Reflections on and Insights from Australia’s Nursing Workforce Planning and Forecasting

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to analyze nursing planning in Australia and integrate it with the current situation of nursing planning in China to provide suggestions for the latter. Method: A literature review was conducted to examine nursing planning-related literature in both Chinese and English. Results: In 2014, Australia updated its nursing workforce planning on the basis of the HW2025 initiative and simulated various scenarios, such as comparative, demand restriction, skill mix, comprehensive, moderate self-sufficiency, productivity improvement, 65-year-old retirement age, and retire intention scenarios. These simulations projected the changes in supply and demand for registered nurses in 2025 and 2030, providing insights and references for nursing workforce planning in China. Conclusion: China’s nursing planning should focus on nursing supply and demand and may draw on the scenario simulation method adopted by Australia.