March 19, 2025

safe patient care

7 reasons to back nurse-to-patient ratios

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A new ePetition has been making the rounds on nurse-to-patient ratios, in attempt to force NSW Parliament to debate the idea. Here are SEVEN reasons why you should sign this ePetition.

1.Ratios saves lives

International research has shown time and time again that safe staffing ratios decreases mortality rates in hospital. For example, research by Dr Linda Aiken indicates that an increase of one patient to a nurse’s workload increases the likelihood of an in-patient death within 30 days of admission by 7%.

2. Ratios prevents mistakes from happening

Unsafe staffing levels require nurses to make hard decisions about how much time they spend with their patients. This results in nurses making errors in their line of duty. With safe staffing, nurses will have more time to deliver to consider their decisions and make less mistakes.

3. Ratios reduces incidents of missed care

With less nurses, critical care can often be missed. A study found that nurses missed care ranging from emotional care and support, patient mobility, and assessment and document where there were insufficient numbers of nurses.

4. Patient satisfaction increases with safe staffing

Research shows that patient satisfaction scores tend to be higher in hospitals with lower nurse-to-patient ratios. One study found that patients were 10% more likely to recommend a hospital where they had safer staffing.

5. Ratios reduces nurse burnout

Nurses in adequately staffed hospitals were more likely to report higher levels of nurse satisfaction and lower levels of nurse burnout. This reduces the number of nurses who leave the system for greener pastures.

6. Ratios save money

With less nurses leaving the health system, hospitals are able to save money on retraining and education costs. Further, with an increase in the quality of patient care with safe nurse-to-patient ratios, patient readmissions are starkly reduced – saving the Government millions on further health costs.

7. Ratios work

Domestic and international experience has found that nurse-to-patient ratios work. After California introduced nurse-to-patient ratios in 1999, adverse patient outcomes decreased significantly. Similarly, the quality of patient safety has improved in both Victoria and Queensland after ratios were introduced in those states. Help us get nurse-to-patient ratios debated in NSW Parliament by signing this official ePetition today: http://bit.ly/ratiospetition

Hospital data reinforces exceptional value of nurses and midwives

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The NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association (NSWNMA) has again called on the NSW Government to abandon its public sector wage freeze, following the release of hospital data depicting the unwavering work value of nurses and midwives.

The Bureau of Health Information (BHI) report released today shows nurses and midwives were grappling with the impact of bushfires in January, before the COVID-19 pandemic required an unprecedented response, as they continued care for the regular flow of emergency patients.

NSWNMA General Secretary, Brett Holmes, said the NSW Government must recognise the risk nurses and midwives take each shift to keep communities safe and deliver care, and reiterated calls to scrap the wage freeze.

“The government should not be forcing its wage freeze through the NSW Industrial Relations Commission, blatantly ignoring the productivity of nurses and midwives across the state,” said Mr Holmes.

“The government’s own hospital data shows activity was up during January to March this year, compared to the same period in 2019, yet the government insists nurses and midwives must do more for less.

“Rather than recognising the role nurses and midwives played to shift our health system into emergency response mode for the pandemic, they want to punish them financially with a real wage cut. It’s no wonder nurses and midwives feel unsupported and undervalued.

“Today’s BHI data also shows the extraordinary response of health workers who faced the COVID-19 peak, including an unprecedented 115,894 screening tests being conducted by the end of March.

“After non-urgent elective surgery was suspended from 26 March, efforts are now being made to increase activity quickly to address the massive waitlist backlog, yet again increasing pressure on the workforce to meet demand.

“The government promised 5,000 extra nurses and midwives at the last election, but instead of delivering this commitment they are now threatening to sack nurses. It’s bad policy and doesn’t make economic sense.

“Nurses, midwives and other public sector workers spend their wages in their local communities. The government should not be threatening job losses to justify its wage freeze and it must stop ignoring the fact that the 2.5% pay increase was initially determined as an economic stimulus.”

The NSWNMA is pursuing a case in the NSW Industrial Relations Commission for nurses and midwives to receive their 2.5% pay increase from 1 July.

ANMF welcomes strategy to surge ICU nursing workforce

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Nurses are on the frontline of Australia’s emergency health response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Registered nurses and midwives are the largest component of the country’s health workforce and are integral to the effective operation of the Australian health and aged care systems.

As part of a national, coordinated response to the COVID-19 pandemic and to better protect the health and well-being of all Australians, it is essential that we use all resources available, especially the skills and knowledge of our highly capable nursing workforce.

The ANMF welcomes the Government’s strategy to provide additional training for registered nurses. This will maximise the capacity of experienced, registered nurses and prepares them to boost the intensive care nursing workforce as needed in dealing with the unfolding pandemic.

During infectious disease outbreaks such as COVID-19, nurses are at the frontline of emergency response efforts.

Nurses identify, manage, and treat patients with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 infection, as well as ensure ongoing and everyday healthcare activities continue.

Nurses will deliver critical support to health and aged care systems under increasing demands.

2 April 2020

ANMF statement authorised by ANMF Federal Secretary, Annie Butler. 1/365 Queen St, Melbourne.

Staff raise safety concerns at Leeton hospital

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Ongoing patient safety and staffing issues at Leeton District Hospital have prompted renewed calls by the NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association (NSWNMA) for extra nursing staff.

NSWNMA General Secretary, Brett Holmes, said despite raising the issues repeatedly with Murrumbidgee Local Health District, they still remain.

“Our members have been calling on Murrumbidgee Local Health District for more than a year to address widespread concerns in Leeton hospital’s emergency department,” said Mr Holmes.

“At a minimum, we need two registered nurses to be on duty in the emergency department at all times.

“Expecting one registered nurse to manage patients in the emergency department when there are no doctors available in Leeton is simply not good enough.

“Currently, the emergency department is covered by two registered nurses for just eight hours a day, leaving nurses to work in isolation for the remaining 16 hours and no doctor on site between 8pm and 8am most nights.

“Following a Work Health and Safety inspection in May 2018, several issues were bought to the Local Health District’s attention, including nursing staff repeatedly being forced to work in isolation.

“Working in isolation is not only a problem for individual staff, it has flow on implications for the remaining staff and the level of safe patient care they can provide.

“The physical layout of the hospital is a contributing factor with the emergency department located on the ground floor, separate to the rest of the hospital.

“As a declared mental health facility, the emergency department is also required to assist in the assessment of patients who present with a suspected mental health condition, using a video conference with the mental health team at Wagga Wagga.

“We’re aware there’s been a number of violence and aggression incidences in the emergency department recently, prompting calls for improved protocols and system upgrades to better protect staff.

“A lack of security officers at the hospital is also of concern, with only one full-time Health and Security Assistant employed and no ready access to local emergency services. Leeton police station is not staffed 24 hours and the nearest station is 60 kilometres away at Griffith.”

The NSWNMA confirmed it is continuing raise issues with Murrumbidgee Local Health District directly and intends to keep the local community informed.

Download this release: Staff raise safety concerns at Leeton District Hospital

NSW must support women’s rights to safe care

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The NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association (NSWNMA) has joined a chorus of health organisations and legal groups calling on all NSW parliamentarians to support abortion law reform.

NSWNMA Acting General Secretary, Judith Kiejda, said it was imperative the private members bill, introduced today by Sydney MP Alex Greenwich, passed the parliament without any further delay.

“It is unconscionable that in 2019 NSW is the only Australian state or territory yet to legalise abortion,” said Ms Kiejda.

“The current law is unjust. It not only violates women’s reproductive rights and infringes on their autonomy, it also places an unfair burden on both the patient and their chosen health provider.

“We believe in the rights of patients to determine their own health choices and we certainly believe women should be empowered to decide medical issues regarding their own bodies.

“Any woman who makes this choice should not be unnecessarily punished or impeded by our laws or health system. They should be afforded equal access to safe, high quality health care.

“The proposed Reproductive Health Care Reform Bill 2019 would help facilitate consistency with contemporary clinical standards. Importantly, this bill ensures health practitioners with a conscientious objection must refer a patient on, enabling her to receive the appropriate care.

“Abortion is a health procedure and our legislation must be brought into the 21st century to ensure it is appropriately regulated as such. It should not be a criminal issue, owing to a law that was enacted more than 100 years ago.

“We acknowledge abortion remains a divisive issue, but as advocates for patient safety we cannot ignore the principles of choice, rights and dignity of people. The majority of community members share this view.

“We call on all members of the NSW Parliament to recognise the international human rights obligations at stake and support this bill.”

The NSWNMA is member of the Women’s Electoral Lobby, supporting the NSW Pro-Choice Alliance campaign.

Download this release: NSW must support women’s rights to safe care

Urgent need for ratios and action on violence

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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

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