Attend the rally TODAY and sign the online petition to support them.

The Police Association of NSW are fighting for their Death and Disability Scheme. The bill is also proposing that the Police Association be disallowed from taking it to the NSWIRC for arbitration on the matter.

In response the Police Association is having a rally today (22 November 2011) at 11.00am in Hyde Park, Sydney to defend their current entitlements.

The NSWNA Committee of Delegates meeting passed the following resolution in support of Police as they fight to retain this important benefit:

The NSWNA supports our police colleagues in their campaign to retain the death and disability benefit for serving police officers. This Committee of Delegates strongly opposes the proposed laws by the O’Farrell Government.

The police suffered 2855 assaults on them last year. Please take some time to sign the online petition found here to support the brave work that police officers do in our community.

Image credit: NSWNA

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The Men in Nursing forum held on October 18th, was a huge success.

Around 29 men attended the event, both nursing students and nurses. Others could not attend but expressed strong interest in being involved in future events.

Brett Holmes opened the event with a warm welcome from the NSWNA and his own nursing experience.

Speakers and topics discussed included:

• Brett Holmes, NSWNA General Secretary – ‘My Career in Nursing and Midwifery.”
• Tom Schrader, President, Sydney University Society for Men in Nursing – ‘Promoting Men in Nursing and Developing Strategies for Future Forums.’
• Murray Fisher, RN/PhD Senior Lecturer Sydney Nursing School – ‘Masculinities and Men in Nursing.’
• Charles Linsell, Retired Mental Health Nurse – ‘History, Barriers, and Stereotypes for Males in Nursing.’
• Phillip Millard, Recruitment and Liasion Officer NSWNA, and Tom Schrader – ‘Discussion and Ideas, where to from here?’

Some of the key points that came up at the forum were:

• The desire for an all day forum around men in nursing on the education calendar.
• This was almost unanimously supported in a questioner given to all who attended on the night.
• NSWNA has 10.5% male membership with 19.9 % of the delegates being men in nursing. Pre-empting a request for the NSWNA to be promoting men in nursing in advertising.
• Increase in information to young men about the rewarding career opportunity nursing provides. Promoting men in nursing to school leavers.
• 

Feedback was that the key note speakers were enjoyable and informative.

The large majority of men (90-95%) that attended the forum offered to get involved with the promotion of men in nursing.

You can find our blog series on Men in Nursing here. To view photos of the event click here.

Are you a male nurse that attended, or wished to attend the forum? What did you get out of it?

How would you like to see Men in Nursing promoted?

Share your thoughts and experiences with us in the comments section!

Image credit: NSWNA

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Thank you to those who have already responded to the survey, but if you haven’t had the chance to do so yet this is just a gentle reminder that your information is still very much needed!

As the consequence of a direction by the NSW Industrial Relations Commission, the NSW Department of Health and the NSW Nurses’ Association have commissioned a group of independent researchers at the University of Sydney Nursing School to conduct a survey of nurses in the NSW public health system in order to understand their experiences of night shifts.

We are therefore seeking nurses (registered nurses/midwives, enrolled nurses and assistants in nursing and midwifery) interested in completing a survey to tell us about their shift patterns and their experiences of working night shifts.

To participate you must either:

i. Work night shifts in the NSW public health system now, OR
ii. Have worked night shifts in the NSW public health system during your nursing career

Participation in the study is voluntary and all data will be collected anonymously.

If you are interested in completing the survey please click here.

Image credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/almekinders/

Don’t forget to enter our Nurse Uncut Christmas Contest! You could win an Ipad 2 worth $894!

The independent inquiry into insecure work, the important next step in the Secure Jobs. Better Future campaign is now officially open!

The inquiry will be the first formal investigation into the growth and spread of casual, contract, labour hire and other forms of insecure work in Australia. It will also exam ine the impacts on workplace rights, family finances and society. Read more about it here.

The ‘Your Rights at Work’ team is encouraging everyone to make a submission.

“We want you to share your stories about insecure work and its impact on you and your family.”

You can lodge a submission online, through email, by calling our inquiry hotline on 1300 362 223 (toll free) or via the post.

Help spread the word about the campaign and inquiry. Ask your friends and family to make a submission.

Everyone should have a job they can rely on!

Are you a casual nurse? Have you worked on a casual contract in the past? How did it affect your budgeting/ finances/family life?

Tell us in the comments section below.

Image credit: Your Rights at Work.

Don’t forget to enter our Nurse Uncut Christmas Contest! You could win an Ipad 2 worth $894!

Sydney Hospital is celebrating 200 years of history on Sunday!

Sydney Hospital has been on its present site in Sydney’s historic Macquarie Street since 1811 and is Australia’s first hospital. It is also home to the first nursing school in Australia.

At exactly 12.45pm, October 30, 1811, Governor Lachlan Macquarie laid the foundation stone for the hospital in Macquarie St.

Between 1811 and 1816 the two free-standing northern and southern wings were added to the main building. The new hospital became known as the Rum Hospital, since it was built by private contractors in exchange for an exclusive license to import 45,000 gallons of rum, which eventually turned into 60,000.

But the hospital we see today is not the original one.

Shortly after it was built the government architect, Francis Greenway, reported it was poorly constructed.  In the late 1880s, the main hospital was demolished and the new one built in 1894.  In 1829, the northern wing was reclaimed by the government to become the first parliament and in 1854 the southern wing became the mint.

The oldest remaining building on the hospital site is the Nightingale wing.

On October 30, NSW Governor Marie Bashir will commemorate the laying of the first foundation stone by re-enacting the gesture.

Will you attend the open day?

Source and image credits: NSWNA and The Wentworth Courier 

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Sydney Hospital is celebrating its bicentenary this month, with a community open day and an exhibition.

Dating back to the arrival of the First Fleet in 1788, Sydney Hospital has been on its present site in Sydney’s historic Macquarie Street since 1811 and is Australia’s first hospital.

It is also home to the first nursing school in Australia.

Sent to the colony by Florence Nightingale following a request by the colonial government in the mid 1800s, Lucy Osburn laid the foundation of professional nursing in Australia by founding the Sydney Hospital nursing school.

To celebrate Sydney Hospital’s bicentenary and the invaluable contribution of the hospital’s nursing staff over the past 200 years, the hospital will be throwing its doors open wider than ever to the public.

On Saturday, 29 October, the Sydney Hospital’s Bicentenary Community Open Day will be a full day of celebrations, recognising staff past and present who have contributed to making Sydney Hospital the outstanding health facility it is today.

The Community Open Day will take place on site in the hospital’s courtyard from 10am to 3pm, and will feature tours of parts of the hospital’s current clinical areas and historic areas, such as the Lucy Osburn Museum, stalls showcasing the work of Sydney Hospital’s clinical departments and facilities, special guests, live entertainment and food stalls.

On the same day, a professionally-curated exhibition, ‘Sydney Hospital: Celebrating 200 years of care’, will be opened, and visitors will be able to take a historical tour within the hospital.

The exhibition will run until Friday, 2 December, and maps the hospital’s history – from its beginnings as a tent hospital with the First Fleet to the health-care facility it is today and its future endeavours in the areas of general medicine, eye, hand, sexual health and drug and alcohol management.

Nurses who have worked and/or trained at Sydney Hospital are encouraged to attend Sydney Hospital’s Bicentenary Community Open Day and celebrate their contribution of nursing to the hospital’s proud history.

You can read more about the history of Sydney hospital here and book the various tours here.

Will you attend the Community Open Day?

Where would the industry we be without the first nursing school? Leave a comment below and tell us your thoughts.

Image credit: NSWNA

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A symposium will be held next Wednesday to challenge the migration of health care workers in Australia and the Pacific.

It will bring together legal expertise, employers, recruitment and immigration agencies and stakeholders.

The continuing global shortage of more than 4 million health care workers is symptomatic of the crisis in health care as essential public health services are reduced, with both health care workers and users suffering its severe consequences.

Session 1 is: Migration Law, Nursing Recruitment, Employment and Registration
Session 2 is: Migrating to Australia-a first hand experience
Session 3 is: Case Study/Panel discussion

Guest speakers will include Laurie Berg, Lecturer, UTS Law Faculty, Genevieve J. Gencianos, Coordinator, International Migration and Health and Social Care Workers Programme, Public Services International. A number of nurses that have migrated to Australia will also share their experiences.

Date: Wednesday 12 October
Time: 2-5pm
Venue: 50 ODea Ave, Waterloo, 2017
Light refreshments will be provided.

Please RSVP to Alyce Gillespie:1300 367 962, 02 8595 2150

Image credit: NSWNA

Don’t forget to enter our Nurse Uncut Christmas Contest! You could win an Ipad 2!

Rugby World Cup fever is everywhere!

The pool matches are complete and the quarter final line-ups confirmed. What Pool did you find the most entertaining overall?

The Wallabies have already had a string of injuries. The casualty list is: Pat McCabe (shoulder), Kurtley Beale (hamstring), Digby Ioane (broken thumb) and Rob Horne (broken cheek).

Wallabies prepare for their game

NSW Waratahs winger Lachie Turner and Western Force flanker Matt Hodgson have been added to the Wallabies 30-man squad. The pair are being flown to New Zealand to join the team as replacements for Drew Mitchell and Wycliff Palu respectively.

Both Drew Mitchell and Wycliff Palu received hamstring injuries, with Drew Mitchell straining his during the 68-22 win over Russia which ended the pool phase.

Anthony Fainga’a was also knocked out in the match against the US.

Have you ever nursed any Rugby players with sporting or other injuries? 

and most importantly…what team are you supporting?!

Image credit: Jpenwa via Flickr

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The NSWNA in collaboration with PSI (the global union federation for public sector trade unions) are undertaking a project to identify and research the challenges posed by international migration in the health and social care sectors in Australia. Can you help?

The continuing global shortage of more than 4 million health care workers is symptomatic of the crisis in health care as essential public health services are reduced, with both health care workers and users suffering its severe consequences.

A direct consequence of this crisis is the exodus of workers from health sector employment, which eventually leads to migration, with workers seeking better pay and working conditions in other countries.

The NSW Nurses’ Association, in conjunction with Public Services International (PSI) are undertaking a comprehensive participatory research and mapping of migration in the health and social care sectors .

Would you have some time to contribute to this very important research project?

Are you available to attend training on 13 & 14 October 2011? Do you know nurses and other health care workers that have migrated to Australia and would be interested in being interviewed as part of the research?  If so, we’d love to hear from you!

For more information, please contact Lisa Kremmer: lkremmer@nswnurses.asn.au or phone (02) 8595 1234.

Image credit: PSI

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Nurses from these five Private Hospitals are taking industrial action today (26th July).

• MINCHINBURY COMMUNITY PRIVATE HOSPITAL
• DELMAR PRIVATE HOSPITAL (DEE WHY)
• MANLY WATERS PRIVATE HOSPITAL (MANLY)
• EASTERN SUBURBS PRIVATE HOSPITAL (RANDWICK)
• PRESIDENT PRIVATE (KIRRAWEE)

Minchinbury Private Hospital Nurses

Currently a registered nurse at these hospitals earns nearly $10,000 less per annum than an equivalent nurse in the public health system!

They earn up to 12% less than other private sector nurses!

They are pitted against an uncompromising employer!

Support these courageous nurses as they fight for fair pay and conditions.

You can register your support in the comments section below.