About the APNA Workforce Survey

The APNA Nursing and Midwifery Workforce Survey remains the only survey focused exclusively on over 100,000 nurses and midwives who work outside hospital settings in the community. 

It collects crucial data, not available anywhere else, on the challenges, experiences, and aspirations of nurses and midwives in primary health care. Over the last 20 years, the results have proven invaluable in informing policy, shaping advocacy efforts, and driving improvements within the profession.  

How do we use the survey results?

 The data resulting from the APNA Workforce Survey has been used to:

• Inform APNA's response to multiple consultations and submissions, including:
  • Productivity Commission Consultation Policy Reform: Section 4: A National Framework to support government investment in prevention
  • Proposed Medicines and Poisons Amendment Regulation (No.2) 2025
  • Department of Health and Aged Care – Public consultation on an emerging mental health curriculum framework for undergraduate health degrees
  • Proposed Nurse Practitioner Legislative & Regulatory Amendments (ACT)
• Support research into primary health care nursing, resulting in publication in prestigious journals.
• Secure millions in funding for the Aged Care Nursing Clinical Placement Program and National Nursing Clinical Placements Program to help grow the next generation of primary health care nurses and combat the workforce shortage.
• Successfully support the case for changes to Federal legislation that enabled the removal of the collaborative arrangement requirement, enabling nurse practitioners and midwives to work to their full scope of practice. 

Who can take part?

The survey is open to all nurses and midwives working in primary health care—midwives, enrolled and registered nurses, and nurse practitioners.  

Primary health care includes those working in community health, aged care, general practice, schools, ACCHOs, rural and remote clinics, drug and alcohol services, sexual health, defence, prisons, and much more. 

Has the survey had ethical approval? 

Yes, the survey has been approved by the Monash University Human Research Ethics Committee.