The role of the Parkinson’s Disease Nurse Specialist is intrinsic to the promotion of dignity and empowerment throughout the illness cycle for people living with Parkinson’s disease, their families and carers through the provision of specialist information and access to high quality, holistic health and social care.
We are delighted to provide this Guide as an outcome of the work undertaken by the European Parkinson’s Disease Association and the International Council of Nurses to establish an international profile and framework of core competencies and standards for Parkinson’s Disease Nurse Specialists (PDNS) globally. The results of this joint endeavour are a user-friendly Guide that highlights the key findings from an Audit of International PDNS Practice undertaken in 2007 and the ICN Framework of Competencies for the Specialist Nurse published 2009.
The Guide recognises the necessity to build on the present, but also acknowledges that the needs of local populations will require the PDNS to deliver care appropriate to the context in which they practice. It serves as a useful tool to advocate for the development of PDNS services around the world.
