APNA Online Learning
Learning on the go with APNA online learning
Nurse clinics: Optimising community access to primary health care
Australia’s experience with the COVID-19 pandemic saw its primary health care (PHC) system stretched to the limit. Stories abound of members of the community struggling to find a local GP, particularly in rural and regional areas. In this environment, surely it is time to embrace innovation and expand the adoption of nurse-delivered team-based models of care.
APNA professional indemnity insurance: Are you covered?
In Australia, all registered health practitioners are required by law to have appropriate professional indemnity insurance (PII) to practice the profession in which they are registered.
Supporting the families of seriously ill patients
Many nurses in primary health care will be supporting families who are caring for a seriously ill person. It is hard to know how to best prepare them for the caring role and prepare them for the imminent loss of a loved one. Nurse Practitioner, Regina Kendall, shares her tips on supporting families as well as a new online resource specifically for families of seriously ill patients.
Hosting student nurses - Peter Irving supervises student nurses in a regional general practice
Peter Irving is a primary health care (PHC) nurse with several decades of experience in a variety of health-care roles.
The 'mature minor' - What to consider when an adolescent requests a COVID-19 vaccination against their parents’ wishes
Perceived susceptibility to severe COVID-19 and conservative mandates about vaccination are likely contributing factors; however, some young people wish to be vaccinated for COVID-19, even when their parents do not agree. How vaccine providers respond poses a number of practical, ethical and legal considerations.
Helping patients achieve type 2 diabetes remission
Primary health care nurses can play an important role in supporting patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) to achieve remission. Patient-centred care, including active listening, allows nurses to build rapport with patients and to engage in discussions that can lead to significant lifestyle changes.
Care factor: The real-life benefits of putting nurses in charge
Recent experiences from the COVID-19 and monkeypox vaccination programs have demonstrated the benefits of trusting nurse-led teams to get out into the community and provide care where it is often needed the most.
Tackling Australia’s leading risk factor for heart attack: New report and practical tools for high cholesterol
General practices play a critical role in the fight against cardiovascular disease (CVD). Among people who attend Australian general practices with CVD (mainly heart disease or stroke), almost half are not achieving recommended cholesterol levels, even though most are prescribed cholesterol-lowering medicines
Thargomindah Outpatients - A nurse-led clinic in remote southwest Queensland
Every working day offers new challenges for Margaret Harris, a rural and isolated practice registered nurse (RIPERN) who runs a community clinic in the outback Queensland town of Thargomindah.
The future of PHC nursing - Get ready for an explosive growth in technology
The previous edition of Primary Times celebrated APNA’s 21st birthday with a look back at our past and the changing face of nursing in primary health care (PHC) in Australia since the late 1990s.
Strengthening Medicare Taskforce: How to modernise primary health care
Following the outcome of the 2022 federal election, Health and Aged Care Minister Mark Butler convened the Strengthening Medicare Taskforce (SMT), which seeks to improve access to affordable quality primary care for all Australians. The Department identifies the SMT’s aims and focus areas on its website. Here, we share some thoughts about how its goals might best be achieved.
APNA hit the road in 2022
The past 12 months have seen APNA complete an incredibly successful series of Conference Roadshows and 21st birthday celebrations around the country.
APNA grows to provide more support for nurses
Australia’s primary health care nurses have had plenty of surprises and challenges during 2022. Throughout the year, the APNA team has continued to evolve to ensure that we can support you during the daily challenges thrown at you by primary health care.
Envisioning equitable health care in rural Australia
The National Rural Health Alliance (the Alliance) is the peak body for rural health in Australia, with a vision of healthy and sustainable rural, regional and remote communities. We aim to advance the wellbeing of the 7 million people living and working in rural Australia.
Workforce, workforce, workforce: The biggest issue in aged care
In October 2022, the inaugural Aged & Community Care Providers Association (ACCPA)1 Conference was held in Adelaide. Approximately 1800 delegates, including APNA representatives, were in attendance. And the topic on everybody’s lips – workforce.
Primary health care nurses are not just a GP value-add
Some members of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) have suggested that MBS item numbers should be changed to allow nurses in general practice to administer vaccines without a GP being present. This proposal is well intentioned; however, it does not go anywhere near far enough.
HIV - Living longer and the PHC nurse’s role in care
New, highly effective forms of treatment have allowed people living with HIV (PLHIV) to live longer lives. This means that the care for those living longer with HIV is changing. As a primary health care (PHC) nurse, what can you do to ensure the best care for PLHIV?
Kickstart closure of hard-to-heal wounds
Chronic wounds, such as venous leg ulcers (VLUs) and diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs), can require months of treatment. Now, a new treatment option is available for primary care teams that is single-use, cost-effective and portable, allowing for early intervention and faster closure of these types of wounds.
