Concept Analysis: The Scope of Practice of a Nurse Anesthetist in South Africa

• Published in: Journal of perianesthesia nursing Vol. 36; no. 6; pp. 672 - 677
• Main Authors: Holtzhausen, Jan Dirk Visagie, Downing, Charlené, Poggenpoel, Marie, Ndawo, Gugu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01-12-2021
• Subjects: concept analysis; Concept Formation; Humans; nurse anesthesia; Nurse Anesthetists; Scope of Practice; South Africa; South Africa; concept analysis; South Africa; nurse anesthesia; scope of practice
• ISSN: 1089-9472; 1532-8473
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jopan.2021.03.002

The purpose of this article is to propose a definition for the concept “scope of practice” as it applies to a nurse anesthetist in South Africa.
Concept analysis.
Walker and Avant's procedure of concept analysis was followed. The actions included “Select a concept”; “Determine the purpose of analysis”; “Identifying uses of the concept”; “Determining the defining attributes”; “Identifying antecedents and consequences”; “Define empirical referents”; “Identify model case”; and “Identifying additional cases.”
The concept ‘scope of practice’ as it applies to the nurse anesthetist in South Africa can be defined as the individual's competence, accountability, and responsibility as a health professional. The nurse anesthetist is (1) competent: ready to use skills and judgement in practice; (2) accountable: able to be registered as a nurse anesthetist and willing to abide by the regulations; and (3) responsible: upholding professionalism and demanding recognition from the public and peers.
A definition (revealing the concept's structure) and it's uses (revealing the concept's function) for “scope of practice” of a South African nurse anesthetist is proposed for the consideration of introducing nurse anesthesia to provide safe and affordable anesthesia services in South Africa. This article forms part of a larger study titled “A Model for Nurse Anaesthesia Practice in South Africa.”