Additional information

Program publication

APNA's Transition Programs have been published in SAGE Open Nursing and is freely available for all to read here: 

• Nurses Transitioning to Primary Health Care in Australia: A Practice Improvement Initiative - Web version
• Nurses Transitioning to Primary Health Care in Australia: A Practice Improvement Initiative - PDF version

Other publications:

• The power of mentorship for workforce retention

Nurse stories

Read more about nurses experiences in the program here:

• School nurses: Transitioning to practice
• Nurses' experiences in TPP
• A mentors story
• The two of us: a mentoring story from the Sunny Coast

Top tips for nurses looking to get into primary health care

1. Becoming an APNA member (if you’re not already) provides access to a wealth of resources, knowledge and networking opportunities. Click here to find out more
2. Register with APNA's partner and job-search site - HealthCareLink to find a suitable primary health care role near you: Click here to find out more
3. Use your local Primary Health Network (PHN) in your area to assist in finding a workplace that might be looking for a nurse and/or sponsoring a place in APNA's TPP. Click here to find your local PHN
4. Seek a workplace that currently has nurses working there to assist you in your transition to primary health care or seek out an experienced nurse who is willing to mentor you either informally or as part of one of APNA's Transition to Practice Programs.
5. Consider undertaking a ‘trial’ placement where you can shadow the existing staff to see what a ‘day in the life of’ might be like.
6. There are several skills such as triage and general assessment that are very transferrable to the primary health care setting. Ensure you sell yourself on these points when looking for a role
7. Be proactive in your education. APNA Online learning has plenty of specialised courses such as:
   • Immunisation
   • Wound care
   • Triage
   • Chronic disease management. Knowledge of diabetes, asthma, mental health and cardiovascular disease management is highly sought after.
   • Principles of and/or courses on motivational interviewing and/or health coaching are also highly recommended.
8. Each primary health care setting will differ and can have a variety of needs and focuses, dependent on the patient demographics and individual services available. Ask potential workplaces if they have any special interest services and the general demographics of their service population to find out what services you might be focusing on in your new workplace.

Benefits for nurses new to primary health care

• Build your foundational knowledge, skills and confidence through professional and clinical development, mentoring and support
• Enhance your competency, confidence, and capacity as a nurse working in primary health care to enable you to work to your full scope of practice
• Equip you for effective team-based care to achieve better health outcomes in primary health care
• Enhance your professional network in primary health care

Benefits for nurses experienced in primary health care

• Build your foundational knowledge, skills and confidence in professional and clinical mentoring via small group facilitation
• Enhance your competency, confidence, and capacity as a nurse leader working in primary health care to enable you to work to your full scope of practice
• Provide opportunities to enhance your role and expand your network through professional and personal growth and development 
• Participate in a professional program where you are recognised and reimbursed for your mentoring contribution to primary health care

Benefits for workplaces

Nurses new to primary health care

• A more knowledgeable, skilled and confident nurse: Mentoring via small group learning and guided education can enhance confidence and competence in clinical skill development, knowledge and professional growth opportunities.
   
• A nurse with enhanced clinical skills development: Your nurse will receive access to over 50 hours of free and targeted professional development (CPD) countless resources aimed specifically around what nurses new to primary health care need to know, i.e. wound care, care planning, chronic disease management, scope of practice etc. Your nurse’s CPD hours for registration will be well and truly achieved.
   
• A nurse with increased job satisfaction: Research indicates that your nurse is more likely to stay. Support and guidance from experienced peers can provide increased career and job satisfaction for nurses.
   

Nurses experienced in primary health care

• Improved job satisfaction and retention: Research indicates that nurses are more likely to stay in their role when provided with increased career and job satisfaction, e.g. from opportunities to mentor.
   
• Personal development opportunities: Mentoring peers will increase your nurse’s skills and knowledge around project management, problem solving, interpersonal and communication skills. 
   
• Improved workplace processes: Mentors often report learning something new from their TNs that they then implement in their workplace.
   
• Access to high quality education (CPD): Mentors get access to over 50 hours of high quality APNA online learning modules and resources with direct flow on benefits for your workplace. Your nurse’s CPD hours for registration will be well and truly achieved
   
• Development of leadership skills: Mentoring helps nurses build networks and leadership skills. Not to mention increases clinical expertise and knowledge of the primary health care system.