Student nurses need financial incentives to address crisis-level skills shortages in an industry plagued by burnout, according to WA's former top nurse.
Phillip Della, WA's former chief nursing and midwifery officer and the former head of nursing at Curtin University, made the comments in the wake of the announcement of an ambitious plan by the Victorian government to fund the education of more than 10,000 nursing and midwifery students.
Under the $270 million proposal, student fees would be paid in return for a commitment of at least two years work in the public health system.
Professor Della said covering the cost of nursing degrees in WA degrees would "go a long way" to addressing skills shortages.
"We've had to put a lot of support in to support these students who are experiencing stress out in the workplace," Professor Della told ABC Radio Perth host Nadia Mitsopoulos on Monday.
"And also trying to juggle their work life … if they go to the country, there's no accommodation for them, they have to find their own accommodation."
Independent staffing review underway
Professor Della is currently leading an independent review of nursing and midwifery staffing in WA and said the state's student nurses were required to do a placement in a medical setting, which often required them to move to rural and regional areas at their own cost.
He said half of the students in a previous graduating class at Curtin University went to the United Kingdom when they graduated because they were provided with better financial support.
When asked if a similar plan could be on the agenda in WA, a state government spokesman said the McGowan government was already looking at providing incentives.
"The McGowan government is looking at a range of measures to encourage more people into nursing, which complements the hugely successful 'Lower fees, local skills' program that is helping thousands of Western Australians to get into affordable training," he said.
"In 2021, the Lower fees, local skills program saw 1,984 people enrol in a Diploma of Nursing."
From 2020 to 2022, the government had reduced fees in 210 courses such as childcare, aged care and disability care.
The spokesman said the government expected a higher number of enrolments through the program this year, with more than 1,900 people enrolled in a Diploma of Nursing in 2021 while 1,600 had already signed up in the first half of 2022.
Significant work had also been done to encourage former nurses back into the workforce, he added.
"Former nurses who want to re-register with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia by completing a three-month intensive re-entry course will have the cost of the course covered by the state government on completion of the program."
"The WA Health Department has also reached out to recently retired midwives to encourage them back into the profession with generous incentives, including more flexible working arrangements, travel, meal and accommodation expenses covered."
Calls for WA for follow Victoria's lead
The WA Opposition has called on the McGowan government to follow Victoria's lead to ease the pressure off the state's own struggling health system.
"I cannot understand for the life of me why Western Australia isn't considering these measures, given our financial position," Opposition spokesman Colin de Grussa said.
"We need to throw everything we can at attracting and retaining, not just health staff, but staff right across pretty much every sector in the state.
"We're sitting on a $5.7 billion surplus here in Western Australia."
Mr de Grussa said a similar approach would prevent potential WA nurses from leaving the state and could also be effective in other sectors.
Professor Della, who has 48 years' experience as a nurse, said WA had a smaller scholarship scheme worth about $2 million.
"But the Victorian scheme is much more significant and that would go a long way," he said.
"We need to give them initiatives to stay because we're going to need every nurse — every student that we've got in the system — graduating and working in our system."
ABC Radio Perth has been contacted by a number of WA nurses who say they had left their profession, or were considering doing so, due to extreme stress and pressure at work.
One senior nurse, who said she quit due to the pressure, warned in July that others would leave the profession if conditions did not change.
