Evidence Brief: The World Health Organization’s Statement on the antigen composition of COVID-19 vaccines
The World Health Organization’s (WHO) Technical Advisory Group on COVID-19 Vaccine Composition (TAG-CO-VAC) assesses how the SARS-CoV-2 virus’ evolution might impact on COVID-19 vaccine antigen composition and advises the WHO on whether changes are needed to the antigen composition of future COVID-19 vaccines. This helps vaccine developers and decision makers decide on how to commit […]
Aged care facilities less homely than schools, research shows
Many schools are better than aged care facilities when it comes to creating homeliness and a sense of identity for their residents, research shows. The design of some Australian nursing homes may be worsening the health and quality of life of older people, according to Queensland University of Technology (QUT) design researchers whose study found […]
‘Matters of Life and Death’: National Palliative Care Week 2023
“We understand that death and dying is a difficult subject to talk about and engage with,” says Camilla Rowland, Chief Executive Officer at Palliative Care Australia (PCA). It’s why this year’s National Palliative Care Week (21-27 May) is shining the light on ‘Matters of Life and Death’, with a new video and social media campaign […]
Evidence Brief: Omicron Subvariant Arcturus
SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) Omicron subvariant XBB.1.16 (‘Arcturus’) was first reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) on 9 January 2023. It was designated as a ‘variant under monitoring’ on 2 March 2023.1 Following sustained increases in reported cases, on 17 April 2023, the WHO designated Arcturus as a ‘variant of interest’ (VOI). The variant has been […]
New hotline to report substandard food in nursing homes
Nursing home residents and their families will soon have the ability to report aged care providers for serving substandard meals, with a new food ‘hotline’ headlining a range of measures announced yesterday by the federal government to lift the standard of food and nutrition in the sector. The $12.9 million investment, part of the $36 […]
Mortality and cost of severe acute pancreatitis keeps pressure on hospitals, study finds
Medical experts in Australasia have raised concern about the rising burden of severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) in intensive care units in light of no change in mortality rates in these critically ill patients in almost two decades. In the absence of a specific cure for acute pancreatitis, the Flinders University and Australian and New Zealand […]
New Nurse Practitioner Workforce Plan set to ease demands on health and aged care
A Nurse Practitioner Workforce Plan (Plan), which aims to expand the services of highly-trained Nurse Practitioners (NPs), will help address increasing demands for health and aged care and chronic workforce shortages across the country. The Plan, Supported by the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation, builds on a number of reforms for NPs announced in the […]
Celebrating the amazing work of nurses this International Nurses Day
The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) is wishing all of their nursing colleagues around Australia a happy International Nurses Day. On this day, the union is asking us all to recognise the extraordinary, 24/7 contribution nurses make in caring for people right across the community. The theme of this year’s IND is Our Nurses. […]
Distressed and devalued: Aged care workers’ experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic demanded a rapid response from the aged care workforce, with the unprecedented challenges leading to increased workloads, intensified emotional demands and staff feeling undervalued, a study has found. Seeking to understand aged care worker’s experiences of the pandemic, University of Tasmania researchers interviewed 15 aged care workers from across Australia. Analysis of […]
Taxpayer-funding for aged care must go directly to nurses and care workers – not into providers’ pockets ANMF says
The Albanese Government has announced it will fund the long-awaited 15% pay rise for the aged care workforce. The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) welcomed the announcement but the union has expressed bitter disappointment and serious concerns that underpaid nurses and care workers may be denied better wages, because the Government has failed to […]