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Health systems in transition
Portugal
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children’s health
•
medico-surgical nursing
•
rehabilitation
•
family nursing.
After specialized training, nurses are able to provide specialized care
(defined generally by law) in their area of specialization. The practice of nursing
is regulated by law and the Portuguese Nursing Association is responsible for
its reinforcement and sanctioning (the Nurses Code of Practice came into law
in 1998). Registration is mandatory for all nurses practising in Portugal.
Other health care professionals
Since 1986, several public and private dentistry schools have opened. The courses
have had a 10-semester (approximately 5 years) duration since the Bologna
Process changes (previously, it was 6 years of training), and consist typically
of four areas of knowledge: basics, biomedics, clinical and multidisciplinary.
Previously, physicians who undertook 3 years of dentist specialist training after
their medical degree provided oral health care. Another nonmedical grade
exists, that of orthodontist. The government introduced this grade at a time
when there was a severe shortage of dentists, but it has been replaced by the
degree in dental medicine awarded by higher education institutions.
There are also several allied medical professional degrees being offered,
covering 18 specializations (such as physiotherapy and radiology).
Pharmacists
In Portugal, there are several public and private pharmacy schools that offer
degrees in Pharmaceutical Sciences. After the Bologna Process, the programme,
previously a 6-year degree, was renamed Integrated Masters Degree in
Pharmaceutical Sciences, with a 5-year length. Upon graduation and enrolment
in the Pharmacists’ Association (
Ordem dos Farmacêuticos
), pharmacists
may pursue a specialization. The specialization is a complementary training,
with variable duration, and is supervised by a Specialist Pharmacist. At the
conclusion of the specialization, the pharmacist obtains the title of Specialist
Pharmacist in a certain area of intervention: Clinical Analysis, Hospital
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Industry, Community Pharmacy or Regulatory
Affairs. The Pharmacists’ Association is responsible for the representation,
supervision and regulation of pharmacists in Portugal.
There are also pharmacy technicians (graduates in Pharmacy after a
polytechnic programme of 4 years). The ACSS regulates the profession of
pharmacy technician.