Career structures for South Australian nurses: developing a research agenda

Career structure models are central to the organisation of the work of professionals like nurses, to their remuneration and other forms of recognition, and for the organisation of employing institutions. It has been little more than a decade since the implementation of a career structure model for nurses in South Australia in 1986-7. Since that time a number of changes to the profession, and to the health care system more generally, have resulted in ad hoc adaptations to, and sometimes an erosion of, the career structure as originally envisioned. As we approach the new millennium, an assessment and evaluation of the efficacy of the SA career structure in meeting the professional needs of nurses and their employing organisations is both timely and necessary. This paper provides the historical background to the development of the SA career structure, and highlights some of the major issues that have emerged as problematic since implementation. The paper then identifies some issues that might contribute towards guiding a more systematic approach to the re-appraisal of nurses' career structures.