Nurse practitioners: a contract for change and excellence in nursing

The role of the Nurse Practitioner has been in existence in a variety of contexts and within a broad range of the scope of their practice throughout the world for a number of years. Many nurses work at this advanced level of clinical practice without the acknowledgement f the very important and responsible role that they play within the healthcare setting. Although the United States and United Kingdom have recognised the role of the advanced Nurse Practitioner for a number of years, there still exists confusion and disagreement as to their scope of practice. There is uncertainty and anxiety as to where the role boundaries between nursing and medical and allied health professionals begin and end. The role of the Nurse Practitioner in Australia has not been without its problems in the developmental stage of its creation. New South Wales finally achieved recognition of the role this year after a decade of negotiation. This has culminated in the acceptance for the development of 40 Nurse Practitioner positions across the State. The first of these was accepted in the Far West Area Health Service in May 2001. The Far West Area Health Service created a five-year plan, which addresses the development of nurses preparing for authorisation, the creation of Nurse Practitioner positions in the remote communities, the creation of clinical guidelines to support advanced practice and the evaluation process for both the positions and the nurses. The objective of this approach is to ensure effective implementation of these advanced nursing positions in the remote communities of New South Wales. The Nurse Practitioner role needs to respond to the individual, the family and the community, utilising advanced clinical skills and remaining responsive to the changes in health care within a primary health care framework, which is essential for combating the complex health care issues in remote areas (NSW Health 2000).