The Australian Nursing Federation (ANF) says a new survey indicating that more than half of nurses are set to leave the profession over the next decade is cause for great concern.

The survey of 200 nurses by Kronos Australia finds that 17 per cent of nurses expected to be in the profession only for the next five years, while 51 per cent reported they would leave within 10 years.

ANF Federal Secretary Lee Thomas said that the new survey comes shortly after another report, which shows the Australia’s nursing and midwifery workforce isn’t keeping pace with the country’s population.

According to the report, Nursing and midwifery workforce 2011, in 2011 there was a total of 326,669 nurses and midwives in Australia. This was an increase of 6.8 per cent since 2007.

But when compared to Australia’s population, the report showed that supply decreased from 1,095 to 1,081 full-time equivalent nurses and midwives – down 1.3% between 2007 and 2011.

“These reports both show worrying trends,” Ms Thomas said today.

“They point to systemic problems in the workplace, including burnout and stress as nurse numbers fail to keep up with demand.

“Amazingly, in the middle of this continuing crisis, there are hundreds of graduate nurses in Victoria and Tasmania who cannot get jobs.

“The ANF calls on the governments of those States to change their policies and allow these trained nurses to work in our hospitals.”

Ms Thomas said the findings of workforce report were concerning at a time of growing demand for health services across the country, particularly in regional areas and in aged care.

“Whilst the overall number of nurses and midwives increased over the four years, it’s worrying that the local workforce isn’t keeping up with Australia’s population,” Ms Thomas said today.

“The fact is we are still experiencing a shortfall of nurses and midwives across public and private hospitals and other health settings like nursing homes and mental health facilities. As the ANF’s recent Because We Care campaign highlighted, in aged care alone 20,000 nurses are urgently needed to meet the challenges of Australia’s ageing population.

“The ANF is urging both State and Federal Governments to work together to rebuild the current nursing and midwifery workforce to replace the staff who are set to retire over the next 15 to 20 years.

“We need not only to recruit more nurses and midwives but to retain them as well. We can only achieve that if there are increased numbers of funded places for undergraduate nursing and midwifery courses, more clinical placements throughout their undergraduate courses and improved workloads, staffing ratios, wages and conditions for existing nurses and midwives.

Media Contact: The Premier Communications Group (Jim Maher 0403 044 216)

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