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Submit your application

The Australian College of Nurse Practitioners (ACNP) receives a number of applications each year to access the ACNP membership for the purpose of many research activities. Whilst the ACNP is committed to promoting research amongst and external to its membership, an obligation does exist to ensure that members details are secure. It is therefore a requirement of the College that all requests are scrutinised for relevance and their appropriateness to generally benefit the advancement of nurse practitioners.

The ACNP encourages and promotes research which has a direct impact on the development of the NP role generally but more specifically in an Australian context. To this end, NPs conducting research for these purposes will be particularly welcomed.

Enquiries to be directed to admin@acnp.org.au

Download the ACNP Research Policy and application guide 

 

Submit Application Here

Board Approved Research Projects

Over 40,000 Australian women cancer survivors experience troublesome menopausal symptoms such as hot flushes and night sweats after cancer treatment annually. These symptoms negatively impact their day-day-living.

 There are effective ways to help manage menopausal symptoms after cancer treatment, however accessibility is a challenge. It is imperative to devise effective, accessible, and acceptable model of care to enhance the management of menopause in these women.

The aim of this qualitative study  is to identify  the factors that might facilitate or hinder nurse practitioners engagement. Thus, if nurse practitioners would recommend use of the platform to patients, if they would be willing to use clinical guidelines if presented to them by patients, and whether they would utilise the referral pathways.

Their  perspective will help us develop an effective, user-friendly and responsive online platform. If interested, please click this link:  PRE-INTERVIEW SURVEY  to access the Participant Information Sheet and provide your online consent.

Relevant link - PRE-INTERVIEW SURVEY

 

What should deprescribing recommendations look like?

This study aims to explore the perspectives, needs and preferences of guideline end-users on the language, content and format of deprescribing recommendations to support integration into clinical practice guidelines. Specifically, we aim to identify content, language and format features that can be optimised to enhance the implementability of deprescribing recommendations. 

You are invited to participate in a 30-60 minute interview or focus group to share your perspectives on the language, content and format of
deprescribing recommendations in guidelines. You will be offered a $30 digital gift card to thank you for your time and participation.

Find out more information and indicate your interest in participating by clicking here, or go to https://redcap.link/dyepaxkf
Contact aili.langford@monash.edu for more information Monash University Ethics Project number: 37373

Cross-sectional study of clinician’s preferences for pharmacological management for acute renal colic

The aim of this study is to describe current practice in the management of renal colic pain in the Emergency Department

The primary objective is to investigate the variation in physician, nursing and paramedical professionals for prescribing first line, rescue and discharge analgesia in patients presenting with renal colic pain and current challenges in providing timely pain relief. A secondary objective is to explore the current awareness and acceptability of emerging non-pharmacological options for renal colic pain.

Do you provide care for patients with acute renal colic pain? We want to hear from you.

We are conduction a study to explore clinician’s analgesia preferences managing renal colic across a number of clinical scenarios. The survey may take 20-30 minutes to complete and you can enter a draw for a $100 gift voucher. Click here to access the survey. https://uqnm.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3fSSb7xeeXszKjY 

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Research Reports

Diabetes Capabilities for the Healthcare Workforce Identified via a 3-Staged Modified Delphi Technique

This study identified seven practice levels and the capabilities required by health professionals to deliver quality, safe diabetes education and care to increase the health workforce’s capacity. The key outcome, a capability framework, will guide training and practice in diabetes nationally. The nurse practitioner is seen at the peak at practice level 7 (Master), and the article promotes the role in developing and managing Chronic Condition Management Plans to increase capacity for equitable quality diabetes care. 

Access the full report at: https://www.mdpi.com/1453338

ACNP acknowedge Giuliana Murfet (Tas Member) for sharing her research.

National Stigma Report Card

National mental health charity SANE Australia recently released the National Stigma Report Card, compiled from the findings of their Our Turn to Speak survey, the most comprehensive survey of its kind in Australia.

Past opportunities

Nurse practitioners’ experiences in utilising diagnostic imaging in health care.

FLYER: National Survey of NPs Quality use Of Diagnostic Imaging in Practice study

Are you an endorsed nurse practitioner practising in Australia? If the answer is yes, we would love to hear about your experiences using diagnostic imaging (requesting, interpreting and/or performing).

We are also interested in the views of nurse practitioners who do not currently use diagnostic imaging as part of their practice. This survey will explore the experiences and challenges nurse practitioners have when using diagnostic imaging, the facilitators and barriers to its use and the education requirements and preparation of nurse practitioners in relation to diagnostic imaging. Little is known about these subjects in the Australian context. It is hoped that findings from this survey may help to inform future policy development and future education of nurse practitioners.

This is a voluntary research study, being conducted by researchers from the University of Sydney. You may access the Participant Information Sheet and Survey here: 

LINK TO SURVEY

FLYER: National Survey of NPs Quality use Of Diagnostic Imaging in Practice study

 

Many states have recently changed their scope of practice laws and granted full practice authority to nurse practitioners, allowing them to practice without oversight from physicians. Physician groups have argued against this change, citing patient safety concerns. In this paper, we use a ratio-in-ratio approach to evaluate whether the transition to full practice authority results in harm to patients as proxied by rates of malpractice payouts and adverse action reports against nurse practitioners. We find no evidence of such harm, and instead find that physicians may benefit from the law change in terms of reduced malpractice payouts against them.

Read the full report: NP SOP & PATIENT HARM: EVIDENCE FROM MEDICAL MALPRACTICE CASES AND ADVERSE ACTION REPORTS

A recent national study exploring the prevalence of elder abuse in Australia found that 14.8% of community dwelling people aged 65 years and older reported experiencing elder abuse in the past 12 months. As front-line health care providers for older people, Nurse Practitioners hold a position of trust and are uniquely placed to identify changes in a patient’s circumstances and potential threats to their care situation and safety.

We are conducting research to understand knowledge, experiences and perceptions relating to elder abuse amongst General Practitioners, Geriatricians and Nurse Practitioners via an online survey. The online survey should take no more than 12 minutes to complete. Data will fill gaps in our understanding of current knowledge and practices regarding elder abuse amongst healthcare providers that provide care to older adults and will be used to support the development of an intervention to improve knowledge and willingness to report elder abuse.

If you would like to participate, please contact Jamie Bryant (Jamie.bryant@newcastle.edu.au) to receive a link to the survey.

This research has been approved by the University of Newcastle Human Research Ethics Committee (H-2022-0300).

Clinicians’ experiences of and needs for information about providing sexual and reproductive healthcare to women who are refugees or asylum-seekers

We are interested in the experiences of health care professionals providing sexual and reproductive healthcare for women from refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds. We would be grateful if you could complete this short survey. It should take around 10 minutes. Findings from the survey will be used to inform the service provision and education needs of health care providers working in this sector. In recognition of the time and inconvenience, everyone who completes the survey will have the chance to enter a draw for one of five $50 Coles Myer gift cards. Thank you in advance for taking the time to complete the survey. Please see the link below or use the QR code to access the survey.

Survey Link:  https://monash.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9S2rKAZjp5k1ypU

ACNP invites you to participate in a Central Queensland University (CQU) research project about safety and the theory of High Reliability.

High Reliability Organisations are those that have high risk working environments with few or no accidents. There has been a lot of academic interest in these organisations but very little research into how they operate beyond the theory.  There is considerable interest in High Reliability theory within Healthcare, in particular how nursing teams are able to leverage the principles of High Reliability to produce outstanding patient care outcomes.

Conducted by researcher Nicola MacPhail, who is also a professional commercial pilot, this study will attempt to find out if these types of organisations exist in practice and how they can be operationalised.

Please answer the questions here: Anonymous Survey into High Reliability

Participation in the survey is voluntary and will take about 16 minutes to complete on a mobile device or computer.

All survey responses are confidential and the research findings will aggregate any data collected with other responses from various industries.

If you have any questions please contact Nicola MacPhail (nicola.macphail@cqumail.com).

ACNP and the researchers at CQU would be grateful for your participation.

Nurse-surgeons in the Australian public health system: A mixed methods study

We are now recruiting participants for the Phase 1 of our study, which aims to explore the roles, training, education, and perceptions of practicing nurse-surgeons in the Australian public health system. Nurse-surgeons are nurses trained to perform surgeries independently (Grota et al., 2021; White et al., 1987).

For the purpose of this study, we are using the World Health Organisation’s definition of surgery as any invasive procedures that is performed aseptically, and usually with the use of appropriate anaesthesia, by trained surgeons, other physicians, nurses, and other non-physicians to investigate and/or treat surgical conditions (Debas et al., 2006). To be eligible for participation, the Registered Nurse or Nurse Practitioner should be currently practicing and performing surgeries independently within the Australian public health system.

Please click the link to access the participant information letter and complete the survey. This survey has been approved by ACU Human Research Ethics Committee.

For further information please email Mr Tenber Grota (tenber.grota@myacu.edu.au) or Professor Elisabeth Jacob (elisabeth.jacob@myacu.edu.au). 

Full details are availbe of the PDF version - Nurse-surgeons in the Australian public health system

What is the study about?

Participant Information Statement and Consent Form

You are invited to participate in a study about real time prescription monitoring (RTPM) tools. This online questionnaire is part of Phase 1 of a two-phase study on real time prescription monitoring tools and healthcare professional use.

In Phase 1 of the study we hope to learn:

  • How healthcare practitioners use RTPM tools in clinical practice
  • The feasibility of use of RTMP tools in clinical decision making
  • Barriers and facilitators to RTPM tool use
  • What healthcare practitioners need to make RTMP tools more useful in practice

In Phase 2 of the study we hope to use the Phase 1 findings to develop a series of online questionnaires to further inform and develop real time prescription monitoring support guidelines for healthcare practitioner use in clinical practice.

You may open the survey in your web browser by clicking the link below:
Healthcare practitioner use of real time prescription monitoring tools

If the link above does not work, try copying the link below into your web browser:
https://redcap.latrobe.edu.au/redcap/surveys/?s=Y3FH8NEH33 

Many thanks 

Dimi Hoppe, PhD Candidate

School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University 

The International Council of Nurses Nurse Practitioner/Advanced Practice Nurse Network has launched a new study looking at Advanced Practice Nurses perceptions of spirituality (see below). Please do participate if you can. We would be grateful if you could disseminate this request to APN colleagues and organisations as widely as possible. 

ADVANCED PRACTICE NURSES’ PERCEPTIONS OF SPIRITUALITY - REQUEST FOR GLOBAL STUDY PARTICIPANTS

 

Who is conducting this study and what is it about?

This study was developed by a group of researchers from the ICN Nurse Practitioner/Advanced Practice Nurse (ICN NP/APN) Network and colleagues at a number of universities across the globe.  We are interested in your perceptions of spirituality as an Advanced Practice Nurse.

Who can participate in this study?

Participants must meet the following criteria:

  1. Be an Advanced Practice Nurse (NP/CNS). For example, you may be working clinically, in education, research, policy-making or other related NP/APN work.
  2. Be able to read and write in English.
  3. Have access to an Internet connection.

What are participants asked to do?

Participants are invited to complete a short questionnaire, which should take 10 minutes of your time.

Why would participants want to complete this study?

Participation will help to ascertain perceptions of spirituality across the globe.  Participation is voluntary, confidential, and has no foreseeable risk or harm.

How may I participate in this study?

To get started please click on the link below or the scan the QR Code at the bottom:  https://hud.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bBfcr5CgVTJeaKa

Who can be contacted if more information is needed?

Additional information can be provided by the Principal Investigator:  Prof Melanie Rogers RGN, BSc, MSc, PhD, Queens Nurse, ICN Nurse Practitioner/Advanced Practice Nurse Network Research Academy Director via email: m.rogers@hud.ac.uk

Did you provide telehealth nurse practitioner services during the COVID-19 pandemic?

If so, we would like to invite you to participate in a short interview to explore your experiences. We will use the data we collect to improve the educational preparation of nurse practitioners to provide telehealth services.

If you are interested, please email A/Prof Jane Currie at jane.currie@qut.edu.au

Expressions of Interest are being sought to participate in an expert nurse practitioner panel with the aim of establishing NP Entrustable Professional Activities.  This research has been initiated by John Thompson, Anthony Summers, Andrew Scanlon, Katie East and Di Crellin. The aim of the project is to establish entrustable professional activities for nurse practitioner practice in the Australian setting and identify which of the EPAs must be achieved pre-endorsement.

Entrustable professional activities (EPAs) are professional activities that define the core of a profession. They are units of a profession’s work (tasks or responsibilities). By identifying NP EPAs will ensure that NP curriculum meets professional expectations. As most NP students enrolled in a NP Master’s program have a medical colleague as a supervisor, they may be assessed as a medical graduate rather than a NP. Establishing NP EPAs will ensure that students’ practice is observable and can therefore be assessed according to NP expectations and requirements rather than perceived expectations of what NP practice looks like.

This study will use a minimum of three survey rounds, conducted online, where each survey is informed by the results of the previous survey. The investigative team are seeking a number of currently practicing endorsed NPs from a variety of States and Territories, rural/remote and regional/metropolitan locations, and specialities.

Applications to participate close 29 October 2021.

If you would like to participate in the expert panel or have any questions please email John Thompson (john.thompson@unimelb.edu.au) and provide the following information that is relevant to you:

  • Years of experience as an endorsed NP

  • Your meta-speciality (your practice may sit across multiple meta-specialties, please indicate all meta-specialties that apply to you)

  • Your location of practice (State or Territory and regional/rural or regional/metropolitan)

  • If you have participated in any practice related expert working groups/communities of practice or similar

  • Have presented advances in your practice/model of care at conferences

Are you a practice nurse with something to say about contraception and abortion care in general practice?

We invite any practice nurses, and community pharmacists working in general practice to participate in a short 15min survey in the area of long-acting reversible contraception and medical abortion.

The survey will us establish a national baseline levels of knowledge, attitudes, and current practices regarding long-acting reversible contraception and medical abortion.

Who is running the study?

The study is led by Prof Danielle Mazza, Head of Department of General Practice at Monash University and SPHERE CRE, and funded by an NHMRC Partnership Grant.

You will be reimbursed with a $40 egift card for your time.

Please complete the survey via - https://redcap.helix.monash.edu/surveys/?s=ML3ACEKNNN or contact AusCAPPS.trial@monash.edu for more information.

This project is in collaboration between Monash University, The university of British Columbia, The University of Sydney, The Centre of Excellence in Rural Sexual Health, La Trobe University, Family Planning NSW, Marie Stopes Australia and SPHERE CRE. Monash University Human Research Ethics Committee #28002

The survey will us establish a national baseline levels of knowledge, attitudes, and current practices regarding long-acting reversible contraception and medical abortion.

Deprescribing In Residential Aged Care Research Project

General Practitioners, Accredited Pharmacists & Nurse Practitioners Needed

Researchers at Curtin University are investigating the factors associated with deprescribing potentially inappropriate medications in residents of aged care facilities.  Potentially inappropriate prescribing is associated with numerous poor health outcomes for those who reside in aged care facilities and deprescribing of medicines has a key role in minimising this risk.
In this study, you will be asked to participate in an online focus group discussion with colleagues from the same health profession as yours, to discuss various aspects of deprescribing in this environment. It is expected that the online discussion will be approximately one hour in duration.  Participants will be remunerated with a $50 Coles Group and Myer Gift Card.  If you are interested in participating in this research project, please contact

  • Dr Ya Ping Lee, Lecturer, Curtin Medical School
  • By email at yaping.lee@curtin.edu.au; or
  • By telephone on (08) 9266 1978

The conduct of this research project has been approved by the Curtin University Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) (HRE2021-0193).

National Survey to Explore the Skills, Knowledge and Attributes of Nurses Providing Healthcare to People Experiencing Homelessness

We invite you to participate in an online survey. The survey will take approximately 20 minutes to complete, and is part of a research project led by Queensland University of Technology and St Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney. We are investigating the impact of nursing scope of practice on access to care for people experiencing homelessness. We have approached you because you are practising as a nurse in Australia, and you may be providing healthcare to people experiencing homelessness.

The findings of this survey will underpin the design of an educational and organisational framework to optimise the scope of practice of nurses who provide healthcare to people experiencing homelessness, thereby improving access to healthcare.

The survey is anonymous. If you consent to being contacted for a brief follow up interview, we will ask you to provide your first name and an email address. To participate in the survey, please click on the link below, or scan the QR code with your smart phone, and answer the questions. The questions focus on the skills, knowledge and attributes that you believe are important when providing healthcare to people experiencing homelessness.

Link for the survey: https://redcap.stvincents.com.au/surveys/?s=4C4JRFCH99  

A Participant Information Statement is attached for you to read and retain. Please make sure you read it carefully before commencing the survey. There is no consent form for participation, completing the survey will be deemed as your consent to participate. This study has been approved by the St Vincent’s Hospital Human Research Ethics Committee [2021/ETH00940]. If you have any questions relating to this research, please contact Lucy McWilliams (lucy.mcwilliams@svha.org.au).

We greatly appreciate your consideration to participate in this research.

 

 

Workforce survey of Australian nurses involved in eye care

The Centre for Eye Research Australia (CERA) is seeking Australian nurses working in eye care to take part in an anonymous 15-minute survey.

Your input will help researchers understand the involvement of Australian nurses working in eye care in Australia, and help to examine how nurses can be attracted into eye care in the future.

To participate, you must be an Australian permanent resident or citizen over the age of 18, and a nurse licensed by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).

For full project, consent and ethics details – and to participate in the survey – visit the CERA website: https://www.cera.org.au/workforce-survey-of-australian-nurses-involved-in-eye-care/

National Guideline for the Assessment and Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorders in Australia

Nurses with a role or an interest in the assessment and diagnosis of autism are invited to register to participate in an online focus group and survey for the evaluation of the National Guideline for the Assessment and Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorders in Australia. We welcome your participation in both activities, whether or not you were previously aware of the Guideline.

We are interested in your insights and experiences of autism assessment and diagnosis, and the reach, uptake and impact of the Guideline. This is an opportunity to ensure your profession's contribution to this area and any unique challenges you face are understood. 

The evaluation will inform work to: 

  • streamline assessment and diagnosis processes and systems by identifying bottlenecks and barriers
  • achieve better outcomes for people on the autism spectrum, their families and carers
  • understand how the Guideline approach to assessment and diagnosis supports timely access to services
  • improve the capacity of the health professions and their workforce involved in assessment and diagnosis.

For more information and to register your interest please visit: https://hi.aha-click.me/hSZlD by 1 October 2021

If you have already expressed interest in participating as part of the recent health professional survey you do not need to register your interest again.

Conducted by Australian Healthcare Associates on behalf of the Department of Social Services.

Inadequate sleep is a significant public health issue. A recent parliamentary report (Bedtime Reading) recommended that the Australian government assesses the sleep knowledge of health professionals, and develops effective training mechanisms to improve the knowledge of primary healthcare practitioners in diagnosing and managing sleep health problems.

You are invited to participate in this research study, which aims to survey knowledge, practices, and attitudes towards sleep in Australian Health Professionals. For more information please contact the Chief Investigator Dr Cele Richardson at +61 8 6488 3141 or cele.richardson@uwa.edu.au.

To participate in the study, click here.

Participants will gain access to a sleep toolkit, which may assist with the management of sleep in their clinical practice.

Approval to conduct this research has been provided by the University of Western Australia, in accordance with its ethics review and approval procedures. 

Chief Investigator Dr Cele Richardson at cele.richardson@uwa.edu.au

 

The Goal-directed Medication review Electronic Decision Support System (G-MEDSS) ©

The Goal-directed Medication review Electronic Decision Support System Flyer

Researchers at the University of Sydney and Cognitive Decline Partnership Centre are conducting a study that evaluates the use of the Goal-directed Medication review Electronic Decision Support System (G-MEDSS) © in practice.

G-MEDSS has been designed to provide clinical decision support for Australian healthcare practitioners conducting medication reviews for older patients with and without dementia, to tailor care to meet their goals and preferences. Goal-directed medication reviews may improve older patients’ lives and wellbeing. 

We are seeking pharmacists, medical practitioners and nurses to register and use G-MEDSS in their patient settings.

Participation is voluntary, and any information collected will be de-identified.

To participate in this research project, please follow this link (www.gmedss.com), read the Terms and Conditions, Privacy Statement, and Participant Information Sheet, and register.

For more information, please contact Dr Lisa Kouladjian O’Donnell on 02 9926 4934, or lisa.kouladjian@sydney.edu.au

Advancing Implementation of Nurse Prescribing in Australia. Registered Nurse Prescribing under Supervision: National Survey

This study aims to understand RN and NP perspectives on nurse prescribing from nursing and midwifery union members in Australia. We are especially interested in your insights to inform implementation of nurse prescribing nationwide, ultimately improving access and experiences of care, as well as patient outcomes.

We invite all RNs, NPs, and RNs with a dual registration as RN and Midwife, to participate in a 15 minute survey. Participants may go into the draw to win an IPAD.

Please click on the link to view information sheet for further details on the study.  https://survey.qut.edu.au/f/195533/5b1c/