nurse practitioner General Information
What is a Nurse Practitioner?
A Nurse Practitioner (NP) is a legal title for a nurse who has completed advanced education and training in a specific area. NPs have met Nursing Council of New Zealand requirements to assess, diagnose and manage health conditions.
NPs practise both independently and with other health professionals to promote health, prevent disease and to manage people’s health needs. NPs work in a range of settings including clinics, hospitals and community agencies.
NPs exist in over 40 countries, including Australia, Ireland, England, the USA and Canada. Since the role was introduced in NZ in 2001, increasing numbers of NPs have started working across a range of specialties.
What can a Nurse Practitioner do for you?
NPs provide a wide range of patient assessment and treatments including diagnoses, ordering, conducting and interpreting medical tests and therapies to help manage your health needs.
NPs are available for consultation at DHBs and medical centres across New Zealand and some can prescribe medicines within their specific area of practice.
NPs have the flexibility of practice to work across a large range of settings and have already shown to be particularly effective in mental health, chronic health, care of the elderly, iwi health, and youth health.
Resources
A range of resources, including posters, DVDs and booklets, is available to order or download.
Where are they?
The latest information on where NPs are practising and their scope of practice:
|
Scope |
Number |
Authorised to prescribe |
Region |
|
Adult Cardiac Care |
4 |
4 |
Taranaki, Hawkes Bay, Auckland, Manawatu |
|
Adult Chronic Conditions |
1 |
1 |
Lakes |
|
Adult Elective Perioperative |
1 |
1 |
Bay of Plenty |
|
Adult / Older Adult |
1 |
1 |
Hutt Valley |
|
Adult / Older Adult (Renal) |
1 |
1 |
Hawkes Bay |
|
Cardiology |
4 |
4 |
Auckland, Waikato |
|
Care of the Elderly |
2 |
1 |
Auckland, Otago |
|
Child and Adolescent Health |
1 |
1 |
Auckland |
|
Child / Youth Health |
3 |
3 |
Manawatu, Canterbury, Auckland |
|
Diabetes and related conditions across the age span |
1 |
1 |
Manawatu |
|
Emergency Nursing |
3 |
3 |
Auckland, Hawkes Bay |
|
High Dependency Nursing |
2 |
1 |
Auckland, Northland |
|
Mental Health |
2 |
0 |
Waikato, Bay of Plenty |
|
Mental Health / Intellectual Disability |
1 |
1 |
Otago |
|
Neonatal Care |
7 |
2 |
Bay of Plenty, Waikato (2), Auckland (4) |
|
Older Adult |
6 |
2 |
Manawatu (2) Auckland (3), Canterbury |
|
Older Adult Mental Health |
1 |
1 |
Canterbury |
|
Organ Transplantation |
1 |
1 |
Auckland |
|
Ophthalmology |
1 |
1 |
Auckland |
|
Pain Management |
2 |
1 |
Manawatu, Waikato |
|
Palliative Care (Adult) |
4 |
3 |
Auckland, Christchurch, Southland, Waikato |
|
Paediatrics |
1 |
1 |
Auckland |
|
Paediatric, Cardiac Care |
1 |
1 |
Auckland |
|
Primary Health Care |
27 |
22 |
Bay of Plenty (2), Otago, Canterbury (3), West Coast (2), Tairawhiti, Northland (2), Auckland (3), Wellington (3), Taranaki (2) Wairarapa, Hawkes Bay(3), Hutt Valley, Manawatu, Southland, Waikato. |
|
Respiratory Nursing |
3 |
3 |
Manawatu (2), Auckland |
|
Urology |
2 |
2 |
Hawkes Bay, Auckland |
|
Whanau Ora |
1 |
1 |
Manawatu |
|
Women’s Health |
1 |
0 |
Auckland |
|
Wound Care |
3 |
0 |
Manawatu, Waikato, Hawkes Bay |