Despite current and predicted ongoing primary health care (PHC) nursing workforce shortages (Heywood & Laurence, 2018), the undergraduate nursing curricula in Australia and internationally remain largely directed towards acute care (Calma, Halcomb & Stephens, 2019; Mackey et al., 2018). Additionally, the efforts of schools of nursing in supporting the career development of new graduate nurses and their transition to practice also remain largely focused on employment in acute care tertiary settings. This chapter highlights the extent to which current undergraduate nursing curricula prepare registered nurses to work in PHC, reviews the attitudes of nurses regarding PHC employment and discusses the current challenges regarding nurse transitions between acute and PHC practice environments. Understanding the preparation nurses have for a PHC career, nurse attitudes towards and knowledge of PHC, andchallenges associated with transitions between practice environments are important to promote recruitment and retention of the PHC nursing workforce.

A youth health nurse provides health care specifically to young people aged 12–25 years in community settings. Most often, this role requires a combination of both primary care and primary health care, although greater emphasis on one rather than the other may be apparent in some settings. Regardless of the focus of care provided, what is most important is that the service is youth-friendly, flexible and confidential where possible (Nair et al., 2015). Youth health nurses and school nurses are recognised internationally as playing an important part in contributing to the prevention of health risks among children and youth (World Health Organization, 2015). This chapter commences with consideration of the school nurse. Similarities of working in a school environment and the differences experienced between issues faced when working with primary- and secondary-aged pupils are noted. Similar client issues are addressed by secondary school nurses and youth health nurses, and the difference in setting between these two roles is explored.

This chapter describes the context of general practice and how it fits in the broader health system, identifies workforce issues for nurses employed in general practice, discusses some of the challenges facing nurses practising in general practice, and provides understanding of the standards which describe the nursing role in general practice.

In the ‘classic’ sense, health professionals view the health of individuals from a three-part biopsychosocial model of health. In this case, the ‘psych’ part relates directly to ‘mental health’. However, it is important to resist the temptation to separate this part from the bio and social aspects of the well-established model. Instead, it is best to view all parts as equally important and interrelated to each other. For instance, it is difficult to maintain good mental health and well-being if we lack either good social or ‘bio’ (physical) health. Traditionally, however, health professionals have tended to focus on the physical health component of the biopsychosocial model, especially those working in acute hospital/clinic environments. From a primary health care perspective, the ‘social’ (community-focused) aspect is supposed to be the most dominant part of the model. This chapter examines the context of mental health promotion, distinguishes between the concepts of mental health and mental health wellness, and provides understanding of how both lifespan and setting along their continuum influnce mental health promotion in the primary care setting.

Many health care professionals undertake roles that require them to visit the home of the client or a range of other possible locations, rather than the client coming into the health care service setting. Primary health care nurses usually work alone and often have little control over the environment so their role requires a different approach to risk management. Assessment of risk is necessary to identify any potential harm or risk to safety. This should be considered from both personal and professional perspectives. Although risk is present in all activities of life, the management of risk is essential when providing services that meet the needs of clients while minimising the chance of undesirable incidents. This chapter identifies common safety concerns when providing health care in people’s homes and explains the purpose of risk assessment and the mechanisms through which risk is managed. It also describes measures for reducing risk and discusses proactive behaviour for self-protection.

Workers have a right to feel safe in their workplaces and employers have a responsibility to ensure that workers have a safe work environment. Employers also have the opportunity to protect the health of their employees which can help improve their overall health and well-being. An effective occupational health and safety (OHS) program reduces injuries and illnesses, work absenteeism and staff turnover and improves staff morale, operational efficiency, productivity, and work cover insurance premiums. The strength of an organisation as a preferred place to be employed often relates to its attention to OHS. Occupational health nurses (OHNs) play an important role in ensuring safety and promoting healthy workplaces. This chapter begins with a discussion of OHS. The roles and major responsibilities of the OHN, which vary depending on the size and nature of the organisation, are also explored. This chapter explains the importance and key components of OHS, identifies how OHNs support safe work policies and strategies, and describes how OHNs contribute to health-promoting workplaces.

Cultural competence and cultural safety support health professionals to recognise each individual as unique in order to promote optimal health outcomes (Hoare, 2019). This allows for the acknowledgement of diversity that exists within and between individuals and groups in health care (Australian Human Rights Commission, 2018; Nursing Council of New Zealand, 2011). In practice, this represents the broader understanding of culture in health care, and encompasses the dynamic influences of culture on attitudes, values and beliefs (Cox & Taua, 2017; Stein-Parbury, 2018). Health professionals have a responsibility to provide culturally competent and safe care based upon mutual respect for all people. A key consideration when working with individuals is to seek an authentic understanding of their cultural context. This may include family, significant others or a notable absence of kinship (Ramsden, 2002; Wepa, 2015). In this chapter, the discussion focuses on understanding culture, cultural diversity and the need for health professionals to integrate cultural competence into everyday care to support culturally safe practice.

This chapter describes the context of general practice and how it fits in the broader health system, identifies workforce issues for nurses employed in general practice, discusses some of the challenges facing nurses practising in general practice, and provides understanding of the standards which describe the nursing role in general practice.

Case management is one model of care that aims to address complex health needs through a structured approach to health care delivery, promoting self-management and the integration of health services (Gage et al., 2013; Hudon et al., 2015; Swan & Conway-Phillips, 2019). The case management model is typically comprised of assessment, planning, implementation, evaluation, termination and post-transition (Taube et al., 2018). These steps are undertaken as a collaborative partnership process between health professionals, clients and, where appropriate, carers/families/significant others. Partnership in health care refers to the concept of shared responsibility for the treatment outcome, placing the individual at the centre of the care delivery rather than simply being a passive recipient of care. This chapter describes why case management is used, identifies its phases and discusses its benefits and outcomes.

Health promotion is a broad and complex process that overarches all health strategy related to primary health care, public health, population health and community health. It is often an overtly political and policy-driven process that includes types of health education activity such as ‘radical’ health education (Clavier & de Leeuw, 2013; Green et al., 2019). When it comes to primary health care program planning and evaluation, the terms health promotion and health education are also often used interchangeably but this is less of a problem than already stated. Health promotion approaches, often by default, include health education interventions. Reflecting this, many ‘health’ planning and evaluation tools and models incorporate both health promotion and health education processes (Raingruber 2014; Whitehead & Irvine, 2010). This chapter aims to highlight good practice as it applies to essential health promotion and health education programs required to demonstrate effective process. It does so by presenting these in a logical and sequential process and offers an overview of models and frameworks for guiding this process.

The provision of health care to people within correctional environments provides an essential service for a vulnerable and at-risk group in the community (Trimmer et al., 2019). Often, these people’s lives have been impaired by chronic health problems, illiteracy, poverty, unemployment, homelessness, poor relationships and high-risk behaviours such as unsafe sex, drug use and alcoholism (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2014; 2015; Davidson, 2015; Gooding et al., 2015; Hickey et al., 2014; Lafferty et al., 2018). The correctional population is extremely varied and complex and is composed of male and female adults and adolescents who are both the victims and perpetrators of crime (Herber, 2014). For many, incarceration provides an opportunity for mental and physical health issues to be assessed and appropriate health care initiated (Besney et al., 2018; Bouchaud, Brooks & Swan, 2018; Bouchaud & Swan, 2017; Lafferty et al., 2018). This chapter provides an overview of the correctional health system, highlighting the complex needs of this population and the important role of nurses within correctional environments. It also identifies some of the challenges of nursing in a correctional setting and the skills needed by nurses to work effectively in this environment.

In the ‘classic’ sense, health professionals view the health of individuals from a three-part biopsychosocial model of health. In this case, the ‘psych’ part relates directly to ‘mental health’. However, it is important to resist the temptation to separate this part from the bio and social aspects of the well-established model. Instead, it is best to view all parts as equally important and interrelated to each other. For instance, it is difficult to maintain good mental health and well-being if we lack either good social or ‘bio’ (physical) health. Traditionally, however, health professionals have tended to focus on the physical health component of the biopsychosocial model, especially those working in acute hospital/clinic environments. From a primary health care perspective, the ‘social’ (community-focused) aspect is supposed to be the most dominant part of the model. This chapter examines the context of mental health promotion, distinguishes between the concepts of mental health and mental health wellness, and provides understanding of how both lifespan and setting along their continuum influnce mental health promotion in the primary care setting.

This chapter describes the role and activities of community health nurses and identifies the main focus of the role from a primary health care perspective. It also describes the process for identifying and responding to community needs, and provides understanding of the complexity and diversity of the role. In the 1970s, community health nursing emerged in Australia and New Zealand alongside the rise ofprimary health care. Primary health care shifted the focus from a disease model and treating illness to a preventative model focused on population and social health, community development, health promotion, illness prevention and early intervention. This created new roles for nurses with the evolution of community health nursing, sometimes referred to as primary health care nursing, as a specialised area of nursing practice.

Nurse practitioners (NPs) are well placed to provide an alternate source of primary health care offering increased accessibility and consumer choice, particularly for those in rural and subregional communities (Kelly et al., 2017). They have the capacity and capability to provide high-quality, effective and efficient clinically focused health care delivery in a variety of contexts (Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia, 2018). Recognised as advanced practice nurses internationally and nationally, the NP role has emerged as a potential response to meet the challenges of rising health care demand and is proving effective in promoting transformational changes within the primary health care sector (Contandriopoulos et al., 2016; Grant et al., 2017; Gray, 2016). The concluding chapter of this text discusses the key attributes that contribute to the uniqueness of the NP's role, discusses the scope of practice and key functions of the primary care NP, and provides an understanding of career progression for nurses considering the NP role within the Australian context.