Growing our own nurses

We have had undergraduates at the practice over the past four years. These have been 2nd year students from Otago Polytech doing a Health Promotion project based on the Pleasant Point Health Center community. They have produced some amazing work with the product being a tool that we as clinicians can continue to use in practice. (EG: mental health questionnaire, Smoking cessation in shearing gangs and pamphlet on the groups available in the Pleasant Point community that people may wish to attend.)

We have had a nursing student doing a Masters over two years with a background in a non-nursing degree. This student was in her first year of the programme which was new and run by Otago PG School of Nursing. The student was in the practice for four weeks and the workload for her was intensive. 

We have also had RNs doing Post Grad studies and they have needed to have supervision by myself for a semester. This has meant working with the “student” and allowing them the opportunity to practice hands on under direct supervision. This requires a lot of extra work for all three parties. (The Student, patient and myself!) The increased explanations and case discussion is a fantastic learning tool for me and I always learn new practices at this time. 

I have also supervised a NP intern for three months while she completed her Clinical Masters.

We employed a relatively new NP to work two days a week for six months. I could provide back-up for her but at the same time I was able to have a day in the practice doing paper work and being available but not seeing the patients myself. The second day she did alone. This was hugely beneficial for both parties. Unfortunately travel made this unsustainable. 

The other group of nurses we have at the practice are those working in other settings who want to see what is involved in PHC nursing or what the role of an NP in General Practice involves. There have been a couple of nurses who have gone on to enrol in an NP programme after this experience and also a RN from secondary care who spent many hours of her free time in the practice, who went on to gain a role as a practice nurse in a rural setting. 

This is all very rewarding work and requires buy in from the Registered Nurses working in the practice. The undergraduates have to work with the RN rather than myself so as not to confuse the roles. 

Currently we have an RN who wishes to pursue the nurse prescribing pathway and possibly NP in the future. This is a role I want our practice to support in every way and I am keen to grow our own nurses here as able.