title: Economics, dollars and nursing practice.
abstract: Primary production and overseas debt seem a far cry from nursing practice but its import on the Australian economy has far reaching effects on how our health and hospital system is funded. This article covers a good deal of territory from a broad consideration of health economics and the relevance of traditional market theory to health, to the fiscal problems of State administration and how these are placing pressures on individual hospitals. The article concludes with some of the strategies open to the nursing profession and concludes that a participative model of joint decision-making is an integral element in meeting a changing environment.
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D002017:Budgets; D005102:Health Expenditures / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006779:Hospitals, Public / Q000191:economics*; D009738:Nursing Service, Hospital / Q000191:economics