Chief Nurse Blog: Nursing Matters September 2022
I had the honour of attending the 12th ICN Nurse Practitioner/Advanced Practice Nurse Network (ICN NP/APN) Conference in Dublin, Ireland from 21-24 August. The warm Irish welcome extended was authentic and appreciated, and I am smiling and reminiscing while typing this blog. Over 600 delegates from 61 countries enjoyed the picturesque University College Dublin campus.
Special thanks to the Irish Nurses and Midwives Association (INMO) who collaborated with the Irish Association of Advanced Nurse Midwife Practitioners (IAANMP) to host the ICN NP/APN Conference. The international event marked 26 years of Advanced Nursing and Midwifery practice in Ireland and showcased advancements and evidence informed practices to support global health, address inequalities, lead innovation in health care delivery, and build a global health APN workforce around the world. Thank you to the Jhpiego President and CEO Dr Leslie Mancuso for attending and generously sponsoring the lively APN welcome reception. The gala dinner at the Guinness Storehouse was fun, enriching, quenching and delicious!
The silent auction was a huge success. Thank you to all the delegates who generously provided country auction items or purchased items. We collectively raised money to support low-middle income bursaries for the next ICN NP/APN Conference on 9-11 September 2024, in Aberdeen, Scotland. Congratulations to the two deserving bursary winners Edna Tallon and Eunice Ndirangun Muga.
My keynote at the Conference highlighted my personal NP journey and diversity of practice to strengthen systems and advance primary health care. In particular, NP-led geriatric care teams and innovating the NP as the most responsible provider for hospital inpatients from admission to discharge demonstrated value add and quality, evidence informed care. ICN recognises that now is the time to advocate, invest and leverage nurse led models of care locally to globally.
I have witnessed the inspiring knowledge, expertise, and unity of the ICN NP/APN Network as well as their individual and collective reach, influence, impact, volunteerism and global support. Special gratitude is extended to the Core Steering Group: Daniela Lehwaldt (Chair), Josette Roussel, Karen Moore, Misuzu Nakamura, Melanie Rogers, Noriyo Colley, Elissa Ladd, Heather McGraw, Marion Clark, Emily Lockwood, Mina Miller, Marie Lynn Bournival, Deborah Gray, Minjzi Li, Sini Hamalainen, and Zhou Wentao.
I participated in the interactive Certification of Specialized Practice for APN Nursing Roles preconference workshop, seeking input from international stakeholders on scoping review findings and recommendations regarding the specialty certification of APNs. Certification is one of the four essential elements for credentialing, along with licensure, registration and accreditation of education programmes. As ICN Chief Nurse, policy partner and a member of the Advisory Committee, I wish to thank the Canadian Centre for Advance Practice Nursing Research (CAPNR) and the international project team faculty facilitation by Denise Bryant-Lukosius (co-director), Nancy Carter, Ruth Martin-Misener, Minna Miller, Erin Ziegler and doctoral students Consuelo Caron Mackay and Samantha Horvath. Establishing greater international consistency for credentialing APNs is essential to deliver safe high-quality care, promote role clarity and facilitate mobility across countries. ICN has an agreement with McMaster University for a research project entitled *Regulation – Certification of Specialized Practice for Advanced Practice Nursing Roles” in which McMaster will provide options for ICN to consider on the certification of specialised nurses working in advanced roles with a regulation focus on clinical nurse specialists, nurse practitioners and generically titled advanced practice nurses.
It was fantastic having our Springer partners in Dublin, Nathalie Lhorset-Poulain and Christophe Debout. You can still enjoy our ICN APN Series with the discount code - ICN2021 – for 20% off your books!
I am reissuing the unique opportunity to submit to the International Nursing Review (INR): APN Special Issue. This special issue brings together APN case studies as regional/country exemplars including experiences and innovations in practice, including APN-led services and original research. The aim is to highlight APNs’ contributions to the SDGs of Clinical Nurse Specialists and Nurse Practitioners and other APN roles and practices. We will review abstracts relating to the following six pillars:
- APN Leadership
- APN Education and Mentoring
- APN Jobs/Roles
- APN Service delivery & safety across sectors
- APN Health work force Investments / Value for money
- APN responding to Covid & Disasters
Submission, which ends 31 December, should be made through the INR online editorial portal under the article type: Special Issue: Advance Practice Nursing
Globally yours,
Michelle
Dr Michelle Acorn
ICN Chief Nurse, DNP, NP PHC/Adult, CGNC, FCAN, FAAN