Historic merger of nursing associations in 1924 lays foundations for ANMF

The Australasian Trained Nurses’ Association, with branches in New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia, and Tasmania, and the Royal Victorian Trained Nurses’ Association, which operated solely in Victoria, merged to benefit the profession in 1924. Both associations had long recognised the advantages of a merger, but various differences posed challenges. However, by June […]

Remembering Evelyn Augusta Conyers

A pioneering ANF leader and a force in Australian nursing (1870-1944). Many of the original members of the ANF were visionary leaders and activists for nurses and women, far ahead of their time. They laid the foundation for the ANMF’s achievements today. Evelyn Augusta Conyers, an attendee of the Australian Nursing Federation’s inaugural 1924 meeting, […]

Applications open for free nursing and midwifery degrees in Victoria

Applications for the third round of the Victorian government’s undergraduate (entry to practice) scholarship program, offering free education for new domestic students enrolling in a professional entry-level nursing or midwifery course in 2023 and 2024, are now open. The scholarship is part of the government’s $270 million Making It Free to Study Nursing and Midwifery […]

Electronic communications must be available for voluntary assisted dying

The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) has released a joint statement with other national peak health organisations calling on the government to urgently amend the Commonwealth Criminal Code to allow electronic communications, including telehealth, to be made available for voluntary assisted dying. Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) is now legal across most parts of Australia […]

Four in 10 aged care residents malnourished

Four in 10 Australian aged care residents are malnourished, a new study has revealed, prompting calls for a national screening program to identify those at highest risk. The first large-scale study examining malnutrition in nursing homes found 40% of residents were malnourished, with 6% categorised as severely malnourished. The results have prompted warnings from the […]

Struggling with mental health and climate distress? Get out and plant a tree

Planet Ark is encouraging Australians to get outdoors to do something good for their mental health this National Tree Day, 28 July, with research suggesting climate-related impacts on mental health are significantly affecting people’s wellbeing. Eco-anxiety and climate distress are terms used to identify the feelings of concern and distress that result from climate change. […]

Nurse has registration cancelled for groping unconscious patients

A nurse has had his registration cancelled and been disqualified from reapplying until April 2025 after intentionally touching and, in one case, groping the breasts of two unconscious female patients. The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) referred Mr Blair Easdon to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (the tribunal) after he self-notified to […]

Research highlights need for preparation resource to ready online nursing students

An online study preparation resource for student nurses to access when they receive their acceptance into a nursing course could lead to more successful progression, a new research paper has found. Undertaken by Angela Sheedy, Senior Research Officer at Charles Darwin University’s Menzies School of Medicine, the study set out to investigate and identify the […]

Explainer: All you need to know about the ANMF’s Work Value Cases 

The ANMF is currently running two Work Value cases at the Fair Work Commission – The Aged Care Industry Case and The Nurses’ and Midwives’ Case. It has developed two FAQs to help members better understand the cases, why they are important, and the potential outcomes. The Current ANMF Work Value Cases FAQ sets out specific […]