title: Examining Nurse Consultant connectivity: An Australian mixed method study.
abstract: The nurse consultant (NC) role in Australia is a senior classification of advanced practice nurse has been described as enhancing health care outcomes largely through extensive collaboration with consumers, nurses, and other health professionals. However, little is known about the actual nature, amount, and quality of NC interactions. This study examines the connectivity of the NC role across metropolitan and rural contexts, using a mixed method sequential design with an online survey and focus groups with NCs and other stakeholders. Results demonstrated that NCs most commonly have high density connectivity patterns with other nursing colleagues, medical staff, patients/clients, and administrative staff. Position grade (1, 2 or 3) influences density of connectivity, as does location, with those based in metropolitan roles engaging significantly less with other clinicians. Findings demonstrate that many NCs are highly collaborative and predominantly embedded into interprofessional practice models. This study provides valuable insight into the diverse and often complex NC role and the way in which NC expertise and influence is deployed and integrated across a large local health district.
authors: Clinical Nurse Consultant Research, Hunter New England Local Health District, James Fletcher Campus, Newcastle, NSW, Australia.|School of Health, University of New England, Hunter New England Local Health District, Newcastle, NSW, Australia.
authors: Michelle
authors: M
authors: Giles
authors: Clinical Nurse Consultant Research, Hunter New England Local Health District, James Fletcher Campus, Newcastle, NSW, Australia.|School of Health, University of New England, Hunter New England Local Health District, Newcastle, NSW, Australia.
authors: Vicki
authors: V
authors: Parker
authors: School of Business and Law, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW, Australia.
authors: Rebecca
authors: R
authors: Mitchell
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D003142:Communication; D003253:Consultants; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D006801:Humans; D009722:Nurse Practitioners / Q000639:trends*; D024802:Nurse's Role; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Nurse Consultant; advanced practice nurse; collaboration; connectivity