At the Annual General Assembly held on July 4th, 2022, directors and auditors
were approved, and the Representative Director was officially appointed at
the Board of Directors meeting on the same day. We would like to express our
sincere gratitude to all the member institutions for their cooperation in
the Japan Association of Nursing Programs in Universities (JANPU), including
their continued participation in our many surveys. Currently, there are 302
courses offered at 285 nursing universities in Japan, with an admission
capacity of 26,000. For master's programs, there are 214 courses at 206
universities, with an admission capacity of 3,000; and for doctoral
programs, there are 117 courses at 114 universities, with an admission
capacity of 650.
JANPU’s objective is to contribute to the health and welfare of people by
enhancing and developing nursing practice and raising the standard of
academic research and study, through mutual cooperation and collaboration
among nursing higher education institutions. Nursing universities that
assent to this purpose become Association members, and elected or nominated
officers form a Board of Directors to develop the medical business/services.
As set forth in our Articles of Incorporation, JANPU is to carry out the
following activities: (1) conduct surveys and research on nursing education;
(2) ensure and improve nursing education; (3) promote educational programs
for advanced practice nurses; (4) propose policies on nursing education; (5)
raise awareness of nursing science in society, (6) promote alliance and
cooperation between nursing-related organizations and between Japanese and
international organizations; and (7) other projects necessary to achieve the
objective of this legal entity.
In Japan, the disease structure has changed due to the super-aging society,
and the primary place of medical treatment has shifted to the home. Team
medical care has been promoted, and the roles of medical professionals have
been expanded. Nurses are also now required to take on a bigger role. JANPU
will respond to changes in society, grasp the needs for nursing science, and
develop its operations. Since the Board of Directors meeting in the fiscal
year 2021, we have listed three high-priority projects and have set forth an
annual plan to achieve these. For 2023, we have established the following
priority plans:
2023 Focused Agenda
for Action
Focused Agenda 1. Envision the future of nursing education and build
a concrete development path
- (1) Consider ways to share information and collaborate among
member institutions so as to contribute to the promotion of
Digital Transformation of education at member institutions
-
(2) Promote the development of the Japan Association of Nursing
Programs in Universities version (tentative name) of the
pre-practice CBT (Computer Based Testing)/OSCE (Objective
Structured Clinical Examination) system
-
(3) Promote the development of a nursing education program aimed
at developing nursing personnel who are familiar with infectious
diseases
-
(4) Collect information on the introduction of ICT for the
national examination for public health nurses, midwives, and
nurses
Focused Agenda 2. Envision the ideal way of advanced practical
nursing and build a concrete development path
- (1) Formulate APN Grand Design in collaboration with other
institutions and undertake APN education system reform,
including CNS and NP
-
(2) Actively work to establish a qualification system for JANPU
nurse practitioners (tentative name) in collaboration with other
institutions
Focused Agenda 3. Manage the organization to realize effective
association activities and collaborate with nursing-related
organizations
- (1) While collaborating with Japanese Nursing Association and
Japan Society of Private Colleges and Universities of Nursing,
submit a request letter to Ministry of Education, Culture,
Sports, Science and Technology and Ministry of Health, Labour
and Welfare
-
(2) Establish Articles of Incorporation, regulations, etc., and
revise them as appropriate to contribute to more efficient,
effective, fair, and transparent organizational management
- (3) Develop the system and functions of JANPU Network in
disaster
Focused Agenda 1. (2) has been handled by CBT Working Group of the Quality
Improvement Committee for Nursing Education. It is now a stage to conduct
surveys and research for review of Nursing Competence Evaluation Standards
and the Working Group will be dissolved for the sake of launching “Review
Committee for Nursing Competence Evaluation Standards” as an ad hoc
committee mainly in charge of survey, with experts appointed anew.
With regard to Focused Agenda 2, three organizations, Japanese Nursing
Association, Japanese Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties and
JANPU, have jointly requested change of NP to a national certification based
on approval of respective boards of directors. Now, we have specified the
competency as a NP and are examining tasks that cannot be handled by the
current laws and regulations. With regard to CNS, a decrease in the
enrollment is pointed out and corrective measures are required. We will
formulate APN Grand Design toward resolution of the above issues and
undertake reform.
Yayoi Kamakura,
Representative Director,
Japan Association of Nursing Programs in Universities