Report on the Inquiry into Nursing - The patient profession: Time for action

1 June 2002

© Commonwealth of Australia 2002
ISBN 0 642 71163 1

Terms of Reference
Conduct of the Inquiry
Previous inquiries and reviews into nursing
Acknowledgments

Nursing in context
The nursing workforce Nursing Labour Force 1999
National Review of Nursing Education published information
State and Territory nursing dataFactors impacting on demand for nurses
The shortage of nurses
Supply of nurses Nurse education
Overseas nurses
Retention and workplace issues
Recruitment and the image of nursingImplications of the nurse shortage
Use of agency nurses and casualisation of nursing workforce
Quality of care
Professional development of new nurses
Skills mixWorkforce planning Adequacy of existing nurse workforce data
Conclusion
Chief Nursing Officer Conclusion
National Registration Conclusion

Introduction
Current models of nurse education and training Registered nurses
Midwifery
Specialist nurses
Enrolled nurses
Unregulated care workersImproving undergraduate education and training programs
Provision and funding of additional undergraduate places
Clinical component of undergraduate courses
Clinical placements in undergraduate courses
Content of undergraduate courses
Duration of undergraduate courses
Options for a fourth year
Funding of the clinical education component of courses
Cost of undergraduate courses for students HECS exemptions
Scholarships
Other support measures
ConclusionTransition from university to practice Graduate nurse programs
Preceptorship programs
The role of nurse educators
Enrolled nurses
Conclusion
Articulation between nursing levels Conclusion
National nursing curriculum
Conclusion

Enrolled nurse education
Midwifery education
Continuing education and professional development
Postgraduate education
Advanced practice nursing and Nurse Practitioners
Credentialling for advanced practice nursing
Unregulated healthcare workers
Information technology
Nursing research

Introduction
Improving the interface between the education and health sectors
Partnership initiatives
Joint curriculum development
Joint appointments/clinical chairs
Shared facilities
Conclusion

Introduction
Recruitment Status of nursing profession
Campaigns
Overseas recruitmentRetention Nature of nursing
Career structure
Transition to practice
Workloads
Remuneration
Education
Unqualified workers
Nursing leadership
Management supportReturn to nursing – Re-entry and refresher programs
Making a nursing career more family friendly Working conditions
Parental leave
Childcare
Caring for relativesImproving occupational health and safety
Violence in the workplace
Manual handling
Needlestick injuries
Glutaraldehyde and latex
Conclusion

Aged care nursing staff
Implications of RCS funding
Remuneration in aged care sector
Use of unregulated workers in aged care
Specialist education
Administration of medication
Commonwealth Government programs
Conclusion

Mental Health
Rural and remote nursing
Attracting people to nursing who will practice in rural and remote areas
Improving education of rural and remote nurses
Further education and re-entry education
Improving retention rates
The Indigenous nursing workforce
Midwifery
Community nurses
Neonatal nurses
Paediatric nurses
Critical care nurses
Operating room nursing
Emergency nurses
Oncology nurses
Conclusion