Nurse Practitioner & Organisational Insights: Nurse Practitioner & Organisational Insights: The beginnings of one nurse practitioner The beginnings of one nurse practitioner

candidate….. candidate…..

Liz Stevenson HARP CDM Renal Care Coordinator / Renal Nurse

Practitioner Candidate

Elizabeth Morley Nurse Practitioner Project Officer

This is our journey……….

Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner Collaborative Forum

Thursday July 30th 2009

mmmmmmmmmm a Nurse a Nurse PractitionerPractitioner

• Why????

VNPP – phase 3 funding round VNPP – phase 3 funding round 4.34.3

Funds to develop a nurse practitioner (NP) model in renal care:

It was identified as an opportunity

And l am; And l am;

A Registered Nurse;

I am a specialist in my area of practice;

I work in an advanced clinical role;

& work autonomously and collaboratively?

mmmmmmmmmm a Nurse a Nurse PractitionerPractitioner

• Why not????

It looks exciting but a little overwhelming

so

I could continue to practise and I could continue to practise and become a graceful old chook become a graceful old chook

or

Hatch out and pursue the NP Hatch out and pursue the NP journeyjourney

I was tapped on the shoulder and suggested I submit an expression of interest. At the time

this was the process at Bendigo Health to develop nurse practitioner roles as per the

2006 Nurse Practitioner Service Plan.

And the journey began…And the journey began…

Study! AStudy! Again said the family…gain said the family… Convinced family to support me.

Financial – initially overwhelming;

recommended to seek scholarships

*Scholarships have made a significant difference; without l don’t think l would have continued.

Enrolled into studyEnrolled into study

Presently a distant educational student at La Trobe University doing Masters of Nursing - Nurse Practitioner’s course.

Lovin’ it!

And what caused stress along And what caused stress along the way...the way...

• Initially I thought $ was going to be the biggest stress –

WRONG!

• The time required for the studies, and role conflict

I feel plucked from all directions…I feel plucked from all directions…

BUT

The journeyThe journey is unique and is unique and

needs to be needs to be respected respected

So what are the ingredients for a So what are the ingredients for a positive journey? positive journey?

The Candidate:Study support – need a study buddy

Established mentors in your field

NBV support – Michelle Thomas amazingly supportive

Organisational support – formally and informally, It is there, but recommend variances to contract with employee commitment post endorsement.

So what are the ingredients for a So what are the ingredients for a positive journey? positive journey?

The Project Officer: In this order….1. Service redesign with a rock solid business case to support a NP model of

care 2. Development of a model 3. Preparation of the workforce / organization 4. Allocated EFT factoring in leave 5. An allocated budget incorporating all aspects of the service6. A position description, letter of commitment etc7. Advertising the position and subsequently appointing a NPs/NPCs

And for a sustainable model, the service needs more than one (1) individual NP/NPC providing the service

And more ingredients for a And more ingredients for a positive journey?positive journey?

The candidate and project officer:• Loddon Mallee Nurse Practitioner Special Interest: It has been

instrumental in maintaining the vision of the Nurse Practitioner Journey for all participating candidates

• The renal nurse practitioner collaborative• Excellent support from Katy Fielding (Nurse Policy Branch), Michelle

Thomas (Nurse’s Board Victoria), Gerry Lee (Co-ordinator NP Master’s Program, La Trobe University), and the Project Officer’s management team at Bendigo Health – Fiona and Jenni

• Supporting each other, being the same height and having the same wicked sense of humour!

So the NP journey continues but So the NP journey continues but now I feel like a new chick againnow I feel like a new chick again

Recommend others to break out - Recommend others to break out - do it - come on the NP journeydo it - come on the NP journey

Acknowledge – Acknowledge – from planning to practise from planning to practise

forum 21forum 21stst May 2008 May 2008

• Michelle Thomas – Nurse Policy Officer at NBV

Reference Pointswww.nbv.org.au

Guidelines: Scope of Nursing & Midwifery practice http://www.nbv.org.au/media/43986/guidelines%20for

%20scope%20of%20practice.pdf

ANMC National Competency Standards for NPshttp://www.nbv.org.au/media/51813/anmc%20national

%20competancy%20standards%20np.pdf

Courses leading to endorsement as a Nurse Practitioner

http://www.nbv.org.au/media/43419/accredited%20courses%20div%201%20nurse%20practitioner.pdf