Coinciding with this year’s International Nurses Day, this week’s Federal Budget has had some significant outcomes for the primary health care, nursing workforce.
The Federal Budget delivered on 9th May 2023, APNA believes will strengthen Australia’s primary health care (PHC) system by addressing growing nursing shortages, seeing more nurses hired where they are needed, and better utilising the largest workforce in PHC of nearly 100,000 nurses to their full potential to reduce the pressure on the health system.
The Federal Budget could significantly boost job prospects and career progression in primary healthcare, as well as strengthen the current PHC nursing workforce by funding:
- An 18-month national Scope of Practice review
- 6,000 additional clinical placements in primary healthcare nursing ($4.2 million over four years)
- 1,850 graduate scholarships to train more Nurse Practitioners ($50.2 million over four years)
- $1 million towards incentives to get 500 nurses back into the workforce
Australian Health Journal met with APNA President Karen Booth and CEO Ken Griffin at their Money in May 2023 event in Sydney.
Money in May is an APNA member-only initiative and is a month of education so that nurses know more about money and how to navigate the financial side of being a nurse. The campaign has three key themes: do more, save more and earn more.
Timed to coincide with the end of the financial year, APNA has focused on financial literacy. Nurses who understand the opportunities and challenges of finance and funding mechanisms and keep abreast of changes can be an even greater asset for their patients and the business they work for. For their personal lives, they make better financial decisions, earn more and retire with more super.
The outcomes are for each Primary healthcare nurse in a time to influence and pitch for what they want — be that money to fund a nurse-led clinic, a financial allocation for CPD or negotiate pay.
Relating that back to the funding announcements in the Federal Budget, there is potential to significantly boost job prospects and career progression in primary healthcare, as well as strengthen the current PHC nursing workforce.
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Australian Teletrial Program reaches significant milestones in trials and participants
Launched in 2022, the Australian Teletrial Program is an initiative designed to improve access to clinical trials for people living in regional and remote areas of Australia. It uses telemedicine and digital technologies to enable patients to participate in clinical trials without needing to travel long distances to major metropolitan centres, which can often be a barrier to participation for those in rural and isolated locations.
Recently Australian Health Journal met with Kaye Hewson, Director, Australian Teletrials Program, who spoke about the program’s recent achievements.
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Thyroid health into pregnancy
‘Without an adequate amount of thyroid hormone mothers can be exposed to hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, including gestational hypertension and preeclampsia or eclampsia, which affect around 10% of pregnant women and are the leading causes of maternal and neonatal mortality worldwide. Mothers who suffer from hypertensive disorders during pregnancy are at increased risk of long-term cardiovascular consequences and hypertensive disorders in subsequent pregnancies. Evidence also indicates a risk of reduced cognitive ability to their offspring.
‘Knowing if you are genetically predisposed to Hashimoto’s or Graves’ Diseases, which are both thyroid autoimmune disorders is important to be aware of, to ensure all appropriate tests are ordered. Autoimmune disorders may predispose mothers to a thyroid problem during pregnancy’, says Professor Creswell Eastman, who also serves as the ATF’s Principal Medical Advisor.
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Priming Australia for social prescribing
Social prescribing provides support in various areas of people’s lives, leading to increased confidence, improved navigation of systems, and enhanced friendships and trust in healthcare, while communities should be designed in an age-friendly way to prevent isolation.
In Part 1 of the Models of Care on Social Prescribing, Australian Health Journal spoke to 4 people advocating for social prescribing in Australia
