Impending Nursing Shortage Must Be Addressed

23 April 2007

The challenges facing our nation’s nursing workforce, raised on this morning’s Nine to Noon programme on Radio New Zealand National by Dr Annette Huntington of Massey University, are exactly the issues the New Zealand Nurses Organisation seeks to address in bargaining currently underway with the District Health Boards.

Dr Huntington spoke of a present and growing nursing shortage fuelled by an aging workforce and the attraction of pay and conditions overseas such as Australia’s legislated nurse to patient ratio of 1:4. It is believed that annually 1000 New Zealand nurses cross the Tasman with only 100 of their Australian counterparts making the reciprocal journey.

Dr Huntington said that while pay is not the most significant issue (for nurses employed by DHBs), safe staffing, the effects of rostered and rotating shift work, recognition of the changes to the profession and the skills and knowledge required in nursing are all important factors in nurses’ career decisions.

Members of NZNO employed by DHBs are campaigning for Fair Play in their current negotiations on the following issues:

• Maintaining the previous pay gain relative to the cost of living and other state sector professions
• Employer subsidised Superannuation
• Consistent implementation of their national employment agreement
• Flexible rostering arrangements to encompass the need to care for dependants, particularly children and parents
• Annual, Sick and Domestic Leave that recognises the nature of their work and the need to care for dependants
• Implementation of the Joint DHB / NZNO Safe Staffing Committee of Inquiry Report recommendations

NZNO Industrial Advisor Glenda Alexander says that the complexity of the issues has meant slow progress thus far at the negotiating table. “Both parties are doing their best to explore the issues without leaping to conclusions or positions. But we must acknowledge that there has been little in the way of firm decision making and NZNO believes a facilitator could help us make more progress.”

There have been 8 days of negotiation so far with the next 2 days scheduled for May 3rd and 4th.

ENDS

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