Inquiry report rejects Victorian plan to introduce armed guards in Emergency Departments. By Jennifer Bennett The Victorian nurses union has welcomed the results of a report into safety in Victorian hospitals and hopes it will pave the way for attacks ...

NSW nurses union questions the legality of recency of practice standards By Darragh O Keeffe. Requiring NSW nurses to undertake a refresher course at a cost of $10,000 before returning to the workforce after lengthy absences is potentially at odds ...

Organisational change must address cultural issues, say nurses. By Linda Belardi Nurses have cautiously welcomed Premier Anna Bligh’s announcement to dismantle Queensland Health, but say there are no quick fixes to the troubled organisation’s entrenched cultural problems. The break-up of the ...

NSW government flags proposal to remove family veto on organ donation, Natasha Egan reports. A proposal to remove a family member’s right to override their relative’s organ donation consent has drawn opposition from health professionals. The suggestion was one of ...

Next year's unification of RCNA and the College of Nursing has been warmly received as a timely development for the profession. By Linda Belardi The profession has welcomed the merger of Australia’s two national peak professional bodies as a chance to ...

The need for better English, a strong dollar and fewer clinical training places are proving to be a disincentive overseas, writes Annabel McGilvray. After years of rapid growth in international student numbers, nursing schools around Australia are contemplating tightening their ...

High cost of smoking The annual social cost of smoking in Victoria is almost $7 billion, according to a recent report. The research by Professor David Collins of Macquarie University and Professor Helen Lapsley of University of Queensland estimated the ...

Health news briefs from around the globe Researchers hail big increase in US nurses Significantly more young people in the US are becoming registered nurses, reversing a 10-year decline, according to research published in the health policy journal Health Affairs. The ...

National registration and accreditation for nurses has been one the big changes over the past 15 years. By Rosemary Bryant. As an avid reader of Nursing Review, I would like to acknowledge this 15th anniversary edition and recognise the work ...

The ongoing challenge of providing quality clinical placements for students finally has national leadership and vision, write Kim Usher and Jane Mills. One of the most challenging problems for nursing in Australia is providing the on-the-job training – or clinical ...