INTERNATIONAL NURSES DAY

The Hon. M.J. ATKINSON (Croydon) (15:01): Today is—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! As this is the honourable member's first question in the house, we will treat him with the respect he should be accorded. It is rather like a maiden speech.

The Hon. M.J. ATKINSON: As today is International Nurses Day, marking the birth of Florence Nightingale, my question is to the Minister for Health. Will the minister advise the house how the government is working with nurses to continue to improve the quality of care that nurses provide to South Australian patients?

The SPEAKER: Thank you, and well done. Minister for Health.

The Hon. J.D. HILL (Kaurna—Minister for Health, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Minister for the Southern Suburbs, Minister Assisting the Premier in the Arts) (15:02): I thank the member for Croydon for his first question. I congratulate him on his new role and take this opportunity to congratulate him on his outstanding service to this state over his eight years as attorney-general and minister for multicultural affairs. I must say that I am pleased he is maintaining his interest in the proceedings of this place by asking questions.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.D. HILL: I say to the 14,668 nurses employed in the public health system as at June last year, including 3,692 who have been employed since we have been in office, 'Happy International Nurses Day.' Today is the anniversary of the birth of Florence Nightingale. She was born on 12 May 1820 and today marks International Nurses Day which commemorates that fact. It is also the centenary of the death of Florence Nightingale, who died on 13 August 1910; so she lived to the ripe old age of 90 years. Of course, modern health care owes much to Florence Nightingale.

I was pleased that the member for Morphett joined me at the stall in the mall held by the nurses and midwives union today. We were there to have our blood pressure taken and help to promote International Nurses Day. I thank the member for Morphett for being there.

Of course, Florence Nightingale was a pioneer in areas such as nursing theory, education and preventive medicine, and a formidable advocate for her patients in more ways than one. When Queen Victoria wanted to send Eau de Cologne to the troops during the Crimean War—perhaps to cover the stench of the battlefields—Florence wrote that 'a little gin would do better'.

An honourable member: My kind of nurse!

The Hon. J.D. HILL: She is my kind of nurse, yes. The compassion for the sick and commitment to providing excellent health care that drove Florence Nightingale lives on today in our nursing and midwifery workforce. The education, training, recruitment and retention of health workers, of course, will be critical to providing quality health care in our state, particularly into the future. So, it is important that we continue to provide greater training opportunities, improve conditions and foster new roles and professional pathways in nursing and midwifery.

From 1 July this year, nurses and midwives throughout Australia will meet the same requirements to be registered and their registration will be recognised in all states and territories, subject to the passing of the legislation in this house and other places. The introduction of the Nursing and Midwifery Practice Bill in 2008 recognises nursing and midwifery as separate professions and also provides recognition and protection for the increasing number of nurse practitioners.

I want to talk a little bit about nurse practitioners. These are highly skilled nurses and midwives who have masters level qualifications and who are authorised to practise in an expanded nursing role. Nurse practitioners may perform examinations, prescribe some medications and undertake diagnostic procedures. The role of nurse practitioner provides an important career progression path for nurses and also has a significant role to play in expanding the capacity of our medical workforce. Not only are nurse practitioners capable of undertaking a broader range of roles than other nurses, but they also enable doctors who would otherwise be performing those tasks to undertake alternative tasks.

Currently, there are 28 nurse practitioners working across a range of clinical speciality areas in our public health system and, during the most recent campaign, I was pleased that this government was able to commit to employing 100 additional nurse practitioners over the next four years, including 18 in palliative care, 20 in aged care, 18 in emergency departments and 29 in cancer services. To help the nurses undertake the additional study required, we were pleased to announce that we would provide 80 scholarships worth $20,000 each for nurses to study to become nurse practitioners. So, that is a very practical way of celebrating International Nurses Day.

When Florence Nightingale was starting out, the nursing profession was desperately in need of some PR. Hospitals then were seen as dirty and dangerous, and nurses had a reputation for drunkenness. My, how things have changed! Through Florence's work and the nursing profession's ongoing dedication and commitment to good quality patient care, nursing has, of course, been transformed into a well-respected and vital occupation. Today the professionalism and commitment of our nurses ensure that the image of nursing continues to flourish. Here is some evidence: in the annual ranking of our most trusted professions, nursing claimed top position, ahead of doctors and pharmacists. I will not embarrass members by mentioning where politicians finished. It shows how highly we regard our health professionals. We members of parliament, of course, did languish near the bottom, along with radio announcers and car salesmen.

Finally, I take this opportunity to congratulate all the winners of the recent South Australian Nursing and Midwifery Excellence Awards for their service to South Australian patients. I attended the Nursing and Midwifery Excellence Awards dinner on Friday night, where we were able to pay tribute to the outstanding work of those who have achieved those awards. I also congratulate the recipients of the Premier's Nursing and Midwifery Scholarships of 2010-11. I am sure I can pass on to all of the hard-working nurses and midwives of our state the best wishes of all members of this place.