Overview

• The French National Assembly has approved in its first reading a bill redefining the nursing profession to include consultations and diagnostic authority.
• The legislation introduces the concept of 'nurse consultations' and allows nurses to prescribe certain medical products, with specifics to be outlined by future decrees.
• The reform aims to alleviate the strain caused by medical deserts, where access to general practitioners is limited, by leveraging nurses' widespread presence across the country.
• Proponents emphasize that the changes are meant to complement, not replace, the role of doctors, ensuring collaborative healthcare delivery.
• Critics, including medical unions, have raised concerns about potential overreach, while others call for further improvements in nurse training, remuneration, and working conditions.