Advanced Practice Nursing in Cardiology: The Slovak Perspective for the Role Development and Implementation

Background: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the number one cause of death globally. Most can be prevented by addressing behavioral risk factors, where advanced practice nurses- clinical specialists in cardiovascular nursing play a fundamental role. This modern and effective role is based on advanced activities, knowledge, skills, and experience in a specialized field, which can make a significant contribution to solving the problems of these civilization diseases. The aim of this work is to explore the self-perception of advanced-practice nurses (APNs) working in cardiology and vascular medicine departments within the context of advanced-practice nursing. Methods: This quantitative exploratory study included 103 APNs working in cardiology and vascular diseases departments of specialized hospitals in Slovakia. A validated instrument was used. Results: The overall perception was at the level of 68.01%. The highest-rated domain was the outcomes for patients/clients, and subdomains were meeting the needs, education of healthcare workers, and quality in relation to management. There was a significant difference found among hospitals with a better scoring of specialized institutions. Conclusion: There have been promising advances due to the current legislation in Slovakia defining APNs and specialists' competencies. However, the practice in nursing for CVD patients remains fragmented, uncategorized and less valued by stakeholders and the public. According to the results, nurses have the potential and preparedness for this role in the context of their knowledge and skills in general. The Authors conclude that there is a need of such specialization of APNs in Slovakia.