Published Monday, 29 January, 2007 at 05:35 PM
Minister for Health
The Honourable Stephen Robertson
REDCLIFFE HOSPITAL BENEFITS FROM THE NURSING TREATMENT
A new nurse practitioner model being trialled at Redcliffe Hospital is set to be expanded by the Queensland Government.
Two nurse practitioners-in-training have been using their advanced skills to reduce patient waiting times and give doctors more time to focus on complex cases in the hospital’s emergency department.
Health Minister Stephen Robertson today met Sharyn Plath and Jean Bratby who completed their State Government-funded Master of Nursing Science and are awaiting accreditation from the Queensland Nursing Council.
Mr Robertson said both nurses specialised in emergency care and have been instrumental in improving Redcliffe’s emergency department since starting their specialist training in 2005.
“The nurse practitioner trial has been so successful in Redcliffe that we have decided to train two more nurses and expand it to Caboolture Hospital’s emergency department,” Mr Robertson said.
“The role is relatively new and it’s an exciting concept being developed through the Government’s $10 billion Health Action Plan to provide greater support for doctors.
“These highly experienced nurses undergo a full program of advanced clinical training so they have the added expertise to provide care for some lesser medical conditions that would otherwise be handled by doctors.
“This allows doctors to deal with the more complex cases which, in turn, results in better and quicker patient care in the department.”
What nurse practitioners can and cannot do is governed by strict protocols, with competency to practise regulated by the Queensland Nursing Council.
Mr Robertson said the nurse practitioner model had proved hugely successful in Redcliffe’s emergency department under the supervision of a senior doctor.
“Last year, Ms Plath and Ms Bratby saw nearly 2,000 emergency department patients, mostly semi-urgent and non-urgent (category 4 and 5),” he said.
“They stitched deep cuts, applied plaster to fractured limbs, treated spider bites, made appropriate referrals and ordered and assisted with patient medication, amongst many other tasks.
“If they assessed a patient’s overall condition as highly acute or serious, they referred them to the attention of a doctor which is in line with clinical protocols.
“They more than halved their patients’ waiting time, compared to the average wait expected to see a doctor usually busy attending more urgent patients.
“The percentage of category 4 and 5 patients who have decided not to wait for treatment has been consistently low at 4% in Redcliffe which can also be directly attributed to the nurse practitioners-in-training working full-time in the emergency department.
“Also, 92% of category 4 and 5 patients seen by a nurse practitioner were discharged home without having to be referred or admitted.”
Mr Robertson said nurse practitioners had worked well in other states and countries.
“During our overseas’ recruitment drive last year, I was briefed on how they are used in hospitals in Ireland,” he said.
“Ireland has many nurse practitioners in its emergency departments carrying out advanced duties that would be outside the scope of traditional nurses.
“They have taken a lot of pressure off medical staff and deal with routine, less complex emergency department presentations. Redcliffe has been using a very similar model.
“The United States alone has over 100,000 nurse practitioners working in its hospitals.”
Around 50 nurses throughout Queensland are either continuing or have completed their nurse practitioner training to advance their careers. The State Government has funded 20 scholarships to roll out the new nursing model.
29 January, 2007
MEDIA: Joshua Cooney 3234 1185
Two nurse practitioners-in-training have been using their advanced skills to reduce patient waiting times and give doctors more time to focus on complex cases in the hospital’s emergency department.
Health Minister Stephen Robertson today met Sharyn Plath and Jean Bratby who completed their State Government-funded Master of Nursing Science and are awaiting accreditation from the Queensland Nursing Council.
Mr Robertson said both nurses specialised in emergency care and have been instrumental in improving Redcliffe’s emergency department since starting their specialist training in 2005.
“The nurse practitioner trial has been so successful in Redcliffe that we have decided to train two more nurses and expand it to Caboolture Hospital’s emergency department,” Mr Robertson said.
“The role is relatively new and it’s an exciting concept being developed through the Government’s $10 billion Health Action Plan to provide greater support for doctors.
“These highly experienced nurses undergo a full program of advanced clinical training so they have the added expertise to provide care for some lesser medical conditions that would otherwise be handled by doctors.
“This allows doctors to deal with the more complex cases which, in turn, results in better and quicker patient care in the department.”
What nurse practitioners can and cannot do is governed by strict protocols, with competency to practise regulated by the Queensland Nursing Council.
Mr Robertson said the nurse practitioner model had proved hugely successful in Redcliffe’s emergency department under the supervision of a senior doctor.
“Last year, Ms Plath and Ms Bratby saw nearly 2,000 emergency department patients, mostly semi-urgent and non-urgent (category 4 and 5),” he said.
“They stitched deep cuts, applied plaster to fractured limbs, treated spider bites, made appropriate referrals and ordered and assisted with patient medication, amongst many other tasks.
“If they assessed a patient’s overall condition as highly acute or serious, they referred them to the attention of a doctor which is in line with clinical protocols.
“They more than halved their patients’ waiting time, compared to the average wait expected to see a doctor usually busy attending more urgent patients.
“The percentage of category 4 and 5 patients who have decided not to wait for treatment has been consistently low at 4% in Redcliffe which can also be directly attributed to the nurse practitioners-in-training working full-time in the emergency department.
“Also, 92% of category 4 and 5 patients seen by a nurse practitioner were discharged home without having to be referred or admitted.”
Mr Robertson said nurse practitioners had worked well in other states and countries.
“During our overseas’ recruitment drive last year, I was briefed on how they are used in hospitals in Ireland,” he said.
“Ireland has many nurse practitioners in its emergency departments carrying out advanced duties that would be outside the scope of traditional nurses.
“They have taken a lot of pressure off medical staff and deal with routine, less complex emergency department presentations. Redcliffe has been using a very similar model.
“The United States alone has over 100,000 nurse practitioners working in its hospitals.”
Around 50 nurses throughout Queensland are either continuing or have completed their nurse practitioner training to advance their careers. The State Government has funded 20 scholarships to roll out the new nursing model.
29 January, 2007
MEDIA: Joshua Cooney 3234 1185