title: Prevalence and associations of general practice nurses' involvement in consultations of general practitioner registrars: a cross-sectional analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To establish prevalence and associations of general practice nurses' (GPNs) involvement in general practitioner (GP) registrars' consultations.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional analysis from an ongoing cohort study of registrars' clinical consultations in five Australian states. Registrars recorded detailed data from 60 consecutive consultations per 6-month training term. Problems and diagnoses encountered, including chronic disease classification, were coded using the International Classification of Primary Care, second edition duplication system (ICPC-2plus) classification system. The outcome factor in our analysis was GPN involvement in management of individual problems and diagnoses. Independent variables were a range of patient, registrar, practice, consultation and educational factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We analysed 108 759 consultations of 856 registrars including 169 307 problems or diagnoses. Of the problems/diagnoses, 5.1% (95% confidence interval (CI) 5.0-5.2) involved a GPN. Follow-up with a GPN was organised for 1.5% (95% CI 1.4-1.5) of all problems/diagnoses. Significant associations of GPN involvement included patient age, male sex, Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander status, non-English-speaking background (NESB) and the patient being new to the practice. Larger practice size, the particular training organisation, and the problem/diagnosis being new and not a chronic disease were other associations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Associations with Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander status and NESB status suggest GPNs are addressing healthcare needs of these under-serviced groups. But GPNs may be underutilised in chronic disease care.
authors.affiliation: Tropical Medical Training, 100 Angus Smith Drive, Townsville, Qld, 4814, Australia. Email:.
authors.forename: Allison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Turnock
authors.affiliation: General Practice Training Valley to Coast, PO Box 573, Hunter Regional Mail Centre, NSW 2310, Australia. Email: , ,.
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Morgan
authors.affiliation: General Practice Training Valley to Coast, PO Box 573, Hunter Regional Mail Centre, NSW 2310, Australia. Email: , ,.
authors.forename: Kim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Henderson
authors.affiliation: General Practice Training Valley to Coast, PO Box 573, Hunter Regional Mail Centre, NSW 2310, Australia. Email: , ,.
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tapley
authors.affiliation: Discipline of General Practice, School of Medicine, The University of Queensland, L8 Health Sciences Building, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Brisbane, Qld 4029, Australia. Email.
authors.forename: Mieke
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: van Driel
authors.affiliation: University of Newcastle, School of Medicine and Public Health, The University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia. Email:.
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Oldmeadow
authors.affiliation: Clinical Research Design, Information Technology and Statistical Support Unit, Hunter Medical Research Institute, Lot 1 Kookaburra Circuit, New Lambton Heights, NSW, 2305, Australia. Email.
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ball
authors.affiliation: Tropical Medical Training, 100 Angus Smith Drive, Townsville, Qld, 4814, Australia. Email:.
authors.forename: Jenny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Presser
authors.affiliation: University of Newcastle, School of Medicine and Public Health, The University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia. Email:.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Davey
authors.affiliation: General Practice Training Valley to Coast, PO Box 573, Hunter Regional Mail Centre, NSW 2310, Australia. Email: , ,.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.affiliation: General Practice Training Valley to Coast, PO Box 573, Hunter Regional Mail Centre, NSW 2310, Australia. Email: , ,.
authors.forename: Parker
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Magin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001315:Australia; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D058006:General Practice; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital; D008875:Middle Aged; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009740:Nursing Staff; D015995:Prevalence; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult