[Advanced nursing practice in intensive care units : Implementation and further development].

Abstract

Background: Advanced nursing practice (ANP) is becoming increasingly important in light of the growing complexity of care and rising demands in critical care. Despite being established internationally, the role of the advanced practice nurse (APN) has not yet been fully implemented in Germany.

Objective: To describe the introduction of an APN in an intensive care unit at a German university hospital and the conceptual and structural requirements necessary for this.

Approach: A job profile was developed based on a systematic literature search in the PubMed (U.S. National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD, USA), LIVIVIO (German National Library of Medicine, Cologne, Germany), and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL, Elton B. Stephens Company [EBSCO] Information Services, Ipswich, MA, USA) databases. Implementation was structured and participatory, based on the PEPPA (participatory, evidence-based, patient-focused process for the development, implementation and evaluation of advanced practice nursing) framework.

Results: The APN supported the further development of evidence-based nursing care, the qualification of the nursing team, and interprofessional collaboration. APN-led measures contributed to the improvement of knowledge structures, induction processes, and selected care procedures.

Conclusion: ANP can make a relevant contribution to the further development of (critical) care. This requires clear role profiles, suitable structural conditions, and strategically controlled implementation within the organization.