Nurses might be among the most trusted and respected professions in Australia, but that hasn't stopped nurses becoming the victims of increasing attacks from various state Governments across the country.
And sadly, it's now taking its toll on hard-working nurses, midwives, and assistants in nursing (AINs), who are on the front-line of primary health care for the community.
Health Workforce Australia has warned that recent improvements in nursing number were in danger of being rolled back unless more was done to make the role more attractive, with CEO Mark Cormack telling the Australian newspaper that:
"Retention rates can be very much influenced by employers and the nature of the work that nurses do. When you look at why nurses leave the profession, they don't always feel as valued in the work that they do."
Victorian Nurses - Respect Our Work
Victoria has been at the centre of the battles, with the ANF Victorian branch taking protected industrial action as it fights to protect cuts and crucial nurse-to-patient ratios and the reported decrease in the nursing budget of more than $100 million.
Send an email to Minister David Davis, buy a campaign tshirt, voice your support or watch the TV ad.
Tasmanian nurses go red to save a bed
In Tasmania, nurses, midwives and AINs are facing the bleak prospect of massive spending cuts to the State's health budget, resulting in the closure of surgical beds and the loss of vital nursing staff.
Nurses have protested outside the Royal Hobard Hospital to lobby against cuts to the health budget. The nurses dressed in red as part of a campaign urging health workers and the public to 'Go Red to Save a Bed'. Watch the video and read the story
Tasmanian nurses are now planning to stop work to save to protect frontline health. Stop threatening patient care, Stop the nursing cuts, Stop the crisis management.
Nurses revolt over cuts Nurses voted for a 48-hour ban on overtime and on double shifts at a stopwork meeting at Launceston General Hospital on December 8. | Read article
Tasmanian nurses back bans and want action Nurses at another Tasmanian public hospital have unanimously supported a 48-hour statewide ban on overtime and double shifts to begin next week. | Read article
NSW Nurses pays capped - increases well below inflation
In NSW, nurses, midwives, and AINs are directly affected by the anti-worker laws of the state Liberal Government, which target jobs and the real wages of public sector nurses,
capped at 2.5 per cent - well below inflation.
Industrial action at Goulburn hospital has resolved a staffing dispute as Management have agreed to take some action on skill mix and staffing issues.
Staffing issues and skills mix were a concern.
What is really happening to nurses around Australia?
The
Health Workforce Australia warning of the likely nursing shortages are a concern for the federal and state Government's. But there is other research which should
ring alarm bells to all Government's in Australia.
Nurses discontent highlight in Monash University survey
This Monash University survey (released November 2011) revealed how nurses were disheartened by their ever-demanding workloads due to a lack of nurse numbers, and alarmingly,
15 per cent of those surveyed were "
likely to leave the nursing profession during the next year."
BWC On-line poll
Our November poll posed the questions, "
Will you leave the aged care workforce if the Gillard Government does not close the wages gap?" Within days, hundreds of aged care workers had responded.
The message to Government was loud and clear
This message was aimed squarely at the federal Government, with an overwhelming
77 per cent of members who voted
prepared to leave the sector unless the Gillard Government stepped-in and close the wages gap.
The Gillard Government must honour its commitment to fixing Australia's under-resourced aged care sector in its second term - by injecting
$500 million to close the wages gap.
Unless there is action in Budget 2012, we will simply have
no workforce left to deliver quality care for the elderly, vulnerable Australian's living in nursing homes.
Aged Care Can't Wait.
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