The future looks bright
Expanding health sector opens up nursing leadership positions .
By Caglayan Yasan
The COVID-19 pandemic and the Federal Government ’ s record budget boost to healthcare spending is opening up more management positions in the healthcare sector for nurses , and those with postgraduate degrees will be perfectly positioned to advance into leadership roles .
The healthcare sector now employs more people than any other , or about 14 per cent of Australian workers , and nurses account for the greatest proportion of workers 1 . As Australia ’ s population ages , the sector will keep growing and expanding its workforce . And with health spending rising significantly , nurses can position themselves for career advancement .
The Australian Government is delivering a record $ 115.5 billion in 2020 – 21 and $ 467 billion over coming years to 2023 – 24 to deliver the essential health services Australians need under the Long Term National Health Plan . Since the COVID-19 pandemic began , the government has committed more than $ 16 billion to the emergency health response to the pandemic and invested more than $ 1.6 billion in aged care to protect senior Australians and workers 2 .
The Government will continue to support Australians living in rural and remote areas , implementing the $ 550 million Stronger Rural Health Strategy .
This will give nurses and allied health professionals a greater role in delivery of multidisciplinary , team-based primary care and will open up leadership roles for nurses .
This Budget provides funding of $ 10.8 million to help ensure that aged care nurses are supported and well equipped to improve healthcare , a need raised by the recent Royal Commission . That funding will provide additional opportunities for nurses to train in leadership and clinical skills and enhance their capability to support and supervise personal care workers 3 .
EMERGING MANAGEMENT JOBS Nurses work in both public and private healthcare sectors in management positions . Nurses are also frontline workers who play a crucial role in patient healthcare outcomes , as the COVID-19 pandemic has shown . They work from respiratory and vaccination clinics to intensive care , emergency departments to aged care , and as well as in the community helping people at home who have chronic conditions .
Nurses actively take part in the Australian National Safety and Quality Standards committee meetings and are involved in the design , implementation , and evaluation of the ongoing reform needs of the organisation .
Employers across a variety of healthcare bodies , including hospitals and clinics , favour nurses with postgraduate skills for management and leadership roles . And the opportunities are growing .
“ Employers across a variety of healthcare bodies favour nurses with postgraduate skills .
According to the Federal Government data , some 20,200 “ nurse managers ” were in the workforce in 2019 , having grown very strongly over five years , from 13,900 in 2014 . That is expected to grow to 23,400 in 2024 4 . These estimates do not take account of the impact of COVID-19 , which would be expected to add to the number of nurse manager roles in the near future .
On top of that , the number of jobs for “ health and welfare services managers ” was 23,900 in 2019 and is expected to grow to 28,400 in 2024 5 . For such positions , nurses often need a formal qualification in health administration , business management , general medicine or nursing . Postgraduate training can give nursing candidates an edge .
The financial rewards of moving into these emerging leadership positions can be significant . Nursing managers earned an average weekly wage of $ 2,076 as at May 2018 6 , compared to just $ 1,382 for registered nurses . The same ABS data reveal health and welfare services managers earned an average weekly wage of $ 2,279 as at May 2018 . These salaries highlight that nurses with postgraduate qualifications working in management can rapidly earn back the cost of postgraduate education .
JOB OPTIONS MULTIPLY Leadership roles for Masters-qualified nurses are highly varied , much more so than the jobs available to registered nurses . Positions included nurse unit manager , clinic manager , director of nursing and nurse educator . A degree in Master of Nursing or other postgraduate training will prepare nurses for such roles . For any nurse interested in leadership roles , postgraduate study can bring forward career advancement and potentially greater renumeration . ■
For references go to www . nursingreview . com . au
Caglayan Yasan is the VU Online Master of Nursing Academic Course Coordinator and an academic working within the College of Health and Biomedicine / Nursing .
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