Advanced practice in nursing and midwifery : the contribution to healthcare in Australia

This chapter presents examples of advanced nursing and midwifery practice, together with their contribution to healthcare in Australia. It begins with an overview of the development of this level of nursing and how it is currently defined and legally protected. The chapter discusses current issues in advanced practice in Australia, with particular reference to the roles and settings in which practitioners work. With the introduction of new nursing roles to improve healthcare efficiency, it is important that the public, other healthcare providers, and indeed nurses themselves have an understanding of the various nursing roles in terms which are meaningful. Positive outcomes resulting from nurse-led clinics in a variety of specialty areas will ensure a significant improvement in patient outcomes, and will have distinctly positive implications in Australia’s more rural and remote geographic locations. © 2019 John Wiley & Sons Ltd