Practice activities of privately‐practicing nurse practitioners: Results from an Australian survey

To facilitate expansion of privately‐practicing nurse practitioners in community and primary care settings, a legislative amendment in 2010 made privately‐practicing nurse practitioners eligible to provide services subsidised through the Medicare Benefits Schedule and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. To evaluate their practice activities, a national survey of privately‐practicing nurse practitioners in Australia was conducted, and data analysed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis (n = 73). As part of their role, 96% (n = 70) participants reported undertaking direct patient care, 95% (n = 69) patient education and health promotion, 95% (n = 69) prescribed medications, 92% (n = 67) referred patients for diagnostic investigations, and 88% (n = 64) reported making a diagnosis. Over 50% of participants saw up to 15 patients daily, and 80% (n = 58) treated the same patients on a regular basis. Of the participants, 59% (n = 43) perceived that they worked to their full scope of practice. The mainstay of privately‐practicing nurse practitioner services is provision of direct patient care in community and primary healthcare settings, suggesting they have emerging potential in addressing the ever‐increasing demand for healthcare in Australia.