definitions

Nurse Practitioner
"The nurse practitioner role includes assessment and management of clients using nursing knowledge and skills and may include but is not limited to direct referral of patients to other health care professionals, prescribing medications, and ordering diagnostic investigations. The nurse practitioner role is grounded in the nursing profession’s values, knowledge, theories and practice and provides innovative and flexible health care delivery that complements other health care providers." Australian General Practice Network, position statement: Nurse Practitioner in General Practice (accessed 11 August 2011)

Practice Nurse
"A practice nurse is a registered nurse or an enrolled nurse who is employed by, or whose services are otherwise retained by, a general practice.

Practice nurses work in collaboration with general practitioners, providing a range of services, including chronic disease management and population health activities. Their role is diverse and influenced by factors such as the practice population, nurses' qualifications, practice structure, professional standards and national incentives and programs."
Australian General Practice Network: Nursing in General Practice Recruitment and Orientation Resource. (accessed 11 August 2011)

Practice nursing
"The purpose of practice nursing is to enhance the quality and delivery of health care in the context of general practice. This is a cooperative model of care in which the nurse employed by a practice/general practitioner plays a complementary role by providing a variety of services ranging from clinical care and service coordination to maintaining good health through screening, health promotion and education for individuals and the community. The role of the practice nurse may vary from one setting to another. In some rural and remote environments, it may involve advanced nursing practice. In some, the practice nurse may be located away from the main surgery or work directly in the community as part of the practice team. In particular environments it may require specific skills and experience, for example in Indigenous health or aged care."
Rural Doctors Association of Australia, policy document: Rural and Remote Nursing Practice (accessed 11 August 2011)

Advanced practice nursing
"Advanced practice nursing defines a level of nursing practice that utilises extended and expanded skills, experience and knowledge in assessment, planning, implementation, diagnosis and evaluation of the care required. Nurses practising at this level are educationally prepared at post-graduate level and may work in a specialist or generalist capacity. However, the basis of advanced practice is the high degree of knowledge, skill and experience that is applied within the nurse-patient/client relationship to achieve optimal outcomes through critical analysis, problem solving and accurate decision-making." Royal College of Nursing, position statement: Advanced Practice Nursing (accessed 11 August 2011)

Research and other activities addressing nursing in general practice

Annual Survey of Divisions
The Annual Survey of Divisions (ASD) is a comprehensive questionnaire completed by all Divisions of General Practice in Australia to collect information on their membership, activities and infrastructure for each financial year.The survey has been conducted since 1993-94, and questions are reviewed annually to ensure the needs of stakeholders are being met. Since 2003-04 questions have addressed the number of and support activities provided to practice nurses (see Fast Facts).
Details and Results for this Annual Survey are available on the PHC RIS Website

AGPN's Nursing in General Practice Recruitment and Orientation Resource
In March 2007, the Australian General Practice Network (AGPN) produced a recruitment and orientation guide about practice nurses aimed at Divisions of general practice, general practices, and practice nurses. The purpose of this resource is to outline and promote the role of practice nurses in general practice, as well as the overall benefits of multidisciplinary teams in primary health care. AGPN believes that practice nurses play a vital role in easing GP workforce shortages. This document was revised in 2009.
Further details for this program are available on the AGPN Website

Back from the Edge: Reducing and preventing occupational stress in the remote area nursing workforce
Commencing in 2007, this four year project will examine the stressors of remote area health work and develop, implement and evaluate stress-reducing interventions. Funded by an ARC Linkage grant, this is the first Australian study to systematically investigate work stress in the remote area nursing workforce and the first to involve staff and managers in developing interventions in a remote context.
Further details for this project are available in ROAR

Nursing in General Practice
The Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing supports the work of general practice nurses through a range of programs.
Information about these programs are available on the Department Website

Practice nurse numbers
At 30 June 2009, Divisions of General Practice estimated 9 221 practice nurses worked in their catchments. Since 2003-04, there has been a strong and sustained increase in the number of practice nurses reported nationally.
For more information and other related data, please go to Fast Facts on the PHC RIS website.

Scholarships
The Royal College of Nursing, Australia (RCNA) is administering, on behalf of the Department of Health and Ageing, a range of scholarships assisting: undergraduate students, participants in postgraduate study or continuing education courses and those re-entering the nursing workforce.
For more information, go to the RCNA website

University of Sydney's Primary Care Research Based Network (SydReN)
This is an example of a capacity building network for primary health care workers, including practice nurses, interested in research.
Details are available on the NSW PHC Website