Thousands of NSW nurses and midwives strike for better pay    

More than 12,000 NSW nurses and midwives took industrial action yesterday in their fight for a 15% pay raise.  The 24-hour strike action was bigger than the last one held in late September with rallies held around the state after failed negotiations between the NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association (NSWNMA) and the state Labor Minns […]

Voices of hope: How the RMH Scrub Choir became a lifeline during COVID-19 and beyond 

The Royal Melbourne Hospital’s Scrub Choir went viral during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic with their poignant renditions of classics like “I’ll Stand by You”. A few years later, they continue to inspire.  The choir grew serendipitously from an internal bid to boost wellbeing and solidarity as the pandemic began to take hold in […]

NSW nurses and midwives call a second 24-hour strike   

NSW public sector nurses and midwives will go on strike for 24 hours next week, after talks between the NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association (NSWNMA) and the state government failed to reach an outcome on wages.  The second 24-hour strike will start on the morning shift on Wednesday 13 November, the NSWNMA has confirmed.  NSW […]

Meal timing crucial for night shift worker health

Overnight eating may be putting night shift workers at higher risk of chronic health conditions. South Australian researchers found blood glucose levels skyrocketed in study participants who either snacked or ate full meals at night putting their health at increased risk. Led by researchers from the University of South Australia, University of Adelaide and SAHMRI, […]

Nurse Midwife HPA opens for in-person consults

The Nurse Midwife Health Program Australia (Nurse Midwife HPA) has announced expansion of its services with the launch of state hubs and regional offices across Australia. The specialist peer support counselling service for nurses, midwives and students of the professions launched in April 2024, providing confidential free support via telehealth counselling. Nurse Midwife HPA has […]

Female nurses face significant gender pay gap  

Female nurses in Australia face a pay gap of up to 13%, with male nurses promoted faster, and in more executive roles despite women making up nearly 90% of the nursing workforce. Edith Cowan University (ECU) researchers who collated the data, have called for a range of flexible work environments to offer more opportunities to […]

Strength-based cultural care improves health outcomes for Aboriginal mothers and babies  

Aboriginal women have been mothering for more than 65,000 years, yet there is still a vast underrepresentation of Aboriginal health clinicians in the perinatal sector. This has run-on effects, with Aboriginal mothers struggling to find culturally safe healthcare during the most crucial years of their babies’ lives.  Bridgette Kelly and Trish Ratajczak from Murdoch University’s Ngangk […]

Financial stress and your mental health    

A higher cost of living has increased financial hardship for many Australians. Since 2020, interest rates, mortgages and inflation have risen fast, but real wages have gone down [1]. Despite low unemployment, higher living costs are affecting our living standards. This challenging economic climate has seen more people experience financial stress. And increased financial stress […]

ANMF welcomes key reforms made in new workforce report 

The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation ( ANMF) has welcomed recommendations made in the Unleashing the Potential of our Health Workforce’ Scope of Practice Review’ Final Report (‘Report’), that allows highly-trained nurses, midwives and allied health professionals to best utilise their skills, education and extensive experience, provides an important new framework for the delivery of […]

Nurses among 20 Medicare Champions awarded    

A Tasmanian nurse practitioner and NSW practice nurse manager have been recognised amongst 20 Medicare Champions in the Stronger Medicare Awards announced in a ceremony at Parliament House in Canberra last night.  In Medicare’s 40th birthday year, the Stronger Medicare Awards recognise and honour the outstanding health professionals and other workers in clinics, health centres, […]