Australia’s minimum and award wages to increase by 3.75%
Australia’s minimum and award wages will increase by 3.75%, the Fair Work Commission has announced at its Annual Wage Review hearing in Sydney this morning. The increase, effective from 1 July, will impact about 20.7% of the country’s workforce, or 2.6 million employees, who mostly work part-time, are predominantly women, and are more likely to […]
New report calls for faster MS diagnosis in Australia
Looking back, Laura Birchall believes she experienced years’ worth of MS symptoms that she simply dismissed at the time. “After I exercised my arms and my legs would be really tingly and my vision would go really dark, and I just thought it was because I was really bad at cardio,” she recalls. “When I […]
‘Plan for the worst, hope for the best’: Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner on matters of life and death
As a young nurse working in oncology, Peter Jenkin began to question the often “futile treatment” given to patients and the lack of informed decision-making. Something inside him clicked, setting him on a path into palliative care nursing that has spanned nearly three decades. “I just went, this makes so much sense, that dying is […]
ANMF calls on government to swiftly implement aged care pay rises
The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) has called on the federal government to implement final pay increases for aged care workers, as determined by the Fair Work Commission (FWC), by 30 June. The FWC handed down its Stage 3 decision in March, determining that direct care workers, including Assistants in Nursing (AINs)/Personal Care Workers […]
Nursing at a Medicare Urgent Care Clinic
Victorian registered nurse Sarah O’Rourke fronts one of nearly 60 Medicare Urgent Care Clinics now running across the country. Funded by the federal government, the clinics were established with the goal of making it easier for Australians to access urgent care, while simultaneously, diverting people from overcrowded emergency departments and easing pressure on public hospitals. […]
Five of My Life: Podcaster Nigel Marsh unearths the stories of everyday nurses and midwives
The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) has partnered with acclaimed podcaster Nigel Marsh to launch a series featuring everyday nurses and midwives. The six-part podcast series follows the Five of My Life challenge – where guests share a film, book, song, place and possession. Initial episodes will be launched on International Day of the […]
New scholarships to upskill registered nurses and midwives
The federal government has launched a $50.2 million scholarship program to upskill registered nurses and midwives to become nurse practitioners and endorsed midwives in primary care and aged care settings. The Primary Care Nursing and Midwifery Scholarship Program will provide 1,850 postgraduate scholarships over four years and be managed by the Australian College of Nurse […]
‘Prac Payment’: Government to pay nursing and midwifery students $319 per week during clinical placements
Student nurses, midwives, teachers, and social workers will be paid $319.50 per week while undertaking their mandatory clinical placements under a new federal government measure to address rising ‘placement poverty’.
Improving maternity care for First Nations women through midwife led models
Sydney’s Westmead Hospital initiated Midwifery Group Practice (MGP)/caseload care, a decade ago, providing pregnant women with continuity of midwifery care. This gold-standard maternity care involves a team of midwives ensuring consistent care throughout pregnancy, birth, and the postnatal period. The demand for this model has grown, highlighting its effectiveness and satisfaction for both midwives and […]
Leaders map future of health across Asia and the Pacific at World Health Summit in Melbourne
“By working together across disciplines and sectors we can foster more resilient and equitable systems for health that truly leave no one behind,” declared Sandro Demaio, CEO of VicHealth.