Advanced practice nursing: a concept analysis

Objective: Was to analyze the concept of advanced practice nursing and elucidate the essential elements: attributes, antecedents and consequences. Methods: The methodological reference for the study was the Walker and Avant (2011) concept analysis model, structured by an integrative review of the literature conducted in May and June, 2017. The Scopus, PubMed, CINAHL, Web of Science, Science Direct, Cochrane and Lilacs databases were searched for studies that addressed the term and that were published in Portuguese, English or Spanish. Results: The sample consisted of 33 studies conducted in eight countries and dated from 2000 to 2016, with 56% published in the five-year period of 2011-2016. Eight attributes were identified: Educational preparation at the master's or doctoral level, and specialization in clinical area; Evidence-based practice; Ability to exercise judgement and critical thinking; High level of autonomy; Advanced and comprehensive assessment; Leadership; Capacity for diagnosis, management and administration; and Teaching other nurses. The antecedents and consequences were identified, and a definition of the concept was constructed. Conclusion: Considering that the idea of advanced nursing is expanding worldwide, especially in Latin America, other studies related to Advanced Nursing Practice are recommended. An in-depth understanding of the implementation practice issues in Brazil is necessary, to aide in determining the forthcoming APN concept for the country. This study contributes to that understanding by defining the concept of APN, including its antecedents, attributes, and consequences.