AGPN, in conjunction with the Australian National University (ANU) is pleased to announce we have been successful in obtaining a research grant from the Australian Primary Health Care Research Institute to conduct the Australian General Practice Nurse Research Study.

This research project aims to examine the role of nurses in general practice and to identify ways of expanding, or changing, these roles to improve primary health care delivery.   A team will conduct the research with members from the Australian Divisions of General Practice, the Australian National University, the University of Melbourne and Manchester University in the United Kingdom.

The research aims to gather information on a number of areas including:

• how nurses operate within general practice
• which factors influence the activities undertaken by nurses in different general practice settings
• the contribution that practice nurses make to safety and quality in general practice; and
• ways in which the introduction of new models of practice nursing can be facilitated.

A Project Reference Group is being established with wide representation from nursing, research and general practice organisations.   Expressions of interest have been called for a division representative CEO/EO or Practice Nurse Program Officer to join the reference group.

Expressions of interest have also been called for divisions in NSW and Victoria to work with the research team to identify practices that could be approached to be involved in Phase 1.   Phase 1 involves one of our researchers spending a day in a practice, observing the practice nurse at work, and interviewing the principal doctor, nurse and other staff.

Division involvement will mean liaising with the researchers to identify appropriate practices in the division, and in return, the division will receive detailed information on the study findings. Divisions will also receive an honorarium to compensate for their efforts in the recruitment process. Participating practices will receive $500 to compensate for any disturbance, and all attempts will be made to minimise the impact on the practice.  

For further information on this project please visit the website at Australian General Practice Nurses Study  .

Feedback to the project team can be provided via the BLOG at Australian General Practice Nurses Study.