New 1800MEDICARE offers free health advice from a registered nurse, 24/7
Australians can now access free health information and advice from a registered nurse from anywhere in the country, 24/7, by calling 1800MEDICARE (1800 633 422). Launched at the beginning of the year, the Albanese Government election committment provides immediate support for non-emergency health concerns, including health informaiton and advice and referral to other services such […]
Cosmetic nurse banned for two years after injecting botox without consultation or script
A Queensland nurse who unlawfully injected botox into a patient without consulting a doctor or obtaining a prescription has been banned from practising for at least two years. Investigations by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra), on behalf of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia, found Thia Sullivan also created false records in […]
New toolkit outlines complaints and whistleblower protections under new Aged Care Act
A new stakeholder toolkit aims to strengthen awareness of complaints and whistleblower protections under Australia’s new Aged Care Act, providing practical guidance for older people, their families, carers and aged care workers. The Complaints and whistleblower protections toolkit was developed to support aged care providers, peak bodies, advocacy organisations and community groups to discuss rights […]
ANMF forces Regis to pay aged care staff for unpaid mandatory training
In a major win, aged care provider Regis has committed to paying staff across all its 74 nursing homes nationwide for unpaid mandatory training.
ANMF endorses ICN’s new global definition of nurses and nursing
The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) has welcomed and endorsed the International Council of Nurses’ (ICN) newly released definitions of nursing and the nurse – a landmark update that formally reflects the profession’s contemporary scope, identity, and contribution to global health. Unveiled at the ICN 2025 Congress in Helsinki, where more than 7,000 nurses […]
International Council of Nurses (ICN) extends condolences after Bondi Beach mass shooting
The International Council of Nurses (ICN) has extended its deepest condolences to the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) and the entire Australian nursing community following the tragic mass shooting at Bondi Beach. In a letter to the ANMF, signed by ICN President Dr Jose Luis Cobos Serrano, and CEO Howard Catton, the federation of […]
Palliative care patient outcomes in Australia have improved in the last 10 years
Palliative care supports people living with a life-limiting illness to have the best possible quality of life (1). This means providing: relief from distressing symptoms, support to make informed decisions, and care that aligns with what matters most to the person (1). In Australia, the Palliative Care Outcomes Collaboration (PCOC — uow.edu.au/PCOC) supports palliative care […]
Safer sharps, safer workflows: Understanding Australia’s new sharps container standards
Nurse Practitioner Sonja Elia, who works in immunisation at Austin Health, talks about her career and specialty.
2025 Climate and Health in Our Hands – Our top five WINS
As part of our 2025 stocktake, we’re so proud of our collective wins that shifted practice, policy and representation of nurses, midwives and carers in the climate and health space. This work came from the ground up, from nurses, midwives and carers! We spoke with healthcare workers, cross-checked evidence, linked teams across states, and built […]
Midwifery in Motion: Professional Indemnity Insurance for Intrapartum Care
From July 1, 2025, the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing introduced a professional indemnity insurance (PII) product for midwives providing intrapartum care. This insurance is available under the Midwife Professional Indemnity Scheme or MPIS and results in a PII product becoming available for all aspects of private midwifery care. Alongside this change to the […]