The year 2021 has been designated by the World Health Organization as the International Year of Healthcare Workers and Care to value the essential role that healthcare workers have played in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.
There is an estimated gap of 18 million healthcare workers worldwide, mainly affecting low- and middle-income countries, as well as an inadequate distribution of these to respond to the needs of communities with adequate skills and knowledge. In the Region of the Americas there are a total of 8.4 million nursing professionals (30% of the world level). Nurses represent 56% of the total health workforce (physicians, pharmacists, dentists, midwives, and nurses) and remain the majority of professionals in the health system.
The existence of an advanced practice nurse role is more prevalent in countries with low physician density, suggesting that greater professional autonomy for nurses could be a policy response to mitigate physician shortages. In the Region of the Americas, 55% of the countries have reported the existence of advanced nursing functions. This role was not implemented in the Latin American countries.
Languages: Spanish and English, with simultaneous interpretation.
To discuss the role that advanced practice nurses have had during the COVID-19 pandemic and how the implementation of that role can help countries with low density and distribution of health professionals.
Presentation of practices and experiences of Advanced Practice Nurses (APN), in the context of the pandemic of COVID-19, in different health settings.
Panelists with extensive experience in the topic presented the role of APN in Primary Health Care and Hospital Setting
The commentators and guests panelists brought initiatives and reflections on the theme.
English interpretation recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3W-D6Xk74E
- Carrie Heer, RN(EC), BScN, MN, NP-PHC, Nurse Practitioner, Coordinator & Clinical Lead Nurse-Led Outreach Team St. Joseph’s Health Centre Guelph, Canada
- Marlene E. McHugh, DNP, DCC, FNP/AGACNP-BC, ACHPN, Associate Professor of Nursing at Columbia University School of Nursing (CUIMC), Practice- Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx NY, USA
- Maya Goldenberg, Associate Professor, Department of Philosophy at the University of Guelph, Canada
- Patricia Ingram-Martin, Chief Nursing Officer, Ministry of Health of Jamaica
- Claudia Leija Hernández, Chief Nursing Officer, Ministry of Health of Mexico