Emergency Department nurses of Flinders Medical Centre drive wellbeing initiatives
Each Friday, nurses working in the Emergency Department at Flinders Medical Centre in South Australia don vibrant scrubs to uplift the mood in the consistently hectic and high-stress ward. This uncomplicated gesture to boost morale is just one of numerous initiatives led by ED nurses to enhance the overall health and wellbeing of staff members. […]
Climate change impacting babies’ birthweight for gestational age
Climate change may pose a risk to Australians’ reproductive health with new research showing a link between extreme bioclimatic exposure during pregnancy and babies’ birthweights for gestational age. The large-scale Curtin University study examined more than 385,000 pregnancies in Western Australia between 2000 and 2015, from 12 weeks prior to conception until birth. Researchers focused […]
Science uncovers why romantic love scrambles the brain
It is well known that romantic love changes the brain, releasing the hormone oxytocin, responsible for the euphoria we feel when falling in love. Researchers from the Australian National University, University of Canberra and University of South Australia have measured how a part of the brain is responsible for putting our loved one on a […]
Australia’s long COVID response lagging, study finds
Australia’s long COVID response is falling short of international standards and needs an urgent overhaul, a new study has warned. The RMIT University and Northern Health research examined the country’s long COVID services, guidelines, and public health information, compared to international standards, finding Australia is lacking in several categories. These include early investigation, accessibility and […]
Bank exercise for better health later on
While it’s never too late to exercise, the earlier you commit to regular exercise the better. Younger women can retain the benefits of exercise during their 20s, going on to have better heart health later in life, research shows. “We wanted to explore whether women could ‘grow’ their physical activity, like bank savings, for enhanced […]
Industrial relations expert supports reform to gig economy, labour hire
New protections are needed to account for the emergence of the gig economy and the rise of labour hire operators, says an Australian academic in Industrial Relations who has given evidence to the Senate Inquiry into the Closing Loopholes Bill. “The Closing Loopholes Bill will help address wide cracks in Australia’s regulatory framework, which have […]
Monovalent vs Bivalent Vaccines for COVID-19
The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) has advised the Australian Government regarding the use of new monovalent Omicron XBB.1.5 vaccines for eligible recipients. The new monovalent vaccines will be available from 11 December 2023, coinciding with the expected rise in COVID-19 cases over the holiday period. With a relatively large number of people with […]
Elective surgery backlog causing long waiting times
Public sector elective surgery waiting times are at the highest level in 20 years despite an increase in surgeries performed in the past year. Elective surgery waiting times were at the highest level in 20 years during 2022–23 as public hospitals worked to catch up following pandemic-related delays that arose due to disruptions in the […]
The Importance of Enrolled Nurses in Aged Care: Results of a National Aged Care Survey
According to the latest workforce census, there were around 17,000 Enrolled nurses (ENs) working across Australia’s aged care sector in 2020.1 Enrolled nurses are fundamental members of aged care teams and their work contributes valuably to the care of many older people around Australia.2 Many ENs are highly experienced health professionals and provide important leadership […]
Count the babies win: Queensland to introduce midwifery ratios
After years of campaigning by the Queensland Nurses and Midwives’ Union (QNMU) to have babies counted as separate patients on postnatal maternity wards, the state government has committed to introducing landmark minimum midwife-to-patient ratios across public hospitals. According to QNMU Secretary Kate Veach, under existing federal law, Queensland babies have not been counted as additional […]