Urgent care in Australia: Unblocking nurse practitioner capacity to address systemic access issues

Natasha Jennings; Vanessa Clothier

doi:10.1016/j.ienj.2025.101741

Urgent care in Australia: Unblocking nurse practitioner capacity to address systemic access issues

Natasha Jennings (Leading Author)
, Vanessa Clothier (Leading Author)

School of Nursing and Midwifery

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review Article › Other › peer-review

Abstract

Highlights
• Australia faces patient access challenges, in regional and rural areas, due to mandatory on-site doctor requirements.
• Australian NPs are qualified, nationally regulated, autonomous practicing consistent with international advanced nursing standards.
• International professional bodies support revising policies to enable NP-led access models, which have proven successful internationally.
• Policy reform is critical to unlocking the full potential of the NP workforce and addressing healthcare system pressures in Australia and globally.

Original language	English
Article number	101741
Number of pages	3
Journal	International Emergency Nursing
Volume	85
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ienj.2025.101741
Publication status	Published - Mar 2026

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

Keywords

Advanced clinical practice
Health policy
Legislation
Nurse practitioner
Scope of practice
Urgent care

Access to Document

10.1016/j.ienj.2025.101741Licence: CC BY

Cite this

@article{551a2077eac448b98b1e3cacead0e509,

title = "Urgent care in Australia: Unblocking nurse practitioner capacity to address systemic access issues",

abstract = "Highlights • Australia faces patient access challenges, in regional and rural areas, due to mandatory on-site doctor requirements. • Australian NPs are qualified, nationally regulated, autonomous practicing consistent with international advanced nursing standards. • International professional bodies support revising policies to enable NP-led access models, which have proven successful internationally. • Policy reform is critical to unlocking the full potential of the NP workforce and addressing healthcare system pressures in Australia and globally.",

keywords = "Advanced clinical practice, Health policy, Legislation, Nurse practitioner, Scope of practice, Urgent care",

author = "Natasha Jennings and Vanessa Clothier",

year = "2026",

month = mar,

doi = "10.1016/j.ienj.2025.101741",

language = "English",

volume = "85",

journal = "International Emergency Nursing",

issn = "1755-599X",

publisher = "Elsevier",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Urgent care in Australia

T2 - Unblocking nurse practitioner capacity to address systemic access issues

A2 - Jennings, Natasha

A2 - Clothier, Vanessa

PY - 2026/3

Y1 - 2026/3

N2 - Highlights • Australia faces patient access challenges, in regional and rural areas, due to mandatory on-site doctor requirements. • Australian NPs are qualified, nationally regulated, autonomous practicing consistent with international advanced nursing standards. • International professional bodies support revising policies to enable NP-led access models, which have proven successful internationally. • Policy reform is critical to unlocking the full potential of the NP workforce and addressing healthcare system pressures in Australia and globally.

AB - Highlights • Australia faces patient access challenges, in regional and rural areas, due to mandatory on-site doctor requirements. • Australian NPs are qualified, nationally regulated, autonomous practicing consistent with international advanced nursing standards. • International professional bodies support revising policies to enable NP-led access models, which have proven successful internationally. • Policy reform is critical to unlocking the full potential of the NP workforce and addressing healthcare system pressures in Australia and globally.

KW - Advanced clinical practice

KW - Health policy

KW - Legislation

KW - Nurse practitioner

KW - Scope of practice

KW - Urgent care

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105027665338

U2 - 10.1016/j.ienj.2025.101741

DO - 10.1016/j.ienj.2025.101741

M3 - Review Article

C2 - 41547144

AN - SCOPUS:105027665338

SN - 1755-599X

VL - 85

JO - International Emergency Nursing

JF - International Emergency Nursing

M1 - 101741

ER -

Urgent care in Australia: Unblocking nurse practitioner capacity to address systemic access issues

Abstract

UN SDGs

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Cite this