Transforming health care delivery: The role of primary health care nurses in rural and remote Australia.

Aim: This paper describes the policy context and approaches taken to improve access to primary health care in Australia by supporting nurses to deliver improved integrated care meeting community needs. Context: In Primary Health Care (PHC), the nursing workforce are predominantly employed in the gen...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Published in:Australian Journal of Rural Health Vol. 32; no. 3; pp. 592 - 597
Main Authors: Robinson, Tracy, Govan, Linda, Bradley, Cressida, Rossiter, Rachel
Format: Journal Article
Published: Wiley-Blackwell Jun2024
Online Access:View this record in EBSCOhost
fields @attributes:
  recordID: 1
pdfLink:
plink: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ccm&AN=177773083&site=ehost-live
header:
  @attributes:
    shortDbName: ccm
    uiTerm: 177773083
    longDbName: CINAHL Complete
    uiTag: AN
  controlInfo:
    bkinfo:
    dissinfo:
    jinfo:
      jid:
        10385282
        FQO
      jtl: Australian Journal of Rural Health
      issn: 10385282
      maglogo: Y
    pubinfo:
      dt: Jun2024
      vid: 32
      iid: 3
      pid: 480
      pub: Wiley-Blackwell
      place: Malden, Massachusetts
    artinfo:
      ui:
        177773083
        176412090
        10.1111/ajr.13120
        177773083
      ppf: 592
      ppct: 5
      formats:
        fmt:
          – @attributes:
              type: T
          – @attributes:
              type: P
      tig:
        atl: Transforming health care delivery: The role of primary health care nurses in rural and remote Australia.
      aug:
        au:
          Robinson, Tracy
          Govan, Linda
          Bradley, Cressida
          Rossiter, Rachel
        affil: School of Nursing, Paramedicine and Healthcare Sciences, Charles Sturt University, Orange New South Wales,, Australia
      sug:
        subj:
          Access to Primary Care Legislation and Jurisprudence
          Nursing Role
          Primary Care Nurse Practitioners
          Health Care Delivery, Integrated
          Rural Health
          Medically Underserved Area Australia
          Community Health Services
          Needs Assessment
          Health Policy
          Australia
          Rural Population
          Nursing Shortage
          Workforce
          Organizational Structure
          Educational Status
          Socioeconomic Factors
          Scope of Nursing Practice
          Health Resource Allocation
          Government Agencies
      ab: Aim: This paper describes the policy context and approaches taken to improve access to primary health care in Australia by supporting nurses to deliver improved integrated care meeting community needs. Context: In Primary Health Care (PHC), the nursing workforce are predominantly employed in the general practice sector. Despite evidence that nurse‐led models of care can bridge traditional treatment silos in the provision of specialised and coordinated care, PHC nurses' scope of practice varies dramatically. Nurse‐led models of care are imperative for rural and remote populations that experience workforce shortages and barriers to accessing health care. Existing barriers include policy constraints, limited organisational structures, education and financing models. Approach: The Australian Primary Health Care Nurses Association (APNA) received funding to implement nurse‐led clinics as demonstration projects. The clinics enable PHC nurses to work to their full scope of practice, improve continuity of care and increase access to health care in under serviced locations. We reviewed a range of peer‐reviewed literature, policy documents, grey literature and APNA provided sources, particularly those relevant to rural and remote populations. We argue more focus is needed on how to address variations in the scope of practice of the rural and remote PHC nursing workforce. Conclusion: Despite growing evidence for the effectiveness of nurse‐led models of care, significant policy and financial barriers continue to inhibit PHC nurses working to their full scope of practice. If their potential to transform health care and increase access to health services is to be realised these barriers must be addressed.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype: Journal Article
      ougenre: Article
    language: English
    refInfo:
    holdings:
      @attributes:
        islocal: N