Practice Nurse Update
Danni Steele October 08
Important updates on practice nurse training and current professional issues.
APNA Primary Times - have your say!
The next edition of the APNA Primary Times (December issue) is incorporating a new section - Letters to the Editor. APNA invites all members to submit comments and suggestions for the Primary Times, and they will do their best to publish your ideas.
APNA wants comments on the first Primary Times magazine - what sections did you find of most benefit, and how can they make it a better clinical resource for you?
Submit your letters to Rebecca at .
Chronic wounds demand urgent attention
The Australian Wound Management Association is running a campaign on dressings and patient access to dressings. The association will lobby government for wound dressings to be on a script and therefore subsidised. Please help by signing up on the elephant in the room website.
Order your Zoster fact sheets now!
The new Zoster vaccine is available on the private market but has not been widely publicised. NCIRS has developed a new fact sheet on Zoster vaccine for adults to give information to providers and help answer questions.
False contraindications to Human Papillomavirus Vaccine
Recent media concerning HPV vaccinations and the level of possible adverse events has caused some confusion. Queensland Health's Tropical Population Health Unit CDC Network gives case scenarios and solutions plus information for immunisation providers. See page 2 on this article.
'New' changes to due and overdue rules for 4-y-o immunisation
From January 1 2009 there will be changes to the due and overdue rules for vaccinations for 4 year old children.
As part of the 2008-09 Budget process, the Government announced a measure to split the payment of the Maternity Immunisation Allowance (MIA) into two payments. Under current arrangements a person can be eligible for the MIA if their child meets the immunisation requirements on or after they turn 18 months of age and before the child turns two years of age.
From 1 January 2009 MIA will generally be paid in two payments, each equal to half the full current MIA rate at the time each claim is determined. To claim payment of MIA, the claimants must meet the immunisation eligibility requirement and lodge their claim on or before the child's second birthday to receive the first split MIA payment.
To receive the second split MIA payment, or the full MIA payment where the first split payment has not already been received, they must lodge their claim with the Family Assistance Office (at a Centrelink or Medicare office) before the child's fifth birthday.
The objective of the split payment measure is to bring MIA more in line with the National Immunisation Program (NIP), and to provide incentive for parents to immunise their children before they start school.
To meet the requirements of this new measure the Australian Childhood Immunisation Register (ACIR) will be making a change to the National Due and Overdue Rules for Childhood Immunisation in relation to the recommended antigens for children at four year of age.
Currently the Due and Overdue Rules state that a child is due for their four year old vaccinations at 4 years of age and overdue when they turn five years of age.
From 1 January 2009 for all children born from 1 January 2005 onwards the overdue rule will change to state that these children are due for their four year old vaccinations at 4 years of age and overdue at 4 years and 1 month of age.
Thinking about further study in 2009?
Consider the University of Melbourne's Postgraduate Certificate/Diploma in Primary Care Nursing.
The Postgraduate Certificate/Diploma in Primary Care Nursing is a tailored programme for nurses working in a general practice that delivers comprehensive and evidence-based education in sexual and reproductive health, women's health, youth health and chronic conditions.
The programme also teaches strategies for health promotion, prevention, risk management and advanced nursing practice. Commonwealth government policy priorities in primary health care include an enhanced role for the practice nurse and this has been recognised in the course subjects.
This programme is delivered by flexible education (distance, online and face-to face) to suit the nurse's work and family demands.
Course structure
The course is delivered by the Department of General Practice and the School of Nursing. Students undertake 4 subjects to obtain the post-graduate certificate and 8 subjects to obtain the post-graduate diploma in Primary Care Nursing. Completion of the post-graduate diploma provides credit toward the Masters in Advanced Nursing Practice. Enrolment in a single subject is also available.
For further information and entry requirements visit http://www.nursing.unimelb.edu.au/.
Course fees for 2009
Each module costs $1681
Certificate = $6,725
Diploma = $13,450
Course Enquiries
Future students should contact:
Ms Bernie Cooper
tel: +61 3 8344 7275
cooperb@unimelb.edu.au
This article is available online at http://bddgp.org.au/article/2008/10/nurse-update
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