Nursing In General Practice

What is the NiGP Program?

The NiGP Program aims to support General Practice to recruit and retain qualified Nurses to improve quality and access to Primary Health Services in our community.

What does the NiGP Program do?

The Program seeks to build nursing workforce capacity through promotion of the value of role of nursing in general practice.

We offer support and opportunities to network practice nurses through orientation, information, resources and practice visits by our Program Coordinator who provides a regular update via email, newsletter, fax and phone.

BGPN collaborates with Monash Division of General Practice to offer regular small group learning sessions, held at either site. The Network is an active member of the Southern Metropolitan Division of General Practice, Nursing in General Practice group. This liaison enables us to provide regular opportunities for networking and continual professional development on a larger scale, with excellent resources.

The Practice Nurse Special Interest Groups (focus new PN’s and CDM) meet quarterly offers practice nurses the opportunity to attend and participate in regular meetings with their peers in a small group environment. These meetings offer an opportunity for peer interaction and problem solving, as well as continuing professional development support on issues relevant to nurses working within the general practice.

The Program assists practices to orientate Nurses new to General Practice by offering site visits and one-on-one education.

How can the NiGP Program help you?

NiGP can assist in orientating Nurses new to General Practice to the Primary Health System, Medicare, General Practice procedures and the professional scope of the Practice Nurse.

We are a focal point for information dissemination to Nurses and Practices and offer site visits to assist with developing their role in the General Practice Team.

We offer education to up-skill Nurses thereby allowing them the scope to expand their role to meet the needs of the community served by their practice

Networking opportunities are provided to reduce the professional isolation which can occur working alone.

What has the NiGP Program achieved? Although nurses have been in general practice for many years the role of these nurses has expanded and developed in exciting new ways.

There has been an increase in numbers of PNs employed by BGPN members with 67% of BGPN of practices now employing one or more Nurses. BGPN practices have provided undergraduate student placements through inaugural Student Nurse placement programs at both Monash and Holmesglen.

NiGP has facilitated the establishment of Nurse led specialty clinics in a number of practices. The Practice Nurse Network is well attended and both the Network and newsletter are highly valued by Nurses.