Authorisation as a Nurse Practitioner

ABOUT THE ROLE

Nurse practitioners are expert registered nurses who are educated and authorised to practice within a specified advanced and extended clinical role.

Nurse practitioners practice collaboratively with medical practitioners and other members of the healthcare team, to promote health, prevent disease and to assess, diagnose and manage individuals, family and community health needs across a range of settings.

The nurse practitioner role may include direct referral of patients to other health care professionals, prescribing medications, ordering and interpreting diagnostic tests.

Extended practice incorporates the ability to provide care to a range of clients at a level that demands:

• a repertoire of therapeutic response;
• insightful, sophisticated clinical judgements, and
• clinical decision making justified by application of advanced knowledge. (Nurses and Midwives Board, New South Wales 2003)

As leading nurse clinicians nurse practitioners influence the development of nursing practice, research and education locally, nationally, and internationally.

SCOPE OF PRACTICE

The scope of practice of the nurse practitioner is determined by the context in which the nurse practitioner is authorised to practise. ( National Competency Standards for the Nurse Practitioner . Australian Nursing and Midwifery Council: March 2006.)

A scope of practice defines those activities that a nurse practitioner is educated, competent and legally authorised to perform. The actual scope of practice for individual nurse practitioners is influenced by the needs of their clients or patients; the individual's education and competence; the settings in which they practice and the requirements of their employer.

Nurse Practitioner Report (Dr Glen Gardner, Dr Jenny Carryer, Dr Sandra Dunn, Dr Anne Gardner.. ANMC; 2004)

EDUCATION AND REGULATION

In Australia nurses must be authorised by a jurisdictional nurse regulating authority to practice and to use the title of nurse practitioner. The educational preparation for this role is at an advanced level, with most nurse regulating authorities specifying Masters level as the minimum education standard.

In Tasmania authorisation as a nurse practitioner is determined by the Nursing Board of Tasmania (NBT), and the criteria for such authorisation include:

• minimum educational entry standard of Master of Nursing (Nurse Practitioner) through an NBT-accredited course of education;
• Nurses who do not possess a Master of Nursing (Nurse Practitioner) will be required to successfully complete specific Masters level education to prescribe medicines; order and interpret diagnostic tests; and refer to medical and other specialists.

Nursing Boards apply the Mutual Recognition Act to recognition of authorised nurse practitioners and to accredited education programs that are relevant to the credentialing requirements for nurse practitioner.

AUTHORISATION TO PRACTICE

The Nursing Board of Tasmania has determined the criteria for authorisation as follows:

• minimum entry standard to the Nurse Practitioner role at Masters level;
• Nurses who do not possess a Master of Nursing (Nurse Practitioner) will be required to undertake additional educational units at Master level to gain the credentials to prescribe medicines; order and interpret diagnostic tests; and refer to medical and other specialists .
• The Nursing Board will accredit education programs relevant to the credentialing requirements of the nurse practitioner, applying mutual recognition arrangements in accord with the Mutual Recognition Act.
• Fees have been set by the Nursing Board of Tasmania for the authorisation and reissue of endorsed practising certificates of nurse practitioners. Required documentation to be completed includes:
• INFORMATION BOOKLET APPLICATION FOR AUTHORISATION AS A NURSE PRACTITIONER Version 1 Updated 17 January 2008
• ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATION NURSE PRACTITIONER FORM - January 2008