A record 586 new graduate nurses will start work across the Western Australian public health system this year, 110 nurses or 19 per cent more than in 2007, federal health minister Nicola Roxon and WA health minister Jim McGinty have announced.
A record 586 new graduate nurses will start work across the Western Australian public health system this year, 110 nurses or 19 per cent more than in 2007, federal health minister Nicola Roxon and WA health minister Jim McGinty have announced.
A record 586 new graduate nurses will start work across the Western Australian public health system this year, 110 nurses or 19 per cent more than in 2007, federal health minister Nicola Roxon and WA health minister Jim McGinty have announced.
Mr McGinty said the nurses would work across 29 hospitals and mental health facilities state-wide and an increase in nursing places at WA universities would see the number of graduates continue to grow
In 2005, WA produced 636 new nursing graduates, with this figure expected to rise to 824 by the end of 2009.
"Of the graduates employed, 79 per cent were from WA universities, with seven per cent from overseas and the remainder recruited from interstate," he said.
Ms Roxon said the new Australian government would continue to increase the number of federally-funded undergraduate nursing places as part of its $87million plan to boost the number of nurses in the health and aged care system by more than 10,000 over the next five years.
More than 620 trained nurses in WA will be offered $6,000 to return to the public health system.
"We acknowledge that nursing is a very challenging and difficult job. By delivering more nurses into the workforce, we will take pressure off those already working in the system," Ms Roxon said.
"Much of the pressure on hospitals is a result of the former Federal Liberal Government's funding cuts - that is a situation we intend to turn around. This strategy will have a significant impact on hospitals, helping to create a more positive working environment for nurses and one they will be more likely to return to."
Mr McGinty said the new WA nursing enterprise bargaining agreement signed late last year made the State's nurses among the best-paid in Australia and saw them receive the highest penalty rates for working non-business hours in the nation.
Mr McGinty said WA Health was focussed on making nursing in the public system an attractive career to help ensure a sustainable nursing workforce into the future.
"Strategies include the introduction of work-life balance initiatives, greater roster flexibility, phased retirement, re-entry programs, childcare and parental leave," he said.
Last year, WA Health awarded $1.24million in scholarships to 506 undergraduate and postgraduate nurses.