q000458:organization & administration; D004511:Education, Nursing, Graduate / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D009722:Nurse Practitioners / Q000193:education*
keywords: Homecare; Nurse Practitioner; Nurse Practitioner Education; Nursing Homes; Super-Ageing Populations