Nurse practitioner brings 23 years experience to medical chambers

Louise Beattie has reached the position of nurse practitioner with her Masters of Nursing.

"A nurse practitioner has the scope of a doctor and the heart of a nurse," says Beattie.

"The art of caring is fundamental to a nurse."

Beattie says her practice is supported by evidence-based guidelines which determines her clinical decisions to provide complete care for her patients.

She also orders and interprets diagnostic tests which includes prescribing pharmaceutical medications.

"My clinical practice is supported by my two general practitioner colleagues who together bring a wealth of knowledge, clinical experience and support to my current role."

Beattie has 23 years of nursing experience, along with post-graduate specialised training, to clinically assess, diagnose and treat health conditions across a patient's lifespan.

Beattie graduated with a Bachelor of Nursing from the Manawatū Polytechnic and worked as a registered nurse which included medical, surgical and emergency nursing at Palmerston North Hospital.

She then moved to Queensland and worked across Brisbane and the Gold Coast in emergency departments and high dependency units.

When Beattie returned to New Zealand she began working at Group Medical Chambers as a practice nurse, along with being on the after-hours team at City Doctors accident and medical centre.

The decision to study a Masters of Nursing at Massey University has involved four years of study, including the nurse practitioner training programme.

"This post-graduate specialised training involved 500 hours of clinical training with specialist nurses and doctors, including the Group Medical Chambers team, to enable me to work at the top clinical level of my scope of practice."

Beattie, a mother of three ranging from teenagers to a young adult, is interested in women's health, bush walking, tramping and spending time with friends and family.