Reacción a "Substituting physicians for nurses in hospital interventions does not affect patient safety, says review"

Healthcare systems around the world are undergoing a profound transformation marked by an ageing population, an increase in chronic conditions, growing complexity of care and a shortage of professionals. This scenario requires a reorganisation of how services are provided and optimisation of the role of all healthcare professionals, especially nurses. The latest scientific evidence shows that when nurses take on certain functions traditionally associated with the medical field (such as clinical assessment, monitoring of pathologies, requesting tests or therapeutic adjustments within a regulated framework), the results for patients are equivalent in terms of safety, quality and effectiveness, and even better in some contexts, without an increase in adverse events.

It is important to emphasise that this evolution should not be interpreted as a substitution or competition between professions, but rather as an intelligent redistribution of responsibilities to reinforce a collaborative and efficient care model. Nursing in the 21st century involves advanced university training, specialisation and expanded clinical competencies, and in many countries, advanced practice models have already proven to be effective tools for improving access, continuity of care and person-centred care. Therefore, the debate should not focus on ‘whether’ nurses can take on new roles, but on how to develop educational, organisational and regulatory frameworks that allow their potential to be fully exploited to build more sustainable, equitable and future-proof healthcare systems.