Irati Rodriguez Matesanz, APRN, FNP-BC
Breast Oncology Nurse Practitioner at City of Hope, Atlanta, USA
Early Career Nurse co-chair at EONS
The International Council of Nurses, defines advanced practice nurses (APNs) as a “registered nurse who has acquired the expert knowledge base, complex decision-making skills and clinical competencies for expanded practice, the characteristics of which are shaped by the context and/or country in which they are credentialed to practice.” (ICN, 2020).
There are different advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) roles, even though they all share similar origins and characteristics. All APRN roles are built on a foundation of registered nursing knowledge and require a minimum education level of a master’s degree. Nurses in these roles undergo extensive theoretical training in advanced physiology, pharmacology, and health assessment, complemented by supervised practical training. Additionally, they must pass national certification exams and obtain appropriate licensure to practice. (International Council of Nurses, 2020; Joel, 2017).
The main APRN roles and their differences are outlined in the following table:
