Elements and Performance Criteria
- Work as part of the rural multidisciplinary health care team
- Contribute appropriately to support the role of the rural multidisciplinary health care team in managing the care of clients
- Contribute to achieving effective team work and supportive group dynamics when working with health care colleagues
- Establish appropriate professional relationships with other members of the health care team
- Recognise the contributions of community services outside the health team in supporting health care clients
- Recognise the contributions of emergency service personnel, referring agencies, hospital and community team staff to the care needs of the rural client
- Clarify the impact of the rural client's treatment and rehabilitation on the client and/or their family
- Perform a holistic assessment of the client in consultation/collaboration with the registered nurse
- Incorporate an understanding of anatomy and physiology into nursing practice
- Work with a knowledge of the various manifestations of client's areas of dysfunction and associated pathophysiology of each clinical manifestation
- Work with a knowledge of the impact of distance from specialist services and equipment
- Support clients involved in telemedicine consultations
- Discuss with the client the psychosocial impact of their health problems on their activities of daily living
- Identify and discuss with the client and/or their family common problems and complications for rural clients
- Communicate effectively with clients, family and health team members locally and in metropolitan treatment centres
- Clarify the care needs of the rural client in terms of the phases of care required
- Address the health care needs of clients in the Australian rural environment
- Work with an understanding of the effects of distance and small community size on the health care services in rural environments
- Work with an understanding of the significance of local culture and tradition on the health care requirements of rural clients
- Work with an understanding of the significance of privacy and confidentiality in rural environments
- Apply an understanding of funding arrangements for rural health service environments
- Address documentation requirements to assist the funding that impacts on rural health care provision
- In consultation/collaboration with the health care team, develop and implement health promotion activities for the local community
- Provide a physically and psychologically safe environment for the rural client receiving inpatient or outpatient care
- Perform nursing interventions that support rural client health care needs
- Base nursing interventions on predetermined plans of care
- Ensure nursing interventions reflect client's physical, psychological and social needs and individuality and are performed with dignity, privacy and respect for the client
- Consider cultural, religious, gender and age issues in performing nursing interventions
- Encourage the client and/or their family to assist with nursing interventions as appropriate
- Use nursing interventions to assist the client to meet their activities of daily living
- Identify and prioritise nursing interventions according to client needs
- Ensure medication administration is based on sound knowledge of principles of drug actions and side effects in accordance with health unit policies and procedures
- Implement nursing interventions in accordance with legal, professional, ethical and organisation requirements
- Contribute to and support health teaching plans for the client in the rural health care environment
- Assist in the provision of emergency care
- Use contemporary assessment tools accurately
- Ensure appropriate pre-, intra- and post-diagnostic procedures are undertaken in line with organisation policies and procedures
- In consultation/collaboration with the registered nurse provide nursing care in response to trauma and emergency medical conditions
- Assist in the preparation of clients for transport by air or road ambulance
- Report and document first aid/emergency treatment and client response to the treatment
- Recognise and act upon emergency situations according to organisation policy and procedure and within legal and professional requirements
- Contribute to the quality and safety of rural health care
- In consultation/collaboration with the registered nurse, use a problem solving framework to plan appropriate nursing management strategies
- Modify nursing interventions using critical thinking and problem solving approaches, to reflect changes in client's condition
- Assist with processes to evaluate the quality of nursing actions
- Demonstrate ability to rapidly re-prioritise care activities in temporarily changed circumstances
- Participate in organisation risk identification and risk management processes