The Global Phenomenon of Advanced Practice Nurses

The International Council of Nurses and its Nurse Practitioner/Advanced Practice Nurse Network have monitored the interest in and development of advanced practice nursing and advanced practice nurse roles since the 1990s. Network membership reflects the growing interest in advanced practice nursing as it has expanded from 78 countries represented in 2016 to 141 countries in 2023. Periodic research studies conducted by the network and others, similarly, have documented the growth and evolution of advanced practice nursing globally. In this chapter we provide an introduction to advanced practice nursing and their roles with key definitions and role characteristics, present a historical overview of APN role development in a selection of International Council of Nurses member countries, report on the current state of advanced practice nursing globally, showcase exemplars of the scale and impact of recent network activities, and conclude with reflections on the significance of advanced practice nurse and considerations for the future directions.