International Nurse Practitioner (NP) Resources

AANP is committed to assisting multiple NPs, or nurses who work in an advanced role, by providing funding to help them attend the annual AANP national conference.

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Meet the 2020 ambassadors:

Dr. Gaonyadiwe Dube is a family NP (FNP) and has been a nurse educator at the University of Botswana in Gaborone, Botswana, since 2008. As a faculty member in the School of Nursing (SON), she teaches undergraduate and graduate health assessment and the NP specialty courses for those who specialize in FNP. She has served as the Master of Nursing Sciences (MNSc) Program Coordinator for all advanced practice nursing tracks — including NP (FNP) and clinical nurse specialist (adult-gerontology, critical care, community health, psychiatric mental health, pediatrics and advanced midwifery) — since 2017, with the role of monitoring and overseeing the master’s program offerings and assisting students from registration to completion. She also led the MNSc curriculum reviews and revisions, including FNP, for the approval process by the National Qualifications Authority. Dr. Dube holds a Doctorate of Philosophy in Nursing from the University of Cape Town and a Master of Nursing Science (FNP) degree and bachelor's degree in Nursing Sciences from University of Botswana. She has been the faculty counselor for the Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI) Tau Lambda chapter for Botswana since 2018. Her role is to organize yearly STTI scientific and business meetings for the Tau Lambda for Botswana and to participate in membership recruitment drives. She has also been an organizing member of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Conference for International Postgraduate Research. She is currently a member of the seventh Nursing and Midwifery Council of Botswana (NMCB) and represents the nurse specialists, which is the designation for all advanced practice nurses in Botswana. Clinically, she started a community health and wellness mobile clinic for Gabane, a community in rural Botswana; however, the program has been temporarily halted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Samwel Wainaina Mwangi is a registered Community Health nurse/clinical NP and BSCN(s) with vast experience in national, regional and international leadership and policy development, as well as vast experience in tuberculosis (TB) care management and clinical nursing. He is a Fellow of the Global Nursing Leadership Institute in Geneva and Co-chair of the ICN NP/APNN Health Policy Subgroup. He is Chair of the National Nurses Association of Kenya journal, publicity and recruitment committee. Alongside this, he was recently nominated as African Forum for Primary Health Care-APN Coalition country contact person for Kenya and participated in a 2018 high-level Africa APN coalition World Health Organization (WHO) proposal. Mwangi is also a reliable and highly skilled professional with recognized ability and a proven track record of accomplishment in delivering high standards of health care as a certified TB and HIV mentor, certified family planning mentor and team leader. He has demonstrated authority, responsibility and accountability for the delivery of health care services and is currently involved in various projects at community level. Mwangi is the first AANP ambassador from Kenya.

Maria Auxiliadora Rodrigues is a policy auditor and manager for nurses and advanced practice nurses. She is also a nurse inspector, approved by public tender, of the Nurse Council in the state of Rio de Janeiro, working on ethical evaluation, adequate human resources, qualification of professionals and the nursing process. Currently, Rodrigues has a political and social position, working as Under Secretary of Primary Health Care in the county of São Gonçalo, the second largest population of inhabitants and nursing professionals in the state of Rio de Janeiro. Rodrigues is a doctoral student in Care Science at the Universidade Federal Fluminense, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Her doctoral studies focus on telenursing for the elderly in the home care setting. In her master’s degree program, Rodrigues completed a research study about the quality of care offered to elderly people in long-term institutions. The published data had a great impact on the Brazilian health care organizations and health care professionals.

Upon graduation nine years ago from the first critical care NP course in Japan, Tsukui spent two years at Tokyo Bay Urayasu-Ichikawa Medical Center, where she continued her NP education from physicians who practiced with NPs in the United States. Tsukui was grateful for this opportunity, as Japan does not currently recognize the NP role, and NPs often practice with no prescribing authority under the direction of a physician. After working as an NP in the neurosurgery ward, Tsukui moved from one hospital to the next — 14 in total within four years — working as a general NP in medium-sized hospitals in remote areas and regions of Japan where there is a shortage of doctors, uneven distribution of doctors and medical depopulation. Tsukui currently works in general internal medicine on a ward for COVID-19 patients and will be working toward her PhD to study the role of NPs in remote areas.

Congratulations to all of the AANP International Ambassadors!

• 2018 – Sibonginkosi (Bongi) Sibanda from the United Kingdom and Zimbabwe.
• 2018 – Heather Henry-McGrath from Jamaica.
• 2018 – Scholastica Chibehe from Tanzania.
• 2018 – Mabedi Kgositau from Botswana.
• 2019 – Fathi Al Abri from Oman.
• 2019 – Bonisile Nsibandze from Eswatini.
• 2020 – Maria Auxiliadora Rodrigues from Brazil.
• 2020 – Gaonyadiwe Lubinda-Dube from Botswana.
• 2020 – Nanako Tsukui from Japan.
• 2020 – Samwel Wainaina Mwangi from Kenya.

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International Specialty Interest Group (SIG)

The International SIG is a dynamic platform designed to provide an international exchange of ideas and insight as NPs provide care to diverse populations around the world. Many NPs are choosing to participate in volunteer opportunities and provide health care in underserved nations across the globe. This SIG will also provide a forum to discuss lessons learned in international health experiences abroad and share best practices for advanced practice nursing role development.

Discover the International SIG

Your Partner in Health, The Nurse Practitioner

The Your Partner in Health, the Nurse Practitioner brochure was developed by AANP to provide an overview of the NP role. It describes NPs' unique blend of nursing and medical care, their advanced education, the various services and specialties they provide and the important role NPs play in providing smarter health and lifestyle choices through cost-effective, high-quality health care.

This brochure is available to order in several languages, including:

• English (sample, cannot be reproduced; back panel may be customized with information from your business card).
• Spanish (sample, cannot be reproduced).
• French (sample, cannot be reproduced).
• Portuguese (sample, cannot be reproduced).

Download the Order Form

Whether you're currently practicing overseas, planning your move or exploring global practice options, being aware of international health issues is imperative.

• ICN Guidelines on Advanced Practice Nursing 2020: Review the first-ever published guidelines for advanced practice nursing, which establishes advanced practice nursing roles worldwide.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Travel Health Information: Find information on a variety of travel-related topics, including diseases, health and safety precautions, vaccinations and the latest edition of Yellow Book, a travel health reference.
  • CDC Travel Health Notices: Review travel notices describing both levels of risk for the traveler and recommended preventive measures to take at each level of risk. This also includes outbreak information.
• United Nations (UN): The UN is an international organization founded in 1945, currently made up of 193 Member States. Its global issues and projects include ageing, AIDS and other health matters.
• World Health Organization (WHO): WHO is responsible for providing leadership on global health matters, shaping the health research agenda, setting norms and standards, articulating evidence-based policy options, providing technical support to countries and monitoring and assessing health trends.
  • WHO in Emergencies: The WHO Health Emergencies programme provides information on the latest crises, including WHO's work in affected countries.
  • WHO Disease Outbreak News: WHO details current health emergencies, preparedness resources and response information.

The following resources were compiled to help NPs interested in learning about international NP organizations and international organizations dedicated to specific health care issues.

Professional Organizations

• Asociacion Espanola de Enfermeria en Cardiologia (Spanish Association of Nursing in Cardiology): This is a nonprofit association made up of Spanish nurses who work in all areas of cardiology.
  
• Australian College of Nursing: The College leads nursing expertise and care through access, learning and advocacy.
• Bord Altranais agus Cnáimhseachais na hÉireann/Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI): NMBI maintains the register of nurses in Ireland and provides general guidance on the nursing profession.
• Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS International): CGFNS is a globally recognized authority on credentialing evaluation and verification of the education, registration and licensure of nurses, health care professionals and others worldwide.
• Consortium of Universities for Global Health (CUGH): This group is comprised of more than 170 academic institutions and other organizations from around the world engaged in addressing global health challenges.
• Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (DNOSA): DNOSA's International Relations Department builds, sustains and intensifies relations with regional and international institutions and partners.
• Global Alliance for Nursing and Midwifery (GANM): Sponsored by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the WHO Collaborating Center for Nursing Knowledge, Information Management & Sharing at the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, GANM supports practice communities that cover health and development topics, which build the capacity of nurses and midwives to improve the health of communities across the lifespan.
• Global Nursing Caucus (GNC): This group aims to improve the quality, efficacy and visibility of the care delivered by the nursing community across the globe.
• International Council of Nurses (ICN)/Consejo Internacional de Enfermeras/Conseil International des Infirmières: More than 130 national nurses associations, representing the more than 20 million nurses worldwide, belong to the ICN to advance the nursing profession, promote the wellbeing of nurses and advocate for health in all policies.
• ICN INP/APNN: This group provides international expertise in education and practice, research, health policy, communications, fundraising and sponsorship and conferences.
• International Federation of Nurse Anesthetists: This group is committed to the advancement of educational standards and practices, which will advance the art and science of anesthesiology and thereby support and enhance quality anesthesia care worldwide.
• National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners® (NAPNAP): NAPNAP is the professional association for pediatric nurse practitioners (PNPs) and all pediatric-focused advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs).
• National League for Nursing (NLN): This organization is comprised of 40,000 individual and 1,200 institutional members that represent nursing education programs across the spectrum of higher education, health care organizations and agencies.
• The National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF): This group represents more than approximately 90% of all institutions in the U.S. that offer NP programs, as well as faculty from programs in Canada, the United Kingdom and other countries.
• Nursing Organization of Valencia (Spain)/Colegio de Enfermería de Valencia (España): Un centro de referencia que proporciona acceso a la educación, investigación, publicaciones, y el conocimiento en la búsqueda de la colaboración y la mejora de la calidad en las profesiones de enfermería y una enfermera practicante.
• Nurse Practitioner Association of Canada (NPAC-AIIPC): NPAC-AIIPC is recognized as the national leader for all domains of NP practice in Canada.
• Nurse Practitioners' Association of Ontario (NPAO): NPAO is the professional voice for NPs in Ontario, Canada, and is dedicated to advocating for NPs to ensure accessible, high-quality health care for all.
• Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD): OECD’s member countries work with other countries, organizations and stakeholders worldwide to address pressing policy challenges, including health and insurance.
• Royal College of Nursing, U.K.: The College represents nurses and the nursing profession, promoting excellence in practice and shaping health policies.
• Sigma: Founded in 1922 as the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma today has more than 135,000 active members from more than 100 countries.

Health Organizations

• Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet: This is an innovative internet resource that aims to inform practice and policy in Indigenous health by making research and other knowledge readily accessible. It aims to help close the gap in health between Indigenous and other Australians.
• European AIDS Treatment Group (EATG): EATG is a European network of nationally based activists representing and defending the treatment-related interests of people living with HIV and AIDS.
• Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program: This program distributes grants for advanced research and university lecturing, available to scholars from more than 155 countries.
• Global Initiative for Chronic Obstruction Lung Disease (GOLD): GOLD works with health care professionals and public health officials to raise awareness of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and to improve the prevention and treatment of this lung disease for patients around the world.
• God's House International: This holistic health care group acts as a vanguard for health consciousness and focuses strongly on the issues of homelessness, health promotion and disease prevention, including HIV/AIDS.
• Grounds for Health^TM: This is an international women's health care nonprofit group specializing in the early detection and treatment of cervical cancer.
• Jhpiego: In partnership with national governments, health experts and local communities, this organization builds health providers’ skills and develops systems that save lives now and guarantee healthier futures for women and their families.
• MyHealthyWaist: This website is produced by the International Chair on Cardiometabolic Risk of Université Laval, an independent, academic and multidisciplinary organization.
• Nursing Now: In collaboration with WHO and the ICN, Nursing Now aims to raise the status and profile of nursing, to advocate for more nurses in leadership positions and to help nurses access better education and training while supporting them to share research and evidence of effective practice.
• Partners in Health (PIH®): This is a social justice organization dedicated to bringing the benefits of modern medical science to those most in need of them and to serve as an antidote to despair and injustice.
• Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF): This organization is working to build a comprehensive "culture of health" by focusing on four broad areas — health systems, healthy communities, healthy children and families and leadership for better health.
• World Gastroenterology Organisation (WGO): This is a federation of 110 national societies and four regional associations of gastroenterology providers, representing more than 50,000 individual members worldwide.

11th ICN Nurse Practitioner/Advanced Practice Nursing Network Conference 2021

The Nurse Practitioner Association of Nova Scotia (NPANS), in collaboration with the International Council of Nurses (ICN) and the Canadian Nurses Association (CNA), is hosting the 11th annual ICN Nurse Practitioner/Advanced Practice Nursing Network Conference 2021, with more than 1,000 advanced practice nurses, researchers, educators, administrators, policymakers and students expected to attend.

When: August 29–September 1, 2021
Where: Halifax Convention Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

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