Latest Nursing News

ANYONE trying to tally up the precise number of nursing and midwifery jobs lost in Queensland would probably find themselves caught somewhere between government spin and union hype. But the Queensland Nurses' Union reckons Queensland Health has axed about 1980 full time equivalent clinical, non-clinical and nursing jobs plus a few executives since January last year. So far.

The Opposition says the Queensland Government is "hell-bent" on destroying the state's public hospital system with plans to replace experienced nurses with junior staff. Hundreds of nurses attended protest meetings in Brisbane yesterday over the plan to replace highly skilled nurses with lower-paid graduates in the Metro North region.

Public nurses and midwives across the state of New South Wales in Australia have decided to take their employment-rant related concerns to a higher level. Patients confined at NSW state hospitals and community health service centres may expect work disruption as the nurses have voted to a state-wide strike action on July 24.

Victoria's largest health service wants to scrap nurse-patient ratios in Casey Hospital's emergency department so it can treat ''vertical patients'' in chairs. The move has alarmed nurses, who say it will jeopardise patient care and staff safety. ^[+audio]

The Opposition says the Queensland Government is "hell-bent" on destroying the state's public hospital system with plans to replace experienced nurses with junior staff. Hundreds of nurses attended protest meetings in Brisbane yesterday over the plan to replace highly skilled nurses with lower-paid graduates in the Metro North region.

NURSE-PATIENT ratios would be scrapped and patients treated in recliner chairs at the Casey Hospital emergency department, under a proposal by Victoria's largest health service. Monash Health wants to scrap nurse-patient ratios, which currently stand at one nurse per three or four patients, at a proposed new space at Casey Hospital in Melbourne's outer east.

Protest meetings were held in Brisbane today over plans to replace experienced nurses with graduates. The Nurses Union says the Metro North Health Service has asked a number of highly skilled nurses to consider redundancy packages. ^[audio]

QUEENSLAND Health Minister Lawrence Springborg has ordered hospital bosses on Brisbane's northside to apologise to 3500 nurses who received letters this week outlining plans for a restructure. The original letters, signed by Metro North Health's Nursing and Midwifery Services Executive Director Lesley Fleming, mentions "dismissals" being made as part of the restructure.

A renewed push is underway to attract more young workers to Australia's beleaguered aged care sector. Earlier this week, the ABC's Lateline exposed gaping holes in the aged care system. An ageing workforce has led to a critical shortage of workers, with recruitment and retention proving major concerns.

MORE than 100 experienced bedside nurses will be axed from northside Brisbane hospitals to make way for unemployed graduates. A letter outlining the changes, due to take effect from July 31, was sent to about 3500 Metro North Hospital and Health Service nurses this week. "As part of the consultation process we will address likely effects of the changes on employees, including number and category of employees likely to be dismissed,'' the letter said.