Details on LaTrobe Nurse Practitioner Masters

1. Details on LaTrobe Nurse Practitioner Masters For clinical/academic advice: Gerry Lee (g.lee@latrobe.edu.au) For admin details and application forms: Robin Owen 9479 5906 or r.owen@latrobe.edu.au

2. The NP Masters program structure- 3 core units and clinical internship[Usually takes 18 months to 2 years to complete]

3. Clinical Internship Objectives- aimed to aid student in preparing portfolio for endorsement CLINICAL: • Interdependentlypractice advanced health assessment and diagnostic skills • Develop and apply advanced clinical knowledge and decision making skills • Select, perform and interpret appropriate diagnostic & other laboratory tests • Apply pharmacological interventions appropriately • Compile & complete clinical log • Integrate data from standardized tests into patient care • Use clinical decision making processes EVIDENCE BASED: • Implement evidence-based guidelines for use in your practice LEADERSHIP: • Demonstrate clinical leadership in clinical practice • Develop professional multidisciplinary relationships • Undertake continuous quality evaluation • Utilize appropriate hospital and community resources • Provide clinical & educational support to nursing staff • Provide relevant health education & health promotion • Provide clinical audit of workload of patient/client group

4. Who should be a mentor/What needs to be done? • The student needs to identify suitable mentor(s) • Within their specialty (or suitable GP for rural) • Must be approved director of nursing &/or medical consultant before internship starts • Clinical agency needs to be supportive of their Nurse Practitioner candidates (given the impact on health care resources) TO DO! • Organize weekly meetings & develop clinical learning plan including setting clinical objectives • Present weekly clinical case presentations • Ensure patient log is kept up-to-date and complete

5. What Do they do? Mentor responsibilities • Meet weekly (for at least one hour) • Ensure meetings have a structured approach • Set objectives with student for semester • Go through the patient log • Critique clinical case presentations • The mentor & student MUST keep a log of the meetings & show how objectives achieved.

6. Patient log: • Reviewed weekly by the mentor • All patients seen (assessment findings, tests ordered & rationale, diagnosis, mentor review and plan of care) • Log – clinical record at work and also used specifically for the case presentations required (as part of the academic assessment)

7. Present a patient (current issues, PMH, etc) • Diagnostics ordered • Results & working diagnosis • Plan of care including: meds/therapies ordered, referrals & follow-up, specific instructions Clinical case presentation Presented to mentor [weekly] Presented to peers in the classroom [4 per semester] 3,000 word written assignment [1 per semester]