Give nurses the pay they deserve

Was it coincidence or smart editing that I read on page three of CCN 468 how nurses and midwives continue to rally and fight for improved staffing and fair pay while the article below boasts of 10 new recruits to the Central Coast police districts as a direct result of the Minns Government’s focus “on retaining experienced officers and recruiting new ones”?

Whether coincidental or not, it’s time NSW nurses and midwives are given what they deserve – a 15 per cent pay rise.

Surely, if this current State Government can give “a historic pay deal” to NSW police officers of up to 39 per cent, a 15 per cent pay rise to nurses and midwives is not too much to ask?

I am a registered nurse and clinical educator at this district’s largest public hospital and it’s local university.

I can testify firsthand how this current State Government is failing on giving the public the best possible health care this country has to offer by neglecting to invest in its nurses and midwives.

The situation in our hospitals and public health clinics is dire.

It is estimated that eight out of 10 nurses and midwives are considering moving interstate in the next five years.

I personally know of more than a dozen nurses who have already left this local health district for better conditions and pay interstate.

One out of five of my nursing students have only applied interstate for new graduate jobs simply because living conditions and nursing pay is better.

It’s not a matter of if, but when, more nurses and midwives leave this state for better conditions and pay.

The NSW health system is crumbling and without an attractive rate of pay for nurses and midwives, it is only going to get worse.

We are exhausted and (Minister for Central Coast and Member for Wyong) David Harris and the Minns Government are simply ignoring us.

Try as we might, we physically cannot give our patients the care they need and deserve.

We need new money to attract more nurses and midwives so that we can provide the best health care in this country.

It is against our ethos as nurses and midwives to completely walk out on our patients.

Can you imagine the chaos – and deaths – if all of NSW public nurses and midwives refused to provide any care, even for an hour as a way to fight for better conditions and pay?

We won’t do it.

It’s not our nature.

We can’t fight like public transport workers and public teachers and just not provide a service.

Minister for the Central Coast David Harris and the Minns Government know it and bank on our compassion.

So we are calling on you, our past, present and future patients, to tell this State Government that nurses and midwives matter.

We urge you to write to your local MP demanding they give us the conditions and pay equality we deserve.

We fight for better pay; without it, we can’t give you the best care – we are too physically exhausted.

Email, Dec 16
Hayden Jaques, Toukley