Special Interest Groups for Practice Nurses: Development, Implementation and Evaluation Lynda French

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Special Interest Groups for Practice
NursesDevelopment, Implementation and
Evaluation Lynda French
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Overview and Objectives

• Our presentation today will
• Discuss the development of Special Interest
  Groups for practice nurses
• Describe implementation of the groups
• Display results and evaluation data
• Offer insight into the process

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Bayside Profile

• Cover the SE bayside suburbs of Melbourne
• 90km2
• Population 174,000
• 50 practice nurses
• 200 GP members
• 46 practices
• Promote Collaborative
• methodology
• Use Practice Liaison Model

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Background

• Nationally, there is acknowledgement that nurses
  working in General Practice contribute
• To the quality care of patients
• Increased support to general practitioners
• Expanded range of services for improved chronic
  disease management

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NiGP

• Supporting national objectives, Bayside GPN NiGP
  Program promotes support of effective employment
  of practice nurses to..
• Relieve workforce pressure in general practice
• Improve the prevention and management of chronic
  disease

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Purpose and Aim

• Bayside General Practice Network resolved to
• promote retention of existing and newly employed
  nurses
• By
• Establishing small special interest group
  networks with objectives of peer support
• Promotion, facilitation and delivery of CPD

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• Provision of networking options and educational
  opportunities   
• Facilitating mentoring
• And as a consequence
• Building the capacity to recruit and retain
  nurses within general practice 

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Rationale

• Bally 2007 suggests
• the development of a sustainable nursing
  workforce needs to consider the fostering of
  collegial relationships, enhancing nurses sense
  of self, promoting professional development and
  encouraging feelings of professional worth.

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Our story at BGPN

• 2005. needs survey indicated new nurses seeking
  peer support.
• National research confirmed professional
  isolation detrimental to p.n. retention
• BGPN already offering GPs small group learning
  and peer review with success.
• GP focus groups and program advisory groups
  already established
• Nurses needing similar CPD opportunity

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Process

• Expressions of interest circulated by network
  program officer
• New or experienced practice nurses invited to
  meet with peers 6 8 times per year 
• Meetings informal, 8 -10 nurses
• Initially general discussion and networking
• Mentoring and peer support promoted
• BGPN coordinator facilitated meetings    

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• Group structure, guidelines and terms of
  reference were established by the nurses
• Relevant CPD learning was included
• Support, resources, venue and facilitation of
  meetings provided by the Network

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Diabetes group

• 2006 practice survey revealed up to 16 CDEs
  working within network
• 50 of nurse led clinics were using a CDE
• Need for a regional support group
• 2007 group formed across Network, community
  health and business sectors

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• Self sustaining group, 15 members
• Facilitation by BGPN diabetes coordinator
• Advisory capacity within the network

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2008 -2009 Where are we now??

• New coordinator at Network 2008
• Identified new network nurses needing support
• Another special interest group commenced, same
  framework
• Different needs identified
• Peer support from nurses from original group

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Results

• Attendance at meetings usually around 75
• Original group now Champions
• Original group offering mentorship and support
• Membership strong, only few members lost
• New group developing and networks forming

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Evaluation

• Is it all worthwhile and the data says
• YES!!

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• 100 of responses could not identify any unwanted
  aspects of small group participation
• 75 responded that participation in the group had
  contributed to them staying in their current job
• Evaluation shows original objectives achieved

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Where to now?

• Challenges
• Maintain interest and keep nurses engaged by
  ongoing reflection and evaluation of program
• Offer Champion nurses opportunities to further
  develop
• Inception of SIG for chronic disease management
  nurses

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Conclusion

• Our presentation has demonstrated
• BGPNs original strategy of providing support,
  mentoring and networking for practice nurses, via
  small group interaction is supported by
  evaluation data. It has been instrumental in
  reducing attrition from the practice nurse
  workforce.
• AND
• BGPNs original objective of building capacity
  and promoting the retention of new and existing
  nurses has been a successful intervention for
  our network.

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References and acknowledgments

• References
• Bally J. 2007 The role of nursing leadership in
  creating a mentoring culture in acute care
  environments. (CNE SERIES) Nursing Economics 25.3
  (May June) p143 (7)
• Mills J., Fitzgerald M. 2008. The changing role
  of practice nurses in Australia an action
  research study. Australian Journal of Advanced
  Nursing, 26 (1)16-20
• RACGP, QA and CPD. Small group learning,
  Application Guided 2008 2010 pp 2 -8.
  www.racgp.org/Content/NavigationMenu/education
• http//www.generalpracticenursing.com.au
• www.agpn.com.au
• http//www.gpv.org.au
• Acknowledgments
• Ms Kerry Hollier, Senior Program Manager Bayside
  General Practice Network
• Ms Sharon Fox, Diabetes Program Manager Bayside
  General Practice Network
• Dr Sylvia Pomeroy, Research Project Coordinator,
  Bayside General Practice Network
• Special acknowledgement to Bayside General
  Practice Network for supporting this project

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