From nurse education, clinical, or workforce issues through to healthy living, Nursing Review has it covered.

After an eclectic nursing career, Diane Williams became an NP as she wanted to help offer the best access to healthcare. Nearly a decade later, she remains committed to doing just that.

JOB: Diane Williams
DHB: Nelson-Marlborough
JOB: Nurse practitioner (primary health care)

After an eclectic nursing career, Diane Williams became an NP as she wanted to help offer the best access to healthcare. Nearly a decade later, she remains committed to doing just that.

Diane Williams reckons she’s been around nursing long enough to reinvent herself a few times. She’s worked in ED, theatre, ski patrol, schools and in industrial, rural and occupational nursing roles.

Originally trained in Sydney, as her nursing experience grew Diane developed a focus on remote rural and community nursing. She moved to New Zealand over 25 years ago and has developed a wealth of experience looking after health needs in rural communities.

While she was living in Te Araroa, on the East Cape, Diane started her clinical master’s in nursing and was later interviewed by the Nursing Council to gain accreditation as a nurse practitioner.

“Te Araroa means ‘long pathway’ in Māori and that was quite appropriate at the time,” says Diane. “However, I wanted to have the best capability and offer the best access to healthcare so it started me on a journey.”
Diane looks back now at the study and time involved and wonders how she managed it. “I must have been mad – I had a young family, I was doing a variety of positions and doing call-outs at night.”

Despite this, Diane remains committed to the primary care nursing speciality.

“It’s cradle to grave and dealing with everything that walks in the door,” she says. “You are in a very privileged position – being involved in people’s lives and helping to make positive outcomes.”

Diane believes primary health professionals have many opportunities to change not just one person’s life but whole families and communities. She says the nurse practitioner role is successful in many locations and is becoming well accepted.

“For instance, on the West Coast the nurse practitioner role is part of a general practice team and is well accepted by patients.”

Late last year Diane became the first NP to work at the Marlborough After-Hours GP service. She’s been registered as an NP for over nine years and is one of only two working in Marlborough.