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New Nurse Practitioner for Moree and Inverell
With three decades of clinical nursing experience behind her, Helen Maclean is embarking on a very exciting new role, as the first Rehabilitation Nurse Practitioner to be appointed to work within Hunter New England Health at Inverell and Moree.
Over the coming months, Helen will have to meet strict criteria in advanced nursing practices that will give her an extended role in healthcare. Nurse Practitioners are Registered Nurses who provide expert care in a specialty area and work in collaboration with other health care providers as part of a multi-professional team.
“The local doctors and health services staff have been supportive of my new role, which focuses on maximising a patient’s physical ability and independence, minimising their disabilities and preventing further impairment following a significant injury or illness,” Ms Maclean said.
“My new position was created out of a need for increase for rehabilitation services within rural areas, I will be supporting patients who can return home early following rehabilitation in larger facilities and enhance the current services available in the Inverell and Moree District Health Services,” she said.
“I am still a nurse, working in the nursing model of care but I have the ability to provide diagnosis and order tests, among other responsibilities, after undergoing intensive study and passing strict guidelines to operate as a Nurse Practitioner”, she said.
Helen is currently working towards her authorisation, from the Nurses and Midwives Board of NSW, while undertaking a Master of Nursing (Nurse Practitioner) through the University of Newcastle and developing a Rehabilitation Model of Care for the Inverell and Moree communities.
“This is a wonderful opportunity which enables me to provide a high-level of clinical nursing care and expertise within an area of nursing which I am passionate about.”
The position has been funded and supported by NSW Health.
Member for Northern Tablelands, Richard Torbay said the appointment of a nurse practitioner will increase the health services capacity of Inverell and its surrounding districts.
"This additional service follows on from additional surgical specialists who regularly visit Inverell Hospital. It is a welcome step in the right direction to improve services for local people,” Mr Torbay said.
Contact: Kylie Dawson
Phone: (02) 6767 7136 or 0408 667 299
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