FOUR CATEGORIES of the NURSING CARE CONTINUUM: DEFINITIONS, COMPETENCES & QUALIFICATIONS Healthcare Assistant (HCA) General Care Nurse (GCN) Specialist Nurse (SN) Advanced Nurse Practitioner (ANP) Definition (in line with ICN definitions and modernised Directive 2005/36/EU, Directive 2013/55/EU) An auxiliary that assists the nurse directly in nursing care in institutional or community settings under the standards and the direct or indirect supervision of the general care nurse. A self-regulated health care professional who autonomously and in collaboration with others and who has completed a nursing education programme and is qualified and authorised in his/her country to practise as a general care nurse. Has successfully completed a programme of A nurse prepared on advance level and authorised to practice as a specialist with specific expertise in a branch of the nursing field A general care nurse who has advanced knowledge base, complex decision making skills and clinical competencies for expanded clinical practice on advanced level; the characteristics of which are shaped by the context and/or country in which s/he is
education approved by the nursing board/council; has passed the required assessments established by the nursing board/council for entry into the profession; continues to meet the standards of the nursing board/council (ref. art 31, modernised Directive 2005/36/EC) credentialed to practice Work Development: EFN Country Report on 4 Categories in Nursing Care + Recommendations CONTEC Modernised Directive 2005/36/EC: Art 31 EFN Country Report on 4 Categories in Nursing Care EFN Country Report on 4 Categories in Nursing Care + ENS4Care WP4 + OECD Specific Competences • To work under the delegation and supervision of nurses to support • To independently diagnose the nursing care • To analyse complex clinical problems with • To autonomously examine, diagnose and
nursing care and administration • To support nurses with the preparation and delivery of diagnostic and treatment interventions. • To monitor basic patient vital and other signs and progress as indicated by the nurse and report to her/him as appropriate. • To support patients and citizens with activities of daily living, including hygiene, comfort, and mobilisation and feeding needs. • To convey routine information to required using current theoretical and clinical knowledge and to plan, organise and implement nursing care when treating patients on the basis of the knowledge and skills acquired in order to improve professional practice. • To work together effectively with other actors in the health sector, including participation in the practical training of health personnel on the basis of the the use of relevant knowledge, diagnose, initiate and evaluate treatment for patients in a multi professional arena, within the field of specialisation following agreed protocols. • To operate within an extended practice role in order to carry out advanced treatment, diagnostic and invasive interventions as related to the field of specialisation. prescribe therapeutic interventions, including prescribing medication and actively monitoring the effectiveness of treatment for patients. • To be accountable and responsible for clinical at advanced practice level through caseload management for individual patients, families and communities. • To identify risk
patients/citizens and relatives. • To communicate promptly and accurately with nurses and other health professionals in ensuring the delivery of quality and safe patient care. • To work together with nurses and other health professionals in supporting the delivery of basic patient care. • To identify what is normal concerning patient and citizen wellbeing through experience and instruction, and report that which knowledge and skills acquired. • To empower individuals, families and groups towards healthy lifestyles and self-care on the basis of the knowledge and skills acquired. • To independently initiative measures and to carry out measures in crises and disaster situations. • To independently give advice to, instruct and support persons needing care and their • To identify health promotion and education needs for patients within the field of specialisation and develop and implement strategies as appropriate. • To keep abreast of technological developments and educate nurses, other health professionals and patient groups about advancements in the field of specialisation. • To further develop the communicative skills and be able of formulating prevention and health promotion priorities in order to develop and implement relevant strategies within a wider public health agenda. • To guide, counsel and educate other health professionals about latest practice innovations, act as a mentor and role model, and actively engage in knowledge transfer with patient communities. • To communicate
is out with normal to nurses. attachment figures; • To independently assure quality of and to evaluate nursing care. • To comprehensively communicate professionally and to cooperate with members of the other professions in the health sector. • To analyse the care quality to improve the own professional practice as a general care nurse. and communicating complex clinical issues to patients, relatives and other health professionals, to identify health, and nursing needs of patients and develop appropriate care and treatment plans in a arena. • To lead and coordinate the treatment of patients in the field of specialisation to ensure continuity and fullness of care. assertively and contribute equally to at clinical, management and policy level, including the allocation of health funds. • To autonomously perform comprehensive health assessment and use professional judgement to refer patients requiring specialist attention to other health professionals and agencies as appropriate.• To initiate and lead on
• To evaluate and undertake audit of the field of specialisation to ensure the delivery of quality and safe nursing care. • To think critically and contribute to the continuous development of the field of specialisation and practice, through participation in professional development and research programmes. changes in healthcare service in response to patient need and service demand in order to ensure the continuous quality improvement of the service. • To identify research priorities, and to lead, conduct and disseminate research findings that shape and advance nursing practice, education and policy. Transversal skills Thinking skills and competences: “creative &entrepreneurial thinking”, “critical thinking”, “learning”, “planning own work”, etc.