Health professionals advised to stop prescribing SABA (blue puffer) to treat asthma
Health professionals, including nurses, are being advised to stop prescribing or recommending as-needed short-acting beta2 agonists (SABA) alone to treat asthma in adolescents and adults, under updated guidelines in the National Asthma Council Australia’s (NAC) Australian Asthma Handbook released today. Shifting away from the common blue puffer, the Australian Asthma Handbook now recommends anti-inflammatory reliever […]
‘We need these graduate nurses and midwives’: ANMF (Vic Branch) urges government to fund more places
Thousands of Victorian graduate nurses and midwives could miss out on a grad position in 2026 due to lack of places.
RN prescribing webinar – Be ready for the change
The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) and Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council (ANMAC) will host a webinar later this month on designated registered nurse prescribing to help stakeholders prepare for the landmark change. The new Registration standard: Endorsement for scheduled medicines – designated registered nurse prescriber, will take effect on 30 September. […]
First-ever Chief Remote Area Nurse (RAN) appointed
The Congress of Remote Area Nurses of Australia (CRANAplus) has appointed its first Chief Remote Area Nurse (RAN) – a landmark move aimed at strengthening the voice and visibility of the specialty nationwide. Distinguished nursing leader and educator Heather Keighley will step into the newly established senior leadership role, spearheading national advocacy efforts, shaping evidence-based […]
Hepatitis B and C: A call to action for nurses and midwives
In Australia, just under 300,000 people live with chronic hepatitis B or hepatitis C, liver infections caused by the hepatitis B and C viruses.1 If the infections become chronic, they may cause liver disease and liver cancer, which has the fastest increasing mortality rate in Australia compared to other cancers.2 Hepatitis B and C are […]
Systemic racism rife in healthcare, NSWNMA report uncovers
Nearly two-thirds of nurses, midwives and care workers from a Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) and/or Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander background surveyed had been direct victims of racism, a new report by the NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association (NSWNMA) has exposed. Of these, 9% had experienced racism within the past day, 17% in the […]
South Australia edges closer to mandated nurse and midwife ratios
The South Australian state government will this week introduce landmark legislation to mandate nurse-to-patient and midwife-to-patient ratios across public hospitals, delivering on its pre-election commitment. The proposed new laws, strongly lobbied for by the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF SA Branch), are modelled on Victoria’s pioneering ratios legislation, which prioritise patient care, safety, and […]
New guidelines for nurses performing non-surgical cosmetic procedures
Registered nurses will now need at least one-year of practice under their belt before performing non-surgical cosmetic procedures.
Common painkillers linked to antibiotic resistance
Common over-the-counter painkillers such as paracetamol and ibuprofen are fuelling antibiotic resistance, according to new research from the University of South Australia. What’s more, when used together, they are amplifying one of the world’s biggest health threats. Assessing the interaction of non-antibiotic medications, the broad-spectrum antibiotic ciprofloxacin, and Escherichia coli (E. coli) – a common […]
‘This is dangerous’: QNMU sounds alarm over BlueCare plan to axe 60% of enrolled nurses
The QNMU has slammed a move by the state’s largest aged care provider to slash 60% of its enrolled nursing workforce.