12 May 2008

More Scholarships for Nurses and Midwives on International Nurses Day

NSW Minister for Health Reba Meagher will today mark International Nurses Day with the announcement of 484 postgraduate scholarships for registered nurses and midwives across NSW.

Ms Meagher said nurses play a crucial role in our health system and it’s fitting to be able to announce scholarships for many nurses to enhance their qualifications on such a special day.

“International Nurses Day recognises the valuable contribution nurses make to the community and I’m pleased to be able to recognise this contribution by offering educational scholarships that will serve to improve the careers of many nurses,” Ms Meagher said.

“Applications for the postgraduate scholarships are still being processed and we expect the current number of scholarships to increase, with all of the recipients to be contacted shortly.”

Scholarships have been awarded in five categories:

• clinical studies
• midwifery
• mental health
• education
• management.

Ms Meagher said a total of more than $2 million in scholarships would be awarded through the NSW Nursing and Midwifery Scholarship Fund, providing nurses with up $8,000 each to continue their professional studies.

“There has been a growing tradition of continuing education within nursing and midwifery and the scholarships are an ideal opportunity to take advantage of the wealth of educational resources and knowledge that exist in the field of nursing,” Ms Meagher said.

“In the last three years the Iemma Government has committed more than $25.4 million for nurses and midwives to undertake further study by providing scholarships and paid study leave.

"Nurses are a vital component of our health system and we are working hard to build a highly skilled nursing and midwifery workforce that will meet the health needs of the people of NSW into the future.

“Since 2002 we have increased the number of nurses in our public hospitals by more than 23 per cent, with more than 42,000 nurses employed in January 2008.”

For a range of health information, go online to www.health.nsw.gov.au