4.1 Practice nursing in Australia
A practice nurse is a registered nurse or an enrolled nurse
(Division 1 and 2 in Victoria) who is employed by, or whose
services are otherwise retained by, a general practice.
Almost 5,000 practice nurses are employed in general practice
and more than half (57%) of general practices are reported
to employ a practice nurse, according to the AGPN National
Practice Nurse Workforce Survey 2006. Practice nurses work
collaboratively with general practitioners providing a range of
services, including chronic disease management and population
health activities. Their role is diverse and influenced by factors
such as the practice population, nurses’ qualifications,
practice structure, professional standards and national
incentives and programs.
Nurses are core members of the general practice team enabling
practices to meet the diverse and complex health care needs of
an ageing population, with increasing rates of chronic disease
and illness.
The growing burden of chronic disease and patient demand has increased GP workloads. Nurses in general practice work with
GPs to provide efficient and effective health care to all patients.
A range of Australian and international literature identifies some
of the benefits nurses can bring to a practice. These include:
• improved health outcomes in chronic illness1
• assistance in primary-acute sector integration
• better coordination of care
• increased workforce capacity
• provision of practical and professional support to GPs
• enhancement of the range of services available to people
attending the practice.2
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