[brian]

THE Western Australian government has unveiled a new weapon in its war on hospital emergency department waiting times - the super nurse.


But doctors say the government should put more nurses in wards rather than giving them extra duties if it's serious about cutting emergency department waiting times.

And more ward beds would also do a lot more to address problems than Health Minister Jim McGinty's latest plan to give postgraduate-trained nurses additional duties in hospital EDs to reduce patient waiting times and doctor workloads, doctors say.

Princess Margaret Hospital emergency department head Gary Geelhoed said the real problem was that some adult patients were waiting in emergency departments for days to get a ward bed.

This meant that resources that should be used to treat acute patients who were arriving at emergency departments, were being used on waiting inpatients.

So it would be better to put more nurses in the wards rather than getting them to do minor procedures in emergency departments as planned by Mr McGinty.

Full Story: 'Super nurses' cut waiting times [The Australian,Australia]

[gwenith]

What can I say? This is Australia we have all sorts of evolutionary throwbacks - Emus, Platypusses, Echidnas and Doctors who think Nurses are still only bedpand holders.

This does show, however that no matter WHAT is proposed the media will find someone, somewhere to object to it.

[nano123]

What is wrong with nurse practitioners? They have completed the post graduate study, they improve patient satisfaction, they decrease waiting times and for the benefit of the health system can provide the service for less $$$. My question to you is what government wouldn't want to introduce them?

[Marie_LPN]

But doctors say the government should put more nurses in wards rather than giving them extra duties if it's serious about cutting emergency department waiting times.

If it saves them time, nevermind the nurses' backs.

[Grace Oz]

Ah good old Aussie attitude! Keep 'em pregnant and in the kitchen!

[PeachPie]

Originally Posted by gwenith

What can I say? This is Australia we have all sorts of evolutionary throwbacks - Emus, Platypusses, Echidnas and Doctors who think Nurses are still only bedpand holders.

This does show, however that no matter WHAT is proposed the media will find someone, somewhere to object to it.

HAHAHAHAHA GOOD ONE!!!!!!!!

[DusktilDawn]

Doctors wary of 'super nurses'
Interesting how the term "super nurses" is used for this article's title instead of NURSE PRACTIONERS, comes across as derisive towards Nurse Practioners, IMO. Maybe it's just me, but I find the term derrogatory towards Nurse Practioners.

The article describes giving "postgraduate-trained nurses additional duties in hospital EDs to reduce patient waiting times and doctor work loads, doctors say" This description of a Nurse Practioner is completely dismissive towards the specifics involved regarding the educational and clinical requirements needed to become a Nurse Practioner. In fact it comes across that they are only trained to do a few more duties than an RN, when that is not the case. The author of the article could have taken the opportunity to do a more thorough and comprehensive description of a Nurse Practioner. The article completely fails to address how Nurse Practioners working in EDs can impact waiting times by working in tandem with ED physicians.

"If more nurses were put in wards they could stop grandma from waiting for days on a trolley for a bed, rather than tending to minor procedures in emergency departments.''
It seems the intent is to blame nurses for beds not being available on the wards, grandma suffers because of the nurses. In my experience, if patients are waiting to be admitted, it is because THERE IS NOT A BED AVAILABLE, rarely does it have to do with how well-staffed a ward is. I don't doubt that the nurses in Australia face the same issues nurses in the US do when it comes to staffing and patient ratios. It's also not just bed availability that affect ED waiting times, it is also waiting to be seen by a physician.

It seems the doctor's only objection to Nurse Practioners is that they feel more nurses should be on the ward, which actually has nothing to do with Nurse Practioners practicing in EDs. What does ward staffing have to do with Nurse Practioners in an ED setting? In fact, both are separate issues. They don't actually address any valid concerns they may have with Nurse Practioners in an ED setting, nor do they address why they feel Nurse Practioners wouldn't impact waiting times within the ED.

[travel920]

The link goes nowhere now. The article has disappeared on the web site - or so it would seem after about a 10 minute search.

[ERNP]

The link is dead.

I work as a NP in an emergency department. I am not confined to non-urgent complaints. Australia would be fortunate to have my colleagues in their employ.