Situational analysis and reflections on the introduction of advanced practice nurses in Brazilian primary healthcare

Practical Approach to Care Kit: inovação para a clínica do enfermeiro no manejo do HIV

Resumo Objetivo: analisar a utilização do Practical Approach to Care Kit como uma tecnologia adotada na prática clínica dos enfermeiros no manejo do HIV na Atenção Primária à Saúde. Método: pesquisa exploratória e descritiva, ancorada no referencial metodológico da Teoria Fundamentada nos Dados Construtivista. A definição dos participantes foi realizada por amostragem inicial, com 12 enfermeiros, e amostragem teórica, com cinco gestores, totalizando 17 participantes. Os dados foram coletados por entrevistas intensivas e análise documental, e foram analisados em duas etapas: 1) codificação inicial; e 2) codificação focalizada. Resultados: os profissionais identificaram o Practical Approach to Care Kit como uma inovação tecnológica que contribuiu para a ampliação da prática clínica e empoderamento do enfermeiro no manejo clínico da infecção por HIV. Também destacaram sua importância como ferramenta para orientação das diferentes responsabilidades e atribuições no compartilhamento do cuidado, contribuindo para a prestação de práticas baseadas em evidências. Conclusão: o Practical Approach to Care Kit é uma inovação tecnológica que transformou a prática clínica do enfermeiro no manejo do HIV, ampliando seu escopo de atividades na realização do diagnóstico, avaliação da condição de saúde e aconselhamento, avaliação da adesão ao tratamento, efeitos adversos e prescrição de exames, medicamentos e imunobiológicos.

Practical Approach to Care Kit: innovación para la clínica de enfermería en el manejo del VIH

Resumen Objetivo: analizar el uso del Practical Approach to Care Kit como tecnología adoptada en la práctica clínica de los enfermeros en el manejo del VIH en la Atención Primaria de la Salud. Método: investigación exploratoria y descriptiva, basada en el marco metodológico de la Teoría Fundamentada en los Datos Constructivistas. La definición de los participantes fue realizada por muestreo inicial, con 12 enfermeros, y muestreo teórico, con cinco gestores, fueron 17 participantes en total. Los datos fueron recolectados a través de entrevistas intensivas y análisis de documentos, y fueron analizados en dos etapas: 1) codificación inicial; y 2) codificación enfocada. Resultados: los profesionales identificaron el Practical Approach to Care Kit como una innovación tecnológica que contribuyó a la expansión de la práctica clínica y al empoderamiento de los enfermeros en el manejo clínico de la infección por VIH. También destacaron su importancia como herramienta para orientar las diferentes responsabilidades y obligaciones en la distribución de la atención de los pacientes, contribuyendo a la prestación de prácticas basadas en evidencia. Conclusión: el Practical Approach to Care Kit es una innovación tecnológica que ha transformado la práctica clínica de los enfermeros en el manejo del VIH, ampliando su radio de acción para la realización del diagnóstico, evaluación del estado de salud y asesoramiento, evaluación de la adherencia al tratamiento, efectos adversos y prescripción de exámenes, medicamentos e inmunobiológicos.

Barriers to and enablers of the promotion of patient and family participation in primary healthcare nursing in Brazil, Germany and Spain: A qualitative study

BACKGROUND

Most health systems are insufficiently prepared to promote the participation of chronically ill patients in their care. Strong primary health care (PHC) strengthens patients' resources and thus promotes their participation. The tasks of providing continuous care to people with chronic diseases and promoting self-management are the responsibility of PHC nurses. Recent research assessing enablers of or barriers to nurses' efforts to support patients' participation has mostly not considered the special situation of patients with chronic diseases or focused on the PHC setting.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate enablers of and barriers to PHC nurses' efforts to promote the participation of chronically ill patients in their care.

METHODS

We interviewed 34 practicing PHC nurses and 23 key informants with advanced knowledge of PHC nursing practice in Brazil, Germany and Spain. The data was analyzed using thematic coding.

RESULTS

We identified four categories of barriers and enablers. (1) Establishing bonds with patients: Interviewees emphasized that understanding patients' views and behaviours is important for PHC nurses. (2) Cooperation with relatives and families: Good relationships with families are fundamental, however conflicts within families could challenge PHC nurses efforts to strengthen participation. (3) Communication and cooperation within PHC teams: PHC nurses see Cooperative team structures as a potential enabler, while the dominance of a 'biomedical' approach to patient care is seen as a barrier. (4) Work environment: Interviewees agreed that increased workload is a barrier to patient participation.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

Supporting patient participation should be acknowledged as an important responsibility for nurses by general practitioners and PHC planners. PHC nurses should be trained in communicative competence when discussing participation with chronically ill patients. Interprofessional education could strengthen other professionals' understanding of patient participation as a nursing task.

PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

This study is part of a research project associated with the research network 'forges: User-oriented care: Promotion of health in the context of chronic diseases and care dependency'. The study's focus and provisional results were discussed continuously with partners in health and social care practice and presented to and discussed with the public at two conferences in which patient representatives, professionals and researchers participated.

Design, delivery and effectiveness of health practitioner regulation systems: an integrative review

BACKGROUND

Health practitioner regulation (HPR) systems are increasingly recognized as playing an important role in supporting health workforce availability, accessibility, quality, and sustainability, while promoting patient safety. This review aimed to identify evidence on the design, delivery and effectiveness of HPR to inform policy decisions.

METHODS

We conducted an integrative analysis of literature published between 2010 and 2021. Fourteen databases were systematically searched, with data extracted and synthesized based on a modified Donabedian framework.

FINDINGS

This large-scale review synthesized evidence from a range of academic (n = 410) and grey literature (n = 426) relevant to HPR. We identified key themes and findings for a series of HPR topics organized according to our structures-processes-outcomes conceptual framework. Governance reforms in HPR are shifting towards multi-profession regulators, enhanced accountability, and risk-based approaches; however, comparisons between HPR models were complicated by a lack of a standardized HPR typology. HPR can support government workforce strategies, despite persisting challenges in cross-border recognition of qualifications and portability of registration. Scope of practice reform adapted to modern health systems can improve access and quality. Alternatives to statutory registration for lower-risk health occupations can improve services and protect the public, while standardized evaluation frameworks can aid regulatory strengthening. Knowledge gaps remain around the outcomes and effectiveness of HPR processes, including continuing professional development models, national licensing examinations, accreditation of health practitioner education programs, mandatory reporting obligations, remediation programs, and statutory registration of traditional and complementary medicine practitioners.

CONCLUSION

We identified key themes, issues, and evidence gaps valuable for governments, regulators, and health system leaders. We also identified evidence base limitations that warrant caution when interpreting and generalizing the results across jurisdictions and professions. Themes and findings reflect interests and concerns in high-income Anglophone countries where most literature originated. Most studies were descriptive, resulting in a low certainty of evidence. To inform regulatory design and reform, research funders and governments should prioritize evidence on regulatory outcomes, including innovative approaches we identified in our review. Additionally, a systematic approach is needed to track and evaluate the impact of regulatory interventions and innovations on achieving health workforce and health systems goals.

Practical Approach to Care Kit: Innovation for nurses' clinical practice in HIV management

OBJECTIVE

to analyze the use of the Practical Approach to Care Kit as a technology adopted in nurses' clinical practice for HIV management in Primary Health Care.

METHOD

an exploratory and descriptive research study anchored in the methodological framework of the Constructivist Grounded Theory. The participants were defined through initial sampling, with 12 nurses, and theoretical sampling, with five managers, totaling 17 participants. The data were collected by means of intensive interviews and documentary analysis, and they were analyzed in two stages: 1) Initial coding; and 2) Focused coding.

RESULTS

the professionals identified the Practical Approach to Care Kit as a technological innovation that contributed to expanding the clinical practice and to empowering nurses in the clinical management of HIV infection. They also highlighted its importance as a tool for guiding the different responsibilities and duties while sharing care, contributing to the provision of evidence-based practices.

CONCLUSION

The Practical Approach to Care Kit is a technological innovation that has transformed nurses' clinical practice in HIV management, expanding their scope of activities in carrying out the diagnosis, assessing the health condition and counseling, evaluating adherence to the treatment, adverse effects and prescription of exams, medications, and immunobiological.

Type of Findings Generated by the Occupational Therapy Workforce Research Worldwide: Scoping Review and Content Analysis

Occupational therapists are needed to meet the health and occupational needs of the global population, but we know little about the type of findings generated by occupational therapy workforce research conducted worldwide. We aim to synthesize these findings and their range of content to inform future investigations. A scoping review with content analysis was used. Six scientific databases, websites of official institutions, snowballing, and key informants were used for searches. Two independent reviewers took selection decisions against the eligibility criteria published a priori in the review protocol. Of the 1246 unique references detected, 57 papers were included for the last 25 years. A total of 18 papers addressed issues of attractiveness and retention, often in Australia, and 14 addressed the issues of supply, demand, and distribution, often in the US. Only these two categories generated subtopics. Many workforce issues were rarely addressed as a main topic (e.g., race/ethnic representation). Cross-national, cross-regional, or cross-professional studies generated more actionable findings. Overall, we found few discernable trends, minimal evidence of research programs, and various gaps in content coverage or in the use of contemporary research approaches. There is a need for a coordinated strengthening of the occupational therapy workforce research worldwide.