Nurses surf huge wave of change

New career paths, training opportunities, more responsibilities and the hope of better working conditions has followed in the wake of a strong of major health announcements this year.

The Government announced $7.4 billion in funds for health reform with an additional $2.2 billion in funds announced in last week’s Budget to pay for a huge range of services including in primary care and aged care.

Federal Government initiatives include: 

• Creating a new model of hospital management to increase accountability, reduce waste and increase the number of services for each dollar invested.
• Introducing a 24-HOUR telephone service staffed by doctors and nurses to provide after hours medical advice. The service forms part of a national network of integrated services that includes GPs, hospitals, allied health workers and aged care.
• The upgrade of around 425 primary care facilities into “GP super clinics”.
• Budget allocation of $523 million for additional practice nurses
• $390.3 million to fund 4600 full-time practice nurses in general practice, in a major boost to primary care.
• $130 million allocated to improving the skill level of nurses in aged care and recognises the professionalism of Assistants in Nursing through a national licensing system.
• $13.0 million over two years to employ 136 mental health nurses and provide an estimated 11,700 sessions to people with mental illness.

Figures to be published in the upcoming issue of The Lamp reveal that of the funds allocated to age care nursing, $60 million will become available from 1 July to fund education initiatives.

Unqualified carers are eligible to apply for $1,000 to attain Certificate III or IV in Nursing; Certificate III holders for $2500 to upgrade to an Enrolled Nurse and Enrolled Nurses for $5000 to upgrade to an Registered Nurse.

According to The Lamp  the grants will be dependent an employee remaining in the aged care sector for two years if they are an RN or EN, or for one year for a Cert III worker. An extra $20 million has been allocated for an increase in nursing scholarships. There will be 600 additional scholarships for ENs and another 300 for RNs.

The Lamp also reports on a first for Australia – GPs in urban areas receiving Federal funds to help employ practice nurses. More practice nurses will help take pressure off GPs by providing clinical support in areas such as wound care and immunisation; managing recall and reminders systems; and patient education in areas such as weight loss and reducing alcohol consumption and quitting smoking.

Annual incentive payments of $25,000 per full time GP for a registered nurse and $12,500 per full time GP for an enrolled nurse will be made available to eligible accredited practices.

By 2013-14, an estimated 4,537 GP practices will receive more funding for highly skilled practice nurses.

“This is a great result for practice nurses and will give more opportunities and career options to nurses,” says NSWNA General Secretary Brett Holmes.

“The increased investment in primary care should go some way to easing the burden on our overstretched public hospitals.”

The NSWNA’s Professional Officer Angela Garvey says improving working conditions for nurses is the only way to convince the many qualified nurses now not working to return to the workforce.

“NSWNA welcomes the additional funds being injected into health,” says Ms Garvey.

“We are acutely aware of the pressure our members have been subjected to over many years, of having to do more with less which we know have contributed enormously to the nursing and midwifery workforce shortage.”

Reforms in primary care include ‘block’ funding for diabetes and other chronic disease with much of the care to be delivered and co-ordinated by nurses.

“Communities with more nurses experience better health outcomes,” says Ms Garvey.

“What this reform means to the community is that patients will be able to access a range of health professionals; including nurses, diabetes educators, dieticians and podiatrists to name a few.”

The health reforms and budget announcements follow on from a Senate vote in March to allow nurses and midwives to prescribe drugs and conduct some medical consultations under Medicare from November 1 this year.

Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon called the new powers for nurse practitioners and midwives “historic”. Under the changes, nurse practitioners and midwives gain access to the Medical Benefits Schedule and Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme for the first time.

The new measures are part of a $120.5 million maternity package. The laws also establish a government-supported professional indemnity scheme for eligible midwives available from July 1.

Ms Roxon says that nurse practitioners and midwives wishing to provide treatment under Medicare and prescribe medicines under the PBS need to meet professional eligibility criteria and have appropriate collaborative arrangements in place.

The new professional indemnity scheme for eligible midwives will be and the new Medicare and PBS arrangements will operate.

Sources: CareerOne.com.au, The Lamp and News Ltd newspapers, May 2010. The Lamp is published by the NSW Nurses Association.