University of Tasmania, Australia

The UTAS Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre received funding from the Australian government (the Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA)) to develop, test, and evaluate a model of practice for nurse practitioners in aged care. The UTAS innovative mixed model combines a health service based Aged Care Nurse Practitioner (ACNP) practice (60%) with independent ACNP practice (40%) with a specialist dementia focus. The ACNP provides specialist nurse dementia services to the Tasmanian Dementia Behaviour Management Advisory Services (DBMAS) and a UTAS Wicking Centre initiative, the Nurse-Led Memory Clinic. The ACNP practice will also work in collaboration with the southern Tasmanian Lauderdale Doctors Surgery and will include consultations in Residential Aged Care Facilities (RACFs), GP surgeries, and in the community.

The Commonwealth developed the Nurse Practitioner – Aged Care Models of Practice Program to:

• Demonstrate effective, economically viable and sustainable models of practice;
• Facilitate the growth of the aged care nurse practitioner workforce; and
• Improve access to primary health care for clients in residential and community aged care services.