The evolution of nursing in Australian general practice: a comparative analysis of workforce surveys ten years on

Abstract

BackgroundNursing in Australian general practice has grown rapidly over the last decade in response to government initiatives to strengthen primary care. There are limited data about how this expansion has impacted on the nursing role, scope of practice and workforce characteristics. This study aimed to describe the current demographic and employment characteristics of Australian nurses working in general practice and explore trends in their role over time.MethodsIn the nascence of the expansion of the role of nurses in Australian general practice (2003–2004) a national survey was undertaken to describe nurse demographics, clinical roles and competencies. This survey was repeated in 2009–2010 and comparative analysis of the datasets undertaken to explore workforce changes over time.ResultsTwo hundred eighty four nurses employed in general practice completed the first survey (2003/04) and 235 completed the second survey (2009/10). Significantly more participants in Study 2 were undertaking follow-up of pathology results, physical assessment and disease specific health education. There was also a statistically significant increase in the participants who felt that further education/training would augment their confidence in all clinical tasks (p < 0.001). Whilst the impact of legal implications as a barrier to the nurses’ role in general practice decreased between the two time points, more participants perceived lack of space, job descriptions, confidence to negotiate with general practitioners and personal desire to enhance their role as barriers. Access to education and training as a facilitator to nursing role expansion increased between the two studies. The level of optimism of participants for the future of the nurses’ role in general practice was slightly decreased over time.ConclusionsThis study has identified that some of the structural barriers to nursing in Australian general practice have been addressed over time. However, it also identifies continuing barriers that impact practice nurse role development. Understanding and addressing these issues is vital to optimise the effectiveness of the primary care nursing workforce.

Are nurses meeting the needs of men in primary care?

“…This creates diverse and exciting opportunities for PHCNs to step into a range of roles in men's healthcare services with significant implications (e.g. increased education requirement in health promotion and chronic disease management) in providing clinical care (Halcomb et al 2014).…”

ENsCOPE: Scoping the Practice of Enrolled Nurses in an Australian Community Health Setting

“…) to practice nursing where there has been a significant increase in EN numbers (Halcomb et al. ). However, no study was found which defined the scope of practice for ENs within community health or in the home setting.…”

The development of professional practice standards for Australian general practice nurses

“…Given the nature of general practice as small businesses a more sophisticated sampling strategy was not possible (Halcomb et al . ).…”

“…This relatively unplanned approach to workforce development has led to several challenges for the nursing profession, in particular relating to: the role of nurses in general practice; the nurses’ scope of practice; and their subsequent opportunities for continuing professional development (Halcomb et al . ).…”