Q&A: Australian College of Nurse Practitioners President Melanie Dunstan
Nursing has opened numerous doors for Melanie Dunstan throughout her career. But it was becoming a nurse practitioner that truly enabled her to deliver the greatest amount of care to clients, particularly reducing delays and increasing access to healthcare. As the current president of the Australian College of Nurse Practitioners, she remains committed to advocating […]
What do nurse practitioners think about registered nurse (RN) prescribing?
While acknowledging that Registered Nurse (RN) prescribing offers an opportunity to potentially improve patient access to medicines and enhance healthcare system efficiency, many nurse practitioners remain equally concerned about how it will be implemented, possible role ambiguity, and patient safety, a recent study has revealed. The survey of 229 Australian nurse practitioners, about 10% of […]
How I became Australia’s first authorised nurse practitioner
More than two decades ago, on 12 December 2000, Jane O’Connell became the first nurse practitioner to be authorised in Australia.
Nurse Practitioner pens book detailing ‘honest insights’ into the life of a nurse
Rasa Kabaila never imagined that her everyday nursing stories from a decade in the job could one day form an entire book. That was until a friend planted the seed in her mind that her experiences, and those of colleagues, deserved to be told. “I thought, they’re not necessarily unique stories, but they are significant,” […]
Advanced practice nurses caring for communities in need
“There isn’t many free services available for people with acute injuries and illnesses that provide such a holistic service, and have the time to be able to do that,” says Advanced Practice Nurse Anna Petchell, of Canberra’s successful nurse-led Walk-in Centres. Anna started working at the centres, which provide free healthcare for non-life threatening injuries […]
Q&A: Emergency Nurse Practitioner
South Australian Stuart Smith has been an Emergency Nurse Practitioner for more than two decades. Originally from the UK, Stuart works at Modbury Hospital, where he enjoys the diversity of the Emergency Department, with the bustling environment demanding leadership, emotional intelligence, compassion, and a broad scope of clinical skills. Stuart spoke to the ANMJ about […]
More nurse practitioners to be employed across Western Australia
An extra 20 Nurse Practitioners will be employed across Western Australian primary care settings as part of a new multidisciplinary care model aiming to improve access to primary care and help ease workforce pressures in aged care and the health system. Announced today, the $11.7 million program, funded by the Federal and Western Australian Governments, […]
How a nurse practitioner shifted to telehealth amid COVID-19
Before COVID-19 hit, Paediatric Nurse Practitioner Stephanie Dowden pondered implementing telehealth at her Perth-based clinic but ultimately considered it too costly and unviable. When the pandemic arrived, the goalposts suddenly changed. Speaking at the 2022 Australian College of Nurse Practitioners (ACNP) National Conference, Stephanie shared her experience with adopting telehealth and its benefits and challenges. […]
HELP debt to be wiped for nurse practitioners working rural and remote
Nurse practitioners and doctors are being enticed into working in rural and remote Australia by having their HECs/HELP debt entirely wiped, or slashed. The new legislation, Higher Education Support Amendment (2022 Measures No.1) Bill 2022, introduced into Parliament today by the Federal Government, is aiming to encourage initial employment and retention of health practitioners to […]
Full scope: Nurses lobby politicians for greater healthcare role
Nurses working to their full scope across the health system, free from barriers that hinder the delivery of care, can make a far greater difference to access to healthcare and outcomes, a delegation of ANMF members from across the country told key politicians at Parliament House in Canberra last week. Members, including registered nurses working […]