Practice manager expectations of new graduate registered nurses in Australian general practice: a national survey

2016 ◽  
Vol 22 (6) ◽  
pp. 559
Author(s):  
Christina Aggar ◽  
Jacqueline G. Bloomfield ◽  
Cynthia Stanton ◽  
Catherine Baynie ◽  
Christopher J. Gordon
Keyword(s):  
General Practice ◽  
Registered Nurses ◽  
Workforce Development ◽  
Demographic Data ◽  
First Year ◽  
Practice Nurses ◽  
Australian State ◽  
New Graduate ◽  
Australian General Practice ◽  
Predominantly Female

Practice managers are often involved in the employment of practice nurses and are likely to have a significant role in future transition programs in general practice. Therefore, the aim of the study was to explore practice managers’ expectations of new graduate registered nurses working in general practice. A nation-wide web-based electronic survey distributed by the Australian Association of Practice Management was used to collect demographic data and practice managers’ expectations of new graduate nurses directly transitioning into general practice in their first year of practice. The sample was broadly representative of the Australian state and territory population numbers. Respondents were predominantly female with postgraduate qualifications. The findings of this study highlight that practice managers who currently work with practice nurses would be supportive of graduate registered nurses in general practice in their first year with preceptor support. The results of this study have important implications for nursing workforce development and it is recommended that such initiatives are widely introduced with appropriate financial support.

scholarly journals Experiences of registered nurses in a general practice-based new graduate program: a qualitative study

2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 366
Author(s):  
Susan McInnes ◽  
Elizabeth Halcomb ◽  
Karen Huckel ◽  
Christine Ashley
Keyword(s):  
General Practice ◽  
Registered Nurses ◽  
Graduate Program ◽  
Healthcare Delivery ◽  
New Graduate Nurse ◽  
Future Career ◽  
New Graduates ◽  
Healthcare Settings ◽  
New Graduate ◽  
Australian General Practice

Nurses are increasingly needed in primary healthcare settings to support community-based healthcare delivery. Programs to facilitate transition of new graduate nurses are well established in acute care; however, there are few similar programs reported in settings like general practice. This paper sought to explore the experiences of new graduate registered nurses and their registered nurse mentors in a new graduate program within Australian general practice. New graduates (n = 9) and their mentors participated in interviews before, during and at the conclusion of a 12-month new graduate program. Interviews were digitally audio-recorded and professionally transcribed verbatim before being analysed using thematic analysis. Eighteen new graduate and 10 mentor interviews were conducted, revealing four themes. Preparation and Opportunities describes the influence that pre-registration education had on preparing nurses for general practice employment. Exceeding Expectations highlights the positive experiences within the program. Program Challenges draws attention to the difficulties experienced by participants, and Future Career Intentions explores future career plans. This study highlights that a general practice new graduate nurse program has the potential to build the workforce. However, strengthening undergraduate preparation of nurses around primary health care and addressing funding issues in general practice, are important to promote the success of such programs.

Outcomes and opportunities: a nurse-led model of chronic disease management in Australian general practice

2013 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 150 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diann S. Eley ◽  
Elizabeth Patterson ◽  
Jacqui Young ◽  
Paul P. Fahey ◽  
Chris B. Del Mar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
General Practice ◽  
Chronic Disease ◽  
Disease Management ◽  
Chronic Disease Management ◽  
Models Of Care ◽  
Practice Nurses ◽  
Australian General Practice ◽  
General Practices

The Australian government’s commitment to health service reform has placed general practice at the centre of its agenda to manage chronic disease. Concerns about the capacity of GPs to meet the growing chronic disease burden has stimulated the implementation and testing of new models of care that better utilise practice nurses (PN). This paper reports on a mixed-methods study nested within a larger study that trialled the feasibility and acceptability of a new model of nurse-led chronic disease management in three general practices. Patients over 18 years of age with type 2 diabetes, hypertension or stable ischaemic heart disease were randomised into PN-led or usual GP-led care. Primary outcomes were self-reported quality of life and perceptions of the model’s feasibility and acceptability from the perspective of patients and GPs. Over the 12-month study quality of life decreased but the trend between groups was not statistically different. Qualitative data indicate that the PN-led model was acceptable and feasible to GPs and patients. It is possible to extend the scope of PN care to lead the routine clinical management of patients’ stable chronic diseases. All GPs identified significant advantages to the model and elected to continue with the PN-led care after our study concluded.

Nurse - patient encounters in general practice: patterns in general practitioner involvement and use of nurse-specific Medicare items

2010 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 224 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine M. Joyce ◽  
Leon Piterman
Keyword(s):  
General Practice ◽  
General Practitioner ◽  
Clinical Work ◽  
Test Results ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Practice Nurses ◽  
Australian General Practice ◽  
Data Collections ◽  
Medical Examinations

A significant gap exists in knowledge about general practice nurses’ (GPNs) patient care activities, despite their now strong presence in Australian general practice. The aim of this paper is to explore the extent of direct general practitioner (GP) involvement in nurse–patient consultations, and to compare consultations where nurse-specific Medicare items were claimable with consultations where they were not. Data from the Practice Nurse Work Survey, a national cross-sectional survey conducted between May 2007 and May 2008, were analysed. Of the total 5253 nurse–patient encounters, 29% did not involve any contact between the patient and a GP, either directly before, during or directly after the nurse consultation. Encounters without GP involvement were more likely to be indirect (e.g. by telephone) and off-site (e.g. home visits), and had higher rates of administrative actions such as documentation and arranging visits. Nurse-specific Medicare item numbers applied in less than half (42%) of nurse–patient encounters. Encounters where no such item applied were more likely to involve medical examinations, blood tests, electrical tracings, physical function tests, removal of sutures, test results, assisting at operations and preparing for procedures. These results confirm that existing data collections do not capture the extent and nature of GPNs’ clinical work.

Local regional workforce returns on investment of a locally governed and delivered general practice vocational training program

2020 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
pp. 254
Author(s):  
Scott Kitchener
Keyword(s):  
General Practice ◽  
Training Program ◽  
Workforce Development ◽  
Skill Training ◽  
Significant Proportion ◽  
Skills Training ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Regional Area ◽  
Australian General Practice ◽  
Rural Training

This study evaluated a program arising from the Commonwealth policy of regionalised training for general practice with regard to the outcomes for the region investing in the training program. A complete operational audit was performed of the outcomes of a training provider of the Commonwealth program, evaluating workforce contribution and retention in the region during and after training, stratified for the effects of locally contextualising, advanced skill training and origin of trainee. The local regional workforce contribution during training peaked at 130 full-time equivalents in 2015. Cumulatively, 53% of alumni remained in the region, but over 40% moved to practice in metropolitan south-east Queensland and other Australian capital cities. Local contextualising of training, completing additional advanced skills training and being an Australian graduate were associated with increased retention in the region. A regional training program is a significant local asset introducing potential general practitioners (GPs) to the region. However, this regional area has become a ‘rural’ training ground for GPs into metropolitan practice rather than local investment translating as comprehensively as possible into long-term local workforce. The Commonwealth program should focus on local workforce outcomes as an evaluation metric rather than the proportion of trainees in rural training. What is known about the topic?Retention in regional areas following the Australian General Practice Training (AGPT) program measured on a national basis is greater following regional-based training. What does this paper add?Local workforce return on investment for training providers in GP is substantial. Contextualised local rural training, Australian graduates and trainees completing advanced rural training improve local return on training investment. A significant proportion of this rural local training program investment provides GPs for metropolitan southeast Queensland. What are the implications for practitioners?National and regional investment in the AGPT should recognise that despite the lesser supervisory medical workforce and resources, regional training still supports metropolitan GP workforce development. Australian graduates are more likely to remain in a region following local training, as are those who have additionally completed advanced rural skill training.

Refined conceptual model for implementing dementia risk reduction: incorporating perspectives from Australian general practice

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 247
Author(s):  
Kali Godbee ◽  
Jane Gunn ◽  
Nicola T. Lautenschlager ◽  
Victoria J. Palmer
Keyword(s):  
General Practice ◽  
Risk Reduction ◽  
Conceptual Model ◽  
Implementation Strategies ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Routine Practice ◽  
Practice Nurses ◽  
Implementing Change ◽  
Dementia Risk ◽  
Australian General Practice

Dementia is now a global health priority. With no known cure, the best way to reduce the number of people who will be living with dementia is by promoting dementia risk reduction (DRR). However, despite evidence-based guidelines, DRR is not yet routinely promoted in Australian general practice. Previously, we proposed a preliminary conceptual model for implementing DRR in primary care based on our scoping review of practitioners’ views. The present study aimed to refine this model for the Australian context by incorporating the current perspectives of Australian general practitioners (GPs) and general practice nurses (GPNs) about DRR. Interviews with 17 GPs and GPNs were analysed using the framework method, underpinned by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR). We identified 12 barriers to promoting DRR in Australian general practice, along with five facilitators. Using the CFIR–Expert Recommendations for Implementing Change (ERIC) Matching Tool to select prioritised implementation strategies from the ERIC project, the findings were incorporated into a refined conceptual model. The refined model points to an implementation intervention that uses educational materials and meetings to reach consensus with GPs and GPNs on the importance of promoting DRR and an appropriate approach. Champion GPs and GPNs should be prepared to drive the agreed implementation forward, and general practices should share successes and lessons learned. This model is a crucial step in bridging the gap between DRR guidelines and routine practice.

Feasibility and acceptability of nurse-led youth clinics in Australian general practice

2013 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 159 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelsey Hegarty ◽  
Rhian Parker ◽  
Danielle Newton ◽  
Laura Forrest ◽  
Janelle Seymour ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
General Practice ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Youth Health ◽  
Clinic Attendance ◽  
Practice Nurses ◽  
Health Clinics ◽  
Australian General Practice ◽  
Youth Clinics ◽  
General Practices ◽  
Short Timeframe

Internationally, youth access to primary health care is problematic due to documented barriers such as cost, concerns about confidentiality, and knowledge about when to attend and available services. The treatment of health problems earlier in life together with engagement in prevention and health education can optimise youth health and maximise the potential of future wellbeing. This study investigated the feasibility, acceptability and cost of establishing nurse-led youth clinics in Victoria, Australia. Three general practices in rural and regional areas of Victoria implemented the nurse-led youth health clinics. The clinics were poorly attended by young people. Practice nurses identified several barriers to the clinic attendance including the short timeframe of the study, set times of the clinics and a lack of support for the clinics by some GPs and external youth health clinics, resulting in few referrals. The clinics cost from $5912 to $8557 to establish, which included training the practice nurses. Benefits of the clinics included increased staff knowledge about youth health issues and improved relationships within the general practice staff teams. The implementation of youth health clinics is not feasible in a short timeframe and to maximise use of the clinics, all members of the general practice team need to find the clinics acceptable.

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