Due to demographic changes and the growing number of people with chronic and multiple illnesses, new roles such as Advanced Practice Nurses (APN) are gaining importance in Switzerland. The care of multimorbid individuals requires integrated care pathways to reduce under- and overuse and to achieve a better quality of life and more efficient use of healthcare services.
APNs usually have a great deal of professional nursing experience. Their master's-level education qualifies them to provide more in-depth care, and they have advanced medical knowledge and skills. Internationally, the use of APNs in primary care has proven successful and they contribute to good low-threshold primary care in many countries. The use of APNs can prevent unplanned or emergency medical consultations and/or hospitalizations and improve coordination across the entire care chain.

Lecturer:
Maya Zumstein-Shaha, Prof. Dr., RN, FAAN
Professor and co-director of the Master of Science in Nursing program
Departement Gesundheit, Berner Fachhochschule