Advanced practice nurses: Analysis of their role from a multicentre cross-sectional study

Background Stronger healthcare models are increasingly sought to address new population needs, health workforce inefficiencies and nursing shortages. One strategy is to focus on employees' strengths to capitalize on their competencies and maximize their scope of practice. Introduction Globally, there is an exponential demand for advanced practice nursing services. This study aimed to identify the roles and positions of nurses who align with APN defining criteria at all levels of care in Catalonia, Spain. Methods The first step of the study included the translation and validation to Catalan of the Advanced Practice Nurse Role Delineation Tool (IDREPA) and step 2 comprised a multicentre cross-sectional study, in which 126 healthcare centres participated: 1209 nurses were included in the study. The STROBE checklist was used to report this study. Results Transcultural equivalence and validation of the instrument showed a content validity index of 0.958 and the reliability of the questionnaire. The instrument identified 269 nurses who align with international APN defined criteria. They worked in specialized care, mental healthcare and primary and community care, especially in chronic conditions, ageing and end-of-life care. Discussion Most areas of Catalonia have access to nurses practicing at APN defining criteria. These nurses were developed as an optimal resource to respond to patient needs in the context of study. Both recognition and strategic implementation are necessary to apply their full competencies to solve healthcare problems. Conclusion Understanding the supply of services delivered by nurses practicing at an advanced level and their scope of practice may lay the foundations for effective workforce planning in a dynamic context. Nurses who align with APN defining criteria are working mainly in large acute services without regulation and recognition. Implications for nursing Advanced practice nurses show the value of their role and activities in healthcare services. Implications for health policy Promoting the establishment of APN defining criteria that includes credentialing and a regulatory framework within international guidelines should be a priority to make an impact on healthcare policy.