Increase in Rural Nursing and Allied Health Scholarships Welcomed

An additional $13.4 million, over three years, to provide up to 500 rural nursing and allied health scholarships has been welcomed by the Australian College of Nursing (ACN).
ACN Executive Manager Kathleen McLaughlin  said rural health services often have greater difficulty recruiting nurses than those in metropolitan areas. "Nationally, we have an ageing nurse workforce and it is recognised that we are facing a nation-wide nurse shortage into the near future. "It is imperative that strategies are put in place to ensure we have a rural nurse workforce with the range of skills and of the size to meet the health needs of rural populations.
“The scholarships announced by the government will have a positive impact in attracting nurses to work in rural health services, and will support the professional development of those nurses already practicing in rural settings.
"Rural populations’ health outcomes do not compare well to that of urban populations in Australia. These scholarships, through assisting both nursing students and nurses to undertake professional development, will support the significant contribution nurses make to the health outcomes of individuals."