Developing modern primary care nursing in North Macedonia.

Area of Science:

• Nursing and Healthcare Policy
• Public Health Initiatives
• Global Health Equity

Background:

• Nursing's potential impact on Universal Health Coverage is often limited by socio-economic and political factors.
• In North Macedonia, nursing development faces restrictions impacting its scope of practice and societal standing.
• A primary healthcare strategy was launched to advance nurses in primary care settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To outline the current state of nursing education, practice, and positioning in North Macedonia.
• To detail initiatives aimed at enhancing primary care nursing.
• To inform the development of a comprehensive nursing roadmap.

Main Methods:

• Review of background documents.
• Site visits to healthcare facilities.
• Interviews with stakeholders and group workshops conducted between 2019-2020.

Main Results:

• Identified key development areas: nurse education, primary care service delivery, and professional positioning.
• Workforce planning is crucial for advancing nursing.
• A 10-year plan, 'Making Change Happen: The Nursing and Midwifery Development Roadmap,' was established.

Conclusions:

• The primary healthcare strategy has spurred improvements in nursing education, practice, and position.
• The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated adaptive strategies and modifications to original plans.
• Future plans include enhancing initial nurse education and piloting primary care practice changes.