Guidelines on Prescriptive Authority for Nurses 2021

[First paragraph] Nurse prescribing has existed for over 50 years in some regions of the world. The diverse global nurse prescriptive authority landscape will be highlighted in this important publication. A framework embedding core components for safe and competent prescribers necessitates appropriate education, aligned regulatory authority and continuing professional development to uphold competencies. Evidence-informed models of nurse prescribing will weave in organisational and team support considerations required

Characteristics of medical deserts and approaches to mitigate their health work-force issues : A scoping review of empirical studies in Western countries

Background Medical deserts are considered a problematic issue for many Western countries which try to employ multitude of policies and initiatives to achieve a better distribution of their health workforce (HWF). The aim of this study was to systematically map research and provide an overview of definitions, characteristics, contributing factors and approaches to mitigate medical deserts within the European Union (EU)-funded project “ROUTE-HWF” (a Roadmap OUT of mEdical deserts into supportive Health WorkForce initiatives and policies). Methods We performed a scoping review to identify knowledge clusters/research gaps in the field of medical deserts focusing on HWF issues. Six databases were searched till June 2021. Studies reporting primary research from Western countries on definitions, characteristics, contributing factors, and approaches were included. Two independent reviewers assessed studies for eligibility, extracted data and clustered studies according to the four defined outcomes. Results Two-hundred and forty studies were included (n = 116, 48% Australia/New Zealand; n = 105, 44% North America; n = 20, 8% Europe). All used observational designs except for five quasi-experimental studies. Studies provided definitions (n = 171, 71%), characteristics (n = 95, 40%), contributing factors (n = 112, 47%), and approaches to mitigate medical deserts (n = 87, 36%). Most medical deserts were defined by the density of the population in an area. Contributing factors to HWF issues in medical deserts consisted in work-related (n = 55, 23%) and lifestyle-related factors (n = 33, 14%) of the HWF as well as sociodemographic characteristics (n = 79, 33%). Approaches to mitigate them focused on training adapted to the scope of rural practice (n = 67, 28%), HWF distribution (n = 3, 1%), support/infrastructure (n = 8, 3%) and innovative models of care (n = 7, 3%). Conclusion Our study provides the first scoping review that presents and categorizes definitions, characteristics, contributing factors, and approaches to mitigate HWF issues in medical deserts. We identified gaps such as the scarcity of longitudinal studies to investigate the impact of factors contributing to medical deserts, and interventional studies to evaluate the effectiveness of approaches to mitigate HWF issues.©2023 Authors. Published by Kerman University of Medical Sciences. Reusing and publishing IJHPM published articles (main text, tables, and figures) is permitted by following Creative Commons user license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.fi=vertaisarvioitu|en=peerReviewed

A call for action to establish a research agenda for building a future health workforce in Europe

This Call for Action is closely linked to the European Public Health Association (EUPHA) and its new section ‘Health Workforce Research’. The idea was first developed during a pre-conference and two workshops at the EUPHA Conference in November 2016 in Vienna and further investigated at the EUPHA Conference in November 2017. We wish to thank all participants for inspiring discussions and for sharing ideas and knowledge.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

A new skilled emigration dynamic: Portuguese nurses and recruitment in the southern European periphery

Philippine and Indian nurses have been emigrating for many years, but Portu-guese nurses and other South and East Europeans have recently started to replace them in the UK. This study focuses on the recent migration of Portuguese nurses – both as emigrants and immigrants – within the European area. The research mixes extensive and intensive methodologies. Health agencies start-ed to recruit heavily among Portuguese nurses after 2008, which often led to their decision to leave the country with a guaranteed job abroad. In turn, this dynamic of emigration being motived by institutional and recruitment networks was caused by a structural factor: the barriers erected in 2010 by UK immigration pol-icies against the contracting of nurses from outside the EU, which led the job agencies to search for nurses inside Europe. The chapter’s main finding is that alt-hough the push factor of economic recession and increased unemployment that hit the European periphery after the 2008 financial crisis played a role in the out-flow of Portuguese nurses, it was the pull factor that was more significant. The second finding is that this new mass emigration of nurses is not just a Portuguese phenomenon but rather is in keeping with other Southern and East European pe-ripheral countries.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Nurse prescribing of medicines in Western European and Anglo-Saxon countries: a systematic review of the literature

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>A growing number of countries are introducing some form of nurse prescribing. However, international reviews concerning nurse prescribing are scarce and lack a systematic and theoretical approach. The aim of this review was twofold: firstly, to gain insight into the scientific and professional literature describing the extent to and the ways in which nurse prescribing has been realised or is being introduced in Western European and Anglo-Saxon countries; secondly, to identify possible mechanisms underlying the introduction and organisation of nurse prescribing on the basis of Abbott's theory on the division of professional labor.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A comprehensive search of six literature databases and seven websites was performed without any limitation as to date of publication, language or country. Additionally, experts in the field of nurse prescribing were consulted. A three stage inclusion process, consisting of initial sifting, more detailed selection and checking full-text publications, was performed independently by pairs of reviewers. Data were synthesized using narrative and tabular methods.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>One hundred and twenty-four publications met the inclusion criteria. So far, seven Western European and Anglo-Saxon countries have implemented nurse prescribing of medicines, viz., Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, Sweden, the UK and the USA. The Netherlands and Spain are in the process of introducing nurse prescribing. A diversity of external and internal forces has led to the introduction of nurse prescribing internationally. The legal, educational and organizational conditions under which nurses prescribe medicines vary considerably between countries; from situations where nurses prescribe independently to situations in which prescribing by nurses is only allowed under strict conditions and supervision of physicians.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Differences between countries are reflected in the jurisdictional settlements between the nursing and medical professions concerning prescribing. In some countries, nurses share (full) jurisdiction with the medical profession, whereas in other countries nurses prescribe in a subordinate position. In most countries the jurisdiction over prescribing remains predominantly with the medical profession. There seems to be a mechanism linking the jurisdictional settlements between professions with the forces that led to the introduction of nurse prescribing. Forces focussing on efficiency appear to lead to more extensive prescribing rights.</p

Skill-mix Innovation, Effectiveness and Implementation : Improving Primary and Chronic Care

Maier CB, Kroezen M, Busse R, Wismar M, eds. Skill-mix Innovation, Effectiveness and Implementation : Improving Primary and Chronic Care. European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies. Cambridge Univ. Pr.; 2022.What are skill-mix innovations and why are they relevant? This systemic analysis of health workforce skill-mix innovations provides an overview of the evidence and lessons for implementation across multiple countries. The authors focus on six core segments of health systems: health promotion and prevention, acute care, chronic care, long-term and palliative care, as well as access for vulnerable groups and people living in underserved areas. In addition, the book analyses the roles of educational systems, workforce planning and policy, and financing within individual countries' healthcare organisations from a cross-country perspective. Although implementing skill-mix changes may be prone to stakeholder opposition or other barriers, this book helps identify ways to steer the process. The authors ultimately determine what skill-mix innovations exist, who may benefit from the changes and how to implement these changes within health systems. This Open Access title is the sixth book in Cambridge's European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies series

Climbing the mountain: A journey towards promoting self-determination of persons with PIMD

status: publishe