MASTER OF NURSING (NURSE PRACTITIONER)
Clinical Support Team Form
Role of the Clinical Support Team
Each student undertaking the Master of Nursing (Nurse Practitioner) is required to establish a clinical support
team to provide learning and teaching support through supervision, monitoring, supporting and reviewing the
extended practice aspects of the student’s role during the Internship 1 NURS 5139 and Internship 2 NURS
5140 courses that are undertaken in the final year of the program.
Each student will already have nursing expertise in their relevant specialty field of health care. The purpose of
the two (2) internship courses is to enable students to deepen and extend their knowledge and practice skills
to meet the requirements of the nurse practitioner role as demonstrated by their achievement of the Australian
Nursing and Midwifery Council (ANMC) National Competency Standards for the Nurse Practitioner (ANMC
2006). During these courses, students will undertake supervised clinical activities in the workplace that are an
extension to the registered nurse scope of practice. Extended practice activities include referral of patients to
other health care professionals, requesting diagnostic tests, prescribing medications and performing specific
interventions related to their specialty area of practice. This approach to clinical learning, involving supported
immersion in the extended role expected of nurse practitioners has been demonstrated as effective in
achieving learning outcomes and ensuring patient/client safety in the Australian health care context (Gardner
& Gardner, 2005). The nursing, medical and allied health clinical expertise in the support team will guide,
instruct, supervise and support the student to develop these competencies
Clinical support team members may also be be invited to contribute to workshops and assessments for the
courses NURS 5135 Advanced Health Assessment, Diagnostics and Investigations, and PHAR 5052
Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics for Nurse Practitioners and support the student to meet their
learning objectives in NURS 5137 Clinical Inquiry, and NURS 5069 Project 1A.
Membership and time commitment of the Clinical Support Team
The clinical support team will include an advanced health practitioner currently practicing the clinical skills that
the student is required to develop (such as a medical practitioner or an experienced, endorsed Nurse
Practitioner), an advanced practice nurse in the specialty area and other health professionals relevant to the
service delivery team in the student’s specialty field of practice (such as relevant members of the allied health
professions). This support team will work with the student to facilitate development of extended practice
clinical skills and decision making.
Students will work with relevant individual team members in their clinical practice on a daily basis and will
initially meet weekly with the full clinical support team. The full team meetings may be rescheduled to
fortnightly towards the end of the study period, depending on the progress of the student as evaluated by the
team.
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Criteria for Selection of Clinical Support Team members:
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Current registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (Nurses) or relevant Australian
Health Practitioner Regulation Agency board (Medical or Allied Health Practitioner)
Holds a qualification that is higher than or equal to a Masters degree
The nurse team member must be a Nurse Practitioner or a Registered Nurse working in an advanced role
Clinical expertise in the field of nursing, medicine or allied health
Meets clinical privileges/requirements of the clinical venue of practice
Educational experience and/or qualifications, particularly in practice-based education
Able to supervise and guide applicant’s clinical and professional practice throughout the program
Commitment to support the applicant in developing their clinical competencies in an advanced practice
role throughout the program
Available to communicate regularly with the applicant face to face, by phone and electronically
Sign a form indicating their agreement with this arrangement
Provide a CV detailing qualifications and experience relevant to the role.
Nursing Team Member*
Students are required to develop knowledge, skills, and practices commensurate with the expectations of the
Nurse Practitioner role in the delivery of nursing care in their specialty field of practice. The clinical support
team member will be expected to work with the student to maintain this focus and assist them to incorporate
their extended care activities into a nursing model of practice.
* Each team must include at least one (1) nurse practitioner or registered nurse practicing in an
advanced role.
Medical Team Member
The medical member of the clinical support team will meet the legal requirements for the extended practice
aspects of the student’s activities that relate to the nurse practitioner role, including activities of prescribing,
requesting diagnostic tests and referral of patients/clients to other health professionals.
Strategies for clinical learning related to these extended practice activities should be negotiated between the
student and clinical support team and may include existing practices such as standing orders for medication
management, case conferences led by the student as part of their role in the health care team, and shadowing
the student to observe and monitor decision making in these extended areas of practice. Students must
practice within the legislated parameters of nursing practice and any activities extending this legislated scope
are monitored and supported by a medical practitioner.
Academic Liaison for Clinical Support Teams
Each student will be assigned an Academic Supervisor employed by the University. The Academic Supervisor,
in conjunction and consultation with the Course Coordinator, is responsible for oversight of the student’s
academic progress and management of the logistical
issues related to the two internship courses. The student will hold regular meetings/consultations with their
Academic Supervisor, as negotiated. The Academic Supervisor will also act as the university liaison for the
clinical support team and be available for meetings and consultations with the members of the clinical support
team. Arrangements for contact between the Academic Supervisor and the Clinical Support Team members
will be negotiated at the beginning of the relevant study period.
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Role and responsibilities of the Academic Supervisor
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Venue visit by week two (2) to establish clinical team responsibilities and provide the initial clinical support
team information session
Arrange dates/times for the interim venue visits and progress reports with the clinical support team
Report any changes to the clinical support team arrangements to the course coordinator as soon as
practicable.
Establish liaison with the clinical support team nurse representative and ensure fortnightly contact with the
nurse representative and student, the purpose of which is to:
o confirm that student has opportunities for appropriate clinical experience
o identify organisational/personal/professional barriers to progress and collaboratively implement
strategies to resolve barriers such
For both Internship courses, the academic supervisor will attend the clinical case presentation, and
summative clinical assessment review meeting.
Useful UniSA resources are listed in each Internship Course Information Book, a copy of which will be
provided to each member of the clinical support team.
Clinical Support Team Approval
Each Clinical Support Team member will be approved by the Program Director on entry to the program and
monitored throughout the program.
Application Process
This form needs to be completed, signed and saved as a scanned .pdf document to be emailed with the
applicant’s CV, CVs of the proposed Clinical Support Team members and Employer Support Form.
Australian Nursing and Midwifery Council, 2006 National Competency Standards for the Nurse Practitioner
2006, 1st edn, Australian Nursing and Midwifery Council, Canberra. Available from
http://www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au/Codes-Guidelines-Statements/CodesGuidelines.aspx#competencystandards
Gardner A & Gardner G. (2005), A trial of nurse practitioner scope of practice. Journal of Advanced Nursing,
(2), 135–145. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2648.2004.03273.x 49
Master of Nursing (Nurse Practitioner)
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STATEMENT OF CLINICAL SUPPORT
MASTER OF NURSING (NURSE PRACTITIONER)
PROGRAM CODE: IMNS
Please Note: This form must be completed in addition to your online application and submitted within 10
working days of applying to SATAC.
Completed forms should be sent to:
Fax applications:
Academic Officer: Credit & Admissions
Division of Health Sciences
University of South Australia
Fax Number: +61 8 8302 1116
Academic Officer: Credit & Admissions
Division of Health Sciences
University of South Australia
City East Campus
GPO Box 2471
Adelaide SA 5001
Telephone: +61 8 8302 1820
Email: HSC-AcademicServices@unisa.edu.au
Applicant details
Family name
Given names
Date of birth
dd/mm/yyyy
SATAC Application Number
XXXXXXXXX
Telephone number
Mentor 1
Name and title …………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Position …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Qualifications………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Location…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Address…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Email………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Phone………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
I agree to be part of the Mentorship team for the applicant ……..………………………………………… for the
duration of the Master of Nursing (Nurse Practitioner) program at the University of South Australia. I will
support the applicant to extend their practice skills to meet the ANMC National Competency Standards for the
Nurse Practitioner. In the courses Nurse Practitioner Internship 1 and Nurse Practitioner Internship 2, with the
other members of the Mentorship team, I agree to assess the student’s competencies throughout the study
period in both formative and summative assessment activities.
Mentor’s Signature
……………………………………………………………..
Date
……………………………………………………………..
Master of Nursing (Nurse Practitioner)
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Mentor 2
Name and title……………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Position…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Qualifications………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Location…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Address…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Email………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Phone………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
I agree to be part of the Mentorship team for the applicant ……..………………………………………… for the
duration of the Master of Nursing (Nurse Practitioner) program at the University of South Australia. I will
support the applicant to extend her/his practice skills to meet the ANMC National Competency Standards for
the Nurse Practitioner. In the courses Nurse Practitioner Internship 1 and Nurse Practitioner Internship 2, with
the other members of the Mentorship team, I agree to assess the student’s competencies throughout the study
period in both formative and summative assessment activities.
Mentor’s Signature
……………………………………………………………..
Date
……………………………………………………………..
Master of Nursing (Nurse Practitioner)
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