More placements have been fully funded for nurse practitioners this year. Photo: 123RF
Funding has more than doubled for placements on the national nurse practitioner training programme, as Health NZ works to increase the number in the workforce.
Health New Zealand - Te Whatu Ora said another 51.3 percent in funding had been provided compared to last year, for places on the Nurse Practitioner Training Programme.
That meant 121 places would be be fully funded this year.
Health NZ said there had been a higher number of eligible nurses apply for this year's programme.
Six universities currently take part in the one year training programme: University of Auckland, University of Otago, Victoria University of Wellington, Massey University, Waikato University and AUT.
To be accepted into the programme, nurses must be registered, have at least three years of experience, be working at advanced level and demonstrate leadership skills.
The head of the Auckland University's School of Medical and Health Sciences and Nursing, Associate Professor Julia Slark said nurse practitioners worked at a higher level of practice than nurses.
"The nurse practitioner scope of practice is similar to a general practitioner, or a hospital registrar and they are able to assess, diagnose and treat health problems for common and complex health conditions."
The enrollees included nurses working in mental health, addiction, aged residential care, and palliative care.
And more than half worked in primary health care, Slark said.
"This is good news for patients in the community as nurse practitioners can enrol patients and can work independently, boosting capacity and access to high quality, timely healthcare for our communities."
Health NZ chief nursing officer Emma Hickson said increasing the number of nurse practitioners in training was a key initiative of the Health Workforce Plan.
"We are pleased to be able to fund training positions for every nurse who applied and met the programme's criteria.
"Nurses have to go through rigourous training before they can even apply to join the training programme.
"We know that nurse practitioners can improve patient outcomes, increase patient satisfaction and address issues of health care gaps in rural, remote and metropolitan areas."
Health New Zealand said this year's applicants include 17 Māori nurses and five Pacific nurses, and increasing Māori and Pacific nurse practitioners was a priority, as it was crucial for whānau health and well-being.