Australia offers some of the best university nursing courses in the world but we are still experiencing a shortage of nurses due to a government freeze on university funding.
“Australian universities are globally recognised for their courses in teaching nursing. Our newly qualified nurses are graduating with the best standards, yet the government denies adequate healthcare education funding,” Australian College of Nursing (ACN) Chief Executive Officer, Adjunct Professor Kylie Ward said.
Australia has been identified as having nine of the world’s top 50 institutions that teach nursing for 2018 with the University of Technology Sydney standing out as the best – ranked seventh in the world by the QS World University Rankings.
“Access to quality clinical placements continues to be a challenge for education providers across the country. Clinical placements are compulsory for the completion of a nursing course and if funding is not allotted for hospitals and health centres to provide for these placements then it will be impossible for students to deliver the patient care they have studied for,” said Adjunct Professor Ward.
The Federal Government announced a funding freeze last year on Commonwealth-supported university courses for two years, supporting a funding model which allows universities to offer places in response to student demand, rather than allocate a number of places for various courses.
“Nursing is the largest single health profession in Australia and nurses are integral to all patient care with specialties ranging from aged care, through to surgical, pediatrics, mental health, education, chronic disease, palliative care, research, to health promotion and everything in between.
“Investing in and supporting nurses in all settings and at all stages of their career ensures Australia has a sustainable nursing workforce,” said Adjunct Professor Ward.
It takes years of post-graduate experience, further study and professional development to acquire the skills to maintain the quality and safety outcomes patients and communities require when disease, illness and technology are increasingly more complex.
To view the university rankings click here: https://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/university-subject-rankings/2018/nursing