By the conclusion of this interprofessional and cross-cultural learning experience, participants will be able to:
1. Compare and contrast the preparation, education, and scope of practice for Nurse Practitioners in the United States and the Netherlands, identifying key similarities and differences.
2. Engage in interprofessional education (IPE) with NP, PA, OT, PT, and MAT students and faculty to promote understanding of collaborative care approaches.
3. Apply clinical reasoning through illness script formation and structured OSCE case analysis, integrating evidence-based decision-making.
4. Demonstrate cultural humility and curiosity when exploring international perspectives on advanced practice roles and patient care.
5. Participate in standardized patient encounters to enhance diagnostic reasoning, communication skills, and reflective practice in a simulated environment.
6. Reflect on professional growth by synthesizing insights from cross-cultural and interprofessional learning experiences.
Educational Pathways (Choose one)
1. What is one key difference between Nurse Practitioner education in the Netherlands and in the United States that surprised you, and why?
2. How might differences in NP preparation influence patient care or the NP role in each
Interprofessional Education (IPE) (Choose one)
1. Describe a meaningful interaction you had with someone from another profession (NP, PA, OT, PT, MAT). What did you learn from it?
2. How could insights from today’s IPE activities improve collaboration in your future practice?
Clinical Reasoning & Simulation (Choose one)
1. How did the illness script formation or standardized patient scenario challenge or reinforce your clinical reasoning?
Sample Answer
Educational Pathways
What is one key difference between Nurse Practitioner education in the Netherlands and in the United States that surprised you, and why?
One key difference in Nurse Practitioner (NP) education that surprised me is the direct entry point into the advanced practice role in the Netherlands compared to the US model.
In the Netherlands, the NP program (known as the Verpleegkundig Specialist or VS) is a Master's level specialization built upon a Bachelor of Nursing degree, and often requires several years of experience prior to entry. However, the most surprising factor is that the core educational path is structured around two distinct tracks: a Somatic track (physical health) and a Mental Health track.
In the United States, NP education is generally structured around population foci (e.g., Family, Adult-Gerontology Acute Care, Pediatrics). While some mental health specialization exists (PMHNP), the general approach is often comprehensive across the lifespan within that population. The US system requires a pre-existing RN license and experience, but the flexibility to transition between specialties after the initial master's degree (via post-graduate certificates) is more common.
The surprise lies in the rigid binary nature of the Dutch educational tracks. This specialization from the outset means that a Dutch NP is trained to be either a physical health expert or a mental health expert, with little overlap in their core education. This structural separation is designed to ensure a deep specialization but presents a contrast to the US model, which often emphasizes a broader, more integrated scope of practice within a population focus, encouraging the management of both physical and mental health issues common to that population. This difference highlights a divergence in how advanced practice is conceptualized—either as a deeply focused specialist (NL) or a comprehensive primary provider (US).
Interprofessional Education (IPE)
Describe a meaningful interaction you had with someone from another profession (NP, PA, OT, PT, MAT). What did you learn from it?
During a simulation involving an elderly patient recovering from a hip fracture, I had a meaningful interaction with a Physical Therapy (PT) student.
The simulated scenario required me (as the NP student) to manage the patient's pain, monitor wound healing, and plan for discharge. My focus was primarily on pharmacological pain control and preventing complications.
The PT student, however, challenged my proposed discharge plan, which involved escalating a slow-release opioid. They highlighted that while the patient's current pain score was high, the primary limiting factor for functional recovery was not surgical pain, but fear of movement and poor gait mechanics leading to muscle spasms.
What I Learned:
I learned the immense v