A co-designed model of care aimed at enhancing the role of nurses in contraceptive and medical abortion care in rural and regional areas has been developed as part of the ORIENT study.
Led by Monash University, this development addresses the significant lack of access to contraceptive and medical abortion care in regional and rural Australian communities. Women in these areas are 1.4 times more likely to experience unintended pregnancies than those in urban settings, often needing to travel over four hours to access services due to the scarcity of primary care providers.
The study, prepared by researchers from the SPHERE Centre of Research Excellence at Monash University, highlights the importance of elevating nurses’ roles in delivering sexual and reproductive health care.
The model’s co-design process involved collaboration with rural and regional nurses, GPs, and patients, focusing on practical implementation in general practices, patient access, and the roles of healthcare staff.
The ORIENT study tests the model’s effectiveness and cost-effectiveness, with completion expected by the end of 2025. The recent removal of restrictions on the medical abortion pill and government commitments to support LARC training for primary care practitioners underscore the timeliness of this initiative.
“Nurses are poised to work to their full scope of practice, including LARC and medical abortion services, but greater support is needed to facilitate this, especially in rural and remote areas,” noted a spokesperson from Monash University. “This includes training, remuneration, and legislative changes to enable prescribing.”
This innovative model represents a significant step towards equitable access to essential sexual and reproductive health services across Australia.