To mark Nurse Practitioner Week (9-15 December), we asked Linda Geale, a Nurse Practitioner at Southern specialising in Chronic and Complex Respiratory Conditions, about what she enjoys most about her role.
"Being a Nurse Practitioner (NP) is the pinnacle of my forty-year nursing career. I believe nursing is a very exciting profession with a vast number of opportunities available for those who wish to pursue a rewarding progressive career," said Linda.
"My career has been varied commencing as an Registered Nurse in acute care, then as a midwife, community nurse, General Practice (GP) nurse, educator in TAFE and universities, Respiratory Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) and Clinical Nurse Consultant (CNC). When presented with the opportunity to advance to Respiratory Nurse Practitioner, the decision to apply was not difficult. It presented an opportunity to really make a difference to the health outcomes of my patients and utilise the experience and knowledge I have gained over the years."
Linda's service covers Southern's Coastal Network with clinics run from community health centres, with in-reach and home visits as required. Linda offers holistic person-centred assessments, working in collaboration with community health and palliative care teams, GPs, Physicians and allied health professionals to achieve optimal health outcomes for patients and minimise preventable admissions to hospital.
"Working as an NP in a rural area provides job satisfaction every day. I am able to help fill the gaps our regional and rural patients experience due to a shortage of specialist services and the large distances often needed to access specialist services. But even more importantly, I am able to provide comprehensive, person-centered care in a nurse model, which really does improve health outcomes and the quality of life of my patients."
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