An extra 90 full-time nurses will be employed in general wards at Hunter hospitals under the safe staffing program, which aims to improve ratios between staff and patients.
The Minns government announced on Thursday that recruitment will soon begin for these full-time equivalent roles in the Hunter.
This includes 38 nurses for John Hunter, 19 for the Calvary Mater, 17 for Maitland, five at Cessnock, four at Belmont, four at Singleton, two at Muswellbrook and one at Kurri Kurri.
The additional nurses will help provide a minimum ratio of one nurse to four patients for morning and afternoon shifts, and one to seven on night duty.
This applies to general and speciality wards.
The Hunter has faced a prolonged crisis in its public hospital system, amid a lack of beds, long waiting lists and pressure on emergency departments.
NSW Minister for Health Ryan Park said "safe staffing ratios is one of the biggest staffing reforms in generations".
"Guaranteeing the number of nurses on every shift is crucial to giving our nurses and midwives the support they need to relieve pressure on our hospitals," Mr Park said.
Minister for the Hunter Yasmin Catley said the extra nurses mean more support for existing nurses and "more hands on deck for patients".
Wallsend MP Sonia Hornery welcomed the extra nurses in her electorate at John Hunter and the Mater, while Maitland MP Jenny Aitchison said the change would "strengthen Maitland Hospital".
The government's statement said the Coalition "refused to introduce nurse to patient ratios, planned to cut 1112 nurses and froze health workers' pay, causing severe health worker shortages in our hospitals".
The NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association (NSWNMA), which campaigned for safe staffing ratios for more than a decade, said they would "finally become a reality across general medical, surgical and palliative care wards".
Rosie Dewil, John Hunter's branch president for the NSWNMA, said the extra staff was "a sign of relief for nurses across the board".
"Anything is helpful. It's like savings at the grocery store," said Ms Dewil, who highlighted in April that John Hunter was short by 40 to 65 beds a day.
"It gives everybody a bit of gusto and excitement of what's to come. We still have a way to go to completing the ratio claim. There's still areas across the health district that haven't seen safe staffing yet.
"Standing together and organising is worth doing and we will win when we do this."
NSWNMA general secretary Michael Whaites said "patients will receive improved care from safer staffing, and our members will have the support they need on every shift".
"We know it will require significant recruitment to fill these positions, but the road to rebuilding the workforce must include ratios," Mr Whaites said.
"Had it not been for our union and the collective action of members across NSW, these staffing improvements simply would not be happening."
The government said it had "already recruited more than 990 full-time equivalent nurses in 81 emergency departments across NSW".
This included: John Hunter (48.4), Maitland (25.9), Belmont (15.9) and Cessnock (2.08). Recruitment was in progress at the Calvary Mater with a target of 20.15.
The government has also committed to safe staffing in John Hunter's postnatal maternity ward, with the union seeking a ratio of one midwife to three patients.
NSWNMA assistant general secretary Katrina Bough said the union "remained focused on securing ratios across all clinical settings".
"Remaining wards still need better staffing and they have not been forgotten," Ms Bough said.
"We will hold the government accountable to their commitments and keep campaigning until every specialty area is included."
