Nurse Practitioner Pilot Begins
Two free health clinics run by South Canterbury DHB's have the services of a nurse practitioner under a new pilot programme.
The Nurse Practitioner Youth Health Pilot started on June 1 and will run for a year in the Youth Health Clinic and the Sexual Health Clinic.
The Youth Health Clinic is open at Aoraki Polytechnic every Tuesday afternoon for young people aged from 14 to 25.
The Sexual Health Clinic is open at Timaru Hospital every Tuesday and Thursday evening.
Both are free services.
The nurse practitioner involved in the pilot programme is Sarah Patrick. Sarah currently works as a public health nurse and recently also qualified as a nurse practitioner in the specialty area of youth health. She is the second South Canterbury nurse to gain nurse practitioner registration. The first was Sharon Hansen, who gained registration in 2007 and is based at Temuka Healthcare.
Nurse practitioners are not intended to replace general practitioners/doctors. The new pilot programme will see Sarah Patrick working beside the two GPs who regularly see patients at the two clinics.
Nurse practitioners are nurses who have gained advanced knowledge and skills enabling them to work independently alongside doctors. Their Scope of Practice was launched in 2001 and it allows nurses to work at a higher level. For example they can order lab tests and prescribe medication.
Sam Powell, the director of nursing, midwifery and allied health at South Canterbury DHB, says nurse practitioners work in partnership with other health professionals, strengthening the skills and resources available in the community. They can help ensure that more people in the community have access to expert healthcare.
General manager of Primary and Community Services Fiona Pimm says the pilot programme will assess the value of the nurse practitioner role in the health clinics. Patient outcomes and patient satisfaction will be evaluated as part of the pilot.
Nurse practitioner Sarah Patrick is available for a photograph on request.
For more information contact:
Arlene Goss, Communications Manager, South Canterbury District Health Board
Ph: 03 687 2395, Fax: 03 688 0238, Mobile: 027 276 4259