[Experiences of Advanced Practice Nurses with a clinical postgraduate education program in the context of their professional development].

Experiences of Advanced Practice Nurses with a clinical postgraduate education program in the context of their professional development The Diploma of Advanced Studies in Advanced Nursing Practice (DAS ANP-plus), which has been offered at the University of Basel since 2012, is a clinically oriented postgraduate education program for the still poorly established professional group of the Advanced Practice Nurse (APN). The acquisition of clinical skills plays a central role in the professional biography and for the APN's work in patient healthcare. The qualitative study aims to explore the experiences of APNs during and after a clinically oriented postgraduate education program in Switzerland and what significant changes they experienced in their professional practice. Reflexive thematic analysis with a constructivist orientation was used. With fourteen APNs, guided interviews were conducted and analyzed considering the professional biography. "Pursuing the vision for a better care" is the constitutive theme. The graduates all seem to be driven by a strong vision: from striving to know more, to implementing the concept of Advanced Nursing Practice, to initiating changes in the healthcare system. The vision is shaped by three themes: "the challenges of gaining a foothold as an APN" before the program, "gaining security by strengthening clinical skills" during the program and on longer terms "breaking new ground in the healthcare system with allies". The DAS ANP-plus increases the clinical skills of APNs within clinical supervision plays an important role.