title: Mental health nurse practitioners in Australia: improving access to quality mental health care.
abstract: Under The Nurses Amendment (Nurse Practitioners) Act 1998, New South Wales became the first state in Australia to legislate for nurse practitioners. Mental health was identified as a priority 'area of practice' for nurse practitioners. Issues surrounding the implementation of the nurse practitioner role in Australia and the potential for the role to address the current crisis in mental health nursing and the mental health sector will be discussed. The potential for partnerships with other health-care providers, in particular medical practitioners, will demonstrate how successful implementation of the role can fulfil consumer demand for primary prevention counselling, improve access to mental health services and early intervention, and provide mental health services that better reflect national priorities. This examination of the Australian context will be contrasted with a review of the overseas literature on mental health nurse practitioners.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Nursing (MO2), University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. norfish@optusnet.com.au
authors.forename: Jacklin E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Fisher
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002322:Career Mobility; D003406:Credentialing / Q000458:organization & administration; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000592:standards; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008008:Licensure, Nursing; D008504:Medical Staff Privileges; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000458:organization & administration; D009517:New South Wales; D009722:Nurse Practitioners / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000523:psychology; D024802:Nurse's Role; D032024:Personnel Delegation; D010560:Personnel Selection; D010563:Personnel Turnover; D017009:Professional Autonomy; D011568:Psychiatric Nursing / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012051:Reimbursement Mechanisms; D012456:Salaries and Fringe Benefits; D017749:Total Quality Management