International Nurses Day, Friday, 12 May- Safe Staffing Saves Lives
Type: Media Releases Subject: Nursing Issues
11 May 2006
Nurses and their local communities throughout NSW are preparing to celebrate International Nurses Day (IND) this Friday, 12 May 2006. This year's theme is Safe staffing saves lives.
NSWNA General Secretary, Brett Holmes, said International Nurses Day gives the general public and nurses, in every city, suburb and town throughout NSW, a chance each year to reflect on the vital work nurses do in the community.
"This special day is a chance to recall and celebrate the magnificent contribution hundreds of thousands of nurses have made to NSW over the years and the importance of nursing to our personal and social well-being - both now and in the future.
"In hospitals, health facilities, community health, disability and aged care settings throughout the State nurses are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year to provide care for the sick, injured and elderly. That is again something to celebrate.
"This year's theme also reminds us that we need to maintain a strong nursing workforce so we can provide safe staffing levels in our health and aged care facilities. We are still emerging from a severe nurse shortage in NSW and across Australia. That shortage has made it difficult at times to maintain safe staffing levels.
"Because it is an undeniable truth that safe staffing does save lives, we must do everything possible to ensure we can and do maintain safe staffing levels in our hospitals and aged care facilities. So as we celebrate nursing around the State, and around the world, on Friday we should also take some time to reflect on this important challenge," Mr Holmes said.
There are more than 95,000 registered and enrolled (about 81,500 registered and over 16,500 enrolled) nurses and midwives registered with the NSW Nurses and Midwives Board. NSW also has about 10,000 assistants in nursing. International Nurses Day is celebrated annually on the anniversary of Florence Nightingale's birthday - May 12.
IND celebrations are being held in hospitals, nursing homes and other health facilities around the State. Local nurses, hospital and health-care officials should be able to provide you with information on the diverse work being done by nurses in your region.
The NSWNA General Secretary and Assistant Secretary will attend the following IND events on May 12
General Secretary, Brett Holmes
Event
Time: 2.00pm
Venue: Gosford Hospital, Racecourse Rd
Event: The Great Debate: Who are the best managers?- Males or females?
Contact: Lynne Wood 02-4320 3485
Assistant Secretary, Judith Kiejda
Event One -Nursing Expo
Time: 10.30am
Venue: Nepean Hospital, Derby Street Penrith - South Block Foyer
Contact person: Michelle Heat 02-4734 1854 or 0416 010 204
Event Two - BBQ with nurses
Time: 12.00noon
Venue: Blacktown Hospital
Contact: Cath Carlyon 02-9881 8000 - pager 7621
Event Three - Afternoon tea
(and viewing Family Feud with the nurses, who have a team challenging the Royal Hospital for Women, Melbourne)
Time: 4.30pm
Venue: Royal Women's Hospital, Barker Street Randwick
Contact: Cathryn Delfendahl 02-9382 6111 - ask for Paddington Unit
Examples of other events notified to the NSWNA office are attached
Media Enquiries
General Secretary Brett Holmes
Assistant General Secretary Judith Kiejda
NSWNA Media John Moran
02 8595 1234
Downloadable files
International Nurses Day Event List (28kb)Join the NSW Nurses' Association
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