Currently at least one registered nurse (RN) is required on site, 24 hours a day, seven days a week in all aged care facilities across the state in accordance to the Public Health Act 2010.

A Parliamentary inquiry into NSW nursing homes recommended continuing current state RN laws.

In a response to the recommendations NSW Minister for Health Jillian Skinner said she planned to follow current commonwealth law that does not require RNs on duty at aged care facilities.

On Thursday morning, a bill was introduced to NSW parliament by the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party that aims to keep RNs as a requirement in nursing homes.

Medical staff across NSW are also objecting to the proposed move.

Lynne Howell is the secretary of NSW Nurses and Midwives Association (NSWNMA) Queanbeyan branch and said essential duties like wound care, prescribing drugs, and urinary catheters usually fall under the care of an RN and without them on site there are many things that could go wrong.

“You’ve got the potential for overdose, you’ve got the potential for people to give them wrong medications, and who’s going to look for the side effects?

“If I ever needed a urinary catheter I wouldn’t be happy with someone poking around down there who doesn’t know what they’re doing and then inserts it incorrectly.

“I feel that the decision they’ve made devalue our elderly.

“Where do they [members of parliament] think they’re going to end up?

“The reality is that three quarters of us are going to end up in some sort of aged care facility and are they happy to accept this level of care?”

Ms Howell said the decision comes down to money.

“This decision benefits no one except age care providers and their shareholders,” she said.

President of the Queanbeyan NSWNMA, Jennifer Brandon-Baker said everyone deserves good care regardless of age.

“I’ve been a midwife and nurse for 35 years and I believe that people in aged care have as much entitlement to good nursing care as the little babies we bring into the world every day.

“Surely just having a registered nurse on shift is the very least you can ask,” she said.

Clarification: A photo accompanying this story in the print edition included the logo of Queanbeyan Residential Care Facility.  There is no suggestion that this facility has any intention to make changes to its nursing arrangements.