The
number of qualified nurse practitioners has doubled in the last two years but
most are still underemployed or unemployed, a new survey suggests.
Without
access to prescribing rights or Medicare provider numbers, nurse practitioner
report that they are severely limited in their roles, and they eagerly await
the changes proposed by health minister Nicola Roxon due to be introduced next
year.
In
a census of all 234 authorised nurse practitioners in Australia in
2007, researchers found that almost one in three were not employed in nurse
practitioner roles and one in five had never actually worked a s a nurse
practitioners.
Among
those who were working as nurse practitioners, a third were still awaiting authorisation
to prescribe a limited range of medications, and over 70% said the lack of
PBS prescribing and Medicare rights was ‘extremely limiting to their practice”.
The
survey,
published in Australian Health Review (33: 679) found that the average age of
nurse practitioners was 47 years old, and they most commonly worked in
emergency departments.
The
authors of the survey, from the JamesCookUniversity
in Queensland,
say that a more recent survey had shown that number had doubled between 2007
and 2009, but there was still considerable under utilization of their skills
because of PBS and MBS rights.
“It
is clear that nurse practitioners are facing significant barriers to providing
service in this reformative role,” they write.
As`a nurse and doctor I believe it would be reprehensible to give nurses prescribing rights. I have seen many nurse errors in prescribing and nurses are not trained to view the broader picture. I want my scripts from a fully trained doctor, thank you.
Posted by Val 5/11/2009 4:24:21 PM
Really do we need pseudo doctors running out there and adding another layer to health care and the associated costs?
Posted by Colin 5/11/2009 6:46:53 PM
I think that if nurse practitioners move out of emergency departments where they are desperately needed and into private practice for which they are unqualified and under insured it will be a double blow to health. Nurse practitioners need to remain closely in alliance with doctors , it would be destructive to health to create antagonism between them which will happen if they act in the role of GP rather than nurse professional. I think that if nurse practitioners want this role , they should complete the MBBS degree followed by the years of training as a registrar to qualify .
Posted by Malcolm Fairleigh 6/11/2009 1:29:04 PM
Limited prescribing, Chronic Disease management, and possibly assisting in rural settings, all within the confines of a GP Practice may work.ie Under the supervision of a GP. 'Protocolled' Hypertension, Diabetes, COPD mangement. Ulcer clinics etc. To also have specific item numbers for those things, and hence more independence. Any difficulties and the GP gets involved.This would ensure ongoing education and monitoring.
Posted by Lisimoni Kami 7/11/2009 3:18:46 PM
Yeah good comments Mike! Sounds like excuses and bad time management to me. If you find it too hard and are making mistakes why not go back to Uni and after 10 years or so you too can be a Nurse practitioner and have an easy precious Job! NP's have been prescribing in SA for over 12 months with no or very few mistakes so far. Check out the article on todays sixminutes re "GP letters unreliable" and the AMA want NP's to be supervised by a MO. As a group we dont like pointing out mistakes and trying to prove who is better or smarter or more reliable. The doctors we work with are fantastic and all very supportive. We work together as friends and colleagues. Sounds like you had a bad experience with one person(NP) mabye? There is heaps of evidence out there comparing NP's with doctors but that battle was fought and won over 10 years ago in australia. Sounds like you need to do some catching up. Michael
Latest Comments
Posted by Val 5/11/2009 4:24:21 PM
Posted by Colin 5/11/2009 6:46:53 PM
Posted by Malcolm Fairleigh 6/11/2009 1:29:04 PM
Posted by Lisimoni Kami 7/11/2009 3:18:46 PM
Posted by michael kirkbride 12/11/2009 5:18:05 PM
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