Reduce your workload with a practice nurse

Program Officer

Margaret Dempsey, 5229 1922

Quicklinks

Link to information including a financial business case for a practice nurse in your practice

Benefits to employing a practice nurse

A practice nurse can be a real asset to your general practice by bringing new and complementary skills to your practice, adding positively to the practice bottom line by enhancing the services GP’s are able to provide. There is a wide range of benefits for general practices that employ a practice nurse and the needs of individual practices and their patient population will shape the role/s a nurse will take on within a particular practice team, however the benefits for any practice and its patients may include:

Immunisation Practice nurses may administer vaccines on behalf of a GP where directed by that GP. The GP is not required to be in the room but must be on the premises (unless the nurse is an Endorsed Nurse Immuniser). Item 10993 may be claimed when a practice nurse administers the vaccine on behalf of the GP.

Health Assessments A practice nurse may gather information to provide the GP with an accurate patient record on which to base a health assessment. Relevant item numbers include: 700-702 for patients over 75 years; 704-706 for ATSI patients over 55years; 710 for adult ATSI patients; 708 for child ATSI patients; 714-716 for Refugees & other Humanitarian Entrants; 718-719 for Intellectually Disabled patients; 717 for 45-49 year health check and 713 for Type 2 Diabetes risk evaluation for people aged 40-49 years.

Care Planning Items The nurse can provide disease and lifestyle information, undertakes checks, discuss suitable services with the patient, make contact with allied health services and draft the plan. The GP must discuss the service with the patient as part of obtaining consent and must undertake an assessment of the patient that considers their current health care and future goals. The relevant GP item numbers are 721, 723,725 & 727.

Chronic Disease Management Medicare item number 10997 covers the provision of monitoring and support to people with a chronic disease by a practice nurse or registered Aboriginal Health Worker on behalf of a GP. The item is available to people with a chronic disease that have a GP Management Plan or Team Care Arrangement in place. This item assists patients who require access to frequent ongoing care for relatively routine treatment and ongoing monitoring and support between the more structured reviews of the care plan by the GP.

Diabetes Cycle of Care Providing that a doctor sees the patient with diabetes and assesses their condition, an appropriately trained and skilled practice nurse can recruit suitable patients, undertake checks such as blood pressure, BMI and feet examination, and review the patient’s diet, smoking and exercise regimes. The nurse then reports back to the doctor who completes the remainder of the item requirements. The nurse can keep track of activities due and undertake recalls and reminders. The relevant item numbers are 2517-2526 and 2620-2635.

Asthma Cycle of Care GP’s provide the majority of care for this item, however an appropriately trained and skilled practice nurse can provide additional lifestyle information, reinforce the key messages of asthma education, assist the patient with device use and undertake Spirometry- item 11506. The practice nurse can also ensure the patient’s record is up to date including medication, keep track of activities due and undertake recalls and reminders. The relevant GP items are 2664-2677.

Cervical Screening Appropriately qualified practice nurses can undertake cervical smears and preventative checks on behalf of/under supervision of a GP. Items 10994 and 10995 include a pap smear and at least one preventative check associated with women’s sexual and reproductive health. Other relevant items are 10998; a service provided by a practice nurse being the taking of pap smear on behalf of/under supervision of a GP and 10999; service provided by a practice nurse being the taking of a pap smear from a woman aged between 20-69 who has not had a pap smear in the last 4 years, on behalf of/under supervision of a GP.

Healthy Kids Check promotes early detection of lifestyle risk factors, delayed development and illness, and introduces guidance for healthy lifestyles and early intervention strategies. The Health Check can be undertaken by the practice nurse and item number 711 may be claimed.

Medicare Public Information Line:                                    132 011

Medicare Claims Interpretation Line:                             9605 7964

GP Association of Geelong can assist you to identify the benefits to your practice and patients of employing a practice nurse. For more information contact Practice Nurse Program Officer on: 5229 1922 or email Margaret Dempsey