Nurse practitioner access to radiology and laboratory services

Area of Science:

• Nursing Practice
• Diagnostic Services Access
• Healthcare Policy

Background:

• The New Zealand nurse practitioner (NP) role, established in 2001, includes ordering diagnostic and laboratory tests.
• Anecdotal evidence suggests inconsistencies and barriers for NPs accessing these diagnostic services nationally.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantitatively explore nurse practitioner access to radiology and laboratory services in New Zealand.
• To identify barriers, inconsistencies, and limitations in NP access to diagnostic testing.

Main Methods:

• A quantitative descriptive survey was conducted in 2008.
• A purposive sample of 47 New Zealand registered NPs were invited, with 37 responding (79% response rate).

Main Results:

• Most NPs (75%) directly order laboratory tests processed under their own name.
• Access to radiology services is variable: 44% order plain x-rays/ultrasounds, and 9% order advanced radiology tests under their own name.
• Positive trends were noted for laboratory test access, but overall barriers and inconsistencies persist.

Conclusions:

• National inconsistencies and limitations exist for New Zealand NPs accessing diagnostic services.
• Improved NP access to radiology and laboratory services is needed.
• The findings underscore the necessity for national consistency in diagnostic service access for NPs.