Snapshot

APN Role Exists in Country Today:
No

Contact:
Colegío de Enfermeras de Costa Rica

Role

There is no current Advanced Practice Nursing (APN) role in Costa Rica today (post by Julie Slivinsky, All Nurses.com, 2011, January 8).  Reportedly from the last World Health Organization (WHO, 2013a) reported in 2000, there were approximately 1.32 physicians per 1000 people, significantly lower than the majority of developed nations.  Meanwhile, there are 0.69 nurses per every physician, creating a healthcare workforce with significantly more physicians than nurses (WHO, 2013b).  This factor is likely a significant inhibiting factor for such APN role development.

Meanwhile, there is reportedly a history of a midwifery role, that has been in existence since 1899 (Colegio de Enfermeras de Costa Rica, 2011).  In 2000, there were reportedly 22 midwives in the country (WHO, 2013b).

Specialties

Not applicable at this time.

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References:
Colegio de Enfermeras de Costa Rica (2011).  Historia de la enfermería en Costa Rica.  Retrieved from: http://www.enfermeras.co.cr/HistoriaEnfermeriaCostaRica.html

World Health Organization [WHO] (2013).  Aggregated Data: Density per 1000 by country.  Retrieved from: http://apps.who.int/gho/data/node.main.A1444?lang=en

World Health Organization [WHO] (2013b). Disaggregated data: Nursing and midwifery personnel by country.  Retrieved from: http://apps.who.int/gho/data/node.main.HWF1?lang=en