Latest Nursing News

A GENERATION of nurses is at risk of being lost at the same time that a critical shortage hits the profession and demand for their skills skyrockets, the nursing union has warned. The Nursing and Midwifery Federation state branch will today call on both political parties to commit to a range of policies before the March ­election. One of their most serious concerns is that people could stop enrolling in nursing at the same time as demand for ­nurses surges. and more ageing nurses retire.

Medic Sasha Knubel had been in the RAAF for eight months when she found herself in an army truck wearing a kevlar helmet and carrying a loaded weapon. The nurse had been posted to East Timor in 1999 and was suddenly thrust into the thick of the action. The West Australian former civilian nurse joined up the previous year because she "wanted to do something different".

HEALTH Minister Michelle O'Byrne said yesterday she would like to see more evidence before mandating hospital staffing levels. Ms O'Byrne was responding to the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation's argument that there were not enough grade4 nurses in Tasmanian hospitals. Nurses at all major hospitals are taking industrial action over wage negotiations, claiming meal breaks, overtime and other entitlements.

4BC Mornings: State Health Minister Lawrence Springborg is considering placing a blanket ban on smoking in Queensland Health facilities due to a growing number of hospital patients smoking around their buildings. Queensland Nurses Union State Secretary Beth Mohle tells Chris Adams while she supports the idea, the ramifications would need to be considered. ^[+audio]

Tasmania’s 4000 public sector nurses and midwives will ramp up their industrial action next week, amid concerns at the state’s declining number of grade four nurses. Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation’s Tasmanian Branch secretary Neroli Ellis said nurses and midwives began “low key” industrial action earlier this week after talks on the enterprise bargaining agreement stalled.

Ambulance Victoria is rolling out its telephone referral service to the Grampians, after a successful trial in the state's south-west earlier this year. The service transfers some triple-0 calls to paramedics and nurses trained in telephone triage, rather than sending an ambulance out to every case.

MENTAL health nurses in Albury have extended their work bans after failing to get a response to their initial industrial action. NSW Nurses and Midwives Association branch president Petra Smyth said two new measures had been unanimously agreed upon at a meeting yesterday morning.

TASMANIA'S nurses have promised there will be no impact on patient care when they start protest action today against the State Government's latest pay and conditions offer. Yesterday 140 nurses from the Launceston General Hospital voted to reject the Government's latest offer. Nurses in Burnie will vote today and Hobart nurses tomorrow.

Nurses in Launceston have voted unanimously to take industrial action in a dispute over working conditions. A meeting of 140 nurses at the Launceston General Hospital voted to claim overtime, meal breaks and other award entitlements from midday on Tuesday.

The Tasmanian nurses union claims its members are being "bullied and threatened" into accepting a pay deal. Nurses have accepted a 2 per cent pay rise over 12 months but are set to take industrial action over certain aspects of the offer.