Productivity Commission must listen to nurses
Published: 7 April 2011
Three Queensland aged care nurses will today tell the Productivity Commission about poor staffing, dangerously low registered nurse numbers, low wages and low morale in Queensland aged care facilities.
The three nurses are part of the Queensland Nurses Union (QNU) contingent giving evidence at the Commission’s public hearings in Brisbane today, 7 April.
QNU appearance before the Productivity Commission’s Caring for Older Australians inquiry
Date: Thursday, 7 April 2011
Time: 12.00 noon
Venue
Holiday Inn
159 Roma St, Brisbane
QNU team
Beth Mohle, QNU secretary
Mary Stranaghan – assistant in nursing, Sisters of Mercy Aged Care Services, Nudgee
Cheryl Dorron - enrolled nurse (medication endorsed), Bluecare Riverlea, Bundaberg
Jeanette Wiley – registered nurse, BUPA, New Farm
QNU secretary, Beth Mohle, said the Productivity Commission must listen to the voice of nurses, who work with the elderly in aged care settings every day, and recommend an urgent boost to nursing staff, including registered nursing staff, in aged care facilities and greater funding accountability for providers of aged care services.
“The Commissioners will today hear directly from three nurses working in aged care and they have a powerful story to tell.
“The four core nursing values of professionalism, advocacy, holism and caring are vital in aged care settings, but, as these nurses will outline, they are continually being eroded by current policy and practice in the sector.
“For example, the Commission will today hear stories of how registered nurse numbers have been cut to as few as one RN for every 120 residents. That is a dreadful situation and the Productivity Commission needs to make strong recommendations about reversing this trend.
“It must put the needs and dignity of residents first and not be too focused on the financial issues it has also been asked to look at. After all, ‘caring for older Australians’ is its brief.
“It must be very clear in its recommendations that aged care facilities have the right number of nursing staff and the appropriate skills mix, which ensures there are sufficient registered nurses to provide the leadership the care teams need.
“Aged care nurse wages also need to be lifted to match hospital rates, so the sector can attract and retain the nurses it needs to provide quality care.
“Finally, assistants in nursing (AINs) are a key part of the nursing care team in aged care facilities. To better protect residents and consumers we need a national system of regulation of assistants in nursing in aged care, which means they are subject to the same accountability mechanisms as enrolled and registered nurses. The QNU joins the Australian Nursing Federation’s call for the Productivity Commission to also recommend this.
“In summary, it must make strong recommendations that ensure:
- The right balance of skills and nursing hours so that nursing and care staff can provide quality care for every resident.
- Fair pay for aged care nurses and care staff who are paid up to $300 per week less than nurses in other sectors.
- Recognition of the professional skills of assistants in nursing and care staff through a national licensing system.
- That taxpayer funding is used for nursing and personal care for each resident.
“Through such recommendations, the aged care nurses of Queensland look forward to the Productivity Commission resolving, through its final report, the problems they confront evey day because of sloppy federal policy settings,” Ms Mohle said.
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