Success of Victorian patient ratios campaign
MEDIA RELEASE
17 September, 2002
Nurses to hear of success of Victorian patient ratios campaign
Around 200 nurses will gather in Rotorua tomorrow (Wednesday September 18) for the annual conference of the country’s largest nursing organisation, NZNO. NZNO is both the professional and industrial organisation for nurses, representing 32,000 nationwide.
A keynote speaker at the two-day conference is
the the architect of a highly successful campaign to
introduce nurse/patient ratios in hospitals in Victoria,
former secretary of the Victorian branch of the
Australian Nursing Federation, Belinda Morieson.
The campaign has been remarkably successful, with more than 3000 nurses returning to the workforce. As branch secretary, Morieson led the nurse/patient ratios campaign which has reversed the nursing shortage in the state. The ratios apply only in public hospitals.
At the conference, she will be outlining the reasons for the campaign, how it was implemented and why it was successful.
The Minister of
Health, Annette King, will also be a keynote speaker at the
conference, to be held in the Rotorua Convention Centre. She
will meet Morieson at the conference to hear about the
success of the nurse/patient ratios
campaign.
The conference will focus on the issue of safe nursing staffing levels.
ENDS