Overview of emergency nursing in Australasia

Emergency nursing practice has been shaped by many factors. These factors include advances in resuscitation and technology, recognition of emergency as a specialty practice, increased consumer expectation, increased number of patient presentations and changing case mix. These factors and the growing demand on the healthcare system have increased the complexity and demands experienced in emergency nursing. The current focus on emergency care provides an opportunity for nurses to collectively drive the healthcare agenda, management focus, policy direction and research agenda.