Senior Lecturer Pakaro a Ihenga: Faculty of Health, Education and Humanities, Waiariki Institute of Technology, Rotorua, New Zealand
Online published on 19 January, 2015.
Carrying out a physical assessment and taking a health history from a patient is traditionally seen as a medical role rather than a nursing role in many countries. In New Zealand physical assessment skills are taught routinely as part of the undergraduate bachelor of nursing degree programme. Due to changes made by the Nursing Council of New Zealand in 2012, a group of internationally qualified nurses, predominantly GNM diploma nurses from India, who were then studying in New Zealand, were required to complete a degree level paper in simulated physical assessment. For many students this meant learning a whole new set of skills and overcoming the psychological barrier that this is a medical role.
Physical Assessment, Health History, New Zealand, Internationally Qualified Nurses
