Abstract
In Africa, health systems will collapse without nurses. The growth of APN programs in Africa is indicative of the recognition of this role in the roll out of universal healthcare. This chapter highlights the development of the Advanced Practice Nursing role in Africa with examples from many of the countries including a description of the origins of the role, educational programs, and legislation or policies that promoted its development. Key leadership actions are highlighted including the role of key stakeholders in the region. While Africa has many challenges, including limited resources, opposition from the medical profession, inefficient regulations and policies, and lack of benchmark educational programs, it also has many opportunities for expansion of the APN role. These opportunities are highlighted including the influence of nursing leaders and other stakeholders as well as through increased resources for health.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Change history
07 October 2020
Perspective, Advanced Practice in Nursing,
Bibliography
Ahmed M, Vellani CW, Awiti AO, Ahmed M, Vellani CW. Medical education: meeting the challenge of implementing primary health care in sub-saharan Africa. Infect Dis Clin N Am. 2011;25(January):411–20. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.idc.2011.02.011.
Anathan J. Family nurse practitioners: essential to eswatini’s health. Boston: Seed Global Health; 2018. https://seedglobalhealth.org/family-nurse-practitioners-essential-to-eswatinis-health/#.XN1eBhQzapo. Accessed 16 May 2019.
Asuquo EF, Etowa J, John M, Ndiok A, Sampson-Akpan P, Edet O. Assessing nurses’ capacity for health research and policy engagement in Nigeria. J Appl Med Sci. 2013;2(4):35–51.
Bryant-Lukosius D, DiCenso A. A framework for the introduction and evaluation of advanced practice nursing roles. J Adv Nurs. 2004;48(5):530–40. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2648.2004.03235.x.
Christmals CD. The development of an advanced practice nursing (child health nurse practitioner) curriculum framework for sub-Saharan Africa: a multi-method study. Johannesburg: University of Witwatersrand; 2018. http://wiredspace.wits.ac.za/handle/10539/25599.
Christmals CD, Aziato L, Ditlopo P, Rispel L. “We are not doing too well” Factors that influence nurses’ ability to provide leadership for universal health coverage reforms in Ghana. In: 2nd International Leadership Conference, Accra; 2019. p. 1–15.
Coetzee M, McKerrow NH, Chimwaza A, Molyneux E, North N, Sieberhagen S. Building paediatric nurse training capacity for Africa, in Africa. Lancet Glob Health. 2016;4(7):e449–50. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2214-109X(16)30063-8.
Dlamini CP, Kaplan L, Stuart-Shor E, Mathunjwa-Dlamini TR. Report on the landscape assessment of readiness to introduce the family nurse practitioner role in Swaziland. Mbabane: Seed Global Health; 2018. http://seedglobalhealth.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Landscape-Assessment-Report-Final.pdf.
Dlamini CP, Khumalo T, Nkwanyana N, Mathunjwa-Dlamini T, Macera L. Nsibandze BS, Kaplan L, Stuart-Shor EM. Developing and implementing the Family Nurse Practitioner Role in Eswatini: Implications for education, practice and policy. Global Health. 2020;86(1):50, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.5334/aogh.2813.
Duma S, Dipenaar J, Bhengu B, Oosthuizen A, Philips M, Naude S, Uys LR. Specialist and advanced specialist nursing and midwifery practice. Trends Nurs. 2012;1(1).
East LA, Arudo J, Loefler M, Evans CM. Exploring the potential for advanced nursing practice role development in Kenya: a qualitative study. BMC Nurs. 2014;13(1):33. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-014-0033-y.
Fairall L, Bachmann MO, Lombard C, Timmerman V, Uebel K, Zwarenstein M, et al. Task shifting of antiretroviral treatment from doctors to primary-care nurses in South Africa (STRETCH): a pragmatic, parallel, cluster-randomised trial. Lancet. 2012;380(9845):889–98. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(12)60730-2.
GCNM. Ghana college of nurses and midwives: what we do. 2019. http://www.gcnm.edu.gh/about_us/what_we_do.php. Accessed 19 May 2019.
Geyer N. Enabling legislation in diagnosis and prescribing of medicine by nurses/health practitioners. Curationis. 2001;24(4):a873. https://doi.org/10.4102/curationis.v24i4.873.
GhanaWeb. University of Development Studies to run courses in nursing. General News 1999-05-24. 1999. https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/University-of-Development-Studies-to-run-courses-in-nursing-6884. Accessed 22 May 2019.
INEPEA. Advanced nursing practice competence/capability in East Africa. 2008. https://www.building-leadership-for-health.org.uk/app/download/3727593/01+INEPEA+Competence+and+Capability+course+framework.pdf.
International Council of Nurses. Nurses: a force for change. Geneva: International Council of Nurses; 2015a. http://www.denosa.org.za/DAdmin/upload/news/IND_2015-Eng1.pdf.
International Council of Nurses. Nursing and health policy perspectives. Int Nurs Rev. 2015b:283–4.
Joel LA. Advanced practice nursing : essentials for role development. 4th ed. Philadelphia: F.A. Davis Company; 2017. https://books.google.co.za/books?id=alE8DwAAQBAJ&pg=PA61&lpg=PA61&dq=In+1981,+Botswana+established+the+first+FNP+Program+in+Africa&source=bl&ots=idmG998smc&sig=ACfU3U2jKH25kP6fXJTwCpe6CT70r_XXSw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwimh9D3v5jiAhX0tHEKHWvVCwEQ6AEwAXoECAkQ.
Kleinpell R, Scanlon A, Hibbert D, Ganz FD, East L, Fraser D, et al. Addressing issues impacting advanced nursing practice worldwide. Online J Issues Nurs. 2014;19(2):1–12. https://doi.org/10.3912/OJIN.Vol19No02Man05.
Kober K, Van Damme W. Public sector nurses in Swaziland: can the downturn be reversed? Hum Resour Health. 2006;4:1–11. https://doi.org/10.1186/1478-4491-4-13.
Kolars JC, Cahill K, Donkor P, Kaaya E, Lawson A, Serwadda D, Sewankambo NK. Partnering for medical education in sub-Saharan Africa: seeking the evidence for effective collaborations. Acad Med. 2012;87(2):216–20. https://doi.org/10.1097/ACM.0b013e31823ede39.
Kunaviktikul W. Nursing and health policy perspectives. Int Nurs Rev. 2014;61:1–2.
Mathunjwa M, Potgieter E. The roles of family nurse practitioners (FNPs) in Swaziland and their needs for continuing education. Afr J Nurs Midwifery. 2004;6(2):13–9. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=cin20&AN=106474613&site=ehost-live.
Msuya M, Blood-Siegfried J, Chugulu J, Kidayi P, Sumaye J, Machange R, et al. Descriptive study of nursing scope of practice in rural medically underserved areas of Africa, south of the Sahara. Int J Afr Nurs Sci. 2017;6:74–82. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.IJANS.2017.04.003.
Mtuya CC, Blood-Siegfried J. Development of the NP Role in Tanzania. In: 10th ICN NP/APN conference. Rotterdam, Netherlands; 2018. pp. 1–20. http://www.npapn2018.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/88-Development-of-the-nurse-practitioner-role-in-Tanzania.pdf.
Mwangi SW. How international council of nurses can export advanced registered nurse practitioner policies to Africa. Geneva. 2017. http://www.icn.ch/forum/viewtopic.php?f=47&t=780&sid=10aef347f40dc3f4be5a329b712a1a55.
N&MC. Nurse practitioners. 2014. http://nmcgh.org/t3f/en/training-institutions/80-professionals/13-workshop-for-nurse-practitioners. Accessed 19 May 2019.
Picard LA. Rural development in Botswana: administrative structures and public policy. J Dev Areas. 1979;13(3):283–300. Published by: College of Business, Tennessee State University. Rural Development in Botswana: Administrative Structures and Pub. https://www.jstor.org/stable/4190662.
Pulcini J, Jelic M, Gul R, Loke AY. An international survey on advanced practice nursing education, practice, and regulation. J Nurs Scholarsh. 2010;42(1):31–9. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1547-5069.2009.01322.x.
Rispel LC. Transforming nursing policy, practice and management in South Africa. Glob Health Action. 2015;1(28005):8–11.
Rispel LC, Blaauw D, Chirwa T, de Wet K. Factors influencing agency nursing and moonlighting among nurses in South Africa. Glob Health Action. 2014;7(1):23585. https://doi.org/10.3402/gha.v7.23585.
Sanne I, Orrell C, Fox MP, Conradie F, Ive P, Zeinecker J, et al. Nurse versus doctor management of HIV-infected patients receiving antiretroviral therapy (CIPRA-SA): a randomised non-inferiority trial. Lancet. 2010;376(9734):33–40. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(10)60894-X.
Sastre-Fullana P, de Pedro-Gomez J, Bennasar-Veny M, Serrano-Gallardo P, Morales-Asencio J. Competency frameworks for advanced nursing practice: a literature review. Int Nurs Rev. 2014;61:534–42. https://doi.org/10.1002/2327-6924.12444.
Schober M. Introduction to advanced nursing practice. An International Focus. Prepared under the auspices of the ICN. Cham: Springer; 2016.
Seed Global Health. Training a generation of liberian nurse anesthetists. Boston: Seed Global Health; 2017. https://seedglobalhealth.org/2795-2/#.XNptdRQzapo. Accessed 14 May 2019.
Sietio OS. The family nurse practitioner in Botswana: issues and challenges. In: The 8th international nurse practitioner conference in San Diego, California, USA. (267); 2000. pp. 1–8. https://international.aanp.org/Content/docs/Botswana.pdf.
Terry B, Bisanzo M, McNamara M, Dreifuss B, Chamberlain S, Nelson SW, et al. Task shifting: meeting the human resources needs for acute and emergency care in Africa. Afr J Emerg Med. 2012;2(4):182–7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.afjem.2012.06.005.
Tong B. Describing the health care needs of school-age children in sub-Saharan Africa in order to develop a model of a nurse-run school-based health clinic. Yale School of Nursing Digital Theses. Yale University. 2015. http://elischolar.library.yale.edu/ysndt/1044.
Wolf L, Brysiewicz P, Lobue N, Heyns T, Bell SA, Coetzee I, et al. Developing a framework for emergency nursing practice in Africa. Afr J Emerg Med. 2012;2(4):174–81. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.afjem.2012.09.001.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2020 Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Geyer, N., Christmals, C.D. (2020). Advanced Practice Nursing in Africa. In: Hassmiller, S.B., Pulcini, J. (eds) Advanced Practice Nursing Leadership: A Global Perspective. Advanced Practice in Nursing. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-20550-8_6
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-20550-8_6
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-20549-2
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-20550-8
eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)