Legislative issues impacting on the practice of the South African nurse practitioner.

Purpose: To present an overview of the impact of the nurse practitioner (NP) on the South African health care arena and describe the legislative framework for NP practice.

Data Sources: Statutes and laws of the government of South Africa; published professional guidelines; authors' experiences.

Conclusions: The key challenges for NPs in South Africa lie in lobbying for enabling legislation, obtaining access to education and training opportunities, and managing risks within the rapidly changing environment.