Insulted by educators' omission

Lamp, The, June, 2007 by Menna Davies

While congratulating the Association on winning certificate allowances for Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNS), I am very disappointed that Clinical Nurse Educators (CNE) and Nurse Educators (NE) have not been included.

I feel it was short sighted of the Association not to include all classifications of RNs in this latest round of claims and am concerned about possible ramifications of this omission.

I fear that we may lose some CNEs who will step out of their role and seek to gain a CNS position which attracts the certificate allowance. In addition, how are we to attract RNs into CNE positions when there is now even less financial incentive than before to move into an education role?

CNEs I have spoken to are disillusioned and insulted that they have been ignored and not acknowledged professionally or financially for the efforts they have made in gaining postgraduate qualifications, often in education subjects which they draw upon each day.

CNSs certainly play their part in providing education and clinical support, but they already carry a heavy workload and it is the CNEs who are the life blood of our hospitals, nurturing our next generation of nurses. If we want to recruit and retain nurses, there is need for a consistent level of support which is provided by CNEs.

I do not wish to be fobbed off by statements that 'negotiations are already underway between NSWNA and NSW Health' on educator classifications and allowances (The Lamp, April). I am not filled with any great optimism that there will be a speedy resolution which involves NSW Health putting their hands in their pockets.

I seem to remember being requested to write letters in support of the educators' reclassification a year ago. How long are we going to wait until we see some parity occurring for CNEs and NEs?

I urge the Association to step up their efforts to gain certificate allowances for CNEs and NEs. It is not a time for CNSs to sit back satisfied that they have had a win--I call on you to write to NSW Health in support of CNEs.

Menna Davies, CNC

The Prince of Wales/Sydney Children's Hospital

Editor's response:

Payment of the CEA to the clinical nurse educator classification was included in the Association's claim when the IRC reviewed the CEA provisions. That claim was not granted by the IRC but instead the IRC recommended that it be dealt with under the current review of the CN/ME classification.

The review of the CN/ME classification began in 2006. However the Association could not finalise the claim for a new salary structure until we knew the outcome of the CEA case before the IRC. The Association has now sewed a claim for a three-year salary structure and payment of the CEA to the CN/ME classification on the Health Department for their formal response.

The nurse/midwifery educator classification was not included in the CEA claim because nurse/ midwifery educators already received compensation for additional qualifications by way of accelerated entry onto the nurse/ midwifery educator pay scale at the 3rd year rate. As part of the review process the Association has served a claim on the Health Department for a new three-grade classification structure aligned to the pay rates for the CN/MC. The claim includes payment for additional qualifications above a tertiary certificate.

The July Lamp will carry a story on this issue.