Sustainable workforce reform: case study of Victorian nurse practitioner roles.
Nurse practitioner (NP) roles have been identified as a key strategy in the development of a sustainable and responsive health workforce. To date, the focus of research related to NP roles has been on implementation and short-term evaluation of aspects of NP care; however, little is known about the sustainability of NP roles. A major challenge for the healthcare sector is to demonstrate long-term outcomes of NP care and shift the research focus from individual NPs to the effectiveness of healthcare teams that incorporate NPs. This paper draws on a framework of the following domains of sustainability in primary care: political, institutional, financial-economic, workforce and client (or patient) and applies these domains to NP planning in the Victorian context.
Considine
Julie
J
Deakin University-Northern Health Clinical Partnership, c/o School of Nursing, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC 3125, Australia. julie.considine@deakin.edu.au
Fielding
Katy
K
D006801:Humans; D009722:Nurse Practitioners / Q000458:organization & administration*; D024382:Professional Role; D016730:Program Development; D014739:Victoria