Media Release: Celebrating nurses across the region

International Nurses Day is celebrated Sunday, 12 May which is the anniversary of Florence Nightingale's birth. It commemorates the contribution that nurses make to health and wellbeing of society.

Nurses are essential in transforming health care and health systems such that no person is left behind, without access to care or impoverished because of their need for health care.

Southern Queensland Rural Health (SQRH) Director Associate Professor Geoff Argus said International Nurses Day was a wonderful opportunity to pay tribute to the hard working rural nurses across the Darling Downs and South West.

“SQRH supports nursing students in their rural placements and we have implemented a range of strategies to grow the rural nursing workforce. Nursing is the largest component of the rural health workforce with nurses working across a diverse range of settings and specialty areas – from community nursing, aged care, child health, palliative care, emergency care, mental health to nursing management.

“We sincerely thank the tireless work of the highly skilled and experienced nursing supervisors and educators across our region who ensure that the next generation of nurses is fully prepared for the full breadth of practice in regional, rural and remote areas.

“It is a privilege for our team to be supporting nursing students in their training, working collaboratively with rural communities and building rural health training initiatives so that recruitment and retention of skilled health professionals across our region is improved,” he said.

Feedback from midwives and nurses who work in rural and regional centres say it is highly rewarding and an excellent way to develop a nursing career.

The nursing profession is the largest single health profession in Australia. Health is the largest employer in the Darlings Down, and with nurses making up over 50% of this workforce, the importance of this profession to our economy is significant.

Jaden Frame, TSBE Health General Manager said, “nurses are fundamental to the success of the health industry in Toowoomba.  International Nurses Day gives us a chance to thank them for their tireless contribution to our lives and our economy.”