The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) has indicated a demand for nurses – with some calls for retired staff to return to work. For this very reason, the Australian government is trying to lure around 1000 nurses back into the healthcare system to assist with various ongoing duties. It has been estimated that Australia will need more than 100,000 nurses by 2025,and it comes as no surprise that the Australian Nursing Agency (ANA) is looking for overseas nurses to fill the demand.
Prior to the Coronavirus, the Australian Government decided to relax visa rules for 20,000 international nursing students who were able to provide vital support when the COVID-19 reached it’s peak. Given how things played out, we can certainly agree that this was indeed the right decision. Nursing students on work visas were allowed to work for more than 40 hours a week, assisting more experienced nurses, who were able to allocate all their attention in responding to further matters during the health crisis. According to Mitchelle Campbell, dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences at Australian Catholic University, regardless of some overseas graduates lacking experience in certain areas, having an extra pair of hands is still essential as it will allow more experienced nurses to delegate some of the many tasks they have and move on to other larger duties.
According to Lori – Ann Sharp, ANMF’s Assistant Federal Secretary, nursing homes have been struggling to find workers and in some rare cases- there are no registered nurses to work around the clock. Sharp further went on to say that if nursing homes and other healthcare institutions were already understaffed, they won’t be equipped to deal with the coronavirus pandemic. Prior to COVID-19, there had already been a reduction of over 13 per cent of registered nurses in Australia.
Nursing sectors in need
Mental health is an important factor among everyone and is taken seriously by all states across Australia. The recent changes caused by the global pandemic have only increased the need for staff working in mental health. The level of attention given to mental wellbeing is so crucial, that the Prime minister even announced a $1.1 Billion package which boosts mental health services, alongside other services such as domestic violence support.
Aged care is another field where nurses are needed in a wide variety of environments including elderly care in hospitals, rehabilitation homes, nursing homes and private homes. Due to our aging population, and sadly, a rising rate of dementia,the demand for aged care nurses in Australia is rising, many in regional areas.
How we can help?
Here at AABD, our experienced team of recruitment consultants can help you find your ideal employee. If you are looking to hire skilled healthcare workers or any other professional workers, we can assist you. Our service fees start from $0. Most of our work has taken place in regional Australia, and the slow easing of restrictions has once again caused many employers to rehire workers. We understand that finding the right staff can be a challenge – especially now. However, our experienced team of recruitment consultants have been operating through this global pandemic and have found solutions to some challenges employers have been facing.
Our parent company, Australia Migration Services, is a well-established migration firm that handles all visa/migration related matters and has processed numerous employer-sponsored visas, helping both candidates and employers reach a common ground.
