title: Rural nurse practitioners in South Australia: recognition for registered nurses already fulfilling the role.
abstract: The introduction of the nurse practitioner role is hailed as a new initiative in the South Australian public health system. In reality, some registered nurses working in rural public health care facilities have been practicing in the role for many years. The role of the rural registered nurse, the pathway towards achieving rural nurse practitioner status and the anticipated advantages of implementing the rural nurse practitioner role will be presented.
authors.affiliation: University of South Australia, City East Campus, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia. MBSMHadmin@saugov.sa.gov.au
authors.forename: Judy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bagg
mesh_terms: D002322:Career Mobility; D006801:Humans; D007587:Job Description; D016294:Models, Nursing; D020380:Needs Assessment; D009721:Nurse Midwives / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009722:Nurse Practitioners / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration*; D024802:Nurse's Role; D016134:Organizational Policy; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D017009:Professional Autonomy; D011367:Professional Staff Committees; D016730:Program Development / Q000379:methods; D011637:Public Health Nursing; D019035:Rural Health Services; D012956:Societies, Nursing; D013021:South Australia; D000078329:Workforce