Summary
NSW Health recognises the vital role nurse practitioners
(NP) play within the health system. NPs work within a
broader scope of practice than a registered nurse (RN)
and in most circumstances can independently manage
entire episodes of care. This enables earlier access to
care and reduces delays to treatment particularly in
areas of small or dispersed populations. Nurse
practitioner models provide an adaptable and
integrated approach to meet health care demand and
address service gaps.
This framework describes two service models and a
training and development pathway for rural generalist
NPs. NPs working in rural areas need to be able to
manage a broad range of acute and chronic
presentations across the lifespan, that addresses the
needs of patients, communities and priority
populations. The models and pathway focus on the
delivery of accessible, person-centred care in rural
settings where there is limited medical cover or those
reliant on Virtual Care.
