What is International Practice for mid-level practitioners

painslayer · May 15, 2005

How are mid-level practitioners viewed internationally?
If an NP moved to Europe, would she be able to practice independently?
I realize that things are different in different countries, but in the Western countries, ISTM, they try to have some parity.
What does the UN say?
Thanks,
NurseFirst

No, the only places that accept NP are US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and England. Anywhere else you have to go to a medical school to practice medicine (even if you decide to call it "advanced nursing."). In Europe, we do not let politics cloud our senses and have lay persons practice medicine.

suzanne4, RN · May 15, 2005

The UN has no voice in what rulings that each country has, as to the health care offered in its own country, as well as who can provide that care.

Nurse Practitioners, as well as Physican Assistants, are not recognized all over the world, actually only in a few countries.

You do see midwives practicing in quite a few countries, but they are not considered advanced practice nurses in most. In Thailand, the RN does most of the deliveries at the government hospitals (90% of all facilities) and they are not considered midwives. Their salaries are the same as the regular floor nurses in the same facilities.

fergus51 · May 15, 2005

. In Europe, we do not let politics cloud our senses and have lay persons practice medicine.

I hope you don't really think that NPs are lay persons.

Midwives seem to be the one universally accepted role, but like Suzanne said many countries see them just like regular nurses and not advanced practice ones like we do in the US.

zenman · May 15, 2005

In Europe, we do not let politics cloud our senses and have lay persons practice medicine.

That's why all of us exciting people moved over on this side of the pond. :chuckle

patnshan · May 16, 2005

PA's have been gradually getting into England and Canada, but nowhere else except for US run third world country clinics.

Actually, there is currently a program involving PA's spending time with doctors in England, as they are developing there own PA model there.

PA's in the UK _ BMJ 2004

PA's in the UK (2)

Pat

NurseFirst · May 16, 2005

So, only in 3rd world countries, where the U.S. runs the clinics, are PAs recognized? What about APNs? Are they used in 3rd world countries in U.S.-run clinics?

I thought that in places like Africa and other places where there are darn few docs that they trained "health workers" who did some "medical" kinds of things. (Talk about practicing medicine by a lay person...)

NurseFirst

suzanne4, RN · May 16, 2005

In Africa, in some of the more rural areas, there are people in the village who have been trained by an experienced physician or nurse, but they have not been thru an "approved nursing curriculum." Their training is not tranferable to another country.

Just because a mid-wife hasn't been to nursing school, doesn't mean that she isn't functional to deliver a baby. You are talking of areas of the world where having anyone there to help is considered a plus.

Not sure exactly what information that you are asking for.........can you be more specific? Is this something that you are wanting to do later on?

lalaxton · May 24, 2005

You may be able to find more information on this subject at the International Council of Nurses website. (icn.org) The most recent IPN/ANP Newsletter (May 2005) not yet available on the website' has articles about NP's in Thailand, Bahrain, and Hong Kong to name a few, so we truly are going global!

suzanne4, RN · May 24, 2005

I lived in Thailand, and though there are a few nurse practitioners that actually trained over here, you don't see them practicing like you do here. The ones that I personally know are all teaching in BSN programs, nothing more at this time.

Currently, the rural clinics are using equivalent of an LPN or RN, and that may be the only provider of any type of healthcare.