The advanced nurse practitioner in context: Systemic processes

Abstract

Background Healthcare systems are becoming increasingly complex. Systems thinking can help us to understand this complexity and how to apply that understanding to design and evaluate interventions that improve health outcomes. With the current emphasis on developing advanced nursing practice, it is timely to examine systemic processes that characterize ANP systems and their interactions with wider healthcare systems, and how these processes enable and constrain the role. Objective To make explicit the systemic processes that characterize the Advanced Nurse Practitioner (ANP) system and how they enable and constrain the role. Design An interpretive descriptive study. Setting The study was conducted in a large Hospital Group, consisting of eleven acute hospitals, within the Irish Healthcare System. Participants Twenty nine participants, including ANPs, nurses, nurse managers, medics and allied health professionals, participated in the study. Methods Data were collected through seven in‐depth interviews and four focus groups. Data were analyzed using the Organic Systems Framework (OSF), where attention was on language indicative of the processes of individuation, integration, differentiation and homogenization. Results Participants emphasize how ANP systems exert power by individuating and differentiating; however, restrictive regulations and medical control constrain this power. Integration and homogenization are expressed as ANPs encourage and engage in collaborative practice towards common purposes. When hierarchical structures and professional self‐interest dominate, however, these processes are submerged, resulting in unbalanced systems. Conclusion ANP systems realize their power through increased autonomy by individuating and differentiating. Hierarchical structures positioning ANPs in subservient roles should be challenged. Processes of integration and homogenization are expressed in collaborative practices. We recommend that ANPs realize and articulate the value and diversity that they bring to health systems to strengthen their contribution to them. Clinical Relevance Lack of awareness of the systemic processes that enable and constrain the ANP role affects the role's potential contribution to the healthcare system. Systems thinking and employing the OSF as an analysis framework can help us to understand these processes and their implications, and how to apply that understanding to design and evaluate interventions that improve health outcomes.

Clinical supervision experience of nurses in or transitioning to advanced practice: A systematic review

“…Nurse anaesthetists (NAs) found the dual focus on patient safety and patient care challenged NA's situational thinking (Aagaard et al, 2017), increasing the risk to patients, students and NAs themselves. Anesthesiologists within healthcare can inhibit advanced practice, constraining cultural changes in healthcare (Thompson & McNamara, 2023;Wood et al, 2020). According to a scoping review of 54 studies, dedicated organizational support is essential for APNs to develop confidence during the transition to advanced practice (Torrens et al, 2020).…”

Advanced Nurse Practice: Present and Future: Where to now?

“…Recent research posits that ANP/AMPs realise and articulate the value and diversity that they bring to health systems to strengthen their contribution to them. However, widespread education for interdisciplinary partners, policymakers and the public regarding ANP/AMP capacities is needed as lack of awareness of the systemic processes that enable and constrain the ANP/AMP role affects their contribution to healthcare systems [8]. Certainly, organisational culture can constrain ANPs when there are limited supports and a lack of knowledge regarding ANP clinical autonomy [9].…”