Development of primary health care nursing in Ukraine

Overview

Nurses play a key role in the provision of primary health care (‎PHC)‎ and the coordination and organization of medical care overall. Nurses are often the first point of contact with the health system and have an important role to play in leaving no one behind. Large-scale reform of PHC in Ukraine started in 2018, and evolving and expanding practices have led to new challenges for both medical facilities and staff. It has become critically important to initiate new practices in the organization of the nursing profession, to adapt and increase their competencies, invest in skills development and create more nursing posts. This will require policy development and the creation of conditions that allow nursing staff to achieve maximum efficiency and effectiveness, by optimizing their responsibilities, increasing scope of practice and increasing resources for education and continuing professional development. This document presents evidence on opportunities that exist in the Ukraine to improve PHC nursing practice and ensure all patients benefit from the PHC reforms. It makes 10 recommendations for consideration.