MELBOURNE, 29 August 2022: The Victorian government has boosted nursing or midwifery education and positions. It has announced a $270 million boost to the health system, more than 17,000 nurses and midwives will be recruited and trained as part of a massive hiring and upskilling initiative – building an army of home-grown health workers to care for Victorians.
More than 10,000 students will have the cost of their nursing or midwifery undergraduate studies paid for, while scholarships will be available for thousands more who complete postgraduate studies in areas of need including intensive care, cancer care, paediatrics and nurse practitioner specialities.
Premier Daniel Andrews says “If you’re in Year 12 and you’ve been thinking about studying nursing or midwifery – go for it. We’ve got your HECS fees covered.”
If you're about to finish school and been thinking about studying nursing or midwifery – go for it.
We've got your HECS fees covered. pic.twitter.com/ZarxO3RAiQ
— Dan Andrews (@DanielAndrewsMP) August 28, 2022
All new domestic students enrolling in a professional-entry nursing or midwifery course in 2023 and 2024 will receive a scholarship of up to $16,500 to cover course costs. Students will receive $9,000 while they study and the remaining $7,500 if they work in Victorian public health services for two years.
More midwives will join the workforce through an expanded postgraduate midwifery incentive program, which will provide scholarships to cover course costs and salary support for 150 existing nurses to continue working while they complete their specialist studies in midwifery.
The initiative, together with the $12 billion Pandemic Repair Plan brings the number of nurses and midwives being supported to more than 20,000, including funding 13,000 nursing and midwifery positions and scholarships, and funding the upskilling of 8,500 nurses.
Premier Daniel Andrews says “If you’re in Year 12 and you’ve been thinking about studying nursing or midwifery – go for it. We’ve got your HECS fees covered.”
The package, says a media release, also includes:
• Scholarships for postgraduate nurses to complete studies in specialty areas such as intensive care, emergency, paediatrics and cancer care – worth an average of $10,000
• $11,000 scholarships for enrolled nurses to become registered nurses, covering course costs and boosting the number of registered nurses
• $12,000 scholarships to support training and employment of 100 new Nurse Practitioners in both acute and community settings
• More than $20 million to provide more support to the growing numbers of graduates and postgraduates as they transition to working in our hospitals – ensuring they have access to the clincial educators, preceptors and study time they need.
In the past eight years, the number of nurses in the public system has risen by more than 26 per cent – increasing by 9,400 to more than 45,000 nurses. The Labor Government has overseen a net increase of more than 22,000 healthcare workers in the system since 2014 – up by 27.6 per cent.
An ANMF press release says, ” The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (Victorian Branch) has welcomed the Andrews Government’s detailed plans to grow the nursing and midwifery workforce by removing undergraduate and postgraduate education costs.
ANMF is particularly excited about having the nation’s only statewide plan to support the employment and growth of nurse practitioners. The plan will fund 100 nurse practitioner candidates’ education costs and provides funding for public hospital nurse practitioner positions. It is an important recognition of our most senior clinical nurses and will create a much-needed career path.”
