The industrial and professional organisation for nurses and midwives in Australia
Canberra Office (Professional Services)
Unit 3, 28 Eyre Street Kingston ACT 2604
Australia
PO Box 4239 Kingston ACT 2604 Australia
+ 61 2 6232 6533 (T) + 61 2 6232 6610 (F)
anfcanberra@anf.org.au
Melbourne Office (Industrial Services)
Level 1, 365 Queen Street Melbourne VIC 3000
Australia
+ 61 3 9602 8500 (T) + 61 3 9602 8567 (F)
industrial@anf.org.au
anfmelbourne@anf.org.au
ANF Journals
Australian Nursing Journal
Australian Journal of Advanced Nursing
anj@anf.org.au ajan@anf.org.au
ABN 41 816 898 298
Media Release
Attention: news, health, aged care
Friday, June 19, 2009
Critical need for safe staffing levels in aged care
With nearly 40% of aged care residents spending less than one year in a nursing
home and 18% less than 3 months, it is critical that the Australian government acts
now to implement minimum staffing levels and an adequate skills mix of carers,
enrolled and registered nursing staff.
The AIHW report on residential aged care in Australia 2007-2008 reveals nursing
home residents are now frailer and sicker than ever before. Half have a diagnosis of
dementia and a significant number have complex diseases such as heart conditions
and connective tissue diseases like severe arthritis.
“Nursing homes are like mini hospitals, with nurses and carers having to provide a
high level of nursing and end of life care,” said ANF Federal Secretary Ged Kearney.
“We need the right mix of staff with the expertise, experience and qualifications to
recognise disease complications. We need staff who understand the impact of
medication regimes and who also have the time to provide emotional support to
residents and their families at a very difficult time,” Ms Kearney said.
The ANF because we care campaign, is seeking improved working conditions for
nurses and carers working in aged care to recruit and retain a highly skilled
workforce to care for older Australians.
“At a time when Australia’s population is ageing and more and more people need
residential aged care, the number of registered and enrolled nurses working in the
sector has dropped significantly,” Ms Kearney said. The AIHW report demonstrates
the need for a highly skilled workforce and this will only be achieved by recognising
that nurses and carers deserve to be paid fairly and work in facilities with an
appropriate skills mix.”
Media inquiries
Ged Kearney, Federal Secretary
0417 053 322
Lee Thomas, Assistant Federal Secretary
0419 576 590
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