Renegotiating roles as part of developing collaborative practice: Australian nurses in general practice and cervical screening

Jane Mills¹, Mary Fitzgerald²

¹Nursing and Midwifery, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Nursing Sciences, Monash University, Gippsland, Melbourne, Australia; ²School of Nursing, Midwifery and Nutrition, Cairns Campus, James Cook University, Smithfield, Queensland, Australia

Abstract: This paper reports the findings from an action research study that used a reflective group method to work with nurses in general practice recently credentialed as cervical screeners. The research aimed to develop a new model of practice nurse service delivery within a multidisciplinary team. Findings demonstrated that poor interdisciplinary collaboration created barriers to changing the role of the practice nurse. Key themes identified were: renegotiating their roles, identifying and negotiating gendered patterns of cervical screening, and the effect of multidisciplinary teams and interdisciplinary collaboration on practice nurse retention. Recommendations from this study address the need for improved piloting of new initiatives and an increase in continuing professional development for practice managers who are potential change agents.

Keywords: action research, reflective groups, Australia, practice nurse, nurse in general practice, general practice