NZ nurses embraced in Australia

New Zealand nurses can expect a warm welcome in Australia.

The number of nursing vacancies across the Tasman has been put at 5000, including 1300 in New South Wales.

Australian Nursing Federation secretary Jill Iliffe said yesterday that although New Zealand nurses were not being targeted, word of the shortage was going out through Australian diplomatic posts around the world.

"We do get New Zealand nurses coming over anyway, and we welcome them - we very much welcome them," Ms Iliffe said.

Meanwhile, the NSW Health Department is setting out to give the profession a more modern feel. The face of nursing in new advertisements is a young man and woman sporting a tattoo of a heart with the word "life" inside.

The department is hoping to attract school-leavers with its message about loving life.

- NZPA