World-consensus sleep guidelines for shift workers

International sleep and shift work researchers have come together in a world-first consensus on how shift workers can best schedule their shuteye. The CQUniversity (CQU) research, published in academic journal SLEEP, outlines 18 clear guidelines to ensure healthy sleep patterns, whether on permanent night shift or a rotating roster. The guidance is good news for […]

How nurses can improve access to regional reproductive care

Women face significant barriers in accessing abortion and contraception in rural and regional Australia due to a lack of local services, according to Monash University researchers. Nurse-led models of care, including increased task sharing between nurses and doctors in general practice, is a key strategy that can increase efficiency and access to these critical services. […]

Donation Specialist Nurse calls on Australians to consider giving someone a lifeline

“For most Australians, who are otherwise fit and well, they just don’t ever think that they’ll be in that situation,” says Georgina Callaghan, Donation Specialist Nurse Coordinator at The Alfred, on the challenges of raising awareness about the life-changing importance of organ and tissue donation. Statistics show that while 4 in 5 Australians support donation, […]

Strengthening Health systems with the utilisation of advanced practice nurses- a global perspective

Researchers, who conducted the first-ever study on advanced practice certification programs worldwide, held a policy forum at the recent International council of Nurses’ Congress in Montreal, Canada, to discuss the need to develop and strengthen health systems through the integration of advanced practice nurses (APNs) working in specialty areas of practice. The study, Certification of […]

Let’s talk about weed: Informing practice

Opioid misuse has increased over the last two decades, accompanied by an increasing number of deaths associated with overdose from opioids. In fact, problems related to the therapeutic (prescription misuse) and non-therapeutic (illicit use) of opioids have become a global public health concern. Treatment programs have been established to address opioid addiction. The most used […]

Nursing care for people with intellectual disability

With the inception of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) nurses will increasingly need to be competent in the care and support of people with intellectual disability (ID). Nurse academic and disability advocate Virginia Howie talks to the ANMJ. Despite decades of government reform to improve health outcomes for people with ID, mortality and morbidity […]

Voice to Parliament the structural reform needed to Closing the Gap

“More of the same isn’t good enough, we have to do better,” said Federal Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney on the release of the latest Closing the Gap report which shows slow progress with few targets on track to be met by 2031. An Indigenous Voice to Parliament is the structural reform needed to […]