NSW Health recognises the vital role nurse practitioners (NP) play within the health system. NPs work within a broader scope of practice than a registered nurse (RN) and in most circumstances can independently manage entire episodes of care. This enables earlier access to care and reduces delays to treatment particularly in areas of small or dispersed populations. Nurse practitioner models provide an adaptable and integrated approach to meet health care demand and address service gaps.
This framework describes two service models and a training and development pathway for rural generalist NPs. NPs working in rural areas need to be able to manage a broad range of acute and chronic presentations across the lifespan, that addresses the needs of patients, communities and priority populations. The models and pathway focus on the delivery of accessible, person-centred care in rural settings where there is limited medical cover or those reliant on Virtual Care.
