Australian Healthcare System: Access, Inequality and Enrolled Nurses

This essay delves into the multifaceted issues within the Australian healthcare system, highlighting how financial status significantly impacts an individual's access to quality treatment, differentiating between the perceived benefits and drawbacks of public versus private healthcare options. It explores social determinants such as education level, stress, and early life experiences, particularly focusing on the health disparities faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, including poverty, substance abuse, and childhood infections. Additionally, the essay addresses the healthcare challenges encountered by immigrants from non-Western countries, emphasizing cultural, environmental, and resource-related factors. It also contrasts the role of enrolled nurses in primary versus acute care settings, discussing their responsibilities, supervision, and collaboration within healthcare teams. Finally, the essay explores the principles of primary healthcare and how wellness principles can be integrated into nursing care, ensuring patients are actively involved in pursuing their well-being. Desklib provides access to similar essays and study resources for students.

Running Head: AUSTRALIAN HEALTHCARE SYSTEM 1
Australian Healthcare System
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AUSTRALIAN HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS 2
Australian Healthcare Systems
Financial status is a factor that affects one’s ability to get quality treatment. While
accessing health, one can choose to attend either a private or public hospital. Public hospitals are
widely known for their low charges that are accompanied by poor services. On the other hand,
private hospitals are considered prestigious, possess a high level of health resources and are
subsequently very expensive (Brownson, 2017).
Social gradient-This is the level at which one lies in the society with regards to their level
of education and the level of education one has (Brownson, 2017). Where one has little
education and comes from the lower class, the health will likely be poor.
Stress-Continued anxiety, social isolation, lack of adequate control over work and home issues
and insecurity can lead to long-term stress that is damaging to the health.
Early life-Having to be a parent very early in life denies the person time for complete
development. This puts people at risk of emotional functioning, improper physical development
and emotional imbalance (Brownson, 2017).
There is a high rate of poverty among the Aboriginal and Torres people. Subsequently,
these people seek cheap primary health services that are insufficient.
There are increased rates of drug and substance abuse that lead to many health complications
such as diabetes and vascular diseases.

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The increased rates of ear and eye infection among the children impact the attainment of
education and employment.
The high costs of obtaining health services is a major health issue that faces immigrants.
Many immigrants often have low funding. Most of them worry that visiting the doctor will cost
them a lot. Consequently, this leads to lower health status that is later presented at late stages.
Lack of enough resources is a key cause of this behavior. However, some of the non-residence
have access to free medication and should, therefore, take advantage of this fact.
An enrolled nurse is a person who has completed a program that allows him/ her to work as a
nurse. Enrolled nurses may be in possession of only a diploma and hence their scope of expertise
is limited. There is minimal supervision when enrolled nurses are rendering services at primary
care level as compared to when working in the acute care setting. Furthermore, enrolled nurses
are only mandated to administer drugs if only they are qualified under the Board-approved
education program. The supervision of a registered nurse in both cases is crucial if the nurse does
not meet these requirements (Duckett & Willcox, 2015)
WHO defines health as one being socialy, physically, and mentally well-being (Duckett
& Willcox, 2015). This means one is free from any diseases while enjoying adequate social
freedom. The three factors are crucial in the enjoyment of life. The social factor is related with
regards to the social wellbeing of Bruce. The principle of wellness is inculcated in the healthcare
to ensure that one is able to attain a fulfilling healthy life. According to the principle of wellness,
patients are actively involved in the pursuit of their well-being.

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References
Brownson, R. C. (2017). Dissemination and implementation research in health: translating
science to practice. Chicago: Oxford University Press.
Duckett, S., & Willcox, S. (2015). The Australian health care system (No. Ed. 5). Chicago:
Oxford University Press.