Training for nurses working in general practice settings

Stigma and dis­crim­in­a­tion is a dimen­sion of com­pet­ency in the edu­ca­tion and career path for nurses work­ing in gen­er­al prac­tice set­tings. Train­ing is made avail­able to demon­strate com­pet­ency at all levels in this domain. This activ­ity focused on nurses work­ing in gen­er­al prac­tice set­tings, but the group thought this should extend to all nurses.

  • Pro­cesses:

    Train­ing pack­age is developed for nurses work­ing in gen­er­al prac­tice set­tings at all levels to assist them to demon­strate com­pet­ency in this domain. Train­ing relates spe­cific­ally to HIV and vir­al hep­at­it­is and also explores patient factors such as cul­tur­al back­ground, drug use, sexuality. 

    Work has com­menced on this, for prac­tice nurses. It was thought import­ant that it also be made avail­able to nurses in oth­er set­tings, e.g. hos­pit­al based (esp. emer­gency depart­ment), aged care, etc. There are about 30 dif­fer­ent spe­cial­ist nurses asso­ci­ations rep­res­ent­ing nurses in dif­fer­ent areas. To some extent these issues are taken up well in areas such as sexu­al heath and HIV nurs­ing and hep­ato­logy nurs­ing. It is the oth­er areas, we would need to reach out to. The best approach to achiev­ing this in reach needs to be dis­cussed with the nurs­ing pro­fes­sions and pos­sibly the ACHSM and AHHA. We may be able to run a pilot with for example the WA Coun­try Health Ser­vice, for gen­er­al nurses once the nurses work­ing in gen­er­al prac­tice set­tings pack­age is developed.

  • Out­puts:
    • Train­ing pack­age piloted in col­lab­or­at­ing health ser­vices and with APNA focus groups
    • Tailored for spe­cif­ic career stages for nurses 
    • Gen­er­al­ised, prin­ciples and includ­ing in induc­tion and ongo­ing edu­ca­tion. Includes sup­port­ing seni­or staff to sup­port more juni­or staff members
    • Online inform­a­tion (adap­ted from dis­cip­line spe­cif­ic ASHM resources – HCV and Nurses, BBV and STI Nurs­ing) with train­ing and resources
    • Train­ing pro­moted as lead­ing to sat­is­fy­ing APNA Stand­ards and pro­moted to Prac­tice Man­agers and GP
  • Pro­cesses:
    • Dis­cus­sions with APNA at high level to sup­port the inclu­sion of stigma and dis­crim­in­a­tion in the stand­ards. This work being done by the APNA. This pro­ject adds tools and also explores cross fer­til­isa­tion with oth­er pro­fes­sion­al groups and stand­ard sets
    • Explore par­al­lel train­ing for hos­pit­al based nurses, pos­sibly as part of under­gradu­ate or gradu­ate nurse programs
  • Out­put:
    • Train­ing on-line and repor­ted at APNA conferences.
    • Pro­mul­ga­tion in APNA journ­al and oth­er com­mu­nic­a­tion organs