12 May 2004

INTERNATIONAL NURSES DAY 2004: 12 MAY
Nurses: Working with the poor; against poverty

International Nurses Day is a day for the community to celebrate nurses and nursing. The International Council of Nurses' theme for IND 2004 is 'Nurses: Working with the poor; against poverty'.

The Australian Council of Social Service estimates around 2.5-3.5 million people in Australia are living in poverty (Australian Senate Report on the Inquiry into Poverty p.xvi). Nurses are aware that investing in education, health and sound social policy can improve health outcomes.

For IND 2004, the ANF is highlighting poverty in Indigenous communities. Many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, especially those living in remote communities, do not have appropriate housing, reliable supplies of water and electricity, or adequate sewerage and drainage systems, all of which are relevant to health (The Health and Welfare of Australia's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, ABS 2003).

'Nurses recognise that health outcomes for Australia's Indigenous people are dependent on the care they receive,' ANF Federal Secretary Jill Iliffe said.

'There is a need for more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to take up nursing as a career to provide culturally appropriate care and improve Indigenous health outcomes.

'We would like the Australian Government to increase their highly successful nursing scholarships and target Indigenous people so that more are encouraged to choose nursing as a career.'

There are over 275,000 registered and enrolled nurses in Australia (Nursing Labour Force 2002, AIHW 2004), however only about 1,100 are Indigenous (Health and Community Services Labour Force 2001, AIHW 2003).

May 12 is the anniversary of Florence Nightingale's birthday in 1820. She made a significant contribution to nursing internationally: raising the status of nursing as a desirable occupation, especially for women; raising educational standards for nurses; and, improving health care standards generally.



MEDIA CONTACTS

Jill Iliffe, Federal Secretary  0419 576 590
Ged Cowin, Assistant Secretary  0417 053 322
Heather Witham, Federal Communications Officer  0417 359 907

The ANF, representing 130,000 members, is the professional and industrial voice for nurses in Australia.