The importance of supporting older nurses and midwives in the workplace

The healthcare sector is experiencing unprecedented challenges. There is an increasing demand for healthcare services partially attributed to the global ageing population (1); however, healthcare services worldwide are grappling with nursing and midwifery shortages. Many countries struggle to train and retain enough nurses to meet the growing demand, leading to overworked staff and compromised patient […]

Low-carb/high fat diets for weight loss boost risk of type 2 diabetes, study finds

The global trend towards low carbohydrate, high-fat diets for weight loss can increase a person’s risk of developing diabetes by 20%, according to a groundbreaking 17-year study of almost 40,000 Melburnians. Conducted by Monash University and RMIT University researchers, the study used data from Melburnians aged 40-69, recruited into the Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study (MCCS) […]

Nursing students learn first-hand about kidney disease in remote Aboriginal communities

Each year, the Adelaide University Rural Health Alliance (AURHA) – the rural health club for students undertaking a health-related degree – organises the Yalata Kidney Health Festival. The outreach initiative involves a group of about a dozen students who travel to the remote Indigenous community of Yalata, South Australia. The students engage with the community, […]

AI to help address aggression in the ED 

Artificial intelligence (AI) has been integrated into an immersive virtual reality enhanced computer simulation program to train frontline healthcare workers in de-escalating aggression in patients. Developed by researchers from Edith Cowan University (ECU), ‘Barry’ is an AI computer-based model that allows clinicians and students to verbally interact with him in a hospital setting.   Users have […]

Deakin Professor recognised globally for shaping emergency nursing education

From the moment she stepped into the Royal Melbourne Hospital’s Emergency Department as a 19-year-old second-year student, Professor Julie Considine AO was captivated by the specialty of emergency nursing. “I loved the unpredictability,” she recalls. “I really loved that it spans all specialties, so you get to use all your skills as a nurse.” Professor […]

Right to disconnect: What does it mean for nurses, midwives and aged care workers?

Earlier this year, the Federal Parliament passed laws to create a new workplace right: the right to disconnect. On Monday, those laws came into force. The change came about because lawmakers recognised that technological developments, such as laptops and mobile phones, which allow many employees to work remotely, also allow the workplace to encroach into […]

Why I joined the ANMF

Victorian nurse Francis joined the ANMF at the earliest opportunity. Back then, in his second year of an undergraduate degree in nursing, he frequently heard friends discuss how the union empowers and advocates for nurses. “I thought I’d get a head start and join the union to begin understanding what nursing is all about outside […]