Benalla Health’s Urgent Care Centre is expanding to ensure the highest possible level of care for local people in their time of need.
Nurse Unit manager David Briggs said Benalla Health had been thrilled to have four locum nurse practitioners working in Urgent Care for the past few weeks.
“These are a highly skilled nurses, educated at masters level,” Mr Briggs said.
“They are able to see patients, autonomously perform advanced physical assessment, order diagnostic tests and interpret the results of these tests.
“A nursing practitioner can order tests such as X-rays, and pathology tests, as well as having the authority to discharge a patient without having to refer to a doctor.
“They can also initiate referrals to relevant healthcare providers and prescribe appropriate medications and other therapies as needed.”
Mr Briggs said the other change to the unit was that it was employing and supporting current urgent care nurses to study to obtain additional qualifications called RIPRN — Rural and Isolated Practice Registered Nurse.
“They can give out starter packs of medication and refer back to, and liaise with, a GP as required,” he said.
Mr Briggs said the Urgent Care Centre was in the process of recruiting new nurse practitioners.
“We have just started advertising and already have two applications,” he said.
“We are looking to recruit from within the local area.
“However, if an applicant is happy to move here our main priority is what is best for patients.
“We aim to provide the best care, by the best person in the best place.
“So people can come here and we will do the best for them that we possibly can.”