Residential aged care nurses deserve better wages: AMA
The Australian Medical Association strongly supports calls for better wages for nurses working in private residential aged care facilities.
Chair of the AMA's Advisory Committee on the Care of Older People, Dr Gerald Segal, said the AMA was concerned, but not surprised, by the results of a recent study by the Australian Nursing Federation into nurse wages.
"The report - Quality Wages, Quality Staff, Quality Care - shows that in most states and territories, the pay for nurses in private aged care facilities is 10% to 20% behind the pay for nurses in public hospitals or State-funded nursing homes," Dr Segal said.
"Low wages do not encourage nurses into the system and the subsequent shortage of nurses means workloads for those nurses in the system can be extremely demanding.
"The hours are long and the paperwork never-ending. Some nurses are being asked to work double shifts where, in any one shift, one registered nurse can be caring for up to 90 patients.
"Is it any wonder that the morale of these nurses is so low? In many cases, it is only their commitment to their patients which keeps them in the aged care sector," he said.
Dr Segal said the AMA supported the Australian Nursing Federation's view that quality wages were integral to recruiting and retaining quality staff.
"Aged care is a growing industry. For the sake of patient care and for the self-esteem of nursing staff, it is critical that the industry and Government work together so that more nurses are attracted to working in residential aged care facilities," Dr Segal said.
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CONTACT: Dr Gerald Segal (0418) 559 086
Sarah Bucknell: (02) 6270 5472 / (0419) 440 076