Latest Nursing News

CONSTANTLY beeping alarms from devices that monitor the vital signs of the critically ill have "desensitised" hospital workers who sometimes ignore the noise, leading to at least two dozen deaths a year on average, a hospital accrediting group said Monday.

More nurses will be trained to perform X-rays under a controversial Victorian government plan that radiographers say is dangerous and will put patients at risk.

The axe continues to fall in Queensland amid figures showing at least 700 public sector nursing and midwifery positions have been cut and more than 3400 positions culled at Queensland Health.

Mercy Aged Care nurses in Young have had a big win in their long running pay campaign. A group of 25 nurses rallied outside the Mount Saint Joseph's home last month, angry at earning up to seven dollars an hour less than other aged care nurses.

Parkes nurses have joined a state-wide campaign to improve patient care and will officially launch a local push in coming weeks.  Local President of the NSW Nurses and Midwives Association, Greg Powter – also the local delegate to the association – was one of the 250 nurses who took part in a special rally in Sydney to press the nurses’ case.

Maitland Hospital has an extra 22 nurses under the Coalition government. Health Minister Jillian Skinner said there were 4000 extra nurses across the state’s hospitals two years after being elected, which had boosted nurse numbers to 47,500.

University of Wollongong researchers will work alongside clinicians at St George Hospital at a new centre that aims to improve patient safety and care.

THE NSW Nurses and Midwifes Association members at Kempsey District Hospital launched their 2013 campaign for increased staff numbers and conditions on Thursday.  The campaign is called ‘Statewide ratios: Put patient safety first!’

SECURITY guards want to carry guns in hospital emergency departments to protect the public and themselves from violent and drugged patients.

Wollongong Hospital's Sonia Marshall is one of two nurses appointed to the NSW government's first rural health advisory committee. Health Minister Jillian Skinner said the 20-member team, which met for the first time at Coffs Harbour on Thursday, would advise on ways to improve patient care in rural NSW.