Nurse Navigators - Champions of the National Rural and Remote Nursing Generalist Framework: A solution

Abstract

Introduction: Nurse Navigators were introduced in Queensland, Australia, in 2016. Nurse Navigators coordinate person-centred care, create partnerships, improve care coordination and outcomes and facilitate system improvement, independently of hospital or community models. They navigate across all aspects of hospital and social services, liaising, negotiating and connecting care as needed. People stay with Nurse Navigators for as long as required, though the intent is to transition them from high-care needs to self-management. Nurse Navigators are a working model in rural and remote areas of Queensland.

Objective: To describe where the rural and remote Nurse Navigator position fits within the Rural Remote Nursing Generalist Framework and to define the depth and breadth of the rural and remote Nurse Navigator's scope of practice.

Design: Using template analysis, data from focus groups and interviews were analysed against the domains of the recently released National Rural and Remote Nursing Generalist Framework. Navigators working in rural and remote areas across Queensland Health were invited to an interview (n = 4) or focus group (n = 9), conducted between October 2019 and August 2020.

Findings: Rural and remote Nurse Navigators are proficient in all domains of the framework and actively champion for their patients, carers and the communities where they live and work.

Discussion: This research demonstrates that rural and remote Nurse Navigators are a working model of advanced nursing practice, acting as 'champions' of The Framework.

Conclusion: The Nurse Navigator model of care introduced to Queensland exemplifies proficient registered nurse practice to the full extent of their knowledge and skill.

Keywords: Nurse Navigator; person-centred care; rural and remote generalist; rural and remote health.