Qld Nurse. 2007 Aug;26(4):22-3.
Union members have a lengthy history of campaigning for fair working hours and conditions. The success of such campaigns has led to the implementation of the eight hour working day and the 40 hour and then 38 hour week as industrial standards. More recently though, calls for greater flexibility in their shift arrangements by nurses at Nambour Hospital have led to a voluntary 12 hour shift being implemented in their Intensive Care Unit. While union members are protective of their hard won gains in achieving reduced working hours through the 8 hour day--ICU nurses at Nambour Hospital say the voluntary 12 hour shift initiative goes a way in addressing their work/life balance issues.
工会会员长期以来一直在为争取公平的工作时间和工作条件而开展活动。此类活动的成功导致了八小时工作日以及每周40小时然后是38小时工作制作为行业标准得以实施。然而，最近楠伯医院的护士呼吁在轮班安排上要有更大的灵活性，这使得该医院的重症监护病房实施了自愿12小时轮班制。虽然工会会员对通过八小时工作日实现减少工作时间这一来之不易的成果予以保护，但楠伯医院的重症监护病房护士表示，自愿12小时轮班制在一定程度上解决了他们的工作与生活平衡问题。
