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Specialisation
Contents:
Summary of Work Completed | What is the this project about? | Specialisation Outcomes | Contact
SUMMARY OF WORK COMPLETED
What is this project about?
Issues associated with nurse postgraduate education were canvassed initially in the National Review of Specialist Education (Russell et al. 1997) and more recently in the National Review of Nursing Eduction (2002, pp170-174). Issues identified include:
- Lack of an agreed definition of speciality nurses and agreed framework for the provision of specialty nursing education in Australia;
- Proliferation of postgraduate specialty courses offered by universities at varying levels of quality; length; mode of offering; balance between clinical/theory components; eligibility criteria and qualifications gained;
- Variation between what is recognised as a sufficient level of qualifications between states, even when a nurse registration board endorses qualifications for practice in an area such as mental health;
- Costs associated with undertaking specialist education; and
- Resulting quality and workforce planning problems.
These issues remain relevant today. In light of this, Health Ministers requested N³ET to consider these issues further and in particular, develop:
- An agreed definition of specialist nursing; and
- An agreed framework for nursing specialisation and the development and attainment of postgraduate qualification.
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Specialisation Outcomes
In late August 2006, a CD containing N³ETWorks, a collection of the works, papers and documents reflecting the N³ET outcomes (2004-2006) will be available. Until that time, the key work undertaken as part of Specialisation has been summarised below, with links to the relevant documents.
Activity: |
N³ET Discussion Paper: Advanced Practice and Specialisation. |
Summary/Outcome: |
The N³ET invited Dr Marie Heartfield to write a paper that aimed to promote and stimulate debate and discussion within the nursing and midwifery community on how the language of specialisation and advance practice impacts on practice. The purpose of the paper is not to propose definitions or to prescribe the meaning of such terms but rather it is intended to prompt readers to think about the way we use the language and what might be the outcomes. |
Format |
N³ET Discussion Paper |
Availability: |
Available free to download |
 Specialisation and Advanced Practice Discussion Paper (PDF, 712.71 kb)
Advanced Practice Responses (PDF, 27.76 kb)
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Activity: |
Governance Standards for Nursing and Midwifery Organisations |
Summary/Outcome: |
Building awareness of “good governance” within nursing and midwifery organisations was the aim of a project completed by N 3ET in partnership with the National Nursing Organisations (NNO). The project was complementary work to the National Specialisation Framework For Nursing And Midwifery. The outcome of the work by the NNO was the development of a set of governance standards for nursing and midwifery organisations, a first for Australia. Organisations that adopt and meet these standards will be able to demonstrate that any documents such as competency standards, are the product of sound governance practices. |
Format |
1) Report to N³ET from NNOs on Governance Project
2) Governance Toolkit
|
Availability: |
Available free to download |
Governance Standards for Nursing & Midwifery Organisations - REPORT (PDF, 448.99 kb)
Governance Standards for Nursing & Midwifery Organisations - TOOLKIT (PDF, 702.73 kb)
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Activity: |
A National Specialisation Framework for Nursing and Midwifery. |
Summary/Outcome: |
The development of a National Specialisation Framework For Nursing And Midwifery is an important step to achieve a more orderly and robust development of specialty practice that reflects the unique and distinctive nature of Australian nursing and midwifery practice. For the first time, a set of criteria for a national specialty have been developed and then used to identify specialty areas of national practice. The National Specialisation Framework For Nursing And Midwifery represents a beginning and creates an opportunity to bring structure and transparency to how specialty areas are defined today as well as how to recognise emerging specialties. |
Format |
N³ET Document |
Availability: |
Available free to download |
A National Specialisation Framework for Nursing and Midwifery (PDF, 1.05 MB)
Specialisation Framework - Summary of Responses (PDF, 62.93 kb)
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A final report of all of the activities undertaken in relation to Specialisation is being prepared by N³ET for Health and Education Ministers. The final report will contain details of the work to further develop the National Specialisation Framework For Nursing And Midwifery and will specifically identify the options for achieving greater national consistency in workforce documentation and future development of the framework.
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For more information on this project, please contact:
Katy Fielding
N³ET Secretariat
Specialisation - Printable version (PDF, 47.06 kb)
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