The COVID-19 pandemic has had an enormous impact on all Australians and significantly on the health and aged care professions, changing the way we work and interact with one another.
To gain a better understanding of the COVID-19 outbreak's effect on the nursing, midwifery, and personal care workforce across Australia, the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation, in all states and territories, has partnered with the Rosemary Bryant AO Research Centre to launch the national COVID-19 Workforce Survey.
ANMF (Vic Branch) Secretary Lisa Fitzpatrick said 'It's really important to have a deep level of understanding about how nurses, midwives and carers are coping with the work demands on them at the current time.
'They're under the extreme pressure of being responsible for the health response and worrying about contracting the virus themselves,' she said, 'And they're also anxious about their friends and family and the financial impact of restrictions on their family budgets.'
Director of the Rosemary Bryant AO Research Centre Professor Marion Eckert, who is leading the research team, said 'Prior to COVID-19 similar research has shown that health professionals already work under significant workforce pressures, with one study demonstrating that more than half of participants had high levels of stress.'
'Containment measures will need to remain in place for an indeterminate period which means nurses, midwives and personal care workers will continue to face challenging working conditions," Prof Eckert said.
'The results from the survey will arm us with a heightened level of preparedness to ensure the health system has the appropriate support and resources for the emotional, psychological and physical wellbeing of the workforce during a pandemic," Professor Eckert said.
'ANMF (Vic Branch) is urging nurses, midwives and personal care workers to take part and share the COVID-19 Workforce Survey with their colleagues,' Ms Fitzpatrick said.
In addition, we remind our nurses, midwives and carers to contact their free, confidential support service – the Nursing and Midwifery Health Program Victoria on 03 9415 7551 or
