Library Europe's largest nursing-specific collection
Search Menu

Your web browser is outdated and may be insecure

The RCN recommends using an updated browser such as Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome

Advanced Nursing Practice

Advanced practice is a level of practice, rather than a type or specialty of practice. Advanced practitioners are educated at masters level in advanced practice and are assessed as competent in practice, using expert knowledge and skills. They have the freedom and authority to act, making autonomous decisions in the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of patients. Use this guide to find information resources relating to advanced nursing practice including books, reports and journal articles.

Last updated: 19/05/2023

Key Resources

Publication Cover Royal College of Nursing (2018) Royal College of Nursing standards for advanced level nursing practice. London: RCN.
Publication Cover Royal College of Nursing (2018) RCN Standards for advanced level nursing practice, advanced nurse practitioners, RCN accreditation and RCN credentialing. London: RCN.
RCN: advanced nursing practice standards
Council of Deans of Health (2018) An overview of advanced practice policy across the UK. London: Council of Deans of Health. 
Department of Health Northern Ireland (2018) Advanced nursing practice framework. Belfast: DH.
Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety in Northern Ireland (2016) Advanced nursing practice framework: supporting advanced nursing practice in health and social care trusts. NIPEC: Belfast.
Health Education England, NHS Improvement and NHS England (2017) Multi-professional framework for advanced clinical practice in England. Leeds: HEE.
International Council of Nurses (2020) Guidelines on advanced practice nursing. Geneva: ICN.
NHS Scotland:  Advanced practice nursing toolkit
  • A UK wide resource endorsed by the Chief Nursing Officers for each country.
    View page
NHS Wales (2010) Framework for advanced nursing, midwifery and allied health professional practice in Wales. LLanharan: National Leadership and Innovation Agency for Healthcare.
Royal College of Nursing Scotland (2015) Nurse Innovators: clinical decision-making in action, RCN: Edinburgh. Royal College of Nursing Scotland (2015) Nurse innovators: clinical decision-making in action. RCN: Edinburgh.
We would like to thank the RCN Advanced Nurse Practitioner member community for their input into the development of this subject guide.

Books

Book cover Blair K (2018) Advanced practice nursing: core concepts for professional development. 6th edn. New York: Springer.
Book cover Collins-Bride G, Saxe J, Kaplan R and Duderstadt K (2016) Clinical guidelines for advanced practice nursing: an interprofessional approach. Burlington: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Book cover DeNisco S M (2019) Advanced practice nursing: essential knowledge for the profession. London: Jones & Bartlett. 
Book cover Fagerstrom L M (2021) A caring advanced practice nursing model: theoretical perspectives and competency domains. Cham: Springer.
Book cover Fulton J S, Goudreau K A and Swartzell K L (eds.) (2020) Foundations of clinical nurse specialist practice. 3rd edn. New York: Springer.
Book cover Goudreau K A and Smolenski M C (2022) Health policy and advanced practice nursing: impact and implications. 3rd edn. New York: Springer.
Book cover Innes J A, Dover A R, Fairhurst K (eds.). (2018) Macleod’s clinical examination. 14th edn. Edinburgh: Elsevier.
Book cover Kuiper R, Pesut D and Arms T (2016) Clinical reasoning and care coordination in advanced practice nursing. New York: Springer.
Book cover McGee P and Inman C (2019) Advanced practice in nursing and allied health professions. 4th edn. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell.
Book cover Neighbour R (2005) The inner consultation: how to develop an effective and intuitive consulting style. 2nd edn. London: Radcliffe Medical.
Book cover Schober M (2016) Introduction to advanced nursing practice: an international focus. Cham: Springer.
Book cover Schober M (2017) Strategic planning for advanced nursing practice. Cham: Springer.
Book cover Staffileno B A, Murphy M P and Buchholz S W (2022) Research for advanced practice nurses: from evidence to practice. 4th edn. New York: Springer.
Book cover Tracy M F and O and Grady E T (2018) Hamric and Hanson’s advanced practice nursing: an integrative approach. 6th edn. Philadelphia: Saunders.
Book cover Zuzelo P (2018) Indirect care handbook for advanced nursing roles. Burlington: Jones & Bartlett.

Book subject searches

Use these links to see details of books the RCN libraries hold on each topic.
RCN Library staff

Anna Shipway

Editor of this guide

RCN Library and Archive Service

Upcoming events relating to this subject guide

Page last updated - 19/05/2023

RCN Logo on White