Exploring the role of advanced clinical practitioners (ACPs) and their contribution to health services in England: A qualitative exploratory study.
Advanced clinical practice
Advanced practitioner
Allied health professionals
Interprofessional working
Journal
Nurse education in practice
ISSN: 1873-5223
Titre abrégé: Nurse Educ Pract
Pays: Scotland
ID NLM: 101090848
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
Feb 2023
Feb 2023
Historique:
received:
22
09
2022
revised:
06
12
2022
accepted:
17
12
2022
pubmed:
6
2
2023
medline:
25
2
2023
entrez:
5
2
2023
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
An extended role being explored globally is the advanced clinical practitioner (ACP). In England this is an extended role for allied health professions, nurses and midwives in a range of settings. This paper focuses on three research questions: 1) What is the role of ACPs in England? 2) What are the barriers and facilitators to implementing the role? and 3) What is the contribution of ACPs to health services in England? A qualitative, exploratory study to explore perspectives on the ACP role in a range of clinical settings. We recruited 63 stakeholders, including 34 nurses, working in a ACP role or ACP education. A purposive snowball sampling technique identified participants meeting inclusion criteria. One-to-one semi-structured interviews throughout 2020, recorded and transcribed verbatim, anonymised and thematically analysed. The ACP role in England was undertaken in a broad range of clinical contexts. In England 'advanced clinical practitioner' was not a protected title. There were high levels of variability and ambiguity of understanding and deployment of the ACP role in England. Facilitators to the implementation process included training and education, clinical supervision and organisational support. Lack of protection for the role and variances in experience were barriers. Employer support facilitated development of the ACP role, however where support was limited, at either an individual or organisation level, this was a barrier. Our study highlighted the wide range of ways the ACP role benefitted patient outcomes and workforce development. This study outlines the contribution that ACPs can make to health services, contributing factors and key barriers and facilitators to implementing this role. The work showed the positive contribution ACPs can make to service redesign, workforce development and patient outcomes, whilst accepting there is much work to do to ensure protected status and parity across all professions and clinical contexts.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND
An extended role being explored globally is the advanced clinical practitioner (ACP). In England this is an extended role for allied health professions, nurses and midwives in a range of settings.
OBJECTIVES
OBJECTIVE
This paper focuses on three research questions: 1) What is the role of ACPs in England? 2) What are the barriers and facilitators to implementing the role? and 3) What is the contribution of ACPs to health services in England?
DESIGN/SETTING
METHODS
A qualitative, exploratory study to explore perspectives on the ACP role in a range of clinical settings.
PARTICIPANTS
METHODS
We recruited 63 stakeholders, including 34 nurses, working in a ACP role or ACP education. A purposive snowball sampling technique identified participants meeting inclusion criteria.
METHODS
METHODS
One-to-one semi-structured interviews throughout 2020, recorded and transcribed verbatim, anonymised and thematically analysed.
RESULTS
RESULTS
The ACP role in England was undertaken in a broad range of clinical contexts. In England 'advanced clinical practitioner' was not a protected title. There were high levels of variability and ambiguity of understanding and deployment of the ACP role in England. Facilitators to the implementation process included training and education, clinical supervision and organisational support. Lack of protection for the role and variances in experience were barriers. Employer support facilitated development of the ACP role, however where support was limited, at either an individual or organisation level, this was a barrier. Our study highlighted the wide range of ways the ACP role benefitted patient outcomes and workforce development.
CONCLUSIONS
CONCLUSIONS
This study outlines the contribution that ACPs can make to health services, contributing factors and key barriers and facilitators to implementing this role. The work showed the positive contribution ACPs can make to service redesign, workforce development and patient outcomes, whilst accepting there is much work to do to ensure protected status and parity across all professions and clinical contexts.
Identifiants
pubmed: 36739736
pii: S1471-5953(23)00008-2
doi: 10.1016/j.nepr.2023.103546
pmc: PMC9872859
pii:
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
103546Informations de copyright
Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.