The Australian Nursing Federation (ANF) has issued statements expressing concern over the costs of refresher courses for nurses who want to rejoin the workforce. According to the ANF, the fees for the re-entry programs, which can amount to $10,000, may deter many nurses and midwives who are considering rejoining the workforce at a time when the country faces major shortages in these sectors.

"We believe it’s ludicrous that experienced nursing and midwifery professionals are now being forced to pay significant amounts of money to be re-registered," says ANF federal secretary Lee Thomas. "The industry should be welcoming back nurses and midwives with open arms; instead, they’re making it financially unattractive, in some cases impossible, for them to get back to work."

According to the Nursing and Midwifery Board, new laws passed by all state and territory governments on 1 July 2010 mandate standards that all health professionals have to meet.  Nurses who have been out of practice for a certain number of years need to be in contact with the Board in order to determine what kind of course is necessary to bring their skills up to date. Nevertheless, the Board does not run the courses, nor does it set the fees for these courses – this is done by the institutions that provide the courses, says a spokesperson for the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia.

However, Ms. Thomas believes that more must be done to encourage and retain the nursing workforce. "We don’t need barriers, like these refresher course fees, hindering attempts by experienced nursing professionals wanting to rejoin the workforce."