Independent Nursing Practice

Emergency pill free at chemist for young, poor

The emergency contraceptive pill will soon be free for young women and low-income earners from pharmacies in Nelson and Tasman.

Nelson Bays Primary Health (NBPH) is rolling out a new package from July 1 offering free access to the emergency contraceptive pill (ECP) to women under 25 or with a community services card.

They have to be enrolled with Nelson Bays Primary Health general practices.

NBPH general practice services and quality manager Margaret Gibbs said a voucher for a free GP consult would also be provided, and pharmacists would help those not enrolled find a GP.

The package had been partly driven by frustration from pharmacists, who knew paying $45 for the ECP was too expensive for some people, as well as increased admissions to Nelson Hospital emergency department with alcohol and other issues, she said.

The free GP consult would help them get long-term contraception, and sexually transmitted infection checks, she said.

The package was part of a bigger Youth Health package to be rolled out later in the year which would offer free GP visits and more support for sexual and mental health, she said.

"A 20-year-old living in a flat with no help from mum and dad often has no money to get to the doctor.

"The package allows them to get back into a general practice at no cost."

NBPH had set aside $100,000 a year to fund the package, although about half of this would go into the wider Youth Health programme once this was rolled out, she said. NBPH pharmacy facilitator Caroline Allen delivered packages to accredited pharmacies yesterday.

All were excited about improving access, she said.

"They've been waiting for this for a while.

"They said sometimes they see groups of two or three girls coming in and putting in their pocket money to pay for it, or just walking out and hoping for the best ... it's heartbreaking for them."

Independent Nursing Practice director Annette Milligan said it was a fantastic initiative.

"We're only open [weekdays], so it certainly eases the pressure for me when I'm on the end of the phone with people ringing after-hours in the weekend."

Cost was an issue for many, as was access for rural women who found it difficult to get into Nelson during the week because they were back at school or work, she said.

Although the emergency pill could be taken within 72 hours, best practice was to get it within 12 to 24 hours, so this would be a lot better for those weekend situations.

SELF-EMPLOYED NURSES | nursingdotcom.com

The self-employed nurse is in independent practice and provides professional nursing services directly to clients in a variety of practice settings in the areas of direct care, education, research, administration or consultation. Clients may be individuals, families, groups, corporations, educational institutions, communities or other health care agencies. Nurses in independent practice may provide nursing services themselves, in partnership with other practitioners, or employ others to do so.

Responsibilities of the Nurses Association of New Brunswick (NANB).

The objective of the NANB, with respect to independent nursing practice, is to support nurses in achieving high standards of professional practice and to protect the public. In keeping with this objective, the NANB has taken the initiative to develop this statement outlining the Association’s position on independent nursing practice as well as a document entitled Minding Your Business: A Guide for Establishing an Independent Nursing Practice (2002b). It is hoped that these documents, in addition to other NANB documents, such as the Nurses Act (1984), NANB’s Standards of Practice for Registered Nurses (2005a), and the CNA’s Code of Ethics (June 2008a), will assist nurses in determining the scope and nature of self-employed practice in nursing.

Responsibilities of the self-employed nurse Nurses in independent practice define and are responsible for the services they deliver and for the nature of the nurse/client relationship (NANB, 2002). The self-employed nurse is directly accountable to the client to whom, or on behalf of whom, nursing services are provided and any third party with whom the registered nurse may have contracted for payment of nursing services. In addition, the self-employed nurse is accountable to appropriate peers and colleagues, and to the professional nurses’ association.

The nurse in independent practice must have current practicing membership with the NANB and have considerable current experience, education, knowledge, skills, and a referral network in the chosen field of practice to provide independent nursing care safely and competently. The nurse becomes qualified for independent practice through appropriate basic and post-basic nursing education and skill development, and extensive nursing experience appropriate to the level and scope of the chosen field of nursing practice.

Self-employed nurses must maintain their competency to practice through participation in continuing education/professional development and should utilize a process to systematically evaluate their practice.

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