Dear DD,

I am talking about registered nurses who have met
the required and standards and qualifications
of their profession as set out by the Nursing
and Midwifery Board of Australia for professional
recognition. And I'm certainly not talking
about people who've completed only a few hours of study.
They're not registered nurses or professional members
recognised by the Board.

Gallup polls and surveys show that
Nursing has been listed as one of the
most respected professions,
but if you want to insist that it's not a profession
well that's your opinion.

Your comprehension skills leave a lot to be desired...after doing a 3 year degree, 1-10 hours ONLY spent on mental health (depending upon when and where they did their degree), they are RNs able to call themselves "professionals" in mental health nursing, for no other reason than selecting to work in the field. So, it's gone from 1800 hours of lectures amidst 3 years of on-the-job training, down to 1-10 hours of lectures ONLY. A cocktail waiter spends more time learning to make cocktails than nurses learn about mental health...and a cocktail waiter would be better than most nurses fresh from the college of knowledge. 99% of what they learn at university is totally irrelevant to mental health, but very relevant to medical health care.

If they want, they can then do a Masters of Mental Health, and though I've worked with people that are in the process of doing their Masters, I have NEVER worked with anyone completing it. Not because it's difficult, but it's used for advancement into management, NOT for application of knowledge with that specific client group.

As I've tried to explain, just because people commonly misuse the word "profession", doesn't make an industry a profession. Do some research rather than merely stating it's my opinion. If you're too lazy, that's your choice, but one would think that you'd like to confirm your own opinion while disputing mine. So, someone completing an Arts degree is a professional artist, are they? They've studied art for 3 years, after all. The CES has another term for Arts students...(professionally) unemployed. Are you sure you don't want to re-evaluate your "definition"?

You're big on misinformation, so far you've stated that Cumberland was opened by Nifty Nev, yet is 100 years old, tried to attribute Westmead Hospital to Nifty, and now don't want to research the meaning of "profession" and the criteria needed to be met to use the term appropriately. You sound like many of the people I have to endure as "colleagues" from uni..."I know everything, and should be the boss." Admittedly, they ARE good at picking their nose.

Dear DD,

I'm not interested in any mud-slinging
contest and it sounds as though you're
getting hot under the collar.

There is a nationally agreed minimum standard
for nursing and midwifery in Australia.
In some instances relevant experience and/or
on the job training may be required in addition
to the formal qualifications. I'm sure that
award wages and levels are assigned depending
on experience and qualifications as they are
in other professions.

Lets go back to the topic of this discussion.
If you want to continue arguing about nursing
not being a profession may I politely suggest
you start your own discusson on the topic.
I'm sure you'll get plenty of people who would
be interested in the topic. And in hearing your
opinion.

Cheers.

Foxy,

My best memory of Nifty Nev was as "Call me Marmaduke". Wran gave himself the name "Marmaduke", how it came about was one of the Liberal rabble in the State Parliament of NSW, better known as the 'Bear Pit' stood up and claimed, trying to label Wran with a corruption tag, that it had been said by some corrupt criminal in relation to shady money "Neville wants it". Wran in reply to this slur stood in parliament and said that "Neville" was a very common name and how did this Liberal dog known that the criminal was referring to him! " Now if my name was "Marmaduke" then everybody would know that the criminal was referring to me." So from then on Wran was often referred to as Marmaduke.
Neville Wran was not the best Premier New South Wales produced, that title easily goes to "The Big Fella" Jack Lang but Wran was up there with the best of them. RIP Nifty.

Dear Paul,

Thank You for that.

Marmaduke sounds so apt.

No politician is perfect.

However this man had style, elegance, and
intelligence.

"Eternal rest grant to them, O Lord
And let perpetual light shine on them
May they rest in peace.
Amen."

Foxy, actually it's AHPRA that nurses register with, firstly. Secondly, for someone obviously not in the industry you sure think you know something about it, when clearly, you don't know a thing. But you want to argue with someone like me, and then finish with, "start a thread about it" when its been pointed out to you how little you know, by your own enquiry. Pathetic. You're too spineless to even acknowledge your mistakes...why am I not surprised?

Adieu.