At ACN, we value the insights and experiences of our Affiliate Members. Being an ACN Affiliate Member is more than just a relationship; it is about forming connections, supporting each other, and advancing the industry for our nurses, students, and healthcare professionals. We want to hear directly from our affiliates about why they enjoy being…
Influenza deaths in the first seven months of this year have surpassed the same period in the most recent severe flu year of 2019, according to new data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). ACN Chief Nursing Officer, Frances Rice, said these alarming figures are further evidence that Australia needs more nurse-led programs and…
Tuesday September 30 2025 marks a pivotal moment in Australian nursing history. The new registration standard enabling registered nurses (RNs) to prescribe, in partnership with an authorised prescriber, officially takes effect – the biggest advancement for our profession in more than two decades. Are you a registered nurse? Here’s what you need to know: New…
The Australian College of Nursing (ACN) says Health Ministers must ensure a new prescribing power for registered nurses is implemented smoothly and consistently across all jurisdictions, with comprehensive support from all parts of the healthcare sector. The regulatory standard that will enable registered nurses to prescribe in partnership with nurse practitioners and medical practitioners takes…
As Australia’s aged care sector undergoes transformative reforms, including the implementation of mandatory 24/7 RN coverage and specified care minutes per resident, this leadership-based program offers timely support for nursing professionals in the aged care sector. The ongoing national reforms place increasing emphasis on workforce development, clinical governance, quality assurance, and a heightened focus on…
Research from the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance (NCIRS) says boosting funding and capacity for nurse-led immunisation clinics is a key part of the strategy to reverse childhood vaccination rates, which have been declining since 2020. With access to vaccines identified as a key barrier to immunisation, NCIRS recommends that nurse-led clinics inside…
ACN Nursing in the Community Week, 22-28 September 2025 – #nursesarewhereyouneedthem Throughout the Australian College of Nursing’s (ACN) Nursing in the Community Week 2025, Australia’s nurses will be sending a clear message that nurses are working and providing high-quality care and advice wherever and whenever you need them, and they should be supported to provide…
The Australian College of Nursing (ACN) welcomes the New South Wales and Queensland governments’ introduction of an intranasal influenza vaccine (FluMist) for children aged two to under five years, which will address some but not all of the barriers to childhood immunisation. ACN CEO Adjunct Professor Kathryn Zeitz said subjecting a child to an injection…
As of the most recent figures, there have been 86 cases of invasive meningococcal disease in Australia so far this year, compared with 136 for all of last year, and 143 the year before (Department of Health, Disability and Ageing [DoHDA], 2025c). It is a highly dangerous disease: meningococcal infections were responsible for 249 deaths…
A new app-based tool has been launched to guide aged care providers on their staff education needs, ahead of the introduction of new aged care standards that will require organisations to regularly train staff to deliver quality dementia care. Dementia Australia has developed the new tool, ‘Tell TiNA’, as part of its ‘Ask Annie’ dementia…