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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
2020-04-29 Daily Xml
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International Nurses and Midwives Days

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (Minister for Human Services) (16:02): At the request of and on behalf of the Hon. S.G. Wade, I move:

That this council—

1. Recognises the World Health Organization declaring 2020 the 'Year of the Nurse and the Midwife';

2. Recognises both International Nurses Day and International Day of the Midwife;

3. Recognises the courage, hard work and compassion of nurses and midwives in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic; and

4. Thanks nurses and midwives for their outstanding service in hospitals, homes and the community to protect and maintain the health and wellbeing of all South Australians, year in year out and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

I speak today to introduce this motion in the Hon. Stephen Wade's name. The Marshall Liberal government supports the celebration of the Year of the Nurse and the Midwife, International Nurses Day and International Day of the Midwife as an opportunity to recognise the contribution that nurses and midwives make to healthcare settings within South Australia and across the world.

The year 2020 has been designated by the World Health Organization as the International Year of the Nurse and Midwife in recognition of the 200th anniversary of the birth of Florence Nightingale. Florence Nightingale is recognised universally as the founder of modern nursing. She was the caring lady with the lamp. She was also an extraordinary administrator, educator and researcher. Her contribution moved nursing to a profession, characterised by evidence-based practice and increased autonomy.

She influenced nurses and midwives across the globe to lead and shape healthcare delivery and health policy, leading to better health for all. Her pioneering work about the fundamentals of care, including sanitation and hygiene, remain embedded in public health principles today. These fundamentals are more important than ever as we respond to the global COVID-19 pandemic, with personal hygiene and good cough etiquette and social distancing the bedrock of the global response.

As we honour and celebrate Florence Nightingale's legacy, the global community celebrate, engage and empower nurses and midwives as the torchbearers of her legacy. International Nurses Day is celebrated each year on 12 May to coincide with the anniversary of the birth of Florence Nightingale. The theme for this year is 'Nurses: A Voice to Lead—Nursing the World to Health'. International Day of the Midwife is held each year on 5 May, with this year's theme being 'Midwives with Women: Celebrate, Demonstrate, Mobilise, Unite'.

Across the world we are seeing the spirit of nursing and midwifery shine bright in the biggest public health crisis in living memory, with nurses and midwives demonstrating courage, hard work and compassion in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In South Australia, nurses and midwives are strongly stepping up. More than 400 nurses and midwives throughout South Australia's public hospitals have now completed training to upskill in readiness for a COVID-19 surge, particularly in critical care nursing. This extra training for staff at the front line of the COVID-19 response is part of the state Liberal government's strong plan to prepare the South Australian health system for all scenarios.

The skills and training undertaken by these front-line staff will both bolster our ability to respond to the COVID-19 threat and increase the knowledge and skill set of hundreds of nurses and midwives beyond the pandemic. Up to 100 nurses and midwives have also been demonstrating the broad skill base and versatility of their professions by taking on vital roles outside the traditional hospital system during the pandemic, including airport screening, contact tracing, repatriation of international travellers, managing the safe distribution of PPE and providing out-of-hospital support services.

The Department for Health and Wellbeing has developed a five-day accelerated intensive and critical care program to supplement and complement local health network strategies. It is excellent to see that nurses and midwives in SA have embraced the opportunity to undertake extra training for COVID-19, including more than 1,200 who have enrolled in the commonwealth-funded high dependency critical care online course. For anyone yet to enrol, there are still more than 500 funded additional places available.

Another 300 courses have been made available for nurses and midwives throughout the private hospital system, providing a strong boost to the state's capacity to provide high-level care amid the pandemic. Our Country Health rural support service has also developed a COVID-19 acute care course to prepare rural nursing and medical staff for triaging, assessing and managing suspected or confirmed COVID-19 cases. They have made this an open resource for the benefit of country GPs.

Every minute, every shift, every day, nurses and midwives make a real difference in our community. Nurses and midwives are there when life begins and there when it ends. There are few professions that have that privilege but also carry with them such immense responsibility. Nurses and midwives provide a unique and vital contribution to the promotion and support of good health, prevention of illness and management of illness within our health services and communities.

South Australian nurses and midwives are integral to supporting our communities through their dedication, compassion and commitment to ensuring best care for all. Health for all means not just the availability of health services, but bringing a holistic state of physical and mental health that enables a person to lead a socially and economically productive life. With a core role as a patient advocate, scientific reasoning skills and a spectrum of care across the lifespan, nurses are ideally placed to lead and inform decision-making within health services as we work towards health for all. Nurses are the people whom we depend on at some of the toughest times we experience in our lives.

It is significant in highlighting the magnificent work that midwives do that the key is ensuring that women and babies in their care have a positive birth experience. Midwives play a critical role in promoting healthy mothers and ensuring women and babies safely navigate pregnancy and birth. These interactions lay the foundation for the continued health and wellbeing of both beyond childbirth. Midwives also have an important role in health counselling and education, not only for the women but also within the families and the communities.

Once again, this year, we want to pause and pay tribute to South Australian nurse Kirsty Boden, the recipient of the Australian Bravery Decorations Bravery Medal, the Queen's Commendation for Bravery and the Red Cross Florence Nightingale Medal. In the 2017 London Bridge terrorist attack, Kirsty without hesitation ran into danger, offering her nursing expertise and qualities to save others. Kirsty's courage, dedication and her strong will to care for the injured as a nurse and as a caring person will always be remembered.

The Marshall Liberal government is committed to working closely with nurses and midwives to rebuild our health system and to ensure equitable quality access to health care for the community and the people in South Australia. The Marshall Liberal government wants to thank all South Australian nurses and midwives for their outstanding service in hospitals, homes and the community to protect and maintain the health and wellbeing of all South Australians, year in year out and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our nurses and midwives demonstrate leadership, innovation, advocacy and humanity that make a difference to the lives of South Australian communities every day and particularly in these challenging times. I commend the motion to the council.

Debate adjourned on motion of Hon D.G.E. Hood.

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