The Future Role of Practice Nurses

.............................................................................................................. iv CONTENTS ............................................................................................................... vi LIST OF TABLES ..................................................................................................... x CHAPTER 1INTRODUCTION ............................................................................. 1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................................................... 1 The health care needs of Australians ............................................................................................. 9 Supporting access to general practice ........................................................................................ 14 Implications for practice nursing ................................................................................................. 20 Aim of the study .............................................................................................................................................. 23 Research Questions ....................................................................................................................................... 23 CHAPTER 2GENERAL PRACTICE IN AUSTRALIA ................................... 25 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................................... 25 Australian general practice ....................................................................................................................... 25 Medicare .................................................................................................................................................. 33 Changes in use of general practice: MBS claim analysis ..................................................... 38 Responding to changing health care need ................................................................................ 48 Opportunities for practice nursing .............................................................................................. 54 Summary ............................................................................................................................................................ 63 CHAPTER 3LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................... 64 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................................... 64 Database and search strategy ........................................................................................................ 64 Descriptions of practice nursing ................................................................................................... 68 Expanding the practice nursing role ........................................................................................... 75