Join us at the National Nursing Roadshow!
This Roadshow will provide an opportunity to meet with members across Australia to listen to a panel of experts discussing current strategies, innovations, and solutions for consideration. Participants will be able to interact with the panel to be followed by opportunities for networking with the ACN Executive Leaders and other high-profile guests participating in the event. We encourage you to bring a friend or colleague. Members and non-members are welcome to attend.
Cost: Free
Registration: 5.30pm
Panel commences: 6.00pm
Networking and drinks: 7:00pm
Close: 8.00pm
Discussion Topic - Workforce sustainability and wellbeing
There are approximately 400,000 nurses across Australia who have been at the forefront of a difficult couple of years in health. Initially with the bushfire events across the nation in late 2019 followed by the beginning of the Global Pandemic response and outbreak management commencing in March 2020 and continuing. More disasters with the floods in northern NSW and Queensland and ongoing strains on workforce availability with COVID affected and furloughed staff putting extra strain and stress on the nursing workforce. In addition, nurses have withstood the worst of the communities' frustrations in not being able to accompany or visit their loved ones in hospitals or residential facilities and nurses have carried the burden of an increase in violence in the workplace from both visitors and patients.
All of this has resulted in nurses working onerous amounts of overtime, spending excessive amounts of time in PPE that is restrictive and seen as a barrier to the patient/nurse relationship. Nurses are burnt out, fatigued, and have lost their sense of being valued as the workforce continues with the strains listed above.
It is imperative that we as a profession listen and respond with solutions to ensure that the nursing workforce is heard and supported so that it can remain resilient, contemporary, and responsive to the needs of the community.