Establishing a nurse practitioner model to enhance continuity between palliative care settings.

BACKGROUND: Nurse practitioners (NP) are relatively new in Australia with national registration achieved in 2010. Most NP-related literature is about establishing models and scope of practice. This paper reports on the establishment and 12-month evaluation of an NP model of care, between inpatient and community palliative care services, developed to coordinate client care between hospital and home.

AIM: To enhance patient outcomes, in hospital or home; to enhance professional relationships between services and facilitate effective discharges and admissions between services.

DESIGN AND SETTING: Both services worked together to develop an evaluation framework, based on agreed key performance indicators.

RESULTS: The NP model contributed to earlier discharges from hospital and fewer hospital admissions for those being cared for at home. There are developing opportunities to strengthen professional relationships through clinical and educational collaboration.

CONCLUSION: The model has benefited both patient care and clinical cooperation between services.