The Power of Persistence: How the ANMF’s advocacy laid the foundation for NPs in Australia
The nurse practitioner (NP) role originated in the United States in the mid-1960s to address gaps in healthcare. But it took 35 years later, on 12 December 2000, for Jane O’Connell (emergency) and Sue Denison (rural and remote health) to become Australia’s first authorised NPs. Requiring Master’s level education, NPs possess the expertise and authority […]
Climate crisis is a health crisis: Nurses and midwives call for action
Nurses and midwives have declared the climate crisis a health crisis with an immediate call to action this Global Climate Change Week (14-18 October). The Planetary Health Collaborative for Nurses and Midwives declaration highlights the devastating impact climate change is having on human health, urging policymakers to adopt health in all policies and to act […]
Virtual reality to improve mealtimes for people with dementia
A virtual reality experience to assist health workers in caring for patients with dementia at mealtimes has been recently released by Dementia Australia. Dementia Australia’s Dine with Ted allows participants to engage in a dining experience from the perspective of a person living with dementia. The three-hour virtual reality program uses avatar technology to educate […]
Enhancing clinical placement learning for nursing and midwifery students: A national quality assurance project
The National Placement Evaluation Centre (NPEC) was established in 2018 to provide an Australian national approach to monitoring nursing and midwifery student evaluations of their professional experience placements (PEP). The lack of a national monitoring system was questioned in a review of nursing.1 Initially funded by the Council of Deans Nursing and Midwifery Australia and […]
Strength in numbers: 100 years of improving the working lives of nurses and midwives
The working lives of nurses and midwives have undergone significant transformation over the past 100 years. In 1938, a typical staff nurse in Victoria earned just two pounds, four shillings, and four pence, for a 50-hour work week, caring for 10 patients during the day and 15 at night. These early nurses’ responsibilities extended far […]
Coffee during pregnancy may be safe, research shows
New research has failed to find strong links between drinking coffee during pregnancy and neurodevelopmental difficulties in children. However, researchers are advising expectant mothers to follow current medical guidelines on caffeine consumption. University of Queensland researchers conducted an in-depth genetic analysis of data from tens of thousands of families in Norway. “Scandinavians are some […]
The value of the union workplace rep
ANMF Tasmanian Branch member Monica Werner has been a member of the union since she started nursing in 1981. She talks with the ANMJ about the role of the workplace delegate and the value of unions in not just the work setting but the broader community. Q: How did you get involved in being a […]
Let’s celebrate: Share your stories and messages of support
This year, we proudly celebrate the 100-year anniversary of the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF), which has grown to become Australia’s largest trade union in 2024, representing 327,000 members. Our future is strong, and our future is bright. For a century, the ANMF has championed the rights and welfare of nurses, midwives, and the […]
Targeting unnecessary use of medical consumables
Designing material waste out of our clinical workflow improves efficiency while reducing the environmental and financial cost of healthcare without compromising patient outcomes. This case study demonstrates how our knowledge on the ward can target unnecessary use of medical consumables and advocating how an apparent small change can lead to a big impact. Working as […]
What a time to be an ANMF member as we celebrate our proud 100-year history
From humble beginnings of some 700 members over a century ago, we now mark a national membership of over 326,000, making us the largest union in the country. This year is especially important as we reflect on ANMF’s proud history and all it has achieved over the past 100 years to improve the working lives […]