Nurse Practitioners in New Zealand
A Nurse Practitioner is a registered nurse practising at an advanced practice level in a specific area of practice, who has been prepared at Master’s level of education and has been approved and registered by the Nursing Council of New Zealand as a Nurse Practitioner. The title is protected and may be used only by those nurses formally registered by the Nursing Council.
Nurse Practitioners were first introduced in New Zealand in 2000 and it is anticipated that it will take a decade to fully implement the model thus it is one that is evolving. Nurse Practitioners combine the roles of practitioner, mentor, teacher, researcher and administrator. Nurse Practitioners will have met six core competencies and their criteria to attain and maintain Nurse Practitioner status. At present Nurse Practitioners may or may chose not to apply to be independent prescribers. Specific educational and practice requirements must be met for a Nurse Practitioner to gain prescriptive authority.
Further Information
To learn more about the Nurse Practitioner in New Zealand read the following documents on the Nursing Council of New Zealand and Ministry of Health websites and check out the pages relating to the Nurse Practitioner Advisory Committee of New Zealand (NPAC-NZ) on this site.
NZNO Nurse Practitioner Mentor System Information
The Nurse Practitioner: responding to health needs in New Zealand 3rd Ed. September 2002. Nursing Council of New Zealand. Wellington.
The Nurse Practitioner endorsement guidelines for applicants. September 2002. Nursing Council of New Zealand. Wellington.
Nurse Practitioners in New Zealand 2002. Ministry of Health. Wellington.
Websites
www.nursingcouncil.org.nz
www.moh.govt.nz
