This week we are celebrating the fifth annual Community and Primary Health Care Nursing Week where we recognize the contributions of community and primary nurses in the health care setting and beyond. This event was started by the Australian College of Nursing (ACN) and will run from September 16 to 22 this year. The purpose of this event is to raise awareness of their value and extend a heartfelt thank you for their dedication, expertise, and care to the community.
But before we go through the celebration, let’s define first what are the roles of Community of Primary Health Care (C&PHC) Nurses.
In Australia, primary health care nurses work in a range of settings. Those settings include general practice, residential aged care, educational and occupational settings, social service, even in an informal and unstructured setting like ad hoc and Good Samaritan roles.
C&PHC Nurses make up a huge component of the nursing workforce – there are enrolled nurses (EN), registered nurses (RN), and nurse practitioners in community centres, homes, schools, prisons, childcare centres, and other health service settings. They are placed to play a major role in health promotion, illness prevention, healthy ageing, treatment and rehabilitation, community development, and a lot more. They ensure collaboration and partnership across other fragmented services and sectors to promote public health.
With the increasing and ageing population, alongside over-crowded hospitals and lack of aged care facilities, the demands on our primary health care system are increasing, and so too is the need for nurses.
The current public health and hospital systems are already overstretched, and they are turning to community care to help manage complex health needs. Community and primary health care nurses are placed to help lessen the burden in our hospitals, giving individualized care to patients that can improve the health outcomes of all Australians.
Health care nurses are highly valued by patients. Research shows that nurses spend 90% of their time with patients and they influence their health and well being using a person-centred approach. They provide most of the medical care and conduct direct, face-to-face provision of interventions and care towards patients’ recovery and rehabilitation. Their inputs and expertise are valued and sought-after in a lot of areas.
Nurses working in the community and primary health care play a vital role in raising the physical, mental, social, and spiritual health of patients to the highest level. They are on the front line every day, caring for the sick, counselling patients on their health and improving processes throughout the healthcare system.
With all of this, it is only fitting to take one week every year to celebrate their professions and the vital roles they play in health care.
Spread the Love to our C&PHC Nurses
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all our Community and Primary Health Care Nurses. We understand the sacrifice, dedication, and love that goes into what you do every single day – that is why we want to say, Thank you! Your commitment to protecting, promoting, and improving healthcare for all is highly valued.
