Nursing, midwifery, and care worker workforce reform
Nursing and midwifery workforce reform in Australia is essential for adapting to changing healthcare needs, improving patient outcomes, addressing health disparities, and ensuring that the right number of skilled professionals are empowered and enabled to provide timely and high-quality care. It demands strategic planning, improved education, and policy changes to help build a sustainable workforce […]
Aged care reform
Following years of neglect, significant aged care reforms in 2023 marked a turning point in the nation’s commitment to ensuring the delivery of safe and high-quality care for our elderly Australians. The Albanese Government implemented sweeping reforms across the sector, highlighted by pivotal legislation mandating the presence of a registered nurse 24/7 in every nursing […]
Nurse awarded peace prize for passionate advocacy
A trailblazing Australian nurse has been recognised for her passionate advocacy for peace in the Middle East, as well as her dedication and care for the refugees and innocent victims of conflict. APHEDA co-founder, nurse and advocate for refugee and women’s rights, Dr Helen McCue AM has been awarded winner of the 2023-2024 Jerusalem (Al […]
Language barriers contribute to higher aggression in immigrants with dementia
Immigrants living with dementia are more likely to present with agitation and aggression compared with their non-immigrant counterparts, new research shows. Behaviours and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD), such as agitation and aggression, are common. However, its presentation may be influenced by the cultural background of the person, according to research from Edith Cowan University […]
Victorian nurses leading the way in accessible infant and child first aid
Victorian paediatric critical care nurse Grace Larson has joined forces with her sister Skye helping provide free infant and child first aid to disadvantaged parents and carers in the state. Still in its early days, The Sisterhood Project is partnering with accredited first aid providers to offer free infant and child first aid training to […]
Bring back the arvo nap to combat summer heat
Having an arvo nap may be better for your health than cranking up the air con to combat the heat this summer. Too much air conditioning may be harming our health, according to a study led by researchers at the Australian National University (ANU). Despite spending substantially more time in air-conditioned spaces over the past […]
Emergency Department nurses of Flinders Medical Centre drive wellbeing initiatives
Each Friday, nurses working in the Emergency Department at Flinders Medical Centre in South Australia don vibrant scrubs to uplift the mood in the consistently hectic and high-stress ward. This uncomplicated gesture to boost morale is just one of numerous initiatives led by ED nurses to enhance the overall health and wellbeing of staff members. […]
How the Northern Territory trailblazed Australia’s voluntary assisted dying laws
In 1995, the Northern Territory made history by becoming the first place in the world to legalise voluntary assisted dying after a private member’s Bill, championed by then Chief Minister Marshall Perron, secured a 15-10 vote in the early morning hours after intense deliberation in Parliament. Following its implementation in 1996, only four people facing […]
ANMF launches landmark Nurses Award work value case
The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) has filed a landmark application at the Fair Work Commission (FWC) to increase award wages for frontline nurses, midwives, and assistants in nursing (AINs), by up to 35%. The application seeks to vary the Nurses Award and is made on the basis that the work of nurses and […]
Nepalese experience inspires Australian nursing students
Australian nursing students have immersed themselves in a rich cultural and educational experience in Nepal developing clinical skills while observing the challenges of providing healthcare in a developing country including poverty and limited resources. Eighteen second-year CQUniversity (CQU) Bachelor of Nursing students and two lecturers travelled to Kathmandu and Pokhara through June and July as […]