It has become a tradition. For the seventh consecutive year, a nationally known healthcare business publication has named California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee Executive Director Rose Ann DeMoro as one of the “100 Most Powerful People in Healthcare.”

In the list by Modern Healthcare, a Chicago-based nationally recognized healthcare industry news weekly magazine, DeMoro ranks 45th, the only leader of a nurses’ organization, and the highest rating for any labor/professional organization on a list dominated by corporate executives and elected officials.

Hundreds of thousands of votes were cast in determining the winners, said Modern Healthcare.

DeMoro has been among Modern Healthcare’s Top 100 for every one of the seven years the 100 Most Powerful list has been compiled, one of only 17 to achieve that distinction. She is one of only three women, and the only RN organization or labor leader to appear on the list every year.

“We are enormously proud to see Rose Ann so prominently recognized year after year after year,” said CNA/NNOC Co-President Malinda Markowitz, RN. “It’s a tribute to her vision, her principles, and her values that have inspired us all and are a perfect match for the best in our organization and the model of patient advocacy that defines registered nurses and CNA/NNOC.”

The recognition coincides with multiple awards for DeMoro the past few years. She was also:

- Selected by MSN as one of the “Ten Influential Women of 2007″

- Named one of “America’s Best & Brightest” by Esquire magazine

- Dubbed “The Most Influential Woman You’ve Never Heard Of” by More magazine in September, 2007

- Honored as “2007 Consumer Advocate of the Year” by the Consumer Attorneys of California

- Presented with the “Philip Burton Public Service Award of 2007″ by Warren Beatty on behalf of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights

- Selected among Modern Healthcare’s “Top 25 Women in Healthcare” both years that poll has been conducted.

- Named a National Vice President and Executive Board member of the AFL-CIO

California Nurses Association

Ending a 15 month-long contract fight which included three strikes and a legislative campaign, registered nurses at Alta Bates Summit Medical Center became the second Sutter hospital to reach a tentative agreement after meeting with a federal mediator early Wednesday morning, the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee (CNA/NNOC) announced recently.

Agreements were reached on pivotal patient protection issues, including precedent setting language on staffing with designated RNs for meal and break relief and safe lifting policies to prevent patient falls and RN back injuries. Additional achievements include pension and retiree health enhancements, an op-out of the controversial wellness program, and pay increases of 22 percent over the life of the contract which is expected to significantly improve recruitment and retention of experienced nurses.

The tentative pact is being recommended by the CNA/NNOC RN bargaining team and will be voted on by ABSMC RNs in upcoming membership meetings. CNA/NNOC represents more than 1,900 RNs at the three campuses which include the Alta Bates and Herrick in Berkeley and Summit in Oakland. The expiration date for the new contract is June 30, 2011.

“This has been a long and hard fight, but the nurses were determined to win the patient care protections that allow us to provide safe quality care that our community deserves,” said Jan Rodolfo, an oncology nurse from Summit Medical Center and a member of the CNA/NNOC nurse negotiating team. “Other improvements such as better retirement and salaries that bring us up to par with Bay Area standards will greatly assist us in recruiting as well as retaining experienced RNs.”

“The unity and commitment of Sutter RNs throughout Northern California to win safe staffing through designated meal and break relief nurses, has made this a reality,” said Efren Garza, an RN in adolescent psychiatry at Herrick Hospital who is on the CNA/NNOC nurse negotiating committee.

Tentative Agreements Include:

Meal and rest period safe staffing:

Nursing matrices to be reviewed by a RN staffing committee, which will identify the number of nurses without a patient care assignment, number of meal and break relief nurses, which will increase incrementally with an increase in direct care RNs, and the number of ancillary staff.. Matrices must satisfy legal obligations to staff by ratios and severity of patient illness. Disputes are subject to arbitration.

Safe patient handling program:

Incorporates RNs professional judgment and clinical assessment, ergonomic training in safe lifting techniques for all RNs and ancillary personnel, substantial investment in sufficient safe lifting equipment on each unit to enable safe lifts, repositioning and transport of patients.

Pension enhancement:

$1500 one (1) time contributions to a 403(b) plan for benefitted RNs with 5 years of service, providing a benefit to a substantial majority of RNs.

Healthcare Improvements:

1. Establishment of a Retiree Healthcare Account (RHCA)
2. Benefits range from $28,000 to $35,000 1/1/09
3. Reduced prescription drug costs at Peralta Pharmacy, including mail order prescriptions
4. Physician directed option without intrusive wellness survey:

Wage increases:

22 percent over term of the agreement
05/1/08 5% (implemented)
10/1/08 2%
03/1/09 3%
09/1/09 3%
03/1/10 3%
09/1/10 3%
03/1/11 3%

Additional gains include:

-Added 15 new 0.6 positions
-Language to protect CNA/NNOC-represented RNs/NPs right to union representation
-Increased paid hours for RNs on CNA/NNOC contract professional practice committee which monitors and documents unsafe practices in the hospital.
-Replace $5,000 life insurance with new policy capped at $50,000
-Increase in family members for bereavement leave
-Paid release time for up to 15 RNs to participate in CNA/NNOC’s disaster relief program, the Registered Nurse Response Network (RNRN)
-Increases in per diem rates, and differentials for shift, charge nurse, relief charge nurse and preceptors.

Negotiations with other Sutter facilities are scheduled over the next few weeks, including:

Marin General Hospital-Aug. 20
Delta Medical Center-Aug. 26,
Santa Rosa Medical Center-Sept. 5
Eden/San Leandro Medical Centers-Sept. 12.
Novato community Hospital-Sept. 28
Negotiations are expected also to be scheduled for Sutter Solano Medical Center.

Over 4,000 CNA/NNOC RNs at 10 Sutter hospitals have been in bargaining. These include: St. Luke’s Hospital and California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco, San Leandro Hospital, Alta Bates-Summit Medical Center in Berkeley and Oakland, Mills-Peninsula Health Services in Burlingame and San Mateo, Eden Medical Center in Castro Valley, Sutter Delta in Antioch, and Sutter Solano in Vallejo.

California Nurses Association

ANF Federal Secretary Ged (Gerardine) Kearney and ANF Assistant Federal Secretary Lee Thomas are available for comment on the Workplace Ombudsman’s decision to fine Sydney-based labour hire agency, Healthcare Recruiting Australia Pty Ltd, for underpaying three nursing assistants more than $15,000.

The company involved and its director Michelle Lloyd have already been fined a total of $48,000 in the Federal Magistrate’s Court for four breaches of the Workplace Relations Act.

Ms Kearney said the continued exploitation and abuse of 457 visa holders, many of whom are bought to the country to work in the nursing profession, highlights the need for a major overhaul of the scheme. “Governments and employers have a duty of care for these workers. The abuse and exploitation of people coming into this country to help relieve labour shortages must cease. It is clear there is an urgent need for stronger regulation and monitoring of the conditions the 457 visa holders are being employed under.”

The ANF, representing nearly 160,000 members, is the professional and industrial voice for nurses and midwives in Australia.

Australian Nursing Federation

The Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses (AMSN) has designated November1-7, 2008, as “Medical-Surgical Nurses Week” to encourage hospitals, facilities and other employers to honor the nurses who provide compassionate care to adult patients and their families.

This nationwide celebration will recognize and reward medical-surgical nurses, one of the largest groups of practicing nursing professionals in the health care industry. Medical-surgical nurses possess specialized skills and knowledge of the entire spectrum of nursing care. They promote excellence in adult health, provide quality care for patients with diverse conditions and educate patients, families, peers and other health care professionals.

This will be the second year for the weeklong celebration. Previously, AMSN celebrated “Medical-Surgical Nurses Day” each year on November 1; however, a one-day celebration seemed to benefit only nurses working on that day. AMSN introduced Medical-Surgical Nurses Week in 2007 so that all medical-surgical nurses could celebrate the specialty.

“Medical-surgical nurses practice in a variety of settings and care for a broad range of patients,” said AMSN President Kathleen Reeves, MSN, RN, CNS, CMSRN. “This is a perfect time to thank medical-surgical nurses for all that they do.”

To participate in this annual celebration, employers and facilities are encouraged to honor their medical-surgical nurses. As in previous years, activities will include special events, luncheons, education programs, special presentations and proclamations from local governments.

In addition to appreciating nurses during Medical-Surgical Nurses Week, Reeves said AMSN promotes the event to spark interest in other nurses about the diverse career opportunities available in the medical-surgical field.

The Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses (AMSN) is the only specialty nursing organization dedicated to medical-surgical nursing practice. Its mission is to promote excellence in adult health.

Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses

Ending a 15 month-long contract fight which included three strikes, registered nurses at Sutter Mills Peninsula Health Services in San Mateo and Burlingame reached a precedent-setting tentative agreement after meeting with a federal mediator late Friday afternoon, the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee announced recently.

Agreements were reached on pivotal patient protection issues, including providing designated RNs for meal and break relief, safe lifting policies to prevent patient falls and RN back injuries, as well as pension enhancements.

The tentative pact is being recommended by the CNA RN bargaining team and will be voted on by MPHS RNs in upcoming membership meetings.

“This is a historic agreement that will help us to recruit and retain experienced RNs to our hospitals,” said Sharon Tobin, a MPHS RN and member of the CNA bargaining team. “Meal and break relief RNs will mean our patients will be taken care of safely and within the requirement of existing state law, and nurses will finally be able to take needed rest and meal breaks.”

“This settlement is a demonstration of the unity and commitment of Sutter RNs throughout Northern California to win provisions in our contracts that will enhance our ability to provide safe quality care to our patients and our communities,” said Genel Morgan, a MPHS intensive care unit RN and a member of the CNA nurse negotiating team. “RNs will also get assistance with patient handling from trained personnel, which will help both patients and nurses.”

Negotiations with other Sutter facilities are scheduled over the next few weeks, including:

Alta Bates Summit Medical Center - Aug. 19

Marin General Hospital - Aug. 20
Delta Medical Center - Aug. 26,
Santa Rosa Medical Center - Sept. 5
Eden/San Leandro Medical Centers - Sept. 12.

Negotiations are expected also be scheduled for Novato Community Hospital and Sutter Solano Medical Center.

“California Pacific Medical Center/St. Luke’s Hospital appears to be going in the opposite direction with their most recent regressive proposal on healthcare,” said CNA Sutter Division director Bonnie Castillo, RN. “The last bargaining session we had with them was on July 31st. We were hopeful that given the positive outcome of the blue ribbon panel findings to maintain St. Luke’s as a full-service acute-care hospital and management stating they looked forward to a new relationship, that the bargaining session would be more positive. Instead they put forward a proposal which does not provide RNs healthcare security, but rather allows management to make unilateral changes at any time. This is on the heels of an arbitration ruling against Sutter for raising co-payments and drug costs mid-contract, and requiring that CPMC must repay the RNs, and CPMC continues to refuse to comply.” A hearing is scheduled with an arbitrator on Sept. 15

Key provisions of the MPHS contract include:

Meal and rest period safe staffing:

Nursing matrices to be reviewed by a staffing committee. Provisions regarding meal and break periods, with matrices that reflect charge RNs out of the count, break relief, and ancillary staff. The matrices will provide for the number of RNs based on patient acuity and ratios. This is now part of the collective bargaining agreement and is subject to arbitration.

Safe patient handling program:

Incorporates RNs’ professional judgment and clinical assessment, ergonomic training in safe lifting techniques for all RNs and ancillary personnel, specific trained safe handling personnel, which may include RNs, and sufficient safe lifting equipment on each unit. Pension enhancement:

Significant retirement enhancements through new 403b options. $3000 or $1500 one-time contributions to a 403(b) plan for benefitted RNs with 20 years of service, and five years of service, respectively. Additionally, up to a $300 match, at a 50 percent rate, each year.

Salary improvements:

13.5 percent increase during the first 10 months of the agreement and 17.5 percent over approximately three years.

7 percent across-the-board increase upon ratification with additional:

Jan. 1, 2009 2%
July 1, 2009 4.5 %
July 1, 2010 4%

Previous tentative agreements include:

-Language to protect CNA-represented RNs/NPs right to union representation

-Increased paid hours for RNs on CNA contract professional practice committee which monitors and documents unsafe practices in the hospital.

-Guaranteed resource RN positions to assist in troubleshooting covering 10 hours/day, seven days/week

-Inclusion of CNA pilot RN Mentor mentoring program

-Release time and access to paid time off for CNA’s disaster relief program, the Registered Nurse Response Network (RNRN)

-Added new departments where only RNs would be hired into new licensed nurse positions to assure patient safety

-Increases in per diem rates, and differentials for shift, charge nurse, relief charge nurse and preceptors.

Over 4,000 CNA RNs at 10 Sutter hospitals have been in bargaining. These include: St. Luke’s Hospital and California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco, San Leandro Hospital, Alta Bates-Summit Medical Center in Berkeley and Oakland, Mills-Peninsula Health Services in Burlingame and San Mateo, Eden Medical Center in Castro Valley, Sutter Delta in Antioch, and Sutter Solano in Vallejo.

California Nurses Association

The RCM Responds to the East of England’s NHS consultation “Towards the best, together”: Midwives say the best is yet to come - 610 more midwives needed rather than 160 proposed.

Responding the NHS’s East of England consultation, “Towards the best, together”, a “vision” document answering the Darzi Review, Pat Gould, the Royal College of Midwives’ team manager for Eastern, London and South Eastern regions, said: “We welcome many of the report’s recommendations believe and truly believe that this consultation document is a timely contribution to the debate about the future of maternity services in the East of England. The College agrees with the premise that healthcare in the region needs to change and nowhere is this more relevant than in relation to maternity and newborn care.”

However, the region’s maternity services are facing a number of key challenges in the coming years, including dealing with a rising birth rate, more complex pregnancies, and midwifery staff shortages. By 2009, the Government has pledged to provide one-to-one care for all women, but most maternity units in the East of England do not have enough midwives to provide one-to-one care and the report is only proposing recruiting another 160 midwives.

Mrs. Gould said, “Faced with a rising birth rate and an increase in more complex births, it is a gross understatement to say that 160 midwives are needed. With an emerging baby boom, we need, at a conservative estimate at least, 610 more midwives in the region.”

She added: “We welcomed many of the reports other recommendations and proposals, such as for postnatal services; but some of the proposals are vague and further consideration is needed in respect of the level of support given to women and their families. We are particularly disappointed that the vision document had little to say about where postnatal care is provided. The RCM believes that that care after birth - where appropriate - should be available in local one-stop settings, offering women a range of support, such as drop-in clinics or children’s centres. “

Mrs. Gould said: “How can we expect midwives to cope when we are in the midst of a baby boom and their workload is racing ahead of staff numbers? Midwives are struggling to provide the one-to-one care promised by the government, and the birthrate is set to carry on rising. Across the country we are really beginning to see the quality of maternity care being compromised by poor staffing levels.

“The Government in February has made a commitment to providing 4,000 new midwives, the equivalent of 3,400 full-time midwives, across the country by 2012. We also need Trusts in the region to make maternity services a priority, so that mothers and babies get the service they need and deserve. Morale among midwives is low. We want to see midwives valued and cherished and rewarded in their pay-packet for their skill and dedication. The challenge for the Trusts in this region is to make maternity services a priority and show that maternity services really do matter.”

Notes

1. The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) is the professional and trade union membership organisation that represents 95% of practicing midwives. It is the only such organisation run by midwives and for midwives. The RCM is the voice of midwifery, providing excellence in professional leadership, education, influence and representation for and on behalf of midwives. The College actively supports and campaigns for improvements to care services and provides professional leadership for one of the most established of all clinical disciplines. It is one of the world’s oldest and one of the largest midwifery organisations, and celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2007. It is also a trade union. For more information visit the RCM website at http://www.rcm.org.uk.

2. The region’s maternity services face a number of key challenges in the coming years, including:

A rising birthrate. In 2007 there were just over 64,000 births in NHS units in the East of England and in the last five years - during which there have been year on year increases in births - the birthrate in the region has increased by approximately 10%[1]. Furthermore, fertility rates in the East of England have increased from 56 conceptions/1000 women aged 15 - 44 in 2001 to 60/1000 women in 2007[2].

More complex pregnancies. A combination of changes in the demographic profile of pregnant women and technological advances means that the region’s maternity services are caring for a higher proportion of women with complex medical and social needs:

In 2007, more than one-in-five of all babies (21%) were born to mothers who were born outside of the UK. This has significant implications for maternity services because women from minority ethnic groups, particularly those from a socially deprived background, have higher rates of complication in pregnancy.

One of the key demographic changes impacting on the complexity of maternity care is the combination of significant numbers of young women (aged 20 and under) giving birth as well as an increasing number of women aged 40 years or older who are currently pregnant and giving birth.

Teenage pregnancy rates in the East of England fell by 14% between 1998 and 2007 and are lower than any other region in England. However, the picture within the region is variable, with significant reductions in Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire, a modest fall in Luton and Peterborough while teenage pregnancy rates in Norfolk have actually increased[3]. Teenage pregnancy rates pose a major challenge for maternity services because of the association between teenage parents and poorer antenatal health, lower birth-weight babies and higher infant mortality rates.

Nationally conception rates for women aged 40 and over have increased significantly in recent years, reaching a record 12.2/1000 women aged 40 years or more.

The rate in the East of England at 11.8/1000 women is not far short of the national average[4]. Midwifery care for such women is more demanding, due to the increased health risks to mothers and babies associated with pregnancies for women over 40 years, and this has a direct impact on what is required from the midwifery workforce.

3. Midwifery staff shortages: Most maternity units in the East of England do not have enough midwives to provide the level of one-to-one care that the Government is pledged to provide for all women by 2009.

4. Birthrate Plus: This is the respected and widely used midwifery workforce planning tool, recommends a ratio of one midwife for every 28 deliveries for hospital births. This equates to approximately 36 midwives for every 1000 births (although units with a high caseload of women with complex medical and social needs will need more midwives than this). Unfortunately, the recent Healthcare Commission review of maternity services found that only one unit in the region exceeded this recommendation (James Paget 38 midwives/1000 births), while ten units had a ratio of less than 30 midwives per 1000 deliveries[5].

5. The number of midwives notifying their intention to practise in the East of England fell from 2,692 in 2007 to 2,541 in 2007[6].

6. Many trusts are facing a persistent ‘retirement bulge’ with 26% of the region’s midwives aged 50 years or over[7]. Training commissions in the East of England need to take account of this retirement bulge.

7. The region’s midwifery vacancy rate is running at 7.83%, up from 1.8% in 2007. This makes it the highest rate in the UK outside of London and compares poorly with the national midwife vacancy rate of 5.08%, up from 3.25% last year.* A vacancy is only classed as a vacancy when a Trust is actively seeking to fill the post.

The Royal College of Midwives

The California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee (CNA/NNOC), and Progressive Democrats of America will hold a reception at the Democratic Convention in honor of the 92 members of the Congressional HR 676 Caucus.

What: Reception for Congressional HR 676 Caucus
When: Tuesday August 26, 6:30 to 9:00 p.m.; program at 7:00
Where: Colorado Convention Center, The Four Seasons Ballroom 1

Speakers will include Rose Ann DeMoro, Executive Director of CNA/NNOC; Greg Junemann, Chair of HR 676 Labor Caucus and President of the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE), Dr. Claudia Fagan, past President of Physicians for a National Health Program; and other special guests.

The 92 Congressional caucus members sponsoring HR 676 will be honored at the reception, as will some 10 different Congressional candidates who have endorsed the measure and who pledge to focus on guaranteed healthcare in office.

They will be joined by nurses from around the country, as well as representatives from Physicians for a National Health Program and the HR 676 Labor Caucus, which features many of the more than 425 labor organizations who have endorsed the bill. Also in attendance will be many of the patients who have been hurt by the delay and denial of care that is endemic to the American system and its reliance on for-profit, private insurance corporations.

HR 676-also known as the United States National Health Insurance Act-would guarantee access to care for every single American through a national, non-profit system of universal healthcare coverage. Sometimes known as an expanded and improved Medicare for All, or the “single-payer” system, this approach has been proven in nearly every other industrialized nation to provide better care far more cheaply. Polls show a majority of Americans support this approach, and it has gained the backing of more co-sponsors than any other healthcare reform bill. For more information, visit http://www.GuaranteedHealthcare.org/blog .

California Nurses Association

A nurse has been suspended from the Nursing and Midwifery Council’s (NMC) register for six months following a repeated failure to keep records of the care she provided for a patient at the Peartree Care Centre in Sydenham, Kent.

The NMC heard that Janet Eruvbetere, 58, admitted while working at the centre in January 2007, she failed to record the administration of antibiotics and did not record the details of a wound in a patient’s leg.

The independent panel of the NMC’s Conduct and Competence Committee heard less than a year earlier Eruvbetere had been warned about not keeping accurate records of care.

Lesley Conway, a spokesperson for the NMC commented:

“Accurate record-keeping is essential to the duties of nursing and forms part of a nurse’s Code of Conduct. Records should provide clear evidence of the care planned, the decisions made, the care delivered and the information shared. Her failures could have caused a patient harm even though in this case they did not. The panel accepted that she acted in the way that she did because of great pressure of work but she did not seek help. The decision to suspend her registration for a period of six months reflects the seriousness of her misconduct and is sufficient to protect the public.”

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) is the UK regulator for two professions, nursing and midwifery. The primary purpose of the NMC is protection of the public. It does this through maintaining a register of all nurses, midwives and specialist community public health nurses eligible to practice within the UK and by setting standards for their education, training and conduct. Currently the number of registrants exceeds 674,000. The Nursing and Midwifery Order 2001 (The Order), sets out the NMC’s role and responsibilities.

Nursing and Midwifery Council

The quality of maternity care, overstretched staffing levels and low pay are the issues that most concern midwives, reveals a survey published by the Royal College of Midwives (RCM). The survey of midwives across the UK also showed that most midwives felt that working today as a midwife is more challenging than it was five years ago.

Midwives responding to the survey say that the baby boom is having an impact on their work. Thirty-one percent say their workload has increased, which means they have less time to spend with the women in their care. Consequently, this affects the quality of care women are receiving with 38% of midwives saying that the quality of care has been negatively impacted by the baby boom. Almost two-thirds (61%) of respondents said that these issues are adversely impacting their job satisfaction.

Dame Karlene Davis, general secretary of the Royal College of Midwives, said:

“Maternity services for all women could, and should, be so much better. We acknowledge that most women are happy with the service they get, but too many are unsatisfied and frustrated.

“Midwives’ pay is not keeping pace with prices, staff numbers are not keeping pace with the birthrate, and investment is not keeping pace with the demands on the service.”

“We are going to see a haemorrhage in the profession if the conditions midwives work in are not addressed. Give midwives the tools and resources to do their job and they will deliver a service of which this country can be proud.”

Nearly all (91%) of midwives said that their maternity unit had seen a birthrate increase in the previous year. Despite a slight (2.5%) increase in the past year*, midwife numbers are still failing to keep pace with the birthrate which have increased by 3.5% in the same period**.

Along with staffing levels, pay is cited as one of the midwives’ key concern. Over two-thirds (39%) of respondents said that they want the RCM to focus on this over the next three years. The Government recently ignored the advice of the Independent NHS Pay Review Board and imposed a three-year, below inflation, pay award on midwives.

There remains a “retirement time-bomb” in the midwifery profession, with nearly half of all midwives (46%) set to retire within ten years, which is a real concern in the current climate of climbing birthrates. The RCM estimates that at least five-thousand more midwives are needed to make the Government’s maternity plans achievable.

The time pressures on midwives are reflected in their responses to questions on breaks at work. Over a third (38%) of respondents said they rarely took a break at work and nearly half (48%) said they only got a break sometimes. Just 8% said they always got a break.

The increasing demands on midwives’ time are also reflected in their working hours. Three-quarters (74%) said they worked up to ten extra hours a week, with 14% working 11-20 extra hours per week. Two-fifths (41%) of those who worked extra hours received no compensation in either time-off or extra pay, whilst almost the same number (39%) received time-off as compensation for the extra hours. A fifth received time-off, overtime or a combination of both.

The survey shows a mixed picture on Continuing Professional Development (CPD); nearly half (45%) say it is about the same as last year, with over a quarter (28%) saying that it was somewhat or much better. Worryingly, a similar number (27%) say opportunities for development are somewhat worse or much worse.

Encouragingly, most respondents (96%) said they had not been physically abused whilst at work in the past year. However, over half (55%) said they had been verbally abused.

Notes

1. The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) aims to promote and advance the profession of the midwife. The RCM represents 37,000 members, over 95% of the UK’s midwives, and is one of the world’s oldest and one of the largest midwifery organisations, and celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2007. It is also a trade union. For more information visit the RCM website at http://www.rcm.org.uk.

2. 2,489 midwives responded to the survey which was conducted in April 2008

3. In 2007, in England, there were over 90,000 more live births than in 2001, a rise of over 16%, but the number of midwives is not keeping pace with the increasing birth rate.

* In 2007 there were 18,862 Whole Time Equivalent midwives in the NHS in England. In 2007 (the latest figures available) there were 19,298 (Source, Department of Health non-medical workforce census in 2007 and 2007)

**Birthrate figures from Office for National Statistics live birth figures for England, July 2007

Royal College of Midwives

11 August 2008 marks an important day for consumers of nursing and midwifery care across Australia, with the launch at Parliament House of new Codes of Ethics and Professional Conduct for each of the nursing and midwifery professions.

Organisers are pleased to welcome Australia’s Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer (CNMO) Rosemary Bryant and Senator Jan McLucas who will be in Canberra for the launch, which comes as the issue of healthcare regulation is highlighted by the Rudd Government’s reviews of Australia’s systems.

“The role of these codes is to protect healthcare consumers by providing a solid regulatory framework for nurses and midwives and ensuring they are competent to practice,” said Adjunct Associate Professor Moira Laverty, Deputy Chairperson of the ANMC and Chair of the Project Management Committee overseeing the development of the documents. “The launch is important to nurses and midwives who are accountable to the community for providing quality care through safe and effective professional work practices.”

The codes were developed as a joint project between the Australian Council of Midwives (ACM), the Australian Nursing Federation (ANF), the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Council (ANMC), and Royal College of Nursing, Australia (RCNA), following extensive consultation with the public and with nurses and midwives across the country.

“The wide involvement of nurses and midwives in reviewing and developing the codes demonstrates how seriously these professionals take their responsibility to the public,” said Adj. Associate Professor Laverty.

Adjunct Associate Professor Laverty, Professor Pat Brodie (ACM), Ged Kearney (ANF) and Dr Stephanie Fox-Young (RCNA) will address the launch on behalf of their organisations.

On completion of the launch, health consumers, practising nurses and midwives, and relevant spokespersons will also be available to speak with the media about the importance of the codes to practice.

Australian Nursing Federation