Italian Government Introduces Three New Specializations for Nurses

The Italian government, represented by Health Minister Orazio Schillaci and Minister of Universities Anna Maria Bernini, announced the approval of new educational pathways for the nursing profession. This decision, announced on February 23, 2026, constitutes a significant reform in the structure of medical professions in Italy and aims to strengthen and modernize the nursing workforce in the face of demographic and health challenges. New Educational Pathways for Nursing: Pediatric Specialization: No dedicated master's pathway → Specialized master's degree studies; Geriatric Specialization: No dedicated master's pathway → Specialized master's degree studies; Public Health Specialization: No dedicated master's pathway → Specialized master's degree studies The reform introduces three new master's degree programs: pediatric nursing, geriatric nursing, and public health nursing. Graduates of these programs, referred to as prescribing nurses, will be able to take on a broader range of tasks. This primarily involves conducting initial diagnostics and independently prescribing certain medications and therapies within strictly defined legal and clinical frameworks. Minister Schillaci emphasized that this is a "historic step" aimed at "increasing the autonomy and responsibility of nursing" and "relieving primary care physicians." Minister Bernini, in turn, pointed to the aspect of investment in human capital and the creation of new career opportunities that could retain highly specialized workers in the country.„Un passo storico per la sanità italiana. Valorizzeremo la professione infermieristica, incrementandone autonomia e responsabilità, per sgravare i medici di medicina generale.” (A historic step for Italian healthcare. We will enhance the nursing profession, increasing its autonomy and responsibility, to relieve general practitioners.) — Orazio Schillaci The concept of nursing with expanded competencies, including prescribing authority, is not new globally. In countries such as the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, or Australia, roles like Advanced Nurse Practitioners (ANP) or Nurse Practitioners (NP) have existed for decades, playing a key role in primary healthcare, especially in rural areas or those with a shortage of physicians.Reactions from the medical community to this decision are extremely varied and illustrate a deep divide. Nursing unions, such as Nursind, welcomed it with enthusiasm. Nursind's General Secretary, Maddalena Rinaldi, described it as a "concrete opportunity for professional development" and an "important response to the needs of the healthcare system and citizens." In the eyes of nurses, the reform represents recognition of their competencies and an opportunity for career advancement and retention of the best specialists in the profession. In contrast, a firm "no" was expressed by the medical association. In a released statement, it expressed "firm opposition" to the prescribing nurse project. Doctors argue that prescribing medication is "a medical act of high responsibility that requires the full and comprehensive training provided exclusively by medical studies." They fear a "blurring of roles" and emphasize that inter-professional collaboration should be based on "mutual recognition of specific and diverse competencies, not on their overlap." This dispute reflects the traditional competition over the scope of competencies and prestige within the healthcare system.

Perspektywy mediów: The narrative of liberal/left-leaning media may emphasize the need to modernize an outdated healthcare system, the ongoing professionalization of nursing, and the need to increase access to care, especially for the elderly and children. The narrative of conservative/right-leaning media may focus on defending the traditional hierarchy of medical professions, highlighting the risks associated with entrusting overly responsible tasks to individuals with different training, and the necessity of protecting the quality and safety of care. The introduction of the reform is a response to long-standing problems of the Italian healthcare service, such as staff shortages, overburdened primary care physicians, and an aging society with growing long-term care needs. The government hopes that specialized nurses will be able to take over some routine tasks, streamlining patient flow and reducing waiting times. The next step will now be developing detailed curricula and legal frameworks defining the exact scope of authority for "prescribing nurses." The implementation timeline for the reform is not yet precisely defined, but the first admissions to the new programs could begin as early as the upcoming academic year.Reform Implementation Timeline (estimated): March 2026 — Development of study programs; June 2026 — Finalization of legal frameworks; September 2026 — Possible start of first admissions