Perceived barriers to the sustainability and progression of nurse practitioners.

Background: In 1998 in Victoria, Australia, the Nurse Practitioner (NP) model was considered with projects exploring the potential for NP implementation in emergency departments (EDs).

Aims: The aim of this study is to explore the perceived barriers to progression and sustainability of the NP role in Victoria. A survey of the 17 EDs involved in the initial projects was undertaken targeting NP candidates, nurse managers and project officers.

A survey of patient satisfaction in a metropolitan Emergency Department: comparing nurse practitioners and emergency physicians.

The Emergency Nurse Practitioner role was introduced to an Emergency Department, Melbourne in 2004 as an alternative health-care model to provide accessible and efficient patient care. The aim of the study was to explore patient satisfaction using a questionnaire from their emergency department experience comparing Emergency Nurse Practitioners and emergency department doctors. Patients who received care from either Emergency Nurse Practitioners or emergency department doctors were given a self-administered questionnaire to complete.