A Queensland Nurses and Midwives’ Union (QNMU) poll has revealed almost half the Queensland Health (QH) members surveyed could be forced to leave their professions. 

QNMU Secretary Sarah Beaman said a poll of 20,000 QNMU members found 46% of public nurses and midwives questioned were thinking about leaving in the next 12 months.

“Vast numbers of Queensland Health nurses and midwives are overworked, burnt out and thinking about leaving their professions,” Ms Beaman said.

“When we’re short on valuable nurses and midwives, we see ambulance ramping, increased surgical wait lists, increased emergency department wait times and decreased community wellbeing.

“To continue to deliver a free public healthcare system Queenslanders can rely on, the state government must invest in thousands more nurses and midwives – and they need to do it now.”

Ms Beaman called on the state government to commit additional funding for at least 11,800 additional, permanent, full time equivalent (FTE) nurses and midwives in Queensland by mid-2029. The ask is one of more than 40 contained in QNMU’s State Budget 2024-25 nursing and midwifery priorities document available  Qld Election 2024 (qnmu.org.au).

“The Queensland Nurses and Midwives’ Union and our members have provided solutions to the state’s workforce crisis,” Ms Beaman said.

“We have put forward more than 40 recommendations to achieve safe staffing numbers into the future, including workforce planning, free nursing and midwifery courses, payment for student placements, a Nurse and Midwife Mentoring Program, local health hubs, dedicated support and accessible and affordable housing in metropolitan, regional, rural and remote areas.

“The QNMU today calls on all sides of politics to commit to recruiting at least 11,800 additional Full Time Equivalent nurses and midwives over the next four years. We also seek a commitment nurses and midwives will be respected and their working conditions improved so they can stay.”

The QNMU today launched the Nurses and Midwives. More of us. Better for you campaign to secure state government funding and planning for additional nurses and midwives. 
 
QNMU member and nurse of 50 years Christine Cocks said frontline nurses and midwives were suffering under difficult conditions.  

“We are now at the point where Queensland’s frontline public nurses and midwives are being forced to leave the work they love,” Ms Cocks said.

“Some have been impacted so deeply they simply cannot set foot at a facility where they have worked for years due to the current dangerous levels of understaffing.

“Having more nurses and midwives is in everyone’s interests.”  

The QNMU will not rest until safe staffing levels are funded, planned and achieved. 

Media contact: Lou Robson 0422 550 278