GHTM

Global Health and Tropical Medicine

  • GHTM
    • About GHTM
    • Governance
    • Impact
    • Members
      • Population health, policies and services
        • PPS PhD members
        • PPS non PhD members
      • TB, HIV and opportunistic diseases and pathogens
        • THOP PhD members
        • THOP non PhD members
      • Vector-borne diseases
        • VBD PhD members
        • VBD non PhD members
      • Individual Health Care
        • IHC PhD members
        • IHC non PhD members
      • Tech & Admin support
    • Scientific Advisory Board
  • Research
    • Cross-cutting issues
      • Global Pathogen Dispersion and Population Mobility
      • Drug Discovery and Drug Resistance
      • Diagnostics
      • Public Health Information
      • Fair Research Partnerships
    • Research Groups
      • PPS – Population health, policies and services
      • THOP – TB, HIV and opportunistic diseases and pathogens
      • VBD – Vector borne diseases
      • IHC – Individual health care
    • Research in numbers
      • 2023
      • 2022
      • 2021
      • 2020
      • 2019
      • 2018
      • 2017
    • Projects
      • Ongoing Projects
      • Completed Projects
  • Outreach
    • Events
    • News
    • Policy Support & Community Outreach
  • Publications
    • 2024
    • 2023
    • 2022
    • 2021
    • 2020
    • 2019
    • 2018
    • 2017
    • 2016
    • 2015
  • Capacity Building
    • Education
      • Master Theses
      • PhD Theses
    • International
  • Infrastructures
  • Networks & Partnerships
  • Reports
    • GHTM
    • Scientific Advisory Board
    • FCT
Home / Publications / Skill mix between physicians and nurses in Portugal: Legal barriers to change

Skill mix between physicians and nurses in Portugal: Legal barriers to change

  • Authors: Dussault G, Temido M
  • Publication Year: 2014
  • Journal: Revista Portuguesa de Saúde Pública
  • Link: http://www.elsevier.pt/en/revistas/revista-portuguesa-saude-publica-323/artigo/skill-mix-between-physicians-and-nurses-in-portugal-90316104

Introduction

The healthcare workforce composition in Portugal indicates an inefficient combination of doctors’ and nurses’ roles. One of the possible answers to this problem could be the expansion of nursing staff responsibilities. Evidence shows that this option can improve the performance of healthcare systems, in terms of efficiency and access. Knowing that the legal framework that regulates each of these professions can hinder the review of their respective scope of practice, we assessed the need to change the Portuguese law in order to allow adjustments in nursing staff tasks’ boundaries.

Methods

Review of publish and non‐published literature and document analysis.

Results

We found that in the Portuguese law there is no definition of the medical act. There is, however, a regulatory protection on the exercise of medical diagnosis acts, drugs prescription and autonomous management of patients. We also observed that other actions considered unique to the medical profession, and many are so considered merely because of social conventions, can be delegated.

Conclusions

The intent of attributing to the nursing staff tasks previously held solely by medical doctors will need prior legal changes. There is still normative framework for a more effective use of nursing staff skills in order to attain a better performance by the Portuguese health care system. But the success or failure of a political strategy does not depend only on its legal feasibility; social acceptability also must be considered and some Portuguese stakeholders expressed reservations in supporting a nurse’s scope of practice enhancement.

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print

About GHTM

GHTM is a R&D Unit that brings together researchers with a track record in Tropical Medicine and International & Global Health. It aims at strengthening Portugal's role as a leading partner in the development and implementation of a global health research agenda. Our evidence-based interventions contribute to the promotion of equity in health and to improve the health of populations.

Contacts

Rua da Junqueira, 100
1349-008 Lisboa
Portugal

+351 213 652 600

  • E-mail
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Map

  • Events
  • Research Groups
  • Cross-cutting issues
© Copyright 2025 IHMT-UNL All Rights Reserved.
  • Universidade Nova de Lisboa
  • Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia

    UIDB/04413/2020
    UIDP/04413/2020

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.Ok