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Source: ONE News
Rural nurse practitioners say legislation is stopping them from doing their job effectively.
Nurse practitioners have told the New Zealand Rural General Practice Network conference that legislative barriers often prevent them doing their job in remote areas of New Zealand where they are often the first line of health care.
They say the inability to sign off a form that will give a patient access to treatment and services such as transport is causing severe disadvantage to vulnerable people in rural communities.
After making their feelings clear to the Health Minister during the political session at the Christchurch conference, Tony Ryall told the delegates he would relook at the issue of legislation.
Practitioners are registered nurses working at an advanced level in a specific area of practice. They were first introduced in New Zealand in 2000 and must meet six core competencies to attain and maintain nurse practitioner status.
