The slogan is “Nurse Practitioners – Much more than you know”. Would you be able to publish this short text and maybe a photo or 2 to raise awareness of the role and how it helps patients get health care quickly?
A Nurse Practitioner (NP) is a Registered Nurse with the experience and expertise to diagnose and treat people of all ages with a variety of acute or chronic health conditions. NPs have completed additional university study at Master’s degree level and are the most senior clinical nurses in our health care system.
Nurse Practitioners work as key members of the healthcare team and collaborate with other nurses and healthcare professionals including GPs, medical and surgical specialists, physiotherapists, dieticians, occupational therapists, social workers, and many others. They work in a variety of locations, both in hospital and community settings.
National standards for practice ensure that Nurse Practitioners are capable of providing high quality, patient centred care. They are also capable in clinical research, education and leadership as applied to clinical care and health service development.
Did you know that Nurse practitioners … … …
- Have practised in Australia for over 15 years
- Provide health care in all states and territories in Australia
- Can provide patient rebates through Medicare
- Provide prescriptions and access to PBS medicines
- Can refer patients to hospitals and specialists
- Can order x-rays and diagnostic tests
The first photo is a group of Nurse Practitioners at the Australian College of Nurse Practitioners National Conference in Melbourne in September and the second is a photo of me , presenting the Cygnet Family Practice patient-centred, team-based model of health care.