title: Characteristics of nurses providing diabetes community and outpatient care in Auckland.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is a worldwide trend for diabetes care to be undertaken in primary care. Nurses are expected to take a leading role in diabetes management, but their roles in primary care are unclear in New Zealand, as are the systems of care they work in as well as their training.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe and compare demographic details, education and diabetes experience, practice setting and facilities available for the three main groups of primary health care nurses working in the largest urban area in New Zealand.
  
  
  METHODS
  Of the total number of practice nurses, district nurses and specialist nurses working in Auckland (n=1091), 31% were randomly selected to undertake a self-administered questionnaire and telephone interview in 2006-2008.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall response was 86% (n=284 self-administered questionnaires, n=287 telephone interviews). Almost half (43%) of primary care nurses were aged over 50 years. A greater proportion of specialist nurses (89%) and practice nurses (84%) had post-registration diabetes education compared with district nurses (65%, p=0.005), from a range of educational settings including workshops, workplaces, conferences and tertiary institutions. More district nurses (35%) and practice nurses (32%) had worked in their current workplace for >10 years compared with specialist nurses (14%, p=0.004). Over 20% of practice nurses and district nurses lacked access to the internet, and the latter group had the least administrative facilities and felt least valued.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings highlight an ageing primary health care nursing workforce, lack of a national primary health care post-registration qualification and a lack of internet access.
authors: School of Nursing, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, The University of Auckland, PB 92019, Auckland, New Zealand. b.daly@auckland.ac.nz
authors: Barbara
authors: B
authors: Daly
authors: Bruce
authors: B
authors: Arroll
authors: Nicolette
authors: N
authors: Sheridan
authors: Timothy
authors: T
authors: Kenealy
authors: Robert
authors: R
authors: Scragg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003152:Community Health Nursing / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000451:nursing*; D004506:Education, Nursing / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009520:New Zealand; D009726:Nurses / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D019037:Urban Health Services / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000078329:Workforce