Nurse practitioners are highly skilled health practitioners who can provide a wide range of assessment and treatment interventions. Their broad scope of practice enables them to safely and appropriately meet changing health needs.

In 2017 the Ministry of Health commissioned Malatest International to undertake an independent evaluation of the pilot nurse practitioner training programme being provided at The University of Auckland and Massey University. The programme was designed to provide a more coordinated and strategic approach to nurse practitioner education, registration and employment.

Overall the evaluation report is positive. Most students completed the course in the time required and achieved registration within three months of completion.

The programmes are very popular (2 + applications for every available place) and programme graduates have expressed high levels of satisfaction with the scheme and have been successful in moving into employment as a nurse practitioner.