Make nurses part of virus recovery

Invest in nurses, midwives and district hospitals, writes

THE COVID-19 social and economic recovery is a priority for all Tasmanians.

No Tasmanian has been left untouched by this global pandemic.

The state Liberal government has given the recovery process the priority it deserves and wasted no time in establishing an advisory council to inform its strategy.

Nurses and mid wives were on the fore front of the COVID-19 response in our healthcare system and can be part of the solution.

Disappointingly, nurses and mid wives were still focused on a potential second wave of the virus at the time the initial report from the Premier’ s Economic and Social Recovery Advisory Council went to government.

However, any funding in the upcoming state budget focused on investment in nursing and midwifery is likely to have a two fold benefit.

Investing in re sourcing and using nurses and mid wives to their full potential not only prepare sand safeguards the health system and community from a devastating second wave, which would be crippling economically and socially, but build son the social recovery that is fundamental to prosperity.

Nurses and mid wives are well placed to support individuals, families and communities in underpinning their economic recovery.

They can also guide and support social recovery. It is widely accepted that education, employment, income and social support greatly affect health.

Equally, investing in the foundations of physical development, emotional support, and support for parents in early life have marked impact son the future social, cognitive, and physical well being of children.

Those children unable to access this support are likely to experience poorer education outcomes, which is likely to have a negative impact on employment, income and, in turn, their health outcomes.

Enormous opportunities exist in our communities to improve not only acute health concerns but long standing chronic conditions along with education, support and social engagement where communities can work together to improve health literacy and overcome challenges caused from poor socio-economic status.

Many communities across Tasmania have a district hospital providing in patient stays as well as emergency treatment through dedicated emergency departments, along with some residential aged care facilities.

District hospitals have run on shoe string budgets for decades, while providing essential health services to communities and preventing further strain on Tasmania’ s stretched public hospitals.

Providing funding in the upcoming state budget for the employment of more child health nurses and more nursing, allied health, and support staff to implement a holistic health model across all district hospitals will not only contribute to the economic recovery by creating jobs but will also address the socioeconomic recovery for our communities.

Child health nurses across the state already do an amazing job with the resources they are provided. Imagine what they could do to contribute to improving the health outcomes of future generations with more, not to mention the jobs this would create to add to a thriving community and economy?

In addition, our district hospitals could be used as community hubs to provide healthcare, health education, and improve the socioeconomic outcomes of communities with co-located services.

Don’ t let Tasmania’ s social and economic recovery be a single point plan, focusing purely on economic recovery.

Let’ s learn the lessons of COVID-19.Let nurses and mid wives be part of the response and the longer term solution.

Emily Shepherd is Tasmanian branch secretary of the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation.