New report highlights need for government to do more in retaining and recruiting nurses.

There has been an increase in the number of nurses working in Australia in recent years. But as the skills shortage continues, the large number of trained nurses not currently working is concerning to the profession.

The number of nurses employed in the health sector has increased by 11 per cent between 2003 and 2007, according to a report by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare on nursing and midwifery labour force.

In terms of nursing supply there has been a 7.6 per cent increase over the same period. There was only a very small increase of 1.2 per cent in the number of enrolments in a nursing course.

While these figures have been received as positive news, the report has also highlighted the need for the government to do more in retaining and bringing nurses back into the workforce.

In 2007, an estimated 42,503 (13.9 per cent) or registered and enrolled nurses were not employed as a nurse in Australia. Of these, nearly two thirds were not looking for work in nursing. This number does not include those nurses who are not currently registered.

Addressing wage parity in the aged care sector and improving the working conditions in all areas of the profession, including having the right skill mix, have been listed by peak bodies as essential in encouraging the return of former nurses.

Incentives will play an important role, however these have to be managed properly, nurses said. The government is working to entice close to 9000 nurses back into the workforce by 8750 through its ‘Bringing Nurses Back into the Workforce’ (BNBW) program, but has received criticism on low take-up. Despite the offer of a $6000 bonus, the program has reached less than 7 per cent of its long-term target.

For this and other programs to be successful, former nurses need to be convinced that conditions have changed for the better, said RCNA acting CEO Kathleen McLaughlin.

“While there are a range of reasons for nurses leaving the profession, a high number leave because of dissatisfaction,” McLaughlin said.

“If the government is to successfully address the skills shortage there has to be real change in the work environment, coupled with proper marketing.”

One of the problems with the BNBW program was that it didn’t instil confidence that conditions had changed, said McLaughlin.

“While the program itself was advertised, nurses who left because they were unhappy aren’t going to return if things have remained the same. Together with advertising the program, improvements that have happened or that are happening need to advertised alongside it,” she said.

Providing enough re-entry programs is also necessary in bringing nurses back. “There was situation in one state where nurses were looking to return to the workforce but a lack of re-entry programs made it complicated,” McLaughlin said.

“Nursing changes at a rapid pace. A nurse only has to be out of the job for a short period to loose confidence. Programs need to be available to provide the proper retraining.”

The report also showed an increase in nurses’ working hours from 32.5 hours in 2003 to 33.3 hours in 2007. On the other hand, medical practitioners are working a slightly shorter week than in the past. Nurses working in rural and remote areas put in longer hours than their city counterparts, and nurses in the public sector continue to work longer hours than those in the private sector.

Posing another challenge for the health system, the nursing workforce continues to age with the proportion of nurses aged 50 years and over increasing from 28 per cent in 2003 to 33 per cent in 2007.