Government inaction and insurance are two roadblocks in the way of private practice midwives, writes Joy Johnston. On May 10 an Australian Greens senator, Lee Rhiannon, drew attention to serious obstructions to maternity reform when announcing the passage in the ...

Poor literacy and numeracy skills can be overlooked in aged care staff but workplace reforms can lead to positive results. Mardi Chapman reports. The three Rs – foundation skills of reading, writing and arithmetic - might sound a little dated ...

Nurses in Queensland seeking to return to the workforce will now have access to the state’s first re-entry to practice program to reregister as a nurse. CQUniversity has launched the state’s first re-entry program for nurses seeking to return to ...

New research is exploring the significant conflict that exists between what employers and graduates want from nursing graduates, Linda Belardi reports. Some employers are concerned Australia’s education system is not producing registered nurses who are workplace ready and have called ...

The federal Minister for Health, Tanya Plibersek says she will investigate calls by the National Rural Health Students’ Network for nurses and allied health professionals to be included in the HECS reimbursement scheme. The federal government will investigate an expansion ...

Nurses have joined fire fighters and construction workers to protest against the NSW WorkCover overhaul. Jessica Grewal reports. A 26-year-old NSW nurse who suffered spinal injuries while attempting to resuscitate a patient in 2008 has joined hundreds of nurses and ...

Hospitals and healthcare services are becoming more appreciative of the work done by unpaid workers and find it is rewarding for all involved, writes Mardi Chapman. A nationwide army of hospital volunteers has chosen to step out of the kitchen, ...

The government decided against registration for personal care workers in its recent aged care reforms, but that doesn’t mean the debate has ceased. Antonia Maiolo reports. From cleaning and washing clothes, to cooking meals, to shopping, showering and grooming, Justine ...

Union says an assistant caring for the elderly is paid less than a Coles retail assistant. Aged care employers have been trading on the goodwill of nurses by paying them less than shop assistants, nurses have said. The NSW Nurses Association (NSWNA) ...

Never mind the human rights issue, smart employers are discovering that keeping their experienced staff makes good business sense, Age Discrimination Commissioner Susan Ryan tells Darragh O Keeffe. In the midst of an ongoing skills shortage, compounded by the challenges ...