A poll of 20,000 Queensland Nurses and Midwives’ Union (QNMU) members has revealed that almost half (46%) of public sector nurses and midwives are contemplating leaving the professions within the next year.
QNMU Secretary Sarah Beaman attributed the concerning results to nurses and midwives working in an under-resourced health system.
“Vast numbers of Queensland health nurses and midwives are overworked, burnt out and thinking about leaving their professions,” she said.
“When we’re short on valuable nurses and midwives, we see ambulance ramping, increased surgical wait lists, increased emergency department wait times and decreased community wellbeing.
“To continue to deliver a free public healthcare system Queenslanders can rely on, the state government must invest in thousands more nurses and midwives – and they need to do it now.”
Last week, the QNMU launched its ‘Nurses and Midwives. More of us. Better for you’ campaign to secure state government funding and planning for additional nurses and midwives. A document submitted to the government outlines its more than 40 State Budget 2024-25 nursing and midwifery priorities. Calls include:
- The state government committing to recruiting 11,800 additional full-time nurses and midwives by 2029 to keep up with demand
- Providing paid clinical placements to all nursing and midwifery students
- Removing barriers to nurses and midwives working to their full scope of practice
- Committing to minimum safe staffing levels across all wards
- Funding mandatory occupational violence training for nurses and midwives
“The QNMU and our members have provided solutions to the state’s workforce crisis,” Ms Beaman said.
“We have put forward more than 40 recommendations to achieve safe staffing numbers into the future, including workforce planning, free nursing and midwifery courses, payment for student placements, a Nurse and Midwife Mentoring Program, local health hubs, dedicated support and accessible affordable housing in metropolitan, regional, rural and remote areas,” Ms Beaman said.
At last week’s launch, QNMU member and nurse of 50 years, Christine Cocks, said frontline nurses and midwives were struggling under difficult conditions.
“We are now at the point where Queensland’s frontline public nurses and midwives are being forced to leave the work they love,” Ms Cocks said.
“Some have been impacted so deeply they simply cannot set foot at a facility where they have worked for years due to the current dangerous levels of understaffing.
“Having more nurses and midwives is in everyone’s interests.”
One Response
It is mismanagement at hospital upper management bad allocations in our pool especially. Look after your nurses, listen to them but we are constantly faced with incompetent bureaucrats poor decision making.