The concept of moral distress experienced by nurses has been identified for over 40 years. In this paper factors contributing to the experience of moral distress in community health nursing are highlighted. Mitigation of moral distress through nurse education is proposed, ensuring nurses attain the necessary attitude and skills to appropriately change their practice environment.

The mandatory Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP), SafeScript, has recently been introduced in Victoria with the aim to reduce opioid-related harms, including addiction, overdose and death; however, systematic reviews from the USA report mixed and inconclusive results of effectiveness of PDMPs. In fact, there are several unintended consequences of PDMPs in America, including patient stigma, disruption of comprehensive patient care, and physician fears of being labelled ‘over-prescribers’. This article highlights the importance of mixed methods evaluation of PDMPs in Australia to help mitigate these potential harms.

Since 2015, telemonitoring (TM) has been used in community-based settings to remotely monitor chronic disease patients. This study describes GPs’ perspectives on a novel collaborative model, its effect on general practices, and its benefits and barriers. Using participants’ feedback, formulation of a ‘GP-led’ model of TM is underway.

Hearing screening for children about to enter school is generally not recommended owing to insufficient evidence. However, screening in primary health care using the new hearScreen™ mobile health application was acceptable to caregivers and children, and the prevalence of hearing loss in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children aged 4 years living in this urban community was 8%. This paper supports screening for hearing loss in urban Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, particularly if done by an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health professional.

Little is known about refugee perceptions of health care in regional Australia despite government policy to resettle refugees in these settings. A qualitative study of refugee perceptions of care in North Queensland identified six main themes in their healthcare narratives: service issues, self-advocacy, knowledge that changes with time, interpreting, regional–metropolitan differentials, and the influence of the past. Refugees have unique needs in regional settings. Healthcare providers need to be culturally respectful, responsive communicators, and improved models of service delivery are needed.

Migrants, especially family members of former refugees, may have similar health and social experiences to former refugees. Health and social care professionals should take these experiences into account when planning and providing care. Little is known about how professionals specifically interact with such migrants, so we examined the experiences of primary care professionals, finding key themes for successful care. This expands on research into the health of former refugees, emphasising the importance of also considering the health needs of migrating family.

An active allied health research culture is required to generate knowledge that can inform healthcare practices. This study reports that an active research culture has been sustained over time in an allied health workforce. The study identified the need to further understand how allied health research capacity and culture can be expanded.

The literature identifies that Type 2 diabetes has multiple and complex causes, including biological, metabolic and environmental factors beyond a person’s control. This study found that nurses in primary care viewed the overweight body as unhealthy and the primary driver of Type 2 diabetes. Diabetes was depicted as something that could be prevented and managed by lifestyle changes, which has the potential to create client feelings of blame and stigma.

Falls among older people are very common, costly and can have serious consequences. GPs can identify older people at risk of falling and put preventative measures in place before a fall. This study identified how GPs changed their practice to address falls prevention as part of their participation in the iSOLVE (Integrated SOLutions for sustainable falls preVEntion) study. We found that GPs could integrate the iSOLVE process into their routine practice and tailor falls risk management for older people at risk.