title: Establishing a nurse practitioner model to enhance continuity between palliative care settings.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Nurse practitioners (NP) are relatively new in Australia with national registration achieved in 2010. Most NP-related literature is about establishing models and scope of practice. This paper reports on the establishment and 12-month evaluation of an NP model of care, between inpatient and community palliative care services, developed to coordinate client care between hospital and home.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To enhance patient outcomes, in hospital or home; to enhance professional relationships between services and facilitate effective discharges and admissions between services.
  
  
  METHODS
  Both services worked together to develop an evaluation framework, based on agreed key performance indicators.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The NP model contributed to earlier discharges from hospital and fewer hospital admissions for those being cared for at home. There are developing opportunities to strengthen professional relationships through clinical and educational collaboration.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The model has benefited both patient care and clinical cooperation between services.
authors.affiliation: Editing and Publishing, RN, FRCNA, MAICD, Swinburne, Australia.
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: O'Connor
authors.affiliation: Alred Health, Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: Stacey
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Palfreyman
authors.affiliation: The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Australia.
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Le
authors.affiliation: Monash University, Australia.
authors.forename: Rosalind
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lau
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001315:Australia; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D005260:Female; D064946:Hospice and Palliative Care Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009722:Nurse Practitioners; D024802:Nurse's Role; D036301:Qualitative Research; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Continuity of care; End of life; Nursing