Australia's health workforce series: nurses in focus

The health environment nurses operate in is changing, and nursing roles have, and are, continuing to evolve to match the environment. There is an ongoing trend for increasing hospital admissions, reduced lengths of stay, increased acuity and greater use of technology. More care and more complex care is being provided in the community, additional aged care beds are being opened and nurses are taking on more roles and more diverse roles. As well as providing care, the nursing role encompasses health promotion and prevention, education and management and for nurse practitioners, extends to...  [+] Show more

The health environment nurses operate in is changing, and nursing roles have, and are, continuing to evolve to match the environment. There is an ongoing trend for increasing hospital admissions, reduced lengths of stay, increased acuity and greater use of technology. More care and more complex care is being provided in the community, additional aged care beds are being opened and nurses are taking on more roles and more diverse roles. As well as providing care, the nursing role encompasses health promotion and prevention, education and management and for nurse practitioners, extends to providing primary care by assessing and managing clients - including providing referrals and prescribing medications. For the essential role nurses play in Australian society, combined with the fact they make up a substantial proportion of Australia's health workforce, it is important to understand the characteristics and the supply sources of Australia's nursing workforce.

Excerpt from publication.