Nurse practitioners in primary care. I. The McMaster University educational program

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Primary Health Care
• Medical Training

Background:

• Established in 1971, McMaster University initiated a joint educational program for nurse practitioners.
• The program was a collaboration between the Faculty of Medicine and the School of Nursing.
• Priority was given to nurses in family practice and those involved in related McMaster studies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To prepare registered nurses to expand their roles in primary health care.
• To enhance patient assessment and management skills in family practice settings.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of the nurse practitioner pilot program.

Main Methods:

• A pilot educational program was developed for nurse practitioners.
• Physician-associate participation was a requirement for nurse acceptance.
• The program focused on extending nurses' responsibilities in primary care.

Main Results:

• The pilot program successfully prepared registered nurses for expanded roles.
• Evaluations suggest the program can enhance primary care accessibility.
• Physician and nurse role changes were considered integral to the program's design.

Conclusions:

• Nurse practitioner programs can effectively address the demand for accessible primary care.
• The collaborative educational model is a valuable resource for healthcare systems.
• Such programs contribute to meeting the primary care needs of the Canadian population.