A nurse practitioner survey found five of the country’s NPs are still hunting for NP positions.
More than 75 NPs responded to the Nurse Practitioners New Zealand (NPNZ) survey and NPNZ chair Michal Boyd released the results at their recent national conference.
The survey found that 92 per cent (69) of respondents had clinical NP roles, but five still wanted an NP job. Boyd expressed frustration that the current health funding system was still creating barriers for NPs working particularly in primary health and residential aged care. “We need a funding stream.”
Of those employed as NPs, the majority (60 per cent) were employed by district health boards, 8.2 per cent by primary health organisations, 15 per cent by non-governmental organisations or trusts, and only 6.8 per cent were self-employed.
Just over three-quarters of respondents were frequent prescribers and 63 per cent were ordering laboratory investigations daily for their clients, and more than 50 per cent were regularly orderly radiology investigations.
Only a quarter of those working as NPs definitely believed they were able to practise to the role’s full potential, and a further 55 per cent believed they were “mostly” able to do so.
