The Australian Primary Health Care Nurses Association
The Australian Primary Health Care Nurses Association (APNA) is the peak professional body for nurses in primary health care in Australia. They have a large and growing membership that represents primary health care nurses living and working across Australia.
APNA supports the role of primary health care nurses by advancing professional recognition, ensuring workforce sustainability, nurturing leadership in health, and optimising the role of nurses in patient-centred care.
This report summarises data from APNA membership registration, and annual APNA surveys.
The APNA Survey
Since 2004, the APNA has commissioned an annual survey which aims to elucidate the wide range of conditions and work-place issues facing primary health care nurses working in Australia. The survey was administered to current and past APNA members and to contacts from a further 60 stakeholder organisations. The AIHW analysis included those respondents who identified as a nurse or a midwife working in primary health care as their primary or secondary place of employment, and excluded those who were working exclusively in the acute hospital setting.
Survey respondents participated from major cities to rural and remote areas across Australia. The survey aims to equip nurses working in primary health care with information on the conditions of their profession (APNA & HPB 2018).
Where do primary health care nurses live?
Registered members of APNA represent primary health care nurses living and working across Australia. In 2019, the highest proportion of APNA members lived in New South Wales (33%), Queensland (23%) and Victoria (22%) (Figure 1).