The Hodgman Liberal Government is investing in our next generation of Tasmanian nurses to create job-ready, highly skilled graduates.
We are now fixing a broken health system to deliver better outcomes for staff and patients. Workforce planning and ensuring training is aligned to the State’s future needs from its health workforce is an important part of the Government’s health reforms.
We know that at the current rates, there will be a projected workforce gap for Enrolled Nurses as early as 2016, not only in hospitals, but in aged care and disability services.
The Government and the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation both support increasing the proportion of Enrolled Nurses as a share of the total nursing workforce, and that’s why we are committing $198,000 to help address this skill shortage.
This funding will support around 20 placements, with at least 10 of those being job seekers, of a new model of Diploma of Enrolled Nursing, which will see graduates finish their training with a very high skill-mix and being ‘work ready’.
The new model uses more hands-on training, incorporating simulations and practical teaching methods as the main form of learning, rather than an add-on to the course.
This training will be delivered by Health Education and Research Centre, a statewide training organisation which already delivers Advanced Diploma of Nursing to Enrolled Nurses in rural areas including Scottsdale, St Marys and Burnie, and which is working to build access to training and development for nurses in all regions.
The ANMF is to be congratulated for the significant investment they have already made to workforce development and we look forward to this partnership producing the next generation of highly skilled Tasmanian nurses.
This Government is committed to supporting our frontline services by delivering real skills for real jobs and this funding demonstrates our commitment to supporting Tasmanian nurses.
Matthew Groom, Minister for State Growth
