Highbrook Blog

At Highbrook Medical, we’re proud to have a team of clinicians who not only bring experience but also a deep commitment to patient care. One of them is Nerice — a registered Nurse who is currently on the Master’s programme pathway to become a Nurse Practitioner.

Nerice is already a Designated Nurse Prescriber and leads our Totz to Teenz Clinic, a same-day, free clinic for children from 3 months to under 14 years.

But what exactly is a Nurse Practitioner? And how does this clinic support our youngest patients and their whānau?

What is a Nurse Practitioner (Mātanga Tapuhi)?

Nurse Practitioners are advanced health professionals with postgraduate education and clinical training. They can:

• Assess, diagnose, and treat both common and complex conditions.

• Prescribe medications and order tests.

• Work independently and alongside doctors.

• Admit or discharge patients from healthcare services.

To become a Nurse Practitioner, nurses complete a Master of Nursing and undergo a year of supervised clinical work. The role helps increase access to healthcare — especially important as GP appointments become harder to access.

Nerice’s Journey

Nerice graduated in 2018 and started her career in A&E and a joint GP clinic, gaining experience in both emergency and general practice. She later moved into GP clinic work and then joined Highbrook Medical, where she began in triage.

“I always wanted to do more,” she says. “I started working through my master’s and did additional training to become a designated nurse prescriber. It’s about thinking differently — not just treating symptoms but understanding the bigger picture.”

Now, she’s well on her way to becoming a Nurse Practitioner, helping to make care more accessible — particularly for children. Nerice enjoys the autonomy to see patients, provide consultations, diagnose conditions, and prescribe treatment, knowing that she has the clinical support of her GP colleagues in the Highbrook Medical team, and right now, much of her focus is on the Totz to Teenz Clinic.

The Totz to Teenz Clinic: Same-Day Care for Kids

Kids don’t get sick on a schedule — and when they do, they often need to be seen today, not in two weeks. That’s why Highbrook Medical set up the Totz to Teenz Clinic.

This free clinic offers:

• Same-day appointments for children aged 3 months to under 14.

• Quick access to care for urgent concerns like fevers, rashes, injuries, allergic reactions, and more.

• A child-only clinic, so adult appointments don’t take priority.

“When a child has a fever and can’t explain what’s wrong, we investigate everything — maybe it’s an ear infection, maybe something else. It’s about treating the child as a whole human,” says Nerice.