Advanced training for primary care and general practice nurses: enablers and outcomes of postgraduate education

2016 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 113 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine M. Hallinan ◽  
Kelsey L. Hegarty

The aims of the present study were to understand enablers to participation in postgraduate education for primary care nurses (PCNs), and to explore how postgraduate education has advanced their nursing practice. Cross-sectional questionnaires were mailed out in April 2012 to current and past students undertaking postgraduate studies in primary care nursing at The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Questionnaires were returned by 100 out of 243 nurses (response rate 41%). Ninety-one per cent (91/100) of the respondents were first registered as nurses in Australia. Fifty-seven per cent were hospital trained and 43% were university educated to attain their initial nurse qualification. The respondents reported opportunities to expand scope of practice (99%; 97/98), improve clinical practice (98%; 97/99), increase work satisfaction (93%; 91/98) and increase practice autonomy (92%; 89/97) as factors that most influenced participation in postgraduate education in primary care nursing. Major enablers for postgraduate studies were scholarship access (75%; 71/95) and access to distance education (74%; 72/98). Many respondents reported an increased scope of practice (98%; 95/97) and increased job satisfaction (71%; 70/98) as an education outcome. Only 29% (28/97) cited an increase in pay-rate as an outcome. Of the 73 PCNs currently working in general practice, many anticipated an increase in time spent on the preparation of chronic disease management plans (63%; 45/72), multidisciplinary care plans (56%; 40/72) and adult health checks (56%; 40/72) in the preceding 12 months. Recommendations emerging from findings include: (1) increased access to scholarships for nurses undertaking postgraduate education in primary care nursing is imperative; (2) alternative modes of course delivery need to be embedded in primary care nursing education; (3) the development of Australian primary care policy, including policy on funding models, needs to more accurately reflect the educational level of PCNs, PCN role expansion and the extent of interprofessional collaboration that is evident from research undertaken to date. Nurses with postgraduate education have the potential to increase their scope of practice, take on a greater teaching role and provide more preventive and chronic disease services in primary care. Policies aimed at increasing access to education for nurses working in primary care would strengthen the primary care nursing profession, and enhance the delivery of primary health care services in Australia.

2017 ◽  
Vol 26 (9-10) ◽  
pp. 1385-1394 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ariane Girard ◽  
Catherine Hudon ◽  
Marie-Eve Poitras ◽  
Pasquale Roberge ◽  
Maud-Christine Chouinard

2020 ◽  
Vol 31 (5) ◽  
pp. 216-218
Author(s):  
Paula Marsden

With recruitment into primary care slow and pay structures still up for debate, Paula Marsden reveals how Primary Care Networks and the new Allied Health Professional roles can assist general practices in retaining nurses The Government has promised to deliver 50 000 more nurses and to partially reinstate the student nurse bursary plan. One programme that has been successful in creating a more rigid career framework for primary care nurses is the General Practice Nursing 10 Point Plan (GPN10PP) ( NHS England, 2017 ). However, the GPN10PP omitted any reference to pay, terms and conditions. Furthermore, the number of nurses moving out of the community setting and into general practice remains slow, due to general practices' ability to provide adequate training placements. This paper discusses how the newly formed Primary Care Networks (PCNs) can aid in improving recruitment, as well as how to improve pay, terms and conditions for primary care nurses.


2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-69
Author(s):  
Émilie Dufour ◽  
Arnaud Duhoux ◽  
Damien Contandriopoulos

2004 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. 372-372
Author(s):  
Christine Smith ◽  
Ann Williams

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document