[brian]

QUEENSLAND'S public-sector nurses have won a massive pay rise that will see them leapfrog their colleagues in nearly every state to become the highest-paid outside NSW.

The $1 billion package, offering a cumulative 25.3 per cent rise over three years to 22,000 nurses, will force other states to pay more to compete.

An ageing workforce and shortage of graduates has also led the Beattie Government to improve working conditions in an effort to entice back nurses who have retired, taken leave or sought jobs in other sectors.

The pay offer will increase competition for nurses, particularly in rural areas and specialities such as midwifery, mental health and theatre work.

The Australian Health Workforce Advisory Committee has forecast a nursing shortfall across the nation by 2010.

Full Story: $1bn offer in nurse pay war [Australian,Australia]

[gwenith]

First the good news - I live in Qld and this affects me

Now the bad news - that $1 Billion is not EACH - of course we nurses ARE worth a Billion each but that is neither here nor there

Now for the serious stuff - a lot of this is political grandstanding (Okay call me a cynic) but the Beattie Goverment has been in hot water over health for some time now. See Qld has a long long history of free public hospital system and a determination by the people of my state to vote out anyone who even looked like messing with it. A succession of scandals in relation to poor managment of the medical side have left the Beattie Goverment with a dwindling voter support and they know it. Hence the vote catcher.

This is the up side of having a public health system - we can and do play politics to get a better deal for ourselves - the downsides, well it is playing politics and you have to accept that the $1 Billion promise will become $500 million by the time it passes through Parliment and will then be whittled to $100 million after the (!@#@#$) Beurocrats in the health department have all had thier little dip into the barrel.

[boabchic1]

Hi Gwenith, lucky you QLD! From a NSW 53yr.old Western Sydney R/N. Beware...remember "your rights in the workplace". Hope you haven't sold yourselves short, by trading off rights we the "older workforce" fought hard for! We "older ones are in for a fight here". I'd dearly love to retire from nursing...but the younger R/N I work with on night duty says 'You're not going anywhere". It's nice to be in demand huh? Yes, we deserve more pay...have heard from a young lady from Iraq, that the nurses get paid more than the Doctors, and if they stay with the hospital, upon retirement the nurses get given a nice parcel of land. Now that's looking after your nursing staff! Reckon the applications for Nursing would increase dramatically! Hmmm thinkin' 'bout movin' to QLD lol!

[Grace Oz]

Hmmmmmm, maybe I'll come out of retirement and move to Queensland!
Not bloody likely!
As Gwenith said, once the "sticky fingers" get their hands in the pot, it won't be anywhere near that amount! I don't trust the buggers!
They're all full of promises!

[boabchic1]

Hear! Hear! Funny that, we've all known it for years... Now we've got get on top of this rights at work push. Secretly though it is nice to know we nurses have some power out there...

[SmilingBluEyes]

Gwenith, love your sense of humor. Nurses in Australia deserve better, clearly.

[chevswife]

the pity of it is though. We have so many older graduates now studying for thier Endorsed Enrolled Nursing and yet once passing, they are finding it very difficult to get positions within the public health sector. I have been an aged care AIN for years and have recently passed my EEN, but here I am five months later, still trying to move over from aged care in to the acute public health sector. I would give anything, go anywhere in the state of queensland and be willing to move myself and my child for a position. SO WHY , am I finding it so difficult to change to the public health service. They say there are so many vacancies but I cant find any for EEN's without on the job experience, although my pracs were highly marked as are my med tests. I am now thinking of going overseas to search for work where I can feel valued and needed. ANY Advice would be gratefully accepted. regards

Originally Posted by gwenith

First the good news - I live in Qld and this affects me

Now the bad news - that $1 Billion is not EACH - of course we nurses ARE worth a Billion each but that is neither here nor there

Now for the serious stuff - a lot of this is political grandstanding (Okay call me a cynic) but the Beattie Goverment has been in hot water over health for some time now. See Qld has a long long history of free public hospital system and a determination by the people of my state to vote out anyone who even looked like messing with it. A succession of scandals in relation to poor managment of the medical side have left the Beattie Goverment with a dwindling voter support and they know it. Hence the vote catcher.

This is the up side of having a public health system - we can and do play politics to get a better deal for ourselves - the downsides, well it is playing politics and you have to accept that the $1 Billion promise will become $500 million by the time it passes through Parliment and will then be whittled to $100 million after the (!@#@#$) Beurocrats in the health department have all had thier little dip into the barrel.

[loquacity]

hi, im a nursing student in edmonton canada, but i was born in brisbane.
just wondering what is your typical starting salary. & is there any differences your aware of? thanks~ Loquacity

[s1716698]

hi, we deservee a rise, we work hard us nurses, we are proffessionals, we are a unique and gifted workforce and so often underestimated, I live in hew south wales and work in qld at gold coast hospital,


go ozzie. s1716698

[atep]

What will be interesting is how much the public girls will really get at the end of it all. Will the staffing shortage be resolved? What benchmarks will you have to meet because of the pay rise and will you be given any paid hours for educational needs and upskilling? Yes we all deserve the pay rise because goodness knows how long Queensland nurses have been left behind some of the other states with regards to pay for years! Now us private nurses will have to wait on Ramsay to see what their offer will be when all is said and done.Gotta admit though,after giving the public system fourteen years of loyal service in Brisbane, QLD nurses need the pay because you certainly are not appreciated for all the effort that you put into it by the system! You Go Girls!