Nurse Pap Smear Providers (NPSPs)

Nurses have been widely accepted as Pap smear providers throughout Australia since the early 1980s. In Western Australia this is especially important in rural and remote areas, where lack of access to services has resulted in inadequate screening levels of women. Nurses have also proved particularly effective in screening other under screened groups such as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women.

Eligibility

To be eligible to apply for credentialling as an NPSP nurses must:

• be registered with the Nurses and Midwives Board of Western Australia (external link)
• have completed the FPWA Certificate in Sexual and Reproductive Health (Nursing) or equivalent

All applications are assessed by the NPSP Credentialling Committee. Credentialled nurses are issued with a unique identification number which enables both the laboratory and the nurse to maintain a record of the service provided – and the outcome.

Becoming credentialled

• FPWA sexual health education services (external link)
• Operational Directive: guidelines for credentialling nurse Pap smear providers
• Self-assessment form [PDF / 200KB]
• Example of a client satisfaction survey [PDF / 112KB]
• Changes of details [PDF / 110KB]
• Application packages
• Initial application package
• Recredentialling package

Competency standards

• Advanced competency standards for sexual and reproductive health nurses (external link)

Medicare information

• MBS items (10998, 10999) for Pap smears taken by a practice nurse in a regional, rural or remote area (external PDF 90KB)

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