Important Facts About General Practice Nurses in Australia
Most of the time, we envision nurses working in big hospitals with long hours of shifts. In Australia, registered nurses can explore different career paths. There is an opportunity for them to work in a General Practice clinic. Based on the Australian Journal of General Practice, the country might experience GPN or General practice nurses’ shortage.
To fill in the country’s need for GPNs, nursing jobs in Australia are continuously produced by authorised nursing and care agency like Dominion Nursing Agency. We highlight the strength of different kinds of nurses in Australia and other health care workers. For this blog, we will focus on Practice Nurses or GPNs. Learn more about their duties and responsibilities as well as the requirements on how to be a GPN in Australia.
What is a Practice Nurse?
Also known as a general practice nurse, they are the nurses hired by GPs in offices, care homes and specialist clinics. They work in different areas of healthcare. GPNs should be knowledgeable in elderly, adult, child and mental health areas. They are different from other kinds of nurses because of the diverse areas they handle in a general practice setting.
How to Become a Practice Nurse in Australia?
For students who wish to become a GPN, first you need to complete and pass a police security check on working with children. Then you can enroll in a bachelor of nursing degree program. After three years, you can now register to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA). This enables you to perform duties of a registered nurse in Australia. Finally, you can build your skills in different health care areas by trying out different speciality. The more experiences you gain, the better because it can help you build a good resume when applying for a GPN job.
For registered nurses in Australia, they can opt to undergo different nursing training in order to gain knowledge on handling different areas in health care. There is training for nursing practice in women’s health, men’s health, aged care, children’s health, mental health and more. All these courses prepare the GPNs to deliver the most effective primary healthcare in our country.
Important Facts About General Practice Nurses in Australia
What are GPNs Duties and Responsibilities?
Since GPNs scope of work is diverse, there are no fixed responsibilities given to them. They can be doing a totally different task in a daily setting. But we have listed the common duties and responsibilities they provide:
- They help in patient assessments such as updating patient files, taking measurement and vital signs.
- They administer immunisations.
- They also talk with patients regarding Doctor’s reminders and test results.
- They assist GPs during minor procedures.
- They evaluate and order stocks and supplies.
- They can write-up patient’s referrals.
- They coordinate patient’s referral to other medical professionals.
How Much Is the Average Salary of a GPN in Australia?
Depending on the level of experience, location and place of work, GPNs have a varied range of salaries. But the average annual salary of a practice nurse in Australia is $79,396. If you wish to have a bigger salary as a GPN then it is recommended that you take different nursing courses that are relevant to the job.
Join the DNA Family and Become a Successful GPN in Australia
We help the sector of healthcare in Australia as a nursing agency that produces the best of the best nurses and health care workers. DNA provides nursing jobs in Newcastle as a way to help the facilities and private individuals who need immediate nursing staff. DNA is the agency in Newcastle that can help you fulfill your dream of becoming a GPN or a health care professional. Contact our numbers now to start your career in healthcare.