ANZSCO 2544Tasmania

Registered NursesJune 2017

Labour Economics Office Tasmania

Department of Employment

Current labour market ratingNo shortage

Previous labour market rating (June 2016)No shortage

Comments

Recent research indicates there is currently no shortage of registered nurses in Tasmania with the majority of employers attracting sufficient candidates to fill their vacancies with suitably qualified applicants.

Survey results[1]

  • A Department of Employment survey of employers who had recently advertised for registered nurses found 81 per cent of vacancies were filled within the survey period. This compares with an overall fill rate of 100 per cent in 2016 and 89 per cent in 2015.
  • There was an average of 2.1 qualified applicants per vacancy of which an average of 1.1 applicants per vacancy were considered suitable by employers.
  • The majority of employers indicated they wanted applicants with experience in areas such as General Practice nursing, residential aged care, Primary Health nursing, day surgery and theatre.
  • Employers had a preference for applicants with additional skills such as ear-syringing, allergy testing and immunisations, and experience in more specific areas including cardiology, IVF, mental health and diabetes education. Suitable applicants generally had more relevant experience and were considered a better fit for the position.
  • Employers requiring registered nurses to work in a General Practice environment stated it can be challenging to find applicants with experience in this setting, as it is different to other nursing. These employers stated a lot of registered nurses in Tasmania have experience in aged care or hospital work, which does not always transfer to General Practice.
  • A small number of employers stated some applicantswere looking for flexibility that suited their work preferences, such as part-time hours and certain shifts.

Unsuitable applicants

  • Employers considered applicants unsuitable if they did not have the desired level of workplace experience required for their area.

Demand and supply trends

  • Demand for registered nurses is driven by factors such as the general health and ageing of the population, as well as the allocation of government funding to the health sector.
  • Data published by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) showsin December 2012, there were 6,130 registered nurses in Tasmania, by December 2016, the number of registered nurses increased to 6,567.[2]
  • In the five years to June 2015, the number of people aged 65 years and over in Tasmania increased by 14.9 per cent.[3] Additionally, as at June 2015, Tasmania had the highest proportion of people aged 65 years and over at 18.0 per cent, compared to 15.0 per cent nationally. Tasmania also has the oldest median age, which is 41.9 years, and the largest increase in median age between 2010 and 2015, (increasing by 1.9 years).[4]
  • The main source of supply for registered nurses is through the completion of a Bachelor of Nursing through the University of Tasmania. The Tasmanian School of Health Sciences (previously the Tasmanian School of Nursing & Midwifery) is a large, multi-campus school specialising in nursing, midwifery, allied health sciences and rural health, with campuses in Hobart, Launceston and Burnie in Tasmania and in Rozelle and Darlinghurst in New South Wales. It is the largest provider of nursing postgraduate education in the country and offers both undergraduate and postgraduate nursing education.
  • According to data supplied by the University of Tasmania, there were approximately 361 domestic undergraduate completions in 2016. This is an increase from 343 domestic undergraduate completionsin 2015.

Labour Economics Office Tasmania

Department of Employment

[1] The methodology underpinning this research is outlined at Skill Shortage Research Methodology | Department of Employment - Document library, Australian Government and can also be accessed by the QR code.

[2] Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia,Registrant Data, December 2016 and December 2012

[3] Australian Bureau of Statistics, Estimated Resident Population – Persons 65 years and over, Tasmania, 2011 to 2015

[4] Australian Bureau of Statistics, Population by Age and Sex, Regions of Australia, 2015, Tasmania