Advanced Nursing

Nurses without an undergraduate degree wanted the opportunity to gain postgraduate qualifications. Initially, the main focus of the School of Nursing at the University of Auckland was to be on postgraduate education.

Nurse leaders had seen the success of advanced nursing roles  overseas, some of the roles that were being discussed were Nurse Practitioners and Nurse Prescribers.   

Postgraduate education for nurses in New Zealand already existed but had not been growing at a rate that would allow for advanced roles to develop quickly. Nurse leaders wanted nurses to have the opportunity to develop their skills and knowledge with further education that would also allow them to gain formalised qualifications. This would also give nurses the ability to work more independently. The University of Auckland provided a place where nursing students could receive education from experts in other medical professions.

Advanced nursing roles also allowed nurses to make a more significant impact on health care and help to address population health needs. It was believed at the time that there were many things nurses could be doing that would free up their medical colleagues so that patients could be seen at a faster rate and receive a higher quality of care.

The University of Auckland was an ideal place to introduce postgraduate education. Having a School of Medicine and School of Pharmacy meant there would be access to academic staff who would be able to contribute to postgraduate teaching and deliver a high level of education to nurses moving into advanced roles.