Nursing clinics – A welcome change
With an ageing population, the burden of chronic illness and
increasing complexities of care, the health care needs of patients have
changed.
Current care delivery models – from acute to primary health care –
are struggling to meet the increasing demands, and health care providers
are looking for new and innovative ways to deliver health care.
Definition of Nursing Clinics
Nurse clinics are well placed to meet these demands, and are
already in operation in many settings, from acute care to primary health
care, both nationally and internationally. And while the format of these
clinic models may vary, their positive benefits include improved patient
health outcomes, better access to care, and decreased rates of hospital
admission.
Nurse clinics offer an alternative model of care delivery where the
nurse is the primary provider of care for the patient. The nursing services
provided are holistic and patient-centred, with accountability and
responsibility for patient care and professional practice remaining with
the nurse. In the general practice setting, nurse clinic models support a
team based approach to care delivery, and involve the general
practitioner and other members of the practice team.
Functioning of nursing clinics
Nurse clinics are an effective way to involve patients in their own
health care by providing a more integrated and patient-centred approach
to care. By spending more time with individual patients, nurses can:
develop valuable insights into patients’ lives and lifestyles, leading
to better health care solutions
give patients the information and understanding they need to play
an active role in their own health care and treatment
develop longer-term relationships with patients and build deeper
trust and rapport
Need of Nursing clinics
patients need to play an active, ongoing role in their health care
and treatment (e.g. diabetes)
greater patient education and understanding is needed (e.g. sexual
health)
a closer, longer-term relationship between patients and caregivers
is needed (e.g. diabetes, older patients)
establishing trust is important (e.g. teen sexual health, mental
health).
What is the model of a nursing clinics
There is no one “right” model for a nurse clinic. In India and
overseas, clinics develop according to factors such as the interests and
specialties of the nursing team, the health care needs of the communities
they operate in, budgetary constraints, existing health care delivery
models and more. For example, a nurse clinic in a community health
centre may operate quite differently to a nurse clinic in general practice
or in a correctional environment.
To make the process of establishing a nurse clinic clearer, APNA has
identified a set of ‘building blocks’ – the most important and essential
elements of any nurse clinic. These building blocks can be arranged in
any order because there is no one-size-fits-all approach that will work
for clinics, nor is there one single way of setting clinics up.
These building blocks provide information and practical advice about
establishing a nurse clinic, empowering nurses to take action with
confidence.
Nurse clinics – A welcome change
With an ageing population, the burden of chronic illness and increasing
complexities of care, the health care needs of Australians have changed.
Current care delivery models – from acute to primary health care – are
struggling to meet the increasing demands, and health care providers are
looking for new and innovative ways to deliver health care.
Nurse clinics are well placed to meet these demands, and are already in
operation in many settings, from acute care to primary health care, both
nationally and internationally. And while the format of these clinic
models may vary, their positive benefits include improved patient health
outcomes, better access to care, and decreased rates of hospital
admission.
