School Nurses Handbook
APNA developed this handbook to support school nurses. It serves as a comprehensive tool, guiding them in best practice guidelines, evidence-based practices and providing essential resources.
APNA Workforce Survey media coverage
A selection of some of the recent expert analysis and media coverage published about APNA's Workforce Survey
“Nurses are ready to step up”: APNA
HealthcareChannel: 12 February 2025
On Primary Health Care Nurses Day, new data shows that half of Australia’s more than 98,000 primary health care nurses are bogged down by non-clinical tasks, such as taking out the bins and vacuuming, rather than caring for patients.
The Zap: all the health and aged care news, plus a handy list of consultations now open
Croakey Health Media: 10 February 2025
The Australian Primary Health Care Nurses Association (APNA) issued a statement marking Primary Health Care Nurses Day (5 February), claiming that “new data reveals half of the nation’s 98,000+ highly trained primary health care nurses are emptying bins and vacuuming rather than focussing on patient care”.
APNA MEDIA RELEASE: Primary health care nurses taking out the bins while patients wait for care
5 February 2025: On Primary Health Care Nurses Day (5 February), new data reveals half of the nation’s 98,000+ highly trained primary health care nurses are emptying bins and vacuuming rather than focussing on patient care.
APNA MEDIA RELEASE: Women are ending up in emergency while highly skilled nurses are sidelined
30 January 2025: New figures show women are presenting to emergency departments with preventable health issues, while highly trained primary health care nurses remain sidelined from delivering essential women’s health checks
2 in 5 nurses consider leaving primary health care
Nursing Review: 2 July 2024
The Australian Primary Health Care Nurses Association (APNA) has released survey data showing almost 40 per cent of primary health care nurses and midwives are considering leaving the sector in the next two to five years.
APNA MEDIA RELEASE: 2 in 5 Primary Health Care Nurses at risk of leaving Primary Health Care
Low wages and low recognition
26 June 2024: The Australian Primary Health Care Nurses Association (APNA) will meet with Members of Parliament in Canberra this week to discuss solutions and help fix a range of workforce issues which have the potential to cause an exodus of nurses from the country’s primary health care sector in the next five years.
Annual APNA Workforce Survey 2023 - Insights for advocacy and change
Primary Times: Winter 2024
The APNA Workforce Survey is a unique and authoritative source of information about primary health care (PHC) nurses and midwives and the work that they do, which is fundamental to ensuring the health and wellbeing of the Australian population.
'Chronically underutilised': Highly skilled nurses taking on non-clinical tasks
Human Resources Director: 7 June 2024
Four out of five highly skilled nurses in Australia's GP clinics are being "chronically underutilised" as they are forced to undertake non-clinical and administrative work.
APNA MEDIA RELEASE: New survey finds nurses ‘doing paperwork’ instead of treating patients
6 June 2024: At a time of chronic health workforce shortages across Australia, a new survey has revealed that four out of five highly-qualified registered and enrolled primary health care nurses in GP clinics are being forced to undertake a long-list of non-clinical, administrative work, instead of giving people the medical care they need in the community.
‘Exhausted and ready to walk’: It’s long past time to recognise the value nurses bring to general practice
Medical Observer: 29 November 2023
We hear a lot about nurses being a cost to general practice, when the truth is they bring tremendous value to any practice.
APNA MEDIA RELEASE: One in four nurses consider leaving primary health care
APNA Workforce Survey reveals urgency to train nursing’s next generation
13 November 2023: Australia is on notice that its nursing shortage is set to worsen, with one in four nurses working in primary health care (PHC) considering leaving their role in the next two to five years, according to the largest survey of the sector.
One in four tired, burnt out nurses planning to quit
The Queenslander: 6 November 2023
Three-quarters of nurses working in primary health care feel stressed and exhausted at work, with one in four planning to leave their job within two to five years.
Nurses have what it takes to fill rural health delivery gap
Rural Health Pro: 31 October 2023
It’s no secret that there is a huge challenge facing health authorities about Australia’s capacity to meet the demand for health services in regional, remote and rural areas.
It’s high time to let PHC nurses show what they can do
Pearls and Irritations: August 31, 2023
Australia’s primary health care (PHC) nurses are one of our health system’s biggest assets – but they aren’t working to their full potential. A recent APNA survey tells us that despite the widespread under-utilisation of PHC nurses, recent progress in using nurses effectively has virtually stalled.
APNA MEDIA RELEASE: West Australian nurses are Australia’s most underutilised - survey
National primary health care nursing conference opening in Perth
28 July 2023: Western Australia’s primary health care (PHC) nurses are the most underutilised in Australia, according to a national survey of Australia’s PHC nursing workforce.
Survey reveals underutilisation of aged care nurses’ skills despite workforce shortages
Healthcare Channel: 6 July 2023
According to a recent national survey conducted by the Australian Primary Health Care Nurses Association (APNA), more than one third (34%) of nurses working in residential or community aged care settings in Australia are not fully utilising their skills.
Are primary care nurses an underutilised resource in our health care system?
ABC Radio Melbourne: The Conversation Hour, 29 June 2023
This edition of Conversation Hour explores the the role of primary care nurses in the healthcare system and asks whether drawing on their full skill base could create better access to health care for Victorians, and ease the pressures on GPs.
APNA MEDIA RELEASE: Aged care nurses underutilised despite workforce shortage - national survey
One third of all aged care nurses are not being used to their full potential
21 June 2023: More than one third (34%) of all nurses working in residential or community aged care settings are not being utilised most of the time, according to a new national survey of Australia’s primary health care (PHC) nursing workforce.
‘Waste of nursing skill’: A third of primary health care nurses not working to full scope, survey finds
ANMJ: June 14, 2023
A third of Australia’s primary health care (PHC) nurses believe their skills are not being fully utilised most of the time, according to a new survey.
Nurses say they're underutilised in health system
ABC Radio: The World Today: 13 June 2023
Nurses who work in GP clinics say they're not being used to their full potential. The federal budget boosted the payments for general practice to encourage clinics to employ a variety of health professionals, including nurses. But nurses themselves think more change is needed to make sure they can help take some of the pressure off busy GPs.
Chronic disease is making the healthcare system 'implode', and thousands of nurses want to help
ABC Online, 13 June
In a busy Melbourne clinic, practice nurse Fiona Mardling has just finished making her 20th phone call of the day to deliver test results to a patient.
Nurses blame outdated Medicare for restricting skills
Canberra Times, 13 June 2023
A third of Australia's primary health care nurses say they their skills are being under-utilised, with outdated Medicare billing protocols cited as the reason.
APNA MEDIA RELEASE: Nurse skills, experience being wasted despite nursing shortage - national survey
13 June 2023: One third (32%) of all primary health care (PHC) nurses are not being utilised most of the time, according to a new national survey of Australia’s PHC nursing workforce.
Professional Indemnity Insurance
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