VNS specialist nurses in high demand

VNS Nursing Agency has successfully renewed an important tender which will see it deliver a range of specialist nurses, midwives and support nurses to a major healthcare supplier in Victoria for a further three years.

That’s great news for the business, illustrating the value placed on the quality of its service by a client with whom VNS has worked for a number of years.

It also highlights an ongoing issue for the health sector across the country. Over more than decade, VNS has built a reputation as a leading provider of specialist nurses to both public and private hospital and health service suppliers. Yet demand for skilled and competent nurses has outstripped supply for many years – in fact it’s estimated there could be a shortfall in the Australian healthcare system of more than 100,000 nurses by 2025 and 123,000 by 2031.

Factors like an ageing population and the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases, have heightened the need for extensive healthcare services. An advancing median age for nurses and slowing rate of replacement with new sector entrants have further exacerbated staffing shortages, making it difficult to maintain adequate nurse-to-patient ratios and placing those with skills in high demand.

VNS General Manager Robbie Nemeth says the agency is well positioned to connect healthcare services nurses with additional skillsets and experience, while providing flexibility for its nurses through the variety of workplaces it services.

“Agency nurses offer a flexible solution to staffing challenges, ensuring continuity of high-quality patient care and allowing hospitals and clinics to maintain optimal staffing levels without overburdening their permanent staff. VNS Nursing Agency has been instrumental in offering such flexibility, enabling healthcare providers to respond promptly to dynamic staffing requirements.”

"Winning tenders with major providers enables us to provide increased flexibility to our workforce.

Nurses typically chose the agency route when the ability to work around factors like family commitments impact their choices when it comes to full-time work. More clients to work with it enhances our ability to provide for a larger variety of shifts for our workers.