Snapshot

APN Role Exists in Country Today:
In development

Title:
In development

Nationally Certified:
No

Recognize Foreign Licensure:
Uncertain

Treatment Authority:
Uncertain

Prescribing Authority:
Uncertain

Practice Autonomously:
Uncertain

Contact:
French Advanced Practice Nursing Network (REPASI)
School of Public Health, Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sante Publique, Paris [EHESP]
Université de Versailles, St-Quentin-en-Yvelines [UVSQY]

Role

Advanced Practice Nursing (APN) in France has recently begun with the recent introduction in 2010 of graduate level education in the country (Bonnel, 2014).  The greatest motivator of developing the role of advanced practice nursing in France is to increase the access of the public to specialists, by increasing the number of specialists available and at a more affordable rate for an impending physician shortage (Bonnel, 2013; SNPI, 2013).  The goal of the APN role in France is to provide an “intermediary” professional to meet the medical needs within the country (Joel, 2013).  Based on the current education that is promoting this role, individuals are educated to (UVSQY, 2013):

• Provide evaluation of patients with complex diseases
• Diagnosis of health conditions
• Provide disease specific treatments
• Supervise collaboration with other health professionals
• Develop and apply research to improve health care and outcomes
• Develop educational methods to meet the needs of health care

While the country has been developing this role for several years, the greatest difficulties in establishing an APN role in France is that of agreement of what that role is to be and how the role will be solidified in the country (Joel, 2013).  At this time however, there is no protected title and educational programs are not consistent with their teachings according to a standard (Joel, 2013).  Since the role is in development, it is uncertain to what type of advance practice nursing each professional will work at resembling the nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, or case management role (Bonnel, 2014).

Meanwhile, current momentum based on graduate level education has developed a group of Advanced Practice Educated nurses who are developing the foundation of their role in France.  According to Bonnel (2014), the French advanced practice nurses have initiated a nursing organization, the French Advanced Practice Nursing Network (REPASI) in collaboration with the current French nursing organization (Anfiide, 2014, February 24).

Education and Certification

Education for Advanced Practice Nurses in France has been minimally at the master level since 2010 at the School of Public Health, Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sante Publique, Paris (Bonnel, 2014; Bellini & Cusson, 2012).   This program offers both master and doctoral degrees (Bellini & Cusson, 2012).  Since the beginning of graduate nursing education in France, a second program has also developed by the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Versailles Saint Quentin en Yvelines (SNPI, 2013).

Specialties

Education for several specialties are offered for Advanced Practice Nurses in France (Bonnel, 2014; EHESP, 2013; SNPI, 2013):

• Oncology
• Gerontology
• Psychiatric and Mental Health
• Pain and Palliative Care
• Chronic Illness

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References:
Anfiide (2014, February 24).  Press release on the creation of the French Advanced Practice Nursing Network.  Retrieved from: file:///Users/administrator/Documents/Nurse%20Practitioner/Articles/International%20Nurse%20Practitioners/France/press_release_repasi_france.pdf

Bellini, S. & Cusson, R.M. (2012).  The doctor of nursing practice for entry into advanced practice.  Medscape.  Retrieved from: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/760749_7

Bonnel, G. (2013).  Evolvement of French advanced practice nurses.  Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (online publication).  doi: 10.1002/2327-6924.12061

Bonnel, G. (2014, June).  An American NP’s involvement in the French APN movement: Galadriel Bonnel.  AANP Members Abroad.  Retrieved from: http://www.aanp.org/international/aanp-members-abroad

Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sante Publique [EHESP] (2013).  Masters in clinical nursing sciences [Google translated version].  Retrieved from: http://www.ehesp.fr/formation/formations-diplomantes/master-sciences-cliniques-infirmieres/

Joel, L.A. (2013).  Advanced Practice Nursing: Essential of Role Development.  F.A. Davis.  Retrieved from: http://books.google.com

Syndicat National des Professionnels Infirmiers [SNPI] (2013, October 13).  Master in clinical nursing: Foreign experience [Google translated version].  Retrieved from: http://www.syndicat-infirmier.com/Master-en-sciences-cliniques.html

Université de Versailles, St-Quentin-en-Yvelines [UVSQY] (2013).  Clinical sciences master in nursing.  Retrieved from: http://www.uvsq.fr/master-1-sciences-cliniques-en-soins-infirmiers-197753.kjsp?RH=FORM_5

[First Published: 2013, October 29; Updated: 2014 June 29]