title: Are nurses more likely to report providing care plans for chronic disease patients than doctors? Findings from a New Zealand study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The main aim of this study was to compare the perceptions of general practitioners (GPs) and primary care nurses (PCNs) in the Southern Region of New Zealand regarding their provision of chronic illness care. Whether PCNs rated their frequency of providing aspects of chronic illness care higher than GPs was a key question.
  
  
  METHODS
  The modified version of the Patient Assessment of Chronic Illness Care (PACIC) was used to compare the perceptions of GPs and PCNs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Surveys were received from 77% of practices in the Southern region. Responding PCNs were more likely than their GP counterparts to document they provided aspects of chronic illness care 'most of the time' or 'always' in 18 activities from the six M-PACIC domains. Their level of providing patients with formal care plans was surprisingly low.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This level of engagement of PCNs with chronic illness care was no surprise. The low number reporting they provided patients with a care plan, most of the time or always, was unexpected. Aspects of care planning, however, were reported as taking place more frequently. This discrepancy between the process of care planning and the outcome, a care plan, is not unique to this region of New Zealand and warrants further research.
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand Fiona.doolan-noble@otago.ac.nz.
authors.forename: Fiona
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Doolan-Noble
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Robin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gauld
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Debra L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Waters
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000451:nursing*; D005260:Female; D058005:General Practitioners / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009520:New Zealand; D009726:Nurses / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010347:Patient Care Planning / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D059017:Primary Care Nursing / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Chronic disease management; care planning; care plans; patient assessment of chronic illness care; primary care