The Territory’s COVID-19 response workforce is to be enhanced with qualified student nurses and midwives now permitted to give COVID-19 vaccinations.
Minister for Health, Rachel Stephen-Smith said the Directorate of Health had been working to rapidly expand the ACT’s vaccination and testing workforce ahead of expected increases in vaccine supply.
“We have been working closely with the ACT health care sector, unions, professional peak bodies and universities to bring student health practitioners on board to assist in the ACT’s COVID-19 pandemic response,” Ms Stephen-Smith said.
“We have made changes that allow the Chief Health Officer to make decisions during this public health emergency to allow specific types of student health practitioners to assist our pandemic response workforce,” she said.
“Our COVID-19 response workforce is doing an amazing job responding to the current outbreak and this will allow us to be able to provide further support for the important work they are doing to help keep our community safe.”
Ms Stephen-Smith said the Chief Health Officer was using a staged approach to onboarding the students, with the addition of enrolled nurses, student nurses and student midwives beginning yesterday (25 August).
The Minister said consideration was being given to medical and other student health practitioners to come on board as soon as possible.
“The suitability of individuals to be included in the program will be assessed based on their level of study and demonstrated competency,” she said.
“They will be inducted, trained and supervised to ensure the ACT community is receiving safe and quality care,” Ms Stephen-Smith said.
