Resources for nurses who are new to general practice
Practice nurses can greatly improve the quality and range of services available in a general practice.
Working collaboratively with GPs and other members of the team, nurses can:
- improve chronic disease outcomes
- reduce waiting times
- improve public access to services
- improve integration with the acute sector
- enhance consumer satisfaction.
Common work areas for practice nurses include immunisation, chronic disease management, health assessments, and wound care. Other duties include clinical and practice management software, Health Professional Services Online (HPOS), Medicare and MBS, and the Australian Immunisation Register. Many of the education providers and links below provide free or low-cost resources on these topics.
Key resources
- What is primary health care nursing?
- Healthy Practices – for Practice Owners, Managers and GPs
- Nursing in General Practice: A guide for the general practice team (.pdf) (Australian College of Nursing, 2015)
NWMPHN education and networking
North Western Melbourne Primary Health Network (NWMPHN) offers a calendar of free education and training sessions for primary care professionals. Check it for upcoming events, subscribe to our newsletters for regular updates, and browse our resource library or YouTube channel for webinar recordings.
NWMPHN also has a range of opportunities for general practices and health professionals to access support, tools and education. Our current tenders page has details of all current opportunities.
Join our Practice Nurse networking events and Basecamp forum to share ideas and learn from your peers. Details are on our primary care workforce page.
In addition to individual resources and professional development, NWMPHN offers a range of other opportunities for general practices. See our Primary Care page for full details.
Watch the webinar below to better understand the many roles and responsibilities of the general practice nurse. The slides are available to download.
APNA
The Australian Primary Health Care Nurses Association (APNA) is the peak professional body for nurses working in primary health care. Membership includes access to up-to-date education, communities and expert advice, latest industry news, and career tools and benefits.
APNA offers a range of education for primary care nurses through online learning and events. Most courses are free or discounted for members; some are also free for non-members.
‘Orientation for Nurses New to General Practice’ course
This online course provides an understanding of roles, responsibilities and skills necessary for nurses working in the general practice environment. It provides an orientation for nurses new to the setting to better understand their role, and to develop the knowledge and skills specific to general practice. Free for members, $250 for non-members. The course covers the following modules:
- the Australian health care system and primary health care
- clinical assessment
- chronic disease management
- information management and digital health
- wound management
- immunisation
- quality and safety – accreditation
- infection prevention and control
- professional practice and professional development.
Also available in-person as Foundations of General Practice Nursing Workshops.
General education
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Resources
- Victorian and Tasmanian PHN Alliance
- Services Australia Health Professional Education Resources
- General practice accreditation agencies
- Education from commercial providers including The Benchmarque Group, Practice Nurse Central, HotDoc, and ThinkGP. Please note NWMPHN has no affiliation with these organisations and does not officially endorse their content.
Immunisation
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Resources
- NWMPHN immunisation webpage for information and resources on immunisation
- Australian Immunisation Handbook
- Australian Immunisation Register for health professionals
- National Vaccine Storage Guidelines: Strive for 5 (third edition)
- Melbourne Vaccine Education Centre
- National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance resources for health professionals
- Victorian Department of Health Immunisation Unit information and resources
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Education
- Introduction to immunisation for general practice nurses (VTPHNA webinar, 2019)
- National immunisation program update (NWPMHN webinar, 22 March 2022)
- Services Australia Health Professional Education Resources
- Melbourne Vaccine Education Centre education portal
- National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance webinar series
- Australian Department of Health COVID-19 vaccination training program
- The Benchmarque Group immunisation learning pathways
Digital health and information management
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Resources
- NWMPHN digital health webpage for information and support for digital health, including secure messaging, telehealth, electronic prescribing, and My Health Record
- Australian Digital Health Agency resources for healthcare providers
- Pen CS general practice resources
- Provider Digital Access (PRODA)
- Health Professional Online Services (HPOS)
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Education
- Services Australia Health Professional Education Resources
- Pen CS webinars
- Australian Digital Health Agency online learning portal
- Australian Digital Health Agency events and webinars
Quality improvement (QI)
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Resources
- NWMPHN quality improvement webpage for information on QI projects, toolkits and support
- Practice Incentives Program (PIP) eligibility and support
- Fully funded access to Pen CS CAT Plus software package for your practice
- Fully funded access to Topbar clinical decision support system for your practice
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Education
Chronic disease management
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Resources
- The Red Book: guidelines for preventative health in general practice (8th edition) (RACGP)
- The Green Book: Putting prevention into practice: Guidelines for the implementation of prevention in the general practice setting (3rd edition) (RACGP)
- Smoking, nutrition, alcohol, physical activity (SNAP) practice guidelines (RACGP)
- Diabetes Australia resources for health professionals
- National Asthma Council resources for health professionals
- National Heart Foundationresources for health professionals
- Cancer Council Victoria resources for health professionals
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Education
- Effective claiming of MBS items for chronic disease management (NWMPHN webinar, 26 May 2022)
- Services Australia Health Professional Education Resources
- Diabetes Australia tools and e-learning
- National Asthma Council education and training
- National Heart Foundation online courses
- Cancer Council Victoria education and training
- The Benchmarque Group chronic disease courses
Other resources
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Resources
- HealthPathways Melbourne clinical management and referral resource
- MBS Online
- ANMF Position Statement: Nursing and Midwifery in General Practice (.pdf) (reviewed and re-endorsed 2020)
- National Practice Standards for Nurses in General Practice (.pdf) (Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation, 2014)