Health Times September 2018 by Seabreeze Communications

September 2018

Mental Health Feature + Engaging therapy-resistant children + Equine therapy improves mental health conditions + Mental Health Nurses need to manage workloads to protect their own health + Returning to nursing after a career break

Quality online SUBSCRIBE FOR CPD FREE training for nurses and midwives Visit HealthTimes.com.au/subscribe Or email contact@healthtimes.com.au HealthTimes.com.au/cpd-online

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September 2018 We hope you enjoy perusing the range of opportunities included in this issue. If you are interested in pursuing any of these opportuities, please contact the advertiser directly via the contact details provided. If you have any queries about our publication or would like to receive our publication, please email us at contact@healthtimes.com.au DISTRIBUTION 46,300

Advertiser list Albury Wodonga Health Aust. College of Mental Health Nurses Australian College of Nursing CCM Recruitment International Clarence Health Service

The HealthTimes magazine is the most widely distributed national nursing and allied health publication in Australia. For all advertising and production enquiries please contact us by telephone on 1300 306 582, email contact@healthtimes.com.au or visit www.healthtimes.com.au

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Mental Health Opportunities Working with the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS), you will join our dedicated team in delivering mental health services to Central Australian. These rewarding career opportunities are now available, offering you the chance to make a real difference to Communities surrounding Alice Springs.

Aboriginal Mental Health Worker You will hold a recognised Aboriginal Health Worker or Mental Health qualification. Providing education in respect to mental health issues, the Aboriginal Mental Health Worker also assists with the identification and development of care plans for clients with low to moderate mental illness. A demonstrated understanding of Aboriginal culture, customs and history is essential, as well as working knowledge of Aboriginal family structure. An ability to communicate using Aboriginal language(s) is also highly desirable.

Mental Health Clinicians You will be an AHPRA registered qualified Mental Health Nurse, Psychologist or Occupational Therapist, or an AASW accredited Mental Health Social Worker. Extensive experience in acute mental health is essential, as our Clinicians provide interventions to clients with mental health and/or substance use disorders. Understanding and experience with cross-cultural communication and working with the needs of people with different physical abilities is critical. Successful candidates will also have excellent communication skills, high level clinical documentation skills, and an ability to participate in a multi-disciplinary team. The RFDS offers an attractive salary, including salary packaging benefits, within a supportive environment where our people are valued and professional development is encouraged. For further details or to apply: www.flyingdoctor.org.au/careers/ The Royal Flying Doctor Service values a skilled and diverse workforce to meet the needs of our clients. Aboriginal peoples are strongly encouraged to apply.

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PAIN MANAGEMENT RESEARCH INSTITUTE ROYAL NOR TH SHORE HOSPITAL

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CONTINUING EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES puttinG CoGnitive Behavioural skills into praCtiCe This training program consists of 7 online webinars, plus skills practice between sessions. It aims to develop cognitive behavioural therapy skills so you can help patients to manage their chronic pain. (see Website for dates)

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pain refresh Two x four-day face-to-face multidisciplinary workshops that explore the extent of the problem, pain contributors & current principles of pain assessment, treatment & management. (feB 2019) CME and PD credits available For dates & further information visit: sydney.edu.au/medicine/pmri/education

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HealthTimes - September 2018 | Page 07

Mental Health Nurses need to manage workloads to protect their own health

ublic mental health nurses need to effectively manage increasingly heavy workloads to avoid burnout, and the subsequent detrimental impact on the clinical mental health service overall. According to ANMF (Vic Branch) Secretary Lisa Fitzpatrick, public mental health nurses report high levels of stress and dissatisfaction directly associated with excessive and unbalanced workloads, including frequent experiences of being unable to complete core functions within work time. “Many would try to manage by working unpaid overtime, missing meal breaks or not attending important professional development opportunities,” says Ms Fitzpatrick. “Some highly experienced employees were leaving the public system. “The chronic nature of this issue was serious, and the ANMF (Vic Branch) considered it an avoidable situation needing urgent attention. “Not only was this detrimentally impacting on the health and well-being of our members, we held grave concerns that if left unaddressed, it would also detrimentally impact clinical mental health service provision.” Which is why nurses are encouraged to make use the the Community Workload Management System (CWMS), a workplace right for mental health nurse and allied health employees in Victoria’s Public Sector.

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“CWMS is designed to transparently regulate workloads, ensuring greater recognition of the value for all people in creating fair and reasonable workloads for our very busy mental health nurses employed in the public sector,” says Ms Fitzpatrick. “It’s effectively a simple spreadsheet which assists employees in calculating and tracking their direct clinical commitments or ‘Column A’ tasks, to ensure they make up no more than 60 percent of working hours. “Organisational and practitioner development time or ‘column B’ functions such as handovers and team meetings as well as entitlements like rest breaks and accrued days off should make up no less than 40 percent of time. “In the past, Column B tasks were not always properly recognised or weighted into workload, resulting in overworked staff.” The purpose of the CWMS is to ensure that mental health nurse workloads within the public sector clinical mental health services better recognize and reflect their additional discipline specific responsibilities that no other employee is able to undertake. Increasing demand on public mental health community services wasn’t translating into enough hours in the day, staff or enough funding to keep up with the work. “This meant unfairly increasing demand on existing staff. So, we needed to introduce

workload provisions that would ease the daily pressures and stop the work piling up beyond what was manageable ensuring retention of existing staff and growth of the workforce into the future as demand increases. “It also introduced a transparent and objective mechanism that team leaders and other Nurse Managers (and employees) have access to when discussing allocations of patients/client referrals and ongoing service provision. “Essentially, with a statewide fair system of workload management, all public sector mental health nurse employees will be working as efficiently as possible, therefore, removing historic variables of different systems or approaches amongst different Health Services. “It is anticipated that when workloads are fair and reasonable, the nurses are more able to focus their attention towards service provision, as employee stress will be better managed.” Prior to the introduction of the CWMS, Ms Fitzpatrick says there was a sense of disillusionment that regulating workload could ever be achieved and others were clear it was required - so long as it didn’t create more work. “Services and the mental health nurses employed within were experiencing daily pressures to meet increasing demand; which seemed to commonly translate to allocations of excessive work that was not manageable. “Our members remained committed to and passionate about helping people’s mental health recovery journey, however they simply could not be stretched any more. Aside from the doctors who are busy undertaking specialist consultations, Ms Fitzpatrick says no other discipline has the scope for

medication and physical healthcare for people accessing the clinical community mental health services. “Nursing staff experience a heavier workload as they were expected to provide specialist mental health services for not only their allocated clients (usually the same number as other disciplines), but also undertake additional nursing functions for patients/clients within the service who were allocated to allied health case managers.” “This additional workload was not being recognised or addressed. “It’s not a matter of nurses saying they don’t want to undertake the provision of nursing care, but asking for recognition of their multidisciplinary role so they have the time to safely provide nursing care to others as well as safely provide care to their allocated clients. “It is possible that the imbalance in workload being experienced was exacerbated as by some mental health services not retaining adequate levels of nursing staff and actively replacing mental health nurse with other health practitioners.” Ms Fitzpatrick says it’s important that mental health nurses follow the CWMS guidelines to ensure their own mental and physical health remains stable. “It is anticipated that identifiable hazards arising from being overworked will be reduced and positively contribute to the health and wellbeing of the staff which in turn, will ensure that the community can continue to have access to specialist mental health services. “Simply, if the staff are not well then they will not be at work to provide the care the community needs.”

HealthTimes - September 2018 | Page 09

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HealthTimes - September 2018 | Page 11

The Frontline Health 18/19 Salary Guide & Market Insight Report is now available to download! The Frontline Health 18/19 Salary Guide is now available to clients and candidates. This years guide provides a comprehensive review of current salaries, market insights into recruitment trends, and hiring & salary expectations of employers in the health industry. The health industry in Australia employs over 1,674, 600 people. So that we can better undestand the trends and challenges impacting this growing industry, we gathered comments from our Agency Owners on the state of their local markets & their predictions for the upcoming year. We also surveyed over 100 healthcare employers and pulled data directly from our internal candidate database to gather insights into candidate behaviour, recruitment trends, and hiring & salary expectations in the industry.

Market Insights Whether you’re involved in recruiting in health or you’re a candidate looking for a new role, the insights illuminated in the guide will help give you an understanding of how the recruitment marketing is working, what other employers in the industry are doing, and what you can expect of the recruitment process when working with Frontline Health. Some of the key insights to come out of our research include: •

The average number of days from application to placement continues to increase, taking 5.5 days long than it did 10 years ago.

•

64% of the candidates we placed last year were already registered in our database.

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•

89% of our placed candidates were actually placed in roles diﬀerent to what they originally applied to.

•

33% of surveyed employers indicated that Registered Nurse roles were the hardest to ﬁll.

•

Company websites, online job boards, and advertising internally are the most popular methods for health employers to advertise their vacancies.

•

At 73%, dissatisfaction with company, role or employer was listed as the most popular reason for employees to leave a job, followed by higher remuneration and further career advancement.

To download a copy of the full 2018/19 Salary Guide & Market Insight Report, head to www.frontlinerecruitmentgroup.com/health

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Aged Care - RN

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Village Manager Clinical Manager

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Facility Manager

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Primary Care Administrator

Medical Receptionist Practice Manager Community Nurse - RN

Allied Health

$80K - $95K

$45 - $60K $50 - $60K $65 - $80K $58K - $70K

Senior Occupational Therapist Physiotherapist Radiographer Clinical Psychologist

$75K - $100K $65K - $85K $68K - $85K $80K -$100K

Director of Nursing Associate Nurse Unit Manager (ANUM) Clinical Nurse Specialist Registered Nurse - RN Div 1

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GP Sales Representative Device Sales Representative State Sales Manager National Sales Manager

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HealthTimes - September 2018 | Page 13

Engaging therapy-resistant children

hildren who resist therapy for mental health conditions, such as depression and anxiety, present many challenges, but even the most difficult case is surmountable according to Psychologist Jay Anderson. Mrs Anderson, a specialist in childcentred play, has encountered therapyresistant children, but with the right approach the majority can be treated, she said. “I’ve seen hundreds of children in over ten years of therapeutic involvement. I can only think of a couple of children that were non-responsive.” One child with severe anxiety didn’t understand they could control their emotions, said Mrs Anderson, and it turned out the family was facilitating avoidance behaviour. This included homeschooling due to school refusal and leaving the child at home instead of participating in family outings, said Mrs Anderson. “The child was fine in their opinion as there were no tantrums when the child was allowed to avoid circumstances or situations that increased the anxiety. “Like with adults, some child clients may present with a particular mindset, negative thought patterns or particular personality features that mean they are in some way either resistant to treatment, or not improving, so, therefore “treatment-resistant,” said Mrs Anderson.

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This negative mindset was the case with a depressed child who refused to discuss their thoughts and feelings because they didn’t believe things could change, explained Mrs Anderson. “There was a strong mindset that nothing was going to help and things would not improve.” In this case, treatment couldn’t be facilitated, and the child was referred to the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service for intensive therapy and further psychiatric assessment. This is rare, said Mrs Anderson, as most children will connect with a play-based or creative therapy as part of an interpersonal process and will establish a therapeutic relationship with their therapist. “Even children who are aggressive or don’t want to attend will connect with a therapist who is listening and nonjudgemental.” Expressive therapies, such as art, music, movement and sand-play, are important techniques that allow children to express emotions differently to the ‘talk-based’ model, which may be confronting, said Mrs Anderson. “As a result, they are enabled to work on the issues presented in either a subconscious, indirect, conscious or direct way. “I have found the ‘multiple intelligences

model’ helps in understanding that not only do we learn differently, but different therapeutic techniques will engage different people. “So, it’s important for therapists to have a few different tools in their toolbox. “Clinicians don’t have a magic wand or special powers, ultimately the child needs to be self-aware, learn strategies and make changes,” said Mrs Anderson. Deb Hopper, an occupational therapist at Life Skills 4 Kids, treats children with anxiety when their behaviour interferes with daily activities. “Children who are therapyresistant are often stuck in a stress response. Their amygdala and limbic system are on high alert and overload, and their frontal cortex is unable to reason and think through strategies. “Children with anxiety often feel like their world is out of control and they struggle to rein in all the felt expectations of what they need to and are expected to do.” The first step to engaging with these children is to help calm their nervous system and body through bottom-up or body approaches, said Ms Hopper, which can include deep touch pressure through massage, rolling a therapy ball over them, a heavy object on their lap or play based strategies. “When we calm the body, the limbic system is calmed, and the frontal cortex can come back online, and we can support them to get a strategy together. “When the child is calm, the second step

involves helping them to break down the task through task analysis into smaller sub-steps, a top-down or cognitive approach. “Children love to do this through social or sensory stories. Social-sensory stories are important as they reinforce both the bottom up calming strategies for the body as well as the cognitive strategies.” Throughout this process, it’s vital to develop a trusting relationship between the therapist and the child and to use a combination of sensory or cognitive and relationship strategies to support their self-regulation and willingness to participate in play-based activities, explained Ms Hopper. “In my experience, play-based activities work best for therapy-resistant children. In particular, I love the Theraplay® approach which looks at how a child interacts with their carer in the four domains of engagement, structure, nurture and challenge.” Theraplay is a short-term attachment-based intervention utilising nonsymbolic, interactional play to re-create experiences of secure attachment formation and can be integrated into treating children with behavioural and mental health concerns. “This approach is ideal in understanding the underlying reason ‘why’ the child is struggling, resistant or oppositional to therapy and provides guidance in the direction for how to move forward in treatment,” said Ms Hopper.

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Mental health apps: lack of regulation leaves users at risk

ental Health apps have seen a growth in both numbers and popularity, but while there are benefits to this type of innovative technology, lack of regulation can leave users at risk, says counselling psychotherapist and clinical hypnotherapist Dr Karen Phillip. “Although there is some evidence that empirically based mental-health apps and sessions can improve outcomes for patients, the vast majority remain unstudied,” says Dr Phillip. “We are finding more and more people are sourcing use of these apps every year however, there is no conclusive proof that they help the user. “In its Mental Health Action Plan 20132020, the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommended ‘promotion of self-care through the use of electronic and mobile health technologies’. “This of course was speaking about technologies from professional and reputable sites only.” Data from WHO shows that many people - up to 55% in developed countries and 85% in developing ones - are not getting the treatment they need. Given the use of smartphones, Dr Phillip says apps might serve as a digital lifeline, especially for those located in rural and low-income regions, putting a therapist in everyone’s pocket. “There is considerable literature showing that Internet-based therapeutic approaches that aim to change problematic thoughts and behaviours, can be effective. “It is important for those planning the use of smartphone mental health Apps to be aware of the evidence base for their use. “It gives the person some personal power taking control back of themselves. It can allow us to reach people that up until recently were

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unreachable to us.” It was for this reason that Dr Phillip began virtualhypnotherapy.com, an on-line hypnotherapy site to help people deal with a variety of issues. “This has worked incredibly well for all users. Instead of paying considerable to attend the rooms they can download and use the sessions whenever they want or need. “I feel this is the way many busy people will continue to go as they take back control and retake charge of them self and their life.” But the dangers lie in unproven and nonreputable apps or downloads that do not come from a professional or qualified source. “I believe this industry does need regulation and only apps and downloads from qualified professional sources should be permitted to be sold. “Without good regulation we will get what we have always got - non-helpful apps that promise much, yet deliver little, leaving the individual no better off.” While mental health professionals may recommend apps for those who cannot get to sessions or attend therapy as often as they would like, technology should not be seen as a substitute for therapy. “If a person is in need of specialised individual therapy they cannot take the place of engaging with someone, this is specifically for abuse or grief type issues. “Apps won’t replace traditional therapy, as this requires vulnerability and disclosure on the part of the individual, followed by an empathic connection with the therapist to promote change.”

44TH INTERNATIONAL MENTAL HEALTH NURSING CONFERENCE MENTAL HEALTH IS A HUMAN RIGHT PULLMAN CAIRNS INTERNATIONAL, CAIRNS QUEENSLAND 24 - 26 OCTOBER 2018

All over the world, people with mental health issues experience a wide range of human rights violations including lack of access to basic mental health care and treatment, and the complete absence of community based mental health care, resulting in institutional care - which, in many countries, is associated with degrading treatment and sub-standard living conditions.

ACMHN 2018 Orator Professor Tom Calma AO Chancellor, University of Canberra

Opening Address Ivan Frkovic Commissioner, Queensland Mental Health Commission

the Australian College Mental Health Nurses Inc.

In Australia, while a lot of progress has been made over recent years, human rights infringements still occur. This includes involuntary treatment and restrictive practices such as seclusion and restraint, but also issues such as exclusion from the community and discrimination borne from stigma - which can affect a personâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s education, capacity for employment, opportunity to develop meaningful intimate relationships and friendships, as well as access to safe affordable housing, and a diminished opportunity to make a meaningful social contribution.

EARLY BIRD REGISTRATIONS ARE STILL OPEN. VISIT OUR WEBSITE TO VIEW OUR RECENTLY RELEASED DRAFT PROGRAM acmhn2018.com

Keynote Speaker Agnes Higgins Professor in Mental Health, Trinity College Dublin

Elle Irvine Mental Health Advocate

Dameyon Bonson Founder, Black Rainbow

Yega Muthu Lawyer and Adjunct Fellow, YM Lawyers, Sydney/ Western Sydney University

T: 02 6285 1078 E: events@acmhn.org

#ACMHN2018 www.acmhn2018.com

HealthTimes - September 2018 | Page 17

Completing medical school was a tough assignment, but with OUM’s unique curriculum and continued support, I graduated as a culturally, worldly, more rounded doctor.” Dr Paris-James Pearce

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Make the dream of becoming a doctor a reality, earn your MD at Oceania University of Medicine. n Attractive fee structure for our Graduate Entry Program. n Over 200 students currently enrolled and over 50 graduates in Australia, New Zealand, Samoa and USA. n Home-based Pre-Clinical Study under top international medical school scholars, using world leading Pre-Clinical, 24/7 online delivery techniques. n Clinical Rotations can be performed locally, Interstate or Internationally. n Receive personalised attention from an Academic Advisor. n OUM Graduates are eligible to sit the AMC exam or NZREX.

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The Feldenkrais Method ® Practical applications of Neuroplasticity, to help you and your clients get more out of life. General interest workshops, professional development and Practitioner Training Programs are offered in cities across Australia.

Contact jenni@feldebiz.com.au or phone 03 9737 9945 to enquire or to be added to our mailing list. Look at www.feldenkraisinstitute.com.au/events/list to see what's on near you.

Page 18 | HealthTimes.com.au

Make nursing your passion and a tree change to suit your lifestyle Albury Wodonga Health are seeking to fill multiple roles Mental Health and Maternity. If you are looking to escape the rat race of the big city and are an experienced:

Registered Midwife Registered Psychiatric Nurse Registered or Enrolled Nurse with an interest in Mental Health We want to hear from you! We have multiple roles, permanent part time / full time in an acute mental health facility in Wangaratta and the Maternity Unit in Wodonga Hospital. Albury-Wodonga and Wangaratta are thriving regional centres and the surrounding townships offer natural beautiful scenery, a heritage rich history and exceptional culinary delights. Wangaratta hosts events and festivals to celebrate music, art, food and wine. A gateway to Victoria's High Country, enjoy easy access to cycling, skiing, fishing and paddling experiences. Enjoy a relaxed lifestyle and affordable living. All this is easily accessible by road, rail and air with easy access from Melbourne, Canberra and Sydney. AWH offers flexible work, salary packaging, sponsored education for career development and financial support in relocation.

For more information please contact: Rachael Andrew

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Operational Director of Medicine Services 02 6058 4498 Rachael.Andrew@awh.org.au

Operational Director of Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s & Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Services 0437 037 681 Julie.Wright@awh.org.au

www.awh.org.au

HealthTimes - September 2018 | Page 19

Equine therapy improves mental health conditions

orses are becoming important mental health aids with equine therapy taking psychological treatment out of the clinic and into the paddock. Sharene Duncan, a mental health nurse, has a passion for horse-facilitated treatment and practices equine therapy from her property in Brisbane’s northern suburbs. A growing form of psychological treatment, Duncan believes equine therapy is helpful not only for animal-lovers but also as an alternative for those not comfortable with traditional counselling therapy. “People are attracted to equine therapy because it offers an experience with horses and not a lot of talking. “Clients with personality disorders, attachment difficulties, relationship issues, anxiety, depression, trauma, and post-traumatic stress disorder all benefit.” Those with anxiety are particularly suited to equine therapy, according to Ms Duncan, as horses offer feedback in a nonjudgemental and honest way and are highly sensitive animals. “I support clients to practice skills to keep them present and to practice mindfulness skills. Clients can be encouraged to manage their emotions, dysregulation and tolerate the feelings they struggle with in daily life.” Equine-assisted therapy is also beneficial during the perinatal period through trauma-

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informed care, attachment, emotion regulation, mindfulness skills and increasing a woman’s awareness of herself and her relationship with her baby and partner, said Ms Duncan. “I have seen women prior to delivery with concerns about their emotional wellbeing and how this will impact their parenting, so we explore their experiences in childhood, attachment and trauma. “I have also seen women postpartum and have addressed anxiety relating to the stress of a newborn and psychosocial stress. “Being in a farm setting and outside in nature opens clients up to sharing and just ‘being’ with no expectations of what is or should be.” Ms. Duncan said she plans to seek endorsement from the Australian College of Mental Health Nurses to run equine workshops for groups of clinicians aimed at increasing self-awareness, mindfulness and presence in both clinical practice and personal areas. “This can go toward professional development and credentialing for mental health nurses. “I also plan to offer equine therapy for clinical supervision. I feel that exploring clinical practice through experience with the horses would provide clinicians with the opportunity to examine their perceived sense of their experience.

“As clinicians, we spend a lot of time in our heads and not with our sensory or embodied experiences,” said Ms Duncan.

horses to offer these innovative services,” said Ms Kirby. Integrated equine assisted psychotherapy

Equine assisted therapy training Meg Kirby, founder of the Equine Psychotherapy Institute, the first of its kind in Australia, runs training and certification programs for practitioners to incorporate equine assisted psychotherapy into their practices. It’s crucial that equine assisted psychotherapy be facilitated by a registered mental health practitioner who has undertaken extensive practitioner training and supervision, said Ms Kirby. “There is equine therapy, and there is equine assisted psychotherapy. Anyone can say they offer equine therapy, call themselves a therapist, and yet be untrained, unqualified and unregistered as a mental health practitioner – sadly, you find this everywhere – horsemen and women who offer ‘equine therapy’. “It’s important the community understand that equine assisted psychotherapy must be provided by a qualified mental health professional, such as a registered counsellor, psychotherapist, social worker, psychologist, or psychiatrist. “Even though the community loves horses, it is not just the horses’ presence that creates safe, professional and effective support for clients with anxiety and depression. “It is the well-trained, experienced mental health professional who is partnering with

After witnessing the positive effects horses have on mental health, Psychologist Samantha Tassini was determined to create a space where horses and humans could work together to learn, grow and heal. It was this vision that led Tassini to start Heal Psychology on a property surrounded by the natural rainforest and coastlines of Wombarra in News South Wales. Ms Tassini said her clients arrive at a paddock with horses, but she still integrates cognitive behavioural therapy and evidence-based therapies into the model of equineassisted psychotherapy to address mental health and life issues. “We are still working on mental health issues, defining goals, and creating changes just the same as a regular therapy session. Clients are still addressing challenging life issues, but in a non-confrontational way, surrounded by nature and animals.” Horses are prey animals, said Ms Tassini, so they flee from danger, which means they are also highly sensitive and rely heavily on their senses for survival. “This allows them to pick up on our body language and mirror what we are thinking and feeling. So, if we show signs of stress, anxiety or fear they will act accordingly, usually by moving away.” As a result, the horse can provide

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immediate feedback about how we are feeling, said Ms Tassini. Research has found promising results in the use of equine assisted psychotherapy, said Ms Tassini, including a reduction in depression, psychological stress, and anxiety, as well as an increase in general wellbeing and self-esteem. “We can forget conversations we have with therapists, but it is unlikely we will forget what happened in the paddock with a horse.” Equine therapy: a client’s experience Dr Heather Fraser, Associate Professor in Social Sciences, said she wasn’t sure what to expect from equine therapy when she first met with Ms Duncan. “I wasn’t clear about what I was hoping to get from the process and with no previous experience with horses, I had little idea whether they would like me. “Much of what motivated me to attend was the idea of doing something different and seeing whether I could develop insights while in the mesmerising company of horses, and in their territory.” Ms Fraser said the beauty of the landscape, perfect weather and the magnificence of horses added to her positive experience but it was a cheeky jack russell named Charley and a woman in county clothes with a nononsense but kind and gentle demeanour that made her comfortable. At first, Ms Fraser said she probably tried too hard to integrate with the horses and when one tried to dominate her - albeit gently - she didn’t know how to respond. “Months went by, and a few more long sessions unfolded. I stopped seeing the horses as huge, gigantic and enormously powerful animals and started to see them for their intelligence, sensitivity and authenticity. “Engaging with a young horse in the

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presence of his mother and the other horses in the herd gave me a sense of belonging not captured by words. Being allowed to groom them, that is, them letting me do so, made me feel special. “Sometimes it feels like their large eyes can see into my soul. Without judgement or scorn, they simply reflect back to me snapshots of who I am. “I am lucky to have such a kind and quietly protective human therapist ushering me through this process. Without her involvement, I’m not sure I’d have made the same connections to the horses and in turn, my own experiences. “As someone prone to anger and frustration, I like being motivated to explore other emotions in the horses’ presence instead. “I am motivated not to rehearse old grievances for fear of upsetting them. Ironically, I would have no such fear of upsetting a human therapist! “Sharene, Charley and the herd of horses in the paddocks provided input to me in ways no clinical setting ever could.”

MAKE YOUR MARK WITH IKON Are you an allied health professional looking to up-skill with mental health qualifications? Enrolments for the Bachelor of Arts Psychotherapy 094685K (CRS1400328) and the Bachelor of Integrative Psychotherapy 094684M (CRS1400329) for 2019 are now open. Additional intakes have also opened for October 2018 commencement, as follows; SYDNEY COMMENCING 28 OCTOBER BRISBANE COMMENCING 30 OCTOBER MELBOURNE COMMENCING 31 OCTOBER October 2018 intakes have also opened for the Advanced Diploma of Transpersonal Therapy 098096K (10701NAT). Students in this course have the option to specialise in either Transpersonal Counselling or Transpersonal Art Therapy, depending on their subject choice. In addition, students can opt to complete a double qualification by completing additional units from the Diploma of Counselling 096415E (CHC51015). Courses commence; MELBOURNE 15 OCTOBER MULLUMBIMBY 16 OCTOBER ADELAIDE 18 OCTOBER BRISBANE 18 OCTOBER Don’t miss this limited opportunity to learn from industry professionals and to develop your career in a therapeutic arena. In addition, rolling intakes are still active for: · · · ·

Diploma of Counselling (CHC51015) Diploma of Community Services (CHC52015) Dual Diploma of Youth Work & Youth Justice (C50413 & CHC50513) Dual Diploma of Alcohol & Other Drugs & Mental Health (CHC53215 & CHC53315)

Find out more about your options by visiting ikoninstitute.edu.au or speaking with a course advisor on 1300 000 933.

Institute of Australia

HealthTimes - September 2018 | Page 23

Returning to nursing after a career break

return to any job after extended leave is daunting, but it can be particularly tricky for nurses, said Laura Sutherland, a nursing recruitment consultant. Ms Sutherland says nurses returning to the profession need to be mindful of new technology advances, legislation and reforms, staff structures and new models of care. It’s also important to consider if professional skills are current in specific areas relating to their occupation or specialisation, said Ms Sutherland, and whether they expect to re-enter at the same level. “In addition to the practical aspects, it’s important for nurses to ask themselves why they are returning to nursing. What is their real underlying ‘why’? Why did they leave in the first place?” Common profession. • • • • •

reasons

nurses

leave

the

Maternity or parental leave Retirement A negative experience To start a business or different career Financial reasons

“Whatever the reason for leaving - the difficulties and challenges will vary based on that individual’s reason for why they are returning to the profession.” It’s important for nurses to consider a variety of opportunities in different nursing specialties, said Ms Sutherland. “For instance, would an emergency department nurse consider an opportunity working in aged care or community services? “For those who are looking for progressive career opportunities, then it’s certainly worth

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looking at the sectors that have the biggest growth and demand, even if it’s not something they’ve considered before.” Accessing support for re-entry. Ms Sutherland said she encourages those re-entering nursing to consult with a career coach, mentor or trusted industry peer, to help overcome individual challenges that may arise, and to receive valuable guidance and support. “It’s also worth considering that when someone has been out of the workplace for a significant period, prospective employers will naturally ask why. “That’s ok, and it’s not to catch anyone out, it’s just so they can understand motivators and drivers, and find the right fit. “I encourage applicants to be authentic and professional in their responses. “After a long period out of the workforce, and without practise in interviews, their confidence in the recruitment process can be affected. Returning nurses need to perform well in interviews so coaching is beneficial. It’s also important to have a strong CV that clearly articulates key skills and personal attributes, as well relevant experience, said Ms Sutherland. “Guidance can also help identify the type of organisation or employer they align best with. Most often this is based around the culture and values of the organisation and not the pay rate alone,” she said. When returning isn’t an option. Melissa Sole, a registered mental health nurse for five years, experienced professional burnout which resulted in her leaving nursing for two years.

“I didn’t want to return to nursing, so I went back to university and retrained as a radiation therapist,” said Ms Sole. “Now I work Monday to Friday in a job where I get heaps of hands-on experience with patients, but I’m also challenged by the sciencebased role my job entails. “I also run a volunteer organisation for mums, so I don’t think you ever really lose the ‘nurse-hat’ even when you move on. “It takes a certain type of person to decide to be a nurse in the first place, and even though I’ve left I can’t escape the fact that I’m still drawn to roles that require a human connection,” said Ms Sole. Melissa Lichocik, a former registered nurse, left a position in one of Australia’s most respected paediatric hospitals to take extended maternity leave with her first child. Ms Lichocik said after her second child was born, she pursued further study, gaining a post-graduate certificate in human nutrition to became a qualified nutritionist. It wasn’t until the birth of her third child that she longed to return to nursing, but despite her experience and knowledge, it hasn’t been possible. “Unfortunately, if you’ve been out of nursing for an extended period, it’s extremely difficult to get your registration reinstated. “I have been granted a provisional registration but am required to do a set amount of supervised practise hours. “But no employer will hire me under these conditions. I’ve tried numerous hospitals and clinics, but no one is willing to give me a go.

“There is a shortage of good nurses, yet it is challenging for nurses to re-enter the workforce. “Some universities offer re-entry programs but course fees are around $10,000, and I can’t afford that right now. “I wanted to get back into nursing because I missed the work, but it looks like it won’t happen for me anytime soon.” Re-entry requirements for returning nurses. The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia has a fact sheet on recency of practice to assist nurses in understanding re-entry requirements after an extended leave. For further information, nurses can contact the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia or refer to their website. Return program.

Jessica Pham, Media Officer for The Australian College of Nurses, said their Return to Register program is ideal for nurses who have not practised within the profession for a period of more than five years, but not exceeding ten years. “This course is designed for Australian registered and enrolled nurses who wish to return to the nursing workforce. The curriculum has been approved and accredited by the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council,” she said.

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HealthTimes.com.au Page 26 | HealthTimes.com.au

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