Nurse practitioners in Australian emergency departments

Abstract

With most of 2004 behind us the Nurse Practitioner (NP) movement continues to gain momentum. Several emergency departments throughout the country have now employed Emergency NPs or transitional Emergency NPs (a registered nurse who is currently seeking authorisation). While NSW leads the way in the number of authorised NPs, the other states and territories are at various stages along the path to their widespread implementation. However, each state or territory has taken a slightly different approach to NPs, with different authorisation processes, different educational requirements, different prescribing regulations, and different scopes of practice. Once authorised as an NP in one Australian state or territory, the NP should automatically be granted reciprocal authorisation in any other Australian state or territory, just as registration as a nurse is reciprocal, although this is yet to be tested.

Those who thought the fight to implement NPs into the Australian health care workforce was over should think again. It is not enough just to employ NPs, full support of the concept is also required. This means NPs must receive adequate support, adequate resources, adequate office space and equipment, adequate non-clinical time, and adequate educational opportunities.

It is essential that the issue of uniform standards of practice be addressed at a national level. The following National Nursing Organisation consensus statements is supported by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing.