What a pathetic article. Typical of QNU - says nothing in heaps of words.

I had a nursing injury in 2002. I contacted QNU on multiple occasions to get assistance. Your "service" (including my bloody fees) never ever contacted me - despite repeated phone calls and messages on my part. I have had surgery. I have had to enter early retirement due to disability because of my nursing injury.

Your organisation is pathetic. NSW Nurses' Union works for their people. QNU does not.

You could have helped me during my injury and recovery. You did not. You could have helped me to gain compensation. You did not. You could have helped to train me in other areas - you did not.

RGN RPN
Diploma in Teaching Nursing
Bachelor of Education Nursing
Master of Education

Kay,
You have the right to be angry, sadly some of the most deserving of employees slip through the cracks, this should not of happened, but I realise that it does.

The ideals of Union behaviour is to forward the cause of it's members, in both wages and conditions. I would not pretend to know the conditions nurses work under, other than my own experience in the Emergency Ward. I do know however that the QNU have just secured a wage rise for not only their members, but all nurses in Queensland, from $53,000 {the average weekly Australian income} to $64,000 which better reflects the value of nursing staff.

Personally the sort of Health system I would like, is very much as the legal system should be, to treat everyone equally under the law, and the health system. Those of us who are unable to afford private health, that is the overwhelming majority of Australians, should have an up to date public system on which to fall back on if we should fall from the lofty heights of low paid employment.

People used to say "if you don't have your health, what have you got" this still rings true. We all pay tax {G.S.T} EVEN PENSIONERS, so we are entitled to something for our money, which at the moment does not exist. Both the Queensland and Federal Governments must negiotate a better funding option for Queensland hospitals. Given Qld rapid population increases and a world wide lack of doctors and nurses, why does the Federal Govt refuse to train same? Is this one of Winston's socialist plots, one can only wonder.

Nice change to see nurses input into a public forum on Australia's health care system. Despite nurses being the bulk of staff in the health system their views are rarely heard in any public debates relevant to health care. To the contrary nurses are excluded from or poorly represented in top level decision making.

Critical thinking is the key, if Health and Wellbeing is to be understood as the central issue for all Australians. "All contributors must be aware of the likely impact of their actions and inactions and the community must develop their skills of critical thinking. The motivations and interests of all players in the debate must be in the forefront of all our minds."

My point is that Regional Health Staff (especially field staff in rural area's such as Cooktown and Cape York) more often do not value any "critical thinking" contributions from Community at ground levels.Compared to my experiences overseas ie: Vietnam and Nepal, I find it impossible to engage with Community Health Officials unless it is to raise a COMPLAINT which then follows a pathway of conflict.

I believe Kalwebs arguements have always been just and fair. I wish I could engage with people who have the knowledge and depth of Kalweb, who knows from inside experience as a long term worker... what we are up against with this system. I value Kalwebs historical view. I value the way Kalweb has revealed over the past year, many important and serious underlying issues that inter-relate, and expose how people trying to contribute outside the system are so misunderstood and therefore undervalued, when it comes to consultation and contributing to reforms.

miacat

Welcome back mate. Thank you for your support. I appreciate it.

You too have revealed how you have struggled with the "system" to help others. But there aren't any real votes in: mental illness, homelessness, alcohol and other drugs addiction, Indigenous peoples.

Cheers
Kay