MORE NURSES ON THE WAY TO QUEENSLAND

Queensland Health will poach more nurses from the United Kingdom next month to fill key vacancy areas after the resounding success of the last UK visit in March, Health Minister Stephen Robertson said today.

Mr Robertson told an International Nurses Day breakfast in Brisbane that Queensland Health’s nursing ranks had surpassed 25,000 for the first time.

He said there were now 3,157 more nurses in the public health system compared to June 2005 but Queensland Health was still working to fill a number of shortage areas such as mental health, aged care, surgery and general medicine.

“The next UK nursing recruitment drive will target a dedicated nursing careers expo in London on June 20 and 21,” Mr Robertson said.

“A team of five senior Queensland Health nurses, supported by recruitment staff, will arrive to interview applicants and determine their eligibility and qualifications.

“They are already assessing more than 100 expressions of interest for possible interviews at the expo and more are coming in every day.

“The visit will also cover Manchester and follows a highly successful trip in March this year when 130 UK nurses were offered positions in Queensland public hospitals.

“Of these, 60 are in the final stages of placement with starting dates being confirmed and 65 are in the process of referee reports and other careful checks before progressing to the next stage.

“This has translated more public patients being treated as evidenced in this week’s Public Hospitals Performance Report.”

Mr Robertson said International Nurses Day (tomorrow May 12) – the anniversary of nursing pioneer Florence Nightingale’s birth - was a reminder to everyone of the magnificent work nurses carry out every day.

“Patient care is, and has always been, the heart and soul of nursing but the role of the nurse today is almost unrecognisable compared to 50 years ago,” he said.

“Fifty years ago most nurses worked in the hospital setting and the nurse’s goals were similar to today’s nurse – to assist patients and keep them comfortable.

“But back then, patient care was essentially instructions given by a doctor.

“Today, Queensland nurses are empowered to make many decisions relating to patient care and work in a variety of settings.

“Several of these settings are outside the hospital such as primary health care clinics, aged care and even in the patient’s own home.

“Modern nurses work both autonomously and collaboratively with their healthcare colleagues. They have the knowledge, skills and training to make complex clinical decisions and develop, monitor and implement healthcare plans for patients.

“Advances in technology and the explosion in the number of treatment and therapeutic options require nurses today to have an increased science-orientation as well as their core nursing theory and practice.”

Mr Robertson said nursing had become a highly respected and sought-after profession in its own right over the years.

“Career options for a nurse abound in Queensland with different specialties branching out from mental health and aged care to emergency and theatre nursing,” he said.

“The State Government is also employing specially trained nurse practitioners who are able to perform advanced duties and tasks to better support doctors in our hospitals.”

11 May,  2007

MEDIA: Joshua Cooney 3234 1185 or 0409 069 056