Dr Carlo Caponecchia (Senior Lecturer at UNSW) spoke at the 74th Annual Conference about Psychosocial Hazards at work within work health and safety frameworks.
Intro by Sophie Scott (ABC)
Dr Carlo Caponecchia (Senior Lecturer at UNSW) spoke at the 74th Annual Conference about Psychosocial Hazards at work within work health and safety frameworks.
Intro by Sophie Scott (ABC)
Dr Jacqui Pich (Lecturer at UTS), spoke at the NSWNMA 74th Annual Conference Professional Day about violence in nursing and midwifery and the findings of her most recent survey.
Intro by Sophie Scott (ABC)
by sheen
The shocking impacts of violence and aggression toward frontline nurses and midwives dominated discussion at the 74th Annual Conference of the NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association (NSWNMA) in Sydney.
Desperate for support, more than 400 nursing and midwifery delegates rose from their seats inside the International Convention Centre to show NSW Health Minister, Brad Hazzard, the widespread need for improvement across the state.
NSWNMA General Secretary, Brett Holmes, said the current systems and violence prevention policies were clearly inadequate in addressing the growing prevalence of the issue.
“It’s devastating to know almost every nurse and midwife attending conference has been on the receiving end of violence or aggression in their workplace at some point during their career,” said Mr Holmes.
“This is a systemic issue and it’s having a profound impact on the health sector. A sector which is already under enormous pressure from population growth, increased presentations, increased acuity and massive understaffing issues.
“Public, private, aged care, mental health and community health workers are all being impacted – of all qualifications and levels of experience. This cannot continue. The Minister must prioritise addressing this issue.
“We represent the largest part of the health workforce. Nurses and midwives should be able to feel safe in their workplace.”
NSWNMA Assistant General Secretary, Judith Kiejda, said the campaign for nurse-to-patient ratios to be introduced, shift by shift, across all hospitals had unanimous support from delegates to continue.
“This is a fight to improve patient safety and ensure our nurses and midwives don’t continue to be worked into the ground. They are working understaffed and under supported and it’s not good enough,” Ms Kiejda said.
“We will not let this go and we will not shut up about it. We need nurse-to-patient ratios in NSW because we know ratios save lives – the evidence is in. We also know mandated ratios would result in better patient outcomes and the economic benefits are a no brainer.
“Victoria and Queensland are enjoying the benefits ratios bring to their public health systems – we want patients in NSW to benefit too. The sooner this government wakes up to this fact, the better.”
International guest speaker, Tracy Zambory, President of the Saskatchewan Union of Nurses encouraged conference delegates to keep up the fight and to continue supporting each other.
“We can use our voices to demand better and drive change for all. Rather than remaining on perpetual defence, we need to be bold. There is unfinished business, we need to all come together. We need to all stand and practise solidarity as a whole,” said Ms Zambory.
NSWNMA delegates committed to continue robust campaigns for nurse-to-patient ratios throughout the entire health system and aged care sector to improve staffing and skills mix.
Download this release: Urgent need for ratios and action on violence
by sheen
Adverse impacts of violence towards nurses and midwives, the need for nurse-to-patient ratios in NSW and sustainability challenges confronting health will all be canvassed during the 74th Annual Conference of the NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association (NSWNMA) in Sydney.
From today, more than 800 nurses and midwives from across NSW will gather at the International Convention Centre, Sydney to highlight issues impacting their professions and discuss what the future holds for health sector workers.
NSWNMA General Secretary, Brett Holmes, said the three day conference, themed Live Well: Promoting Self Care & Sustainability, would also focus on systemic issues including the current aged care staffing crisis, shortages in midwifery and the changing landscape in health overall.
“Our members are at the frontline of health and continue to face increasing challenges in their workplaces across the public, private, aged care, mental health, disability and community services sectors,” Mr Holmes said.
“They are constantly advocating for safe patient care across all spectrums and feel compelled to speak out on behalf of others, yet they themselves often bear the brunt of a health system buckling under increased pressures.
“We need a sustainable, fully-supported workforce in order to meet the growing needs of our ageing population, which we know is compounded with complex healthcare needs.
“This conference will be an opportunity for our 64,500 membership of nurses and midwives to use their collective strength and achieve better health outcomes for themselves and their professions.”
Today, eight Professional Day guest speakers will address the conference, including Dr Carlo Caponecchia, President of the International Association on Workplace Bullying and Harassment; Dr Jacqui Pich, nursing and midwifery violence researcher, UTS Sydney; Professor Susan Kurrle, Director of Cognitive Decline Partnerships Centre; Jacqui Cross, Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer and Craig Reucassel, ABC War on Waste.
On Thursday, 530 nurses and midwives will hear from NSW Minister for Health and Medical Research, Brad Hazzard, regarding state health funding. ANMF Federal Secretary, Annie Butler, will discuss the impacts of effective health campaigning, while international guest, Tracy Zambory, President of the Saskatchewan Union of Nurses, will outline the challenges of nursing and midwifery in Canada. ACTU Secretary, Sally McManus will also address the conference.
On Friday, delegates will debate resolutions and notices of motion, many of which aim to improve the support provided to hardworking nurses and midwives.
You can follow the 74th Annual Conference via social media, @nswnma and #NSWNMAconf
Only one in 20 Australian fathers takes primary parental leave, according to Australian Bureau of Statistics figures.
Mothers take 95 per cent of the primary carers leave in Australia, and a lack of legislated shared parental leave, traditional gender roles and the gender pay gap are all working to prevent fathers from taking on the role, according to a report conducted by the Australian Institute of Family Studies.
Parents At Work chief executive Emma Walsh told The Guardian that Australia did not have a nationally legislated approach to shared parental leave and as a result fathers were often automatically labeled as secondary carers.
“Most employers provide limited parental leave for secondary carers, if any at all,” she said.
“This divide is reinforced by entrenched social views of the breadwinner and homemaker gender ideals. Fathers are conscious of a stigma and bias around taking extended leave, especially when they are unable to see many of their male colleagues taking leave.”
Walsh says extensive research demonstrates the benefits of fathers taking parental leave, including more equal distribution of unpaid care work, a better balance between work and family for both parents, and more opportunities for mothers to pursue their career with flexibility and purpose.
“Economically, shared parental leave is unequivocally good for business. The retention of talent and lower rates of staff turnover, resulting in lower recruitment and training costs, is a key reason some employers provide paid family leave.”