Knowledge and attitudes of ED staff before and after implementation of the emergency Nurse Practitioner role

Introduction: The Emergency Nurse Practitioner (ENP) role was implemented in the Emergency Department (ED) at The Northern Hospital (TNH) in April 2004. Implementation of the ENP role occurred as part of a Department of Human Services funded project to establish the ENP model as an effective and sustainable model of care delivery in Victorian EDs. Aim: The aim of this study was to examine the attitudes and knowledge of ED medical and nursing staff prior to, and following, implementation of the ENP role. Methods: The design was a pre-test/post-test design and the Northern Emergency Nurse Practitioner Staff Survey was used for data collection. A total of 104 ED staff completed the pre-test survey and the post-test survey was completed by 79 ED staff. Results: The attitudes and knowledge of ED medical and nursing staff changed significantly during implementation of the ENP role. Pre-test data indicated that staff were generally supportive of the role but had a poor understanding of the requirements for endorsement and how the role would function in clinical practice. Post-test data showed significant increases in support for the ENP role, a greater understanding of the requirements to become an ENP and increased understanding of the logistics and functions of an ENP. Conclusion: The implementation of the Nurse Practitioner role within the emergency department of The Northern Hospital, Victoria Australia has been a positive experience for both medical and nursing staff. (C) 2005 College of Emergency Nursing Australasia Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.