AustralianCollegeofCriticalCareNursesLtd(ACCCN).docVIP

Senate Community Affairs References Committee Inquiry Into Nursing Australian College of Critical Care Nurses Ltd (ACCCN) ACN 088 184 383 Submission written by B. Abbenbroek an behalf of ACCCN National Education and Workforce Advisory Panels. Preamble The following submission is intended to address the issues highlighted in the Senate Inquiry into Nursing terms of reference. Wide consultation throughout the critical care nursing community was undertaken to ensure accurate representation. This submission was developed through the combined efforts of the ACCCN National Workforce Advisory Panel and the ACCCN National Education Advisory Panel. The information, positions and observations contained within this report reflect extensive workforce research recently undertaken by ACCCN and it’s members. The Australian College of Critical Care Nurses (ACCCN) is the peak national professional nursing body representing critical care nurses in state, national and international forums. ACCCN sets professional practice standards for critical care nurses and provides professional leadership through education, research, policy development and industrial advice. ACCCN is a national college with one national and six state/territory management committee’s which in turn provide representation for over 2500 critical care nurses. Our members are registered nurses primarily employed in critical care care settings in metropolitan, rural and remote areas across Australia. Introduction (39) For most of the last decade Australia (1) and the rest of the industrialised world (2-3) have seen enormous expansions in the demand for intensive care units (ICUs) and intensive care beds with a subsequent demand for more intensive care nurses. From literature, media and conference reports there appears to be a consistent demand for more nurses generally (4-7) and qualified critical care nurses specifically (8-10). In NSW, for example, over the past six years admissions to NSW I