DOCSLIB.ORG

Vol24.3-5.Pdf

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Vol24.3-5.Pdf RESEARCH PAPER THE EDUCATIONAL NEEDS OF NURSES WORKING IN AUSTRALIAN GENERAL PRACTICES Tessa Pascoe, MRCNA, RN, RM, BN, B.Community Ed, Former Lyndall Whitecross, MBBS, FRACGP, Grad.Dip Family Medicine, Policy Advisor, Nursing in General Practice Project, Royal GP Advisor, The Royal Australian College of General College of Nursing Australia, Canberra, Australia. Practitioners, South Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. [email protected]. Teri Snowdon, BA(Hons), BSW(Hons) NSW, ARMIT, Ronelle Hutchinson, PhD, BA (Hons), Former Policy Advisor, National Manager Quality Care and Research, The Royal Nursing in General Practice, The Royal Australian College of Australian College of General Practitioners, South Melbourne, General Practitioners, South Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Victoria, Australia. Elizabeth Foley, FRCNA, AFACHSE, RN, Med, Director, Nursing Accepted for publication August 2006 Policy and Strategic Developments, Royal College of Nursing ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Australia, Canberra, Australia. This study was funded by the Australian Government Department of Health Ian Watts, BSW, Dip Soc Plan, MBA (Exec,), National Manager and Ageing. GP Advocacy and Support, The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, South Melbourne, Victoria, and Adjunct Senior Lecturer , Faculty of Medicine , University of Sydney, Australia. Key words: general practice, education, primary care, nursing education ABSTRACT Discussion: The education areas that were rated as important Objective: by a high number of the nurses appeared to relate To describe the educational needs of nurses directly to the activities nurses currently undertake in working in general medical practice in Australia. Australian general practice. Barriers to education may reflect the workforce characteristics of general Design: practice nurses and/or the capacity of general Survey research combining qualitative and practices to finance training for employees. quantitative data collected via telephone interview. Conclusions: Subjects: As a growing specialty of nursing in Australia, general practice nursing should be supported by a 222 enrolled (RN Division 2 in Victoria) and solid foundation of ongoing education and training registered nurses (RN Division 1 in Victoria) working that is tailored to the current needs of nursing in in general practice in rural and urban areas general practices and reflects appropriate delivery of Australia. options to overcome barriers to training. Results: Nurses identified a number of educational areas of INTRODUCTION high importance including communication skills eneral practice nursing demonstrates exciting (94.1%); infection control (93.7%); confidentiality and possibilities in the way in which nurses can national privacy legislation (93.7%); legal and ethical Gcollaborate with general practitioners (GPs) to issues (91.9%); first aid and CPR (91.4%); wound enhance the quality of primary health care provided to the care (91.0%); cold chain monitoring (90.0%); Australian community. The quality of care provided by sterilisation (90.0%); and triage (90%). Barriers to these nurses rests on the foundation of education, training education were identified including lack of time due to and support available to them to maintain their skills. work (21.9%); costs of courses (17.3%); distance to Despite the fact that nurses have long worked in education (13.9%); and lack of time due to family general practice in Australia and other countries, there is commitments (13.1%). More rural/remote nurses limited literature on the scope of their roles (Vincent et al identified distance as a barrier (20.5%) than urban 2002; Hanna 2001; Condon et al 2000; Patterson et al nurses (3.6%). 1999; O’Connor and Parker 1995; Ross et al 1994) and Australian Journal of Advanced Nursing 33 2007 Volume 24 Number 3 RESEARCH PAPER even less on the educational needs of ‘practice nurses’ recruitment advertisements placed in nursing and general or general practice nurses. General practice nursing practice publications. Nurses contacted the project in other countries (notably the United Kingdom and managers to express their interest in participating and New Zealand) has been supported systematically provided consent. to develop and provide professional infrastructure As part of the research brief for the Australian such as competency standards, role descriptions, Government Department of Health and Ageing, at least career and educational pathways and professional 50% of the sample was to be drawn from rural or remote organisational support. areas of Australia. The standard classification for rurality There is growing enthusiasm for general practice employed for the survey was the Rural, Remote and nursing in Australia including the establishment of a Metropolitan Area (RRMA) classification system professional organisation, the Australian Practice Nurse (Australian Government Department of Health and Association, the recent development of post-graduate Ageing 2006). Survey participants were classified into training in general practice nursing and Government RRMA category (capital city, other metropolitan, rural or provided financial incentives for general practices to remote areas) based on the location of their primary employ nurses; the latter in particular locations and to general practice employer. Due to the small number of carry out particular responsibilities such as wound care. participants from remote areas, the categories 'rural' and In order to support these diverse roles for nurses, a solid 'remote' were collapsed into one rural/remote category for foundation of education, training and ongoing reporting purposes. professional development is essential. Instrument AIMS The survey contained 19 quantitative and qualitative The Royal College of Nursing Australia (RCNA) and questions focusing on workforce characteristics, the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners educational background and needs, current nursing (RACGP) completed a project funded by the Australian activities and future aspirations. Nurses were asked to rate Government Department of Health and Ageing which on a scale of one to five (one being very important and aimed to explore the roles and educational needs of five being not important) their perception of the nurses working in general practice. This paper will importance of 51 educational areas for their own role in discuss the results of a national telephone survey of general practice. For ease of presentation, the scale for nurses working in general practice carried out as one of responses was collapsed to represent the total responses the project activities. Specifically the educational needs for ‘important’ and ‘not important’ ratings. of general practice nurses and the barriers to undertaking The survey was pilot tested and amended accordingly further professional development will be examined. prior to being administered using a Computer Assisted The telephone survey results relating to the workforce Telephone Interviewing methodology by an external data characteristics and current roles of general practice nurses collection agency. Nurses were surveyed by telephone have been reported elsewhere (Pascoe et al 2005), and outside of working hours and the survey took indicate that general practice nurses in Australia are likely approximately 15-25 minutes to complete. to be registered nurses who work part-time in a medium to large practice. Often the nurse has worked less than Data analysis five full-time equivalent years in a general practice Quantitative data was analysed using the Statistical environment and is likely to work in a practice where at Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) with descriptive least one other nurse works. The nurse is likely to have statistics and selected cross-tabulations. A percentage some post-basic formal education and to have participated difference of 10% or more was used as a determinant in professional development in the past two years. of substantial urban/rural difference in this analysis. Qualitative data was thematically coded by two METHODOLOGY project managers in consultation with the data Design collection agencies. A telephone survey of nurses working in general The research was approved by the RACGP National practice was designed on the role and educational needs Research and Evaluation Ethics Committee. of nurses in general practice drawing on published and unpublished research undertaken in Australia RESULTS and internationally. As indicated in table 1, a number of educational areas Sample were rated as important by almost all the nurses (or over The survey was administered to 222 nurses (188 90% of the sample) including: communication skills, enrolled and 34 registered nurses) currently working in infection control, confidentiality and privacy, legal and general practice settings in Australia. The convenience ethical issues, first aid and cardio pulmonary resuscitation sample of nurses was recruited through a national (CPR), wound care, cold chain monitoring, sterilisation marketing campaign with nurses responding to and triage. Australian Journal of Advanced Nursing 34 2007 Volume 24 Number 3 RESEARCH PAPER Table 1: Percentage of sample by RRMA classification by collapsed ranking of importance of educational areas for current role of nurses in general practice Rated Important Rated Important Rated Important Educational Area Rural/Remote Urban/Metro Total Sample N = 130 N =92 N=222 Communication skills 94.6 93.4 94.1 Infection control 93.8 93.4 93.7 Confidentiality/National Privacy Principles
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The Nursing Community Apgar Questionnaire in Rural Australia: an Evidence Based Approach to Recruiting and Retaining Nurses
    Boise State University ScholarWorks Nursing Faculty Publications and Presentations School of Nursing 1-1-2017 The ursinN g Community Apgar Questionnaire in Rural Australia: An Evidence Based Approach to Recruiting and Retaining Nurses Molly Prengaman Boise State University Daniel R. Terry University of Melbourne David Schmitz University of North Dakota Ed Baker Boise State University This document was originally published in Online Journal of Rural Nursing and Health Care by Rural Nurse Organization. This work is provided under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial 4.0 license. Details regarding the use of this work can be found at: http://creativecommons.org/ licenses/by-nc/4.0/ The Nursing Community Apgar Questionnaire in rural Australia: An evidence based approach to recruiting and retaining nurses Molly Prengaman, PhD, FNP-BC1 Daniel R. Terry, PhD2 David Schmitz, MD3 Ed Baker, PhD4 1 Associate Professor, School of Nursing, Boise State University, [email protected] 2 Research Fellow, Department of Rural Health, University of Melbourne ; Lecturer, School of Nursing, Midwifery and Healthcare, Federation University, [email protected] 3 Professor, Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of North Dakota, [email protected] 4 Professor, Center for Health Policy, Boise State University, [email protected] Abstract Purpose: To date, the Nursing Community Apgar Questionnaire (NCAQ) has been effectively utilized to quantify resources and capabilities of a rural Idaho communities to recruit and retain nurses. As such, the NCAQ was used in a rural Australian context to examine its efficacy as an evidence-based tool to better inform nursing recruitment and retention. Sample: The sample included nursing administrators, senior nurses and other nurses from six health facilities who were familiar with the community and knowledgeable with health facility recruitment and retention history.
    [Show full text]
  • The Practice of Registered Nurses in Rural and Remote Areas of Australia: Case Study Research
    The practice of Registered Nurses in rural and remote areas of Australia: Case study research Nicola Lisa Whiteing BSc (Hons), MSc (Distinction), PGDip HE, RN, ANP, RNT A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Central Queensland University April 2019 Abstract This study aimed to delineate the roles and responsibilities of Registered Nurses (RNs) working in rural and remote areas of Australia and to explore the clinical and educational preparation required to fulfil such roles and responsibilitie . Whilst much research exists surrounding rural and remote nursing, few studies have looked in depth at the roles and responsibilities and necessary preparation for rural and remote nursing. Indeed, much of the literature encompasses rural and remote nurse data within the wider metropolitan workforce. There is limited research which clearly defines the rural and remote populations being studied. This study, however, clearly delineates those nurses working in rural and remote locations by the Australian Standard Geographical Classification – Remote Areas system (ASGC-RA). It is known that nursing is facing a workforce crisis with many nurses due to retire in the next ten to 15 years. It is also known that this is worse in rural and remote areas in which the average age of the workforce is higher and there are issues with recruitment and retention of nurses. Thus, there is a need to understand the practice of RNs, preparation for the role and challenges that need to be addressed in order that such workforce issues can be addressed. The study was carried out utilising Yin’s case study research design.
    [Show full text]
  • Nursing in Australia, 1899-1975
    .b.qþ Developing an awareness of professionalism: nursing in Australia,'1899 - 1975 Mary Peterson. i Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Arts in the Department i of History of the University of Adelaide. I I I 1995 't March I l I I I I Contents Page Statement I Abstract ii Acknowledgements iv List of illustrations vi Abbreviations viii 1. Introduction 1 2. The establishment of associations 8 3. Wartime rivalry 41, 4. Focus on education 62 5. The concept of professionalism 97 6. The image of the nurse 128 7. Nursing as an occupation for women 148 8. Conclusion lU Bibliography 188 I Statement This thesis contains no material which has been accepted for the award of any degree of diploma in any university and, to the best of my knowledge and belief, contains no material previously published or written by another person, except where due reference in made in the text of the thesis. I consent to the thesis being made available for photocopying and loan if accepted for the award of the degree. Mary Peterson l1 Abstract Developing an awareness of professionalism: nursing in Australia,1.899 - 7975 This thesis examines the changing concerns and aspirations of general nurses in Australia from 1899 to 7975. It is shown that the first nurses' associations were developed under doctors' direction; how between the 1920s and World War Two rivalry and hostility developed between the longer established associations and the emerging nurses' unions. The thesis then shows how in the post-war years, nurses' concerns began to focus on the basic education nurses were then receiving.
    [Show full text]
  • Australia Health Care Systems in Transition I IONAL B at an RN K E F T O N R I WORLD BANK
    European Observatory on Health Care Systems Australia Health Care Systems in Transition I IONAL B AT AN RN K E F T O N R I WORLD BANK PLVS VLTR R E T C N O E N M S P T R O U L C E T EV ION AND D The European Observatory on Health Care Systems is a partnership between the World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe, the Government of Greece, the Government of Norway, the Government of Spain, the European Investment Bank, the Open Society Institute, the World Bank, the London School of Economics and Political Science, and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. Health Care Systems in Transition Australia 2001 Written by Melissa Hilless and Judith Healy Australia II European Observatory on Health Care Systems AMS 5012667 (AUS) 2001 RESEARCH AND KNOWLEDGE FOR HEALTH By the year 2005, all Member States should have health research, information and communication systems that better support the acquisition, effective utilization, and dissemination of knowledge to support health for all. Keywords DELIVERY OF HEALTH CARE EVALUATION STUDIES FINANCING, HEALTH HEALTH CARE REFORM HEALTH SYSTEM PLANS – organization and administration AUSTRALIA ©European Observatory on Health Care Systems 2001 This document may be freely reviewed or abstracted, but not for commercial purposes. For rights of reproduction, in part or in whole, application should be made to the Secretariat of the European Observatory on Health Care Systems, WHO Regional Office for Europe, Scherfigsvej 8, DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark. The European Observatory on Health Care Systems welcomes such applications. The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this document do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the European Observatory on Health Care Systems or its participating organizations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.
    [Show full text]
  • 30 June, 2019 Educating the Nurse of the Future (Secretariat)
    30 June, 2019 Educating the Nurse of the Future (Secretariat) 02 6289 9137 [email protected] Dear Reviewers of Nursing Education, Submission to Educating the Nurse of the Future: Independent Review of Nursing Education in Australia. CHA welcomes an independent Review into Nursing Education in Australia, noting that this is the first significant review of education to be conducted in over a decade. CHA is a significant employer of the nursing workforce in Australia, with substantial contributions to nursing education and training. CHA is Australia’s largest non-government grouping of health, community, and aged care services accounting for approximately 10% of hospital-based healthcare in Australia. Our members also provide around 30% of private hospital care, 5% of public hospital care, 12% of aged care facilities, and 20% of home care and support for the elderly. Level 2, Favier House, 51 Cooyong Street, Braddon ACT 2612 PO Box 245, Civic Square ACT 2608 02 6203 2777 www.cha.org.au Catholic Health Australia ABN 30 351 500 103 The nursing workforce is the single largest workforce in Australia, with over 378,325 nurses in 2019, three times as large as the medical practitioner workforce.1 As such, CHA thus recognises that the impacts of a review are likely to be significant and grateful for the opportunity to participate. CHA members report a large variation in work preparedness of newly graduated nurses. Improving this variation necessitates changes be made to enrolment and graduation requirements of nursing students. CHA and its members strongly recommend the introduction of standardisation in enrolment requirements for both domestic and international students entering nursing education.
    [Show full text]
  • Download Download
    VOLUME 38, ISSUE 1 DEC 2020 – FEB 2021 AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL ISSN 1447–4328 OF ADVANCED NURSING DOI 2020.381 An international peer-reviewed journal of nursing and midwifery research and practice IN THIS ISSUE EDITORIALS Relaunched, the Australian Journal of Advanced Nursing in the year of the Nurse and Midwife. Marnie C and Peters MDJ. P. 1 • 2020.381.411 “Taking our blindfolds off”: acknowledging the vision of First Nations peoples for nursing and midwifery. Sherwood J, West R, Geia L, et al. PP. 2–5 • 2020.381.413 RESEARCH ARTICLES Evaluating the impact of reflective practice groups for nurses in an acute hospital setting. Davey B, Byrne S, Millear P, et al. PP. 6–17 • 2020.381.220 Identifying barriers and facilitators of full service nurse-led early medication abortion provision: qualitative findings from a Delphi study. de Moel-Mandel C, Taket A, Graham M. PP. 18–26 • 2020.381.144 Qualitative determination of occupational risks among operating room nurses. Çelikkalp Ü and Sayılan AA. PP. 27–35 • 2020.381.104 Documenting patient risk and nursing interventions: record audit. Bail K, Merrick E, Bridge C, et al. PP. 36–44 • 2020.381.167 An audit of obesity data and concordance with diagnostic coding for patients admitted to Western Australian Country Health Service hospitals. McClean K, Cross M, Reed S. PP. 45–52 • 2020.381.99 Inpatient falls prevention: state-wide survey to identify variability in Western Australian hospitals. Ferguson C, Mason L, Ho P. PP. 53–59 • 2020.381.296 The Australian Journal of Advanced Nursing is the peer-reviewed scholarly journal of the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF).
    [Show full text]
  • Eliminating the Drudge Work”: Campaigning for University- Based Nursing Education in Australia, 1920-1935
    Quality Advancement in Nursing Education - Avancées en formation infirmière Volume 6 Issue 2 The History of Nursing Education | L’histoire Article 7 de la formation en sciences infirmières “Eliminating the drudge work”: Campaigning for university- based nursing education in Australia, 1920-1935 Madonna Grehan Dr University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://qane-afi.casn.ca/journal Part of the Australian Studies Commons, Education Commons, History Commons, and the Nursing Commons Recommended Citation Grehan, Madonna Dr (2020) "“Eliminating the drudge work”: Campaigning for university-based nursing education in Australia, 1920-1935," Quality Advancement in Nursing Education - Avancées en formation infirmière: Vol. 6: Iss. 2, Article 7. DOI: https://doi.org/10.17483/2368-6669.1254 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by Quality Advancement in Nursing Education - Avancées en formation infirmière. It has been accepted for inclusion in Quality Advancement in Nursing Education - Avancées en formation infirmière by an authorized editor of Quality Advancement in Nursing Education - Avancées en formation infirmière. “Eliminating the drudge work”: Campaigning for university-based nursing education in Australia, 1920-1935 Cover Page Footnote Acknowledgements: Thanks to the University of Melbourne Archives and two anonymous reviewers of this article. Remerciements : Merci aux archives de la University of Melbourne et aux deux réviseurs anonymes de cet article. This article is available in Quality Advancement in Nursing Education - Avancées en formation infirmière: https://qane- afi.casn.ca/journal/vol6/iss2/7 Grehan: “eliminating the drudge work”: campaigning for university-based nursing education in Australia, 1920-1935 Background For most of the twentieth century in Australia, hospital-based apprenticeship programs were the only pathway leading to registration as a nurse or midwife.
    [Show full text]
  • Nurses & Midwives in Australian History: a Guide to Historical Sources, Unlock the Past
    Nurses, Midwives and Health Professionals includes nurses who served during World Wars Nurses & Midwives in Australian History: a guide to Historical Sources, Unlock the Past, 215 This book written by Professor R Lynette Russell & Noeline Kyle, together with Dr Jennifer Blundell, is an up to date source book for all historians of nursing and midwifery, purchase a copy from here or from gould.com.au The following list of sources was compiled by Noeline Kyle: Adam-Smith, Patsy, Australian Women at War, Nelson, Melbourne, 1984. Adcock, Winifred et al (compilers), With Courage & Devotion: A History of Midwifery in New South Wales, NSW Midwives Association (RANF), Anvil Press, Wamberal, 1984. Armstrong, Dorothy Mary, The First Fifty Years: A History of Nursing at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, from 1882 to 1932, RPA Hospital Graduate Nurses’ Association, 1965. Barlow, Pam, ed The longest mile : a nurse in the Vietnam War, 1968-69 : letters from nursing sister Joan B.F. MacLeod who served in Vietnam as a member of the Royal Australian Army Nursing Corps, Townsville, 2006. Barker, Marianne Nightingales in the mud: the diggers sisters of the Great War, Allen & Unwin, Sydney, 1989. Bassett, Jan Guns and brooches: Australian Army nursing from the Boer War to the Gulf War, oxford University Press, Melbourne, 1997. Biedermann, Narelle Tears on my pillow: Australian nurses in Vietnam, Random House, Milsons Point, NSW, 2004. Bingham, Stella, Ministering Angels, Osprey Publishing, London, 1979. Brodsky, Isadore, Sydney's nurse crusaders, Old Sydney Free Press, Sydney, 1968. Brookes, Barbara & Thomson eds Jane Unfortunate folk: essays on mental health treatment 1863-1992, University of Otago Press, Dunedin, NZ, 2001.
    [Show full text]
  • International Perspectives on Rural Nursing: Australia, Canada, Usa
    Aust. J. Rural Health (2002) 10, 104–111 OriginalBlackwellOxford,1038-5282200210457australianINTERNATIONAL10.1046[sol Australian Blackwell UKAJRThe journalScience, ]j.1038-5282.2002.00457.x Journal Science of Ltd PERSPECTIVESrural of Asia healthRural Pty Health Ltd ON RURAL NURSING: A. BUSHY Article BEES SGML INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVES ON RURAL NURSING: AUSTRALIA, CANADA, USA Angeline Bushy University of Central Florida School of Nursing, Daytona Beach, Florida, USA ABSTRACT: This article compares and contrasts nursing practice in rural areas based on selected publications by nurse scholars from Australia, Canada and the USA. By no means is the analysis complete; rather this pre- liminary effort is designed to provoke interest about rural nursing in the global village. The information can be used to examine the rural phenomenon in greater depth from an international perspective and challenges nurses to collaborate, study, develop and refine the foundations of rural practice across nations and cultures. KEY WORDS: international nursing, rural healthcare, rural nursing. INTRODUCTION than urban residents. However, they also tend to seek medical care less often than urban residents. Publications from three countries reveal that nurses Rural communities have fewer people living in larger who practice in rural environments provide services to and more remote geographical regions, which affects individuals and their families (client systems) in a similar economic, political and healthcare delivery systems. The context. Summary articles prepared by nurse scholars more remote the community, the lower the population describe more similarities than differences among rural density tends to be. In other words, rural regions often nurses in Australia,1–3 Canada4,5 and the USA.6–8 Based do not have the critical mass to support public infra- on analysis of select publications, several international structures that are fiscally sound.
    [Show full text]
  • Smartphones in the Operating Room: Can Perioperative Nurses Be Trusted?
    Volume 34 Issue 1 Article 3 2-24-2021 Smartphones in the operating room: Can perioperative nurses be trusted? Tarryn Armour Deakin University, Victoria, [email protected] Elyse Coffey Deakin University, Australia, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://www.journal.acorn.org.au/jpn Part of the Perioperative, Operating Room and Surgical Nursing Commons This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License. Recommended Citation Armour, Tarryn and Coffey, Elyse (2021) "Smartphones in the operating room: Can perioperative nurses be trusted?," Journal of Perioperative Nursing: Vol. 34 : Iss. 1 , Article 3. Available at: https://doi.org/10.26550/2209-1092.1114 https://www.journal.acorn.org.au/jpn/vol34/iss1/3 This Feature is brought to you for free and open access by Journal of Perioperative Nursing. It has been accepted for inclusion in Journal of Perioperative Nursing by an authorized editor of Journal of Perioperative Nursing. Feature Author Tarryn Armour Smartphones in the operating MClinEd, GradDipAdNrsgPrac (periop), GCertHELT, BN, BaHthProm, RN, FACORN room: Can perioperative nurses Elyse Coffey MNurs (Perian), GCertHELT, BN(Honours), be trusted? RN Introduction Digital Health Capability Framework3 supports the safe and effective The use of hand-held technology implementation of digital health has become ubiquitous in modern in Australia. The framework also life1. For many Australians, hand- recognises that, increasingly, all held technology is a necessity with nurses and midwives work in a digital nearly nine out of ten owning a environment and that it is essential smartphone2. Smartphones are now for every nurse and midwife to have so powerful they can supersede digital literacy skills to maximise the need to use any other digital health and societal outcomes, device.
    [Show full text]
  • The Changing Role of Practice Nurses in Australia: an Action Research Study
    RESEARCH PAPER The changing role of practice nurses in Australia: an action research study author Jane Mills practice credentialed to provide cervical screening PhD, RN services. Six reflective group meetings were held over a Senior Research Fellow (NHMRC), School of Nursing six‑month time frame facilitated by the lead researcher. and Midwifery, Monash University, Gippsland Campus, During the meetings a variety of creative techniques were Churchill, Victoria, Australia. used to stimulate discussion, The meetings were audio recorded and partially transcribed. Feedback from the [email protected] concurrent data generation and analysis was provided to Mary Fitzgerald participants the following week. PhD, RN Setting Professor of Nursing, School of Nursing, Midwifery A regional division of general practice. and Nutrition, James Cook University, Cairns Campus, Subjects Smithfield, Queensland, Australia. Three registered nurses employed by the general medical practice. Acknowledgement Main outcomes measures This research study was facilitated by a Primary Health The barriers identified by participants in the process Care Research, Education and Development Fellowship, of implementing change in their clinical practice to School of Medicine, James Cook University, Townsville incorporate the provision of cervical screening services. Campus, Queensland, Australia. Results There were three themes identified in the findings from this study that related to the myth of interdisciplinary collaboration in general practice. These were: nurses in KEY words general practice renegotiating their roles; identifying and negotiating gendered patterns of cervical screening; and Australia; general practice; nurse in general practice; multidisciplinary collaboration and retention of practice practice nurse; cervical screening nurses. Another important outcome of this study that relates to change management is the role of practice champions in implementing new models of primary care.
    [Show full text]
  • 28 Health and Health Practice in Rural Australia: Where
    28 HEALTH AND HEALTH PRACTICE IN RURAL AUSTRALIA: WHERE ARE WE, WHERE TO FROM HERE? Karen Francis, PhD, RN1 1 Associate Professor, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Monash University, [email protected] Keywords: Rural Health, Rural Practice, Australia, Recruitment and Retention, Service Delivery, Disadvantage ABSTRACT This paper provides an overview of rural health discourse in Australia highlighting contemporary rural health practice, models of care and the challenges experienced in recruiting and retaining an effective workforce. Socioeconomic difficulties, inequitable access to services including education and health, lower employment levels, harsher environments, occupational hazards, and geographic and social isolation are factors identified as contributing to rural disadvantage. These concerns are described by health professionals when asked if they would consider rural practice as a career option. New initiatives designed to improve the recruitment and retention of health practitioners including nurses to “the Australian bush” are explored. INTRODUCTION Australia is often described as the "lucky country" yet evidence suggests that many Australians are disadvantaged and have poor health (Best 2000; Australian Institute of Health and Welfare AIHW 2003). Cheers (1990; 1998) argues that people who live in rural and remote Australia have poorer life chances than their urban counterparts, while Phillips (2002) concludes that health status decreases with increasing remoteness. The Human Rights and Equal Opportunities Commission found that. The health of populations living in rural and remote areas of Australia is worse than that of those living in capital cities and other metropolitan areas. Mortality and illness levels increase as the distance from metropolitan centers increases. Relatively poor access to health services, lower socioeconomic status and employment levels, exposure to comparatively harsher environments and occupational hazards contribute to and may explain most of these inequalities.
    [Show full text]