Bringing Nurses Back into the Workforce

Please note : Applications for Bringing Nurses Back into the Workforce places are closed.  There will be a further round of applications July to December 2008 in November.

A Commonwealth initiative administered by the Nurse Policy Branch on behalf of the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing

Bringing Nurses Back into the Workforce (BNBW) is a Commonwealth funded program that aims to attract 8,750 nurses back into the workforce across public and private hospitals and aged care services across Australia over 5 years.

The program provides cash bonuses of up to $6000, paid in two instalments, to eligible nurses/midwives who return to work in a public or private hospital or an aged care service that is participating in the program. The program also provides cash bonuses of up to $1000 to each participating hospital or aged care service that employs an eligible nurse/midwife.

Information, questions and answers and fact sheets on the Bringing Nurses Back into the Workforce program can be found on the Commonwealth Government Department of Health and Ageing web site  or by calling toll free on 1300 733 314.

Public hospitals component

The public hospitals component of the BNBW in Victoria is administered by the Nurse Policy Branch of DHS on behalf of the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA).

Eligibility criteria apply for both employers and nurses/midwives wanting to participate in the BNBW program.

Guidelines BNBW July to December 2008 period.

 BNBW Guidelines - July to December 2008 (pdf, 106 kb)

Applicants or inquiring nurses must be provided with the information sheet from the DOHA website.

Minimum data set (MDS) and financial acquittal tools will be provided directly to participating hospitals.

Applying for BNBW places

Victoria has been allocated a quota of full time equivalent (FTE) BNBW places for public hospitals.

DHS will allocate places to public hospitals twice a year based on:
•  submissions from hospitals
•  advice from hospitals about nursing/midwifery vacancies
•  known workforce shortages; and
•  department priorities.

Hospitals will be advised of the application process for each funding round.

Hospitals that do not receive an allocation in a funding round will be eligible to apply for BNBW places in subsequent rounds.

Nurses/Midwives

If you are a currently registered nurse in Division 1 or 3 in Victoria (registered nurse/midwife in other states and territories) or in Division 2 (enrolled nurse in other states and territories), who has been employed previously in the Australian nursing workforce, but you have not worked as a nurse or midwife in Australia for 12 months, you may be eligible for cash bonuses to encourage you to come back to work in a Victorian public hospital.

You should read the information sheet for nurses and speak to the hospital where you are seeking employment to verify that they are participating in the BNBW program and have an allocated place.

Please note that normal job application and selection processes apply when hospitals recruit to nursing or midwifery vacancies.

For information about BNBW in private hospitals and Aged Care homes please refer to the Commonwealth Government website.

N.B. For information about BNBW in private hospitals and Aged Care homes please refer to the Commonwealth Government website.

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