NPs made to wait
After more than a decade of lobbying and advocacy, the May Federal Budget saw the introduction of funding for long-awaited reforms for NPs and for, most importantly, the people for whom they provide care. But the joy felt following the Budget announcement was short-lived, as NPs, yet again, have been made to wait. Health Minister […]
Nurse practitioners enabled to prescribe medical abortion pill
Women across Australia are set to have easier access to medical abortions under landmark changes that will remove restrictions on health professionals, including nurse practitioners, doctors, and pharmacists, prescribing, and dispensing, termination pills. The Therapeutic Goods Administration decision means that, from 1 August, doctors and pharmacists will no longer be required to register and be […]
New Nurse Practitioner Workforce Plan set to ease demands on health and aged care
A Nurse Practitioner Workforce Plan (Plan), which aims to expand the services of highly-trained Nurse Practitioners (NPs), will help address increasing demands for health and aged care and chronic workforce shortages across the country. The Plan, Supported by the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation, builds on a number of reforms for NPs announced in the […]
‘Red tape’: Collaborative arrangements for Nurse Practitioners scrapped
NSW Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner Jo Perks needed the tick of approval from a doctor to provide care to women, many from disadvantaged backgrounds, at a health centre in south-west Sydney. Since 2010, legislation has required NPs and eligible midwives across Australia to establish collaborative arrangements with doctors in order to practice in a range […]
How do I become a Nurse Practitioner?
Nurse Practitioners (NPs) are registered nurses (RNs) with the experience, expertise and authority to diagnose and treat people of all ages with a broad range of acute or chronic health conditions. The innovative role, which requires education at Masters Level, aims to improve access to treatment, provide cost-effective care, target at-risk populations and provide clinical […]
Electronic prescriptions rolled out in Melbourne to support those at risk of COVID-19
Electronic prescriptions rolled out in Melbourne to support those at risk of COVID-19
NP Endoscopists pioneer procedural sedation
The Nurse Practitioner Endoscopist (NPE) is an advanced practice role enabling the Nurse Practitioner (NP) to perform colonoscopy procedures within a legislative and regulatory framework applied in Australia. The NPE model was implemented at the Townsville Hospital in 2015 with two NPEs, Kylie and Grace, credentialed to perform colonoscopies in March 2018. Colonoscopy is a […]
Nurse Practitioners filling in the gaps in care delivery
Nurse Practitioner Locum Solutions (NPLS) is a new, innovative service model developed by three nurse practitioners with backgrounds in emergency and acute care, clinical leadership, research and academia. The NPLS founders identified gaps in the delivery of high-quality care initially in regional and rural healthcare settings. NPLS aimed to fill these gaps by promoting the […]
Nurse Practitioners: Barriers to practice
Jo Perks was one of the first nurse practitioners in Australia, gaining authorisation over a decade ago in 2005. Despite being authorised for many years Jo still experiences barriers in providing optimal care to her patients due to restrictions imposed on her practice. Having worked at Leichhardt Women’s Community Health Centre in Sydney with patients […]
Better post-op care for nursing home residents
A new type of intervention for nursing home residents following hospital discharge has resulted in almost two-thirds fewer readmissions. The intervention is a result of a collaborative study between researchers at UNSW Medicines Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA), the Department of Aged Care, St George Hospital and Calvary Health Care. Lead author, senior lecturer […]