Nurses are on the frontline of every lifesaving battle against the array of diseases that sadly inflict our community. Nurses will utilise this expertise to protect Australians as we face the coronavirus threat.
“While this coronavirus is new, nurses are trained to deal with infectious diseases and are ready to support Australians just as they always have and always will”, Australian College of Nursing CEO, Adjunct Professor Kylie Ward FACN explains. “This is business as usual for our nurses.
“We have already seen stories emerging of nurses meeting planes to check passengers for symptoms. Nurses’ contribution to Australia’s response to this novel coronavirus will cover all aspects including care, leadership, and research.
“This is the Year of the Nurse & Midwife. During this crisis we are reminded of how important nurses are to health care in Australia and around the world and why they are the most trusted profession. During our worst of times, nurses are here for us all.”
“Making up more than half of Australia’s health workforce, nurses are generally the first professional to see a patient, they often are the point of triage and will spend more time with patients than other professionals.
“To assist nurses, health agencies must ensure advice is up to date, consistent and readily available and employers have a responsibility to distribute information immediately and provide the recommended protective equipment, training in use, and appropriate facilities, including isolation spaces.
“While we cannot take our focus from keeping Australians safe from this latest challenge, this should be a wake-up call that as a nation we must invest more in preventing and preparing for outbreaks of infectious viruses.
“The World Health Organization has recognised the global shortcomings in pandemic readiness and developed seven steps countries should adopt.”
