National Consultant - to review the legal and regulatory framework for nursing practice and support development of standardized nursing diagnoses, WHO Viet Nam, Hanoi, Viet Nam

## National Consultant - to review the legal and regulatory framework for nursing practice and support development of standardized nursing diagnoses, WHO Viet Nam, Hanoi, Viet Nam - Organization:WHO - World Health Organization to review the legal and regulatory framework for nursing practice and support development of standardized nursing diagnoses, WHO Viet Nam Contractual Arrangement : External consultant Contract Duration (Years, Months, Days) : 45 working days Job Posting: Sep 28, 2026, 1:42:04 AM Purpose of the Consultancy The purpose of this consultancy is to review Viet Nam's legal and regulatory framework for nursing practice; identify gaps, overlaps, inconsistencies, and implementation challenges related to scope of practice, functions, responsibilities, and the nursing process; and deliver validated recommendations and a roadmap for regulatory development. A specific focus will be assessing the legal and professional basis for developing a standardized national list of nursing diagnoses to support consistent, evidence-informed practice. Nursing practice in Viet Nam is governed by a range of legal and regulatory instruments, including the Law on Medical Examination and Treatment 2023, Government Decree No. 96/2023/ND-CP, and Ministry of Health Circular No. 32/2023/TT-BYT. The State of the World's Nursing 2025 highlighted the importance of strengthening nursing policies and regulation, including addressing issues related to professional roles and scopes of practice. In 2025, the World Health Assembly also extended the WHO Global Strategic Directions for Nursing and Midwifery to 2030, providing a broader global context for reviewing national nursing policies and regulatory frameworks in line with country needs. In Viet Nam, as this framework evolves, a systematic review is needed to determine whether provisions governing nursing practice, scope of practice, professional responsibilities, and the nursing process are complete, internally consistent, and sufficiently clear for implementation across health facilities. Without such clarity, there is a tangible risk of inconsistent patient assessment, fragmented care, miscommunication, and medical-legal ambiguity—all of which compromise patient safety and quality of care. The review will identify regulatory gaps, overlaps, and ambiguities—particularly around professional autonomy and clinical functions. A priority is standardizing nursing diagnoses as a core element of the nursing process. Clear provisions are needed to ensure consistent assessment, documentation, care planning, communication, and accountability. Standardized diagnoses would also improve data collection on outcomes and interventions, enabling better workforce planning and resource allocation. This work responds to broader workforce challenges, including shortages, uneven distribution, limited incentives, and insufficient professional recognition. Regulatory clarification and standardized diagnoses will not resolve these structural issues alone, but they can strengthen professional recognition, clarify scope and accountability, support clinical decision-making, and provide a foundation for competency development, career pathways, and workforce planning. This work is part of WHO's 2026-2027 workplan agreed with the Ministry of Health. Accelerated technical support is therefore needed to ensure timely and quality implementation of the 2026 workplan. The consultant will work remotely with one possible trip to Hanoi if required twice per year. The deliverables will aid the WCO in Viet Nam to provide the best possible technical advice to the MOH. The work will include tracking legislation, consolidating WCO positions and feedback on legislation, improving cross-team knowledge on legislation, participating in meetings and workshops (remotely if needed), providing technical expertise, and producing the required deliverables. The consultant will provide the WCO with the following outputs and deliverables:Output 1: Work across teams in the WCO to consolidate technical advice on key legislative documents for their development and revision Deliverable 1: Documents of consolidated technical input from WHO on specific laws and secondary legislation under development or revision in 2026-2027 Output 2: Conduct analyses of the regulatory and institutional frameworks related to an outcome within the Strategic Priorities of the Joint MOH-WHO Project Document in Vietnam Deliverable 2: Reports providing regulatory analysis of specific outcomes and potential legal and regulatory options and recommendations to achieve the outcomes - Track the legislative agenda in Vietnam and the contributions by the WCO teams Deliverable 3: Periodic reports and on the status of health-related laws, decrees, circulars and other government legal documents in Vietnam that are under development or revision, highlighting points of interest to the WCO Vietnam Deliverable 4: Monthly report on progress against deliverables with attached documents related to progress on deliverables 1 to 3. Qualifications, experience, skills and languages Essential: Bachelor's or higher degree in nursing, health law, health policy, public health, health systems, or another field directly relevant to nursing regulation and professional practice. Required: At least 4 years of relevant professional experience in nursing practice, nursing regulation, health law, health policy, health systems, or the development and implementation of health-sector regulations. Desirable: Demonstrated experience coordinating technical reviews or consultations involving government agencies, professional councils or associations, health facilities, nursing experts, and development partners. Skills / Technical skills and knowledge: - Strong coordination and stakeholder engagement skills - Demonstrated ability to review and interpret laws, decrees, circulars, professional standards, and technical guidance; map regulatory provisions; identify gaps and inconsistencies; and translate findings into clear, feasible recommendations. - Ability to monitor progress and manage risks Language requirements: Fluency in written and spoken Vietnamese and working proficiency in English, including the ability to review technical materials and prepare concise reports and presentations The Consultant is expected to travel upon the request of the programme and progress of the project. Remuneration and budget (travel costs are excluded): Remuneration: USD 110 per day (VNM2) Expected duration of contract: 6 months part-time limited to 45 working days. Additional Information: - This vacancy notice may be used to identify candidates for other similar consultancies at the same level. - Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted. - A written test may be used as a form of screening. - If your candidature is retained for interview, you will be required to provide, in advance, a scanned copy of the degree(s)/diploma(s)/certificate(s) required for this position. WHO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed through the link: http://www.whed.net/. Some professional certificates may not appear in the WHED and will require individual review. - For information on WHO's operations please visit: http://www.who.int. - The WHO is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The WHO recruits workforce regardless of disability status, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, language, race, marital status, religious, cultural, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds, or any other personal characteristics. The WHO is committed to achieving gender parity and geographical diversity in its workforce. Women, persons with disabilities, and natio