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Summer 2003

From HACSU Nurses Sub Branch President

Looking back over the last 12 months, the Sub Branch has dealt with a huge variety of issues. Examples of ongoing issues include the proposed restructure of community nursing, ongoing delays with private hospitals regarding allowances, and the nursing hours per patient day project.

I would like to thank all nurses for their contribution to these discussions. It has been pleasing to see the formation of an Enrolled Nurse Committee, to focus on their issues and feedback into the Nurses Sub Branch.

While the reintroduction of Enrolled Nurse training is a positive for health care, there have been many problems associated with this. The new Enrolled Nurse Committee will go a long way towards helping resolve these issues. It is also pleasing to see an increase in nurses both attending these meetings and becoming members of the committee. I suspect this is because our varied workplaces are becoming increasingly difficult places to provide care, and that we as nurses are fairly tolerant until things become unbearable.

The coming year promises to be interesting, with many of the issues above continuing, along with the aged care campaign to raise awareness of what is happening in that industry. I would encourage all nurses to take an interest in this campaign, as caring for the elderly is an increasing part of the work of nearly all nurses.

I would like to offer my thanks to all members for their input this year, as well as our delegates who have provided us with feedback from their regions.

Debra Visser
President
The above article is an edited version of the Nurses Sub Branch President, Debbie Visser's, address to the Sub Branch AGM.