NCAH Issue 06 2013

Issue 6 25/03/13 fortnightly

Midwifery & Maternal special feature What makes a good midwife great?

New report shows higher rates of birth intervention Nurses hold key to IV flushing research Optometrist focuses on the bigger picture

www.ncah.com.au

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Nursing Careers Allied Health - Issue 6 | Page 3

www.ncah.com.au )SSUE p -ARCH We hope you enjoy perusing the range of opportunities included in Issue 06, 2013.

If you are interested in pursuing any of these opportunities, please contact the advertiser directly via the contact details provided. If you have any queries about our publication or if you would like to receive our publication, please email us at careers@ncah.com.au m&!#4 ./4 &)#4)/.n The NCAH Magazine distribution is independently audited by the Circulations Audit Board.

Total Audited Print and Digital Distribution: 28,090 The NCAH Magazine is the most widely distributed national nursing and allied health publication in Australia For all advertising and production enquiries please contact us on +61 (0) 3 9271 8700, email careers@ncah.com.au or visit www.ncah.com.au If you would like to change your mailing address, or be included on our distribution, please email careers@ncah.com.au

Published by Seabreeze Communications Pty Ltd Trading as NCAH. ABN 29 071 328 053. Š 2013 Seabreeze Communications Pty Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be copied or reproduced by any means without the prior written permission of the publisher. Compliance with the Trade Practices Act 1974 of advertisements contained in this publication is the responsibility of those who submit the advertisement for publication.

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Nursing Careers Allied Health - Issue 6 | Page 5

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The Nurse Unit Manager (NUM) is responsible for the effective and efficient management of the human, physical and financial resources within the Unit. The NUM actively leads the ICU/CCU team in a consultative and participative manner ensuring well planned and coordinated services to clients and their families and providing clinical leadership to foster patient focused and outcome directed nursing care.

To be considered for this challenging role, candidates will need: • Current registration as a Division 1 Nurse with AHPRA registration • Hold a relevant tertiary management qualification or working towards same • Minimum of 3 years’ experience as a NUM/ANUM in an intensive care unit.

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Nursing Careers Allied Health - Issue 6 | Page 7

What I like about OUM is that I can continue to work part time and continue my studies in medicine.

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Page 8 | www.ncah.com.au

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Midwives, Midwives, Midwives Hunter New England Local Health District is looking for experienced Registered Midwives to be considered for opportunities to work in diverse and challenge health environments.

Maternity Services across the health district offer opportunities to:ed Midwives

 Maintain a broad range of midwifery skills across the pregnancy continuum- antenatal, intrapartum, postnatal and community Health) is offering the midwifery care.

HNE he Maternity Services Team at  Work with experienced and supportive staff pital.  Maintain professional development

more information contact Doreen Holm on 0434603089 hospital forForthe Hunter New at John Hunter Hospital eachOr CVs and expressions of interest l hospital providing maternity carecan be forwarded to: ExpressionOfInterest@hnehealth.nsw.gov.au offers opportunities to:-

skills across the pregnancy ostnatal and community midwifery

uding midwifery group practices.

Nursing Careers Allied Health - Issue 6 | Page 9

Wanted Registered Midwives

A CHANGE IS AS GOOD AS A REST

Trial to provide 24-hour child care for nurses and paramedics

by Karen Keast

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Around-the-clock child care will be available to selected Queensland nurses and paramedics at three sites across the state as part of a Federal Government trial of flexible care for shift-workers.

Under the initiative, the Queensland Nurses’ Union and United Voice will work with Family Day Care Australia to pair nurses and paramedics with teams of family day care educators for overnight and weekend care, with the capacity to also cater for last minute shift changes.

The 12-month trial, which begins in July, is part of a package of new measures to provide more flexible and accessible child care for about 500 families at more than 50 sites across the country, and includes day care for police shiftworkers, extended hours long day care and more out of school hours care.

QNU secretary Beth Mohle said nurses and paramedics wanting to take part in the trial will need to live close to the three trial sites at Townsville, Toowoomba and metropolitan Brisbane.

“We’re pretty excited about it,” she said.

“It’s something that I’ve been talking about for as long as I’ve worked at the union.

“For shift-workers who are at a parenting age it’s absolutely critical that we have got this so they remain attached to the workforce.”

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Ms Mohle said details of the trial are still being worked out and it is yet unclear how many nurses and paramedics will be offered child care positions and how much the child care will cost.

For the full article visit NCAH.com.au

Page 10 | www.ncah.com.au

NURSING & MIDWIFERY SCHOLARSHIPS Opens Monday 4 March 2013 – Closes Friday 19 April 2013

> Continuing Professional Development Apply online www.acn.edu.au | Freecall 1800 117 262 An Australian Government initiative supporting nurses and midwives.

ACN, Australia’s professional organisation for all nurses is proud to work with the Department of Health and Ageing as the fund administrator of this program.

Nursing Careers Allied Health - Issue 6 | Page 11

Are you a Registered Nurse or Enrolled Nurse

Mental Health Nursing Opportunities

Nurse safety fears after attempted abduction

by Karen Keast The safety of nurses working shift-work is in the spotlight after the terrifying attempted abduction of a Brisbane nurse.

“It’s something that we are going to investigate further to see if it is going to help our members at all,” she said.

The 36-year-old nurse was walking from her car to begin her shift at the Princess Alexandra Hospital along Ayr Street, near the intersection of Brisbane Street, at Annerley around 9pm on Saturday, March 16 when a man approached her.

Ms Mohle advised nurses to be “always vigilant” about their health and safety.

The man grabbed her by the shoulder, pressed a sharp implement into her side, threatened her and demanded she get into a nearby vehicle, where she noticed another man standing.

“It’s an ongoing issue because we are a predominantly female workforce,” she said.

Ms Mohle said she had spoken to management at the hospital about the issue.

“They are already doing a review as to whether there’s anything more they can do,” she said.

The nurse managed to escape the man’s grasp and run away when the attack was disturbed by a motorist driving past.

“Princess Alexandra does have a shuttle bus to take nurses to their cars. You either travel together or you use the shuttle bus.

A security guard later noticed the same men following three women at a nearby train station, recorded the car registration and notified police.

“If these things are offered, take them up is our advice to people.”

Queensland Nurses’ Union secretary Beth Mohle said the Princess Alexandra Hospital provided a shuttle bus and security staff to accompany nurses to their cars.

But Ms Mohle said a lack of safe and affordable car parking was also an issue for nurses at several hospitals state-wide.

“We are constantly concerned about having safe and affordable car parking,” she said.

“It’s a bit of a dog’s breakfast across the state.”

Ms Mohle said the union had found it cost about $1500 a year for nurses to access secure onsite parking at the Princess Alexandra and Royal Brisbane hospitals.

Princess Alexandra Hospital-QEII Hospital Network executive director Dr Jennifer King said the nurse had been offered “every possible support”, including counselling.

Dr King said the hospital was holding meetings with QNU and Queensland Police Beat to discuss the incident while Queensland Police Beat will also hold a series of free personal safety awareness sessions for staff.

“Onsite after hours parking is available to staff. It is accessible via a well-lit walkway to the main hospital building, is equipped with emergency telephones and is monitored via CCTV,” she said.

“That’s a significant amount of money out of someone’s budget.”

“A shuttle bus is also available to drop staff to their vehicles on the hospital campus and in the

Ms Mohle said the union would investigate an offer from Metro Parking which would enable nurses and other health professionals to access its inner-city car parks for $3 a night, if they enter after 3pm.

surrounding area, and security services will also escort staff to their vehicle if required.

Page 12 | www.ncah.com.au

“Staff have been sent a message reminding them of the options available to them after hours.”

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REGISTERED NURSE/MIDWIFE (Full/Part-time) The Midwifery Unit has a vacancy which would ideally suit a Registered Nurse/Midwife wishing to work in a low risk Maternity Unit which also accommodates low acuity general medical/surgical patients on occasions. All aspects of midwifery work is included in the role.

Enquiries can be directed to Ms. Thami Sikwebu, NUM on 03 50339302 or email tsikwebu@shdh.org.au Applications including the names of two (2) professional referees should be forwarded to: Human Resources Manager, Swan Hill District Health, PO Box 483, Swan Hill 3585, Victoria, or email hrmanager@shdh.org.au by Friday 12 April 2013. www.shdh.org.au Nursing Careers Allied Health - Issue 6 | Page 13

New report shows higher rates of birth intervention

by Karen Keast More Australian women are having caesarean sections, induced births and instrumental vaginal births while the number of normal births is on the decline.

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare has released the National Core Maternity Indicators report, providing a snapshot of the nation’s maternity landscape.

The report, which used data from 2004 to 2009 involving women aged 20 to 34 years with a single baby positioned with head towards the cervix at the onset of labour between 37 and 41 weeks, reveals caesarean rates have increased from 25.3 per cent of births in 2004 to 27.1 per cent of births in 2009.

Overall, there were 114,245 caesarean births, with 34.2 per cent of women who gave birth in private hospitals having a caesarean section compared to 22.6 per cent of women who gave birth in public hospitals.

The number of normal (non-instrumental) vaginal births decreased marginally from 51.9 per cent in 2004 to 49.6 per cent in 2009, while overall there were 220,522 normal births, representing 50.6 per cent of all births.

Rates of instrumental vaginal birth increased from 22.8 per cent to 23.3 per cent with 101,093 women having an instrumental vaginal birth, while induction of labour for women giving birth for the first time increased from 31 per cent to 32.7 per cent.

The report also revealed an increase in the proportion of babies with a low Apgar score, which measures a baby’s adaption to the environment immediately after birth.

The proportion of births with scores of less than seven at five minutes rose from 0.9 per cent in 2004 to 1.1 per cent in 2009.

Australian College of Midwives spokesperson and University of Western Sydney Professor of Midwifery Hannah Dahlen said the rising rates Page 14 | www.ncah.com.au

The ramifications of intervention in child birth may continue for a long time, even affecting the next generation.

– Prof Hannah Dahlen Professor of Midwifery University of Western Sydney of caesareans and instrumental interventions unfortunately came as no surprise but she said it was interesting to see Apgar scores also on the increase.

“I think that is reflective of the higher intervention rates. The more you do to mothers, the more pharmacology, the more you see the impact on babies,” she said.

“I think health professionals should be concerned when they see interventions rise and the potentially adverse effects on the baby. It’s a wake-up call for all of us.”

Professor Dahlen said new research indicates there may be an epigenetic impact during birth, with some birth interventions such as caesarean section being associated with increased longterm health risks for the child, ranging from diabetes to asthma and a range of cancers.

“While we are all focused on the tip of the iceberg, we are forgetting that nine tenths of the iceberg is below the water,” she said.

“The ramifications of intervention in child birth may continue for a long time, even affecting the next generation.

“We are reshaping society by the way our babies are born.”

Nursing Careers Allied Health - Issue 6 | Page 15

Mum of four becomes midwife

by Karen Keast Katherine Pattie knows it’s easy to make excuses to not follow your dreams.

Katherine decided to forge ahead thanks to the advice of her mum, a nurse.

And the Gold Coast resident has had more excuses than most.

“I thought, maybe I will defer for a year and sort everything out and then try, and my mum said to me - when you have sorted everything out, then what are you going to do?”

With four daughters to raise, and after leaving school at Year 10 and not completing her senior secondary years, there seemed to be an enormous gulf between Katherine and her simmering ambition to become a midwife.

But Katherine didn’t let excuses get the better of her.

“I thought, I cannot do this because of whatever the reason, or I can give it a go and if I can’t do it then at least I know I have tried,” she said.

“I won’t sit around for the rest of my life going – I wonder if I could have done that?”

Katherine, 37, is now working as a registered midwife at the Gold Coast Hospital, where she gave birth to her four daughters, who are now aged 7, 9, 13 and 14.

After Katherine decided to pursue her goal of becoming a midwife, she sat her Year 12 equivalency test and when she achieved great results she applied and was accepted to study for the direct entry Bachelor of Midwifery at Griffith University’s Logan campus.

The break-up of Katherine’s relationship with her children’s father nearly derailed her plans, but

Katherine said the flexible course structure suited her perfectly, enabling her to balance study with family.

“We had to be on campus for two weeks from nine to five each term and the rest of the course was external online,” she said.

“You have to go back for some exams but the rest of it was online at home.”

Katherine completed her placements at the Gold Coast Hospital, where she was able to choose weekly shift options.

While she faced many hurdles, Katherine said she thoroughly enjoyed her three years of study, where she attended 40 births and was able to follow 20 women through their pregnancies to their six-week antenatal appointments, and already Katherine has plans to return to study to achieve her Masters of Midwifery.

families at that moment of

Katherine hopes to one day work in private practice but for the moment she is relishing her time working across every aspect of midwifery, from prenatal and births to assisting mums with breast feeding.

the birth and watching their

“For me, I really like every area,” she said.

I really enjoy seeing the

faces.

– Katherine Pattie Midwife Gold Coast Hospital Page 16 | www.ncah.com.au

“I really enjoy seeing the families at that moment of the birth and watching their faces.

“It’s such a big day for them and I know I am only one person but it’s nice to know you are affecting someone’s life.”

Nursing Careers Allied Health - Issue 6 | Page 17

What makes a good midwife great?

by Karen Keast What do you need to not only be a good

gradual embracing of the continuity of care

midwife but to excel in your midwifery career?

model is beginning to change the face of birth

The key lies in getting back to partnerships with

in Australia.

women and perhaps, most importantly, to take courage.

Under continuity of care or, as it is also known, caseload midwifery, women have the same

The word midwife is derived from Middle

midwife from early in their pregnancy through

English and literally means with-woman (mid =

labour and birth until around six weeks after

with and wif = woman).

birth.

Australian College of Midwives spokesperson

This model is increasingly becoming recognised

and University of Western Sydney Professor

for resulting in improved and ongoing health

Hannah Dahlen says getting back to the

care benefits for women, their babies and their

meaning of the word midwife and focusing on

families.

having a partnership with women can often mean the difference between what makes a good midwife and what makes a great midwife.

“When you are working with someone for nine months and you know their hopes and their dreams, and about their partners and their children and their cat and dog and the things

Professor Dahlen is a renowned advocate for

that have happened in their lives, you are there

midwives, one of Australia’s leading midwifery

like with a friend or with a sister – you care, you

researchers, and a privately practising midwife

advocate, you fight for them,” Professor Dahlen

with a small Sydney midwife group practice,

says.

where she has been pivotal to the delivery of more than 20 home birthed babies in the past two years.

“Make women your friend. I absolutely believe that this is the key,” she advises.

“We are constantly taking women at the most intimate and amazing rite of passage in their lives, we take these women and we throw them in with a bunch of strangers and then we wonder what happened when it all goes pear-

“Make women your friend – respect them and

shaped.

form partnerships with them.

“The biggest organ involved in child birth is the

“If we could just get that message through that

brain not the uterus. When you invest in the

we need relationships and they are the key

brain, the uterus works really well.”

to getting good outcomes to child birth. If we

Griffith University Professor Jenny Gamble,

simply grasp that we could turn birth around overnight.”

who is deputy head of School (Research and Higher Degrees by Research), says midwives

That simple philosophy can often get lost in

need to be true to the partnership philosophy

the demands of the clinical system but the

that lies at the core of midwifery.

Page 18 | www.ncah.com.au

“It’s about trust and it’s about communication.

It’s the idea that you are not going to abandon the woman on any level if she makes choices you might disagree with,” she says.

Professor Gamble advises there are several

“It’s not just about decision making; it’s that notion of working hand-in-hand with them.

last but not least, to seek out and work in the

“When you are in a partnership with a woman… you can see this event is important to her as a person, as a woman and as a mother.”

“It changes a midwife. It’s the biggest

Professor Gamble says to be an outstanding midwife, it’s also essential to apply evidence in practice.

“Midwifery is literally the best job in the world. It’s

“Evidence is more than what model of care you do. I’m talking about evidence based on the big picture, not the procedural level,” she says.

Top performing midwives should also engage in political discussion and activity to help women access the sort of care that produces the best outcomes, Professor Gamble says.

Midwives have lobbied hard in recent years to secure changes to the way maternity services are provided in Australia, with eligible, privately practising midwives now able to provide certain Medicare-rebateable services and to prescribe PBS-listed medicines.

But Professor Gamble says there’s more work yet to be done.

“I think that midwives have done a good job but they have still got a whole lot more to do,” she says.

other ways to improve your midwifery career – find a professional mentor, continue your education or professional development and, continuity of care model. professional thing that you will ever do,” she says. an amazing job. People who haven’t provided caseload midwifery care are missing out.”

Professor Dahlen agrees, especially after spending 24 years in fragmented care before moving into the continuity of care model.

“If you have always been scared to do continuity because you think it will put too many demands on you, give it a go,” she advises.

“Midwives who do it say they could never do anything else. The biggest risk that a midwife will face in continuity of care is she won’t be able to work in any other way.”

Perhaps the most important quality that makes a good midwife great is just one word you will never find in a midwifery textbook - courage.

“Don’t be frightened to stand up. I think we have learnt to be good girls for too long,” Professor Dahlen says.

“Part of being a great midwife is that you have to participate politically.

“I have a magnet on my fridge that says ‘history

“Advocate at the highest levels, through your associations – the Australian College of Midwives and Midwives Australia.”

“I think midwives need to have courage

does not remember well-behaved women’. and need to get more courage from forming partnerships with women.”

Nursing Careers Allied Health - Issue 6 | Page 19

Gold Coast nursing students seek placements overseas

by Karen Keast Nursing students in Queensland are increasingly travelling overseas to complete their studies as a result of a dearth of placement opportunities at local hospitals.

A number of Gold Coast nursing students are understood to have spent significant sums securing overseas placements, which are vital to the completion of nursing studies. It is understood Kings Unitech, formerly King’s International College, has sent 10 enrolled nursing students to Dubai in March for an intensive two-week placement at the United Arab Emirates’ main trauma hospital in order to complete degree requirements.

Marel Pike, head of Kings Unitech Nursing School, reportedly commented that universities and other education bodies had increased their admissions in recent years, with Kings Unitech having doubled its nursing admissions to 141 students this semester. The growing student

population had put a strain on the already over extended Gold Coast Hospital system to offer more placements for students who are required to complete 400 hours of clinical training in order to complete their education.

Pike reportedly said the school had considered sending nurses interstate to New South Wales to complete their placements, without which they will be unable to graduate.

For the full article visit NCAH.com.au

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Nursing Careers Allied Health - Issue 6 | Page 21

Nurses hold key to IV flushing research

by Karen Keast Queensland researchers will survey 40,000 nurses on their flushing practice for intravenous catheters (IVs) in a bid to create best practice in hospitals.

flush, how often and with what devices and

The online survey of the state’s nurses comes as researchers at Griffith University’s NHMRC National Centre for Research Excellence in Nursing (NCREN) continue their ground breaking research on improving the way 15 million IVs are used in Australian hospitals each year.

receiving IVs, Dr Keogh said it was vital to

solutions to maintain the best outcomes for our patients.

With about 90 per cent of hospital patients improve the way IVs are used.

“This is really in the nursing domain and it’s important we get it right…it’s significant,” she said.

Dr Keogh said the first online trial of 3000 nurses

Studies show a third of IVs fail while in use due to dislodgement, occlusion (blocking) or infiltration (fluids into surrounding tissue).

will be conducted with a hospital in April, with

The centre’s researchers, who have also been trialling the use of medical grade superglues to ‘glue in’ and secure IV drips, are researching IV flushing to maintain the viability of IVs in a bid to improve patient comfort, length of treatment and escalating healthcare costs.

and rural hospitals expected to take part in the

Research leader Dr Samantha Keogh said NCREN’s earlier studies on IV flushing show a wide variation in IV flushing practice and diverse understanding of related infection control measures.

up to 40,000 nurses from a cross-section of Queensland’s public and private, metropolitan online survey mid-year.

“In addition to what goes into IVs, we need to monitor what comes out of IVs and the centre is also benchmarking blood sampling practice across critical-care settings,” she said.

“Excessive or poor sampling practice can contribute to anaemia in the critically ill patient.

“While blood sampling to inform clinical decision making is vital, strategies have to be developed

Dr Keogh, who has spent the past eight years working in research after 15 years’ clinical experience in nursing, said the studies reveal pre-filled flush syringes were associated with reduced preparation time, with a potential to reduce infection control risks and promote adherence to recommended practice.

to minimise excessive or inappropriate blood

“There isn’t a great deal of consensus on IV flushing,” she said.

results.

“We really want to get a handle on what people are doing...and we hope to generate some hard evidence about what’s the best way to

from Griffith, the Australian College of Critical

Page 22 | www.ncah.com.au

loss.”

The survey results will be added to those of an earlier observational study to develop an overall picture of IV flushing before researchers begin work developing a trial based on the collated The centre has received $100,000 in funding Care Nurses and medical technology company BD to conduct the IV flushing research.

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Nursing Careers Allied Health - Issue 6 | Page 23

Occupational therapist makes workplaces safer

by Karen Keast When occupational therapist Brooke Taylor saw a gap in the market for experienced allied health professionals to provide health consulting services, she decided to take the leap.

Eight years later, Brooke heads up one of Australia’s leading injury treatment management companies, employing 110 allied health professionals, including occupational therapists, physiotherapists and psychologists, across the eastern seaboard of Australia.

Brooke’s venture Injury Treatment Occupational Therapy Management assists organisations to prevent and manage injuries and illnesses and also works to rehabilitate and return injured workers to the workforce.

Born and bred in Melbourne, Brooke studied at La Trobe University in Melbourne and began her career as an occupational therapist at a psychiatric inpatient unit before moving into the OT injury management industry where she worked for a national company.

“So you look at how the individual alters a task to make it safe and appropriate.”

Brooke said organisations are increasingly interested in injury prevention for their employees, which reduces their costs and improves productivity, minimising complex compensation claims while resulting in improved financial results.

“The skills allied health professionals bring to a commercial setting are critical in the sense employers are able to provide expert advice to their people,” she said.

“They can keep an eye on safety. That wouldn’t have occurred 20 years ago.”

Brooke said her company had noticed a dramatic rise in the number of psychological workplace injuries, and worked to up-skill leadership teams to better assist employees who are experiencing stress, bullying and harassment at work.

Wanted Registere

“When I worked for that business it was an organisation that typically recruited new graduates,” she said.

And surprisingly, Brooke said, it’s the corporate Hunter New England Health District (H sector thatLocal often records the highest level of injuries, predominantlyMidwives due to poor posture. opportunity for Registered to join th “I thought I could grow a similar thing myself but “It’s a high risk industry,” she said. recruit experienced clinicians fulfil a gap in the JohntoHunter Hospital and The Maitland Hosp market to deliver OT management services.”

Brooke now provides OT management services to a range of organisations such as manufacturing businesses, airlines, supermarkets and corporations.

“You quite often see long-term postural issues as a result of people sitting down all day.”

John Hunter Hospital theworkers tertiary referral h Apart from is keeping safe, Brooke said of the most of her work England region. one Close torewarding 4400aspects women birth a was helping the long-term unemployed return to year.

Maitland Hospital is a rural referral “It is a really interesting industry,”The she said. the workforce.

“The industry as a for whole 2000 recruits a very large women a year.

Maternity Services o “These people have had significant break-downs proportion of health professionals who may have worked in clinical settings but can apply their clinical capabilities in a commercial environment.

Maintain “Being a broad range of midwifery s able to resolve those injuries through clinical intervention and as intrapartum, a result being able to continuumantenatal, po get long-term unemployed people into work is a care. significant achievement.”

Future Models of Maternity Care inclu

“Some of the heavy manufacturing industries have been challenging for our clinicians because quite often you can’t change the equipment or environment in which the work is performed.

Page 24 | www.ncah.com.au

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Nursing Careers Allied Health - Issue 6 | Page 25

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Nursing Careers Allied Health - Issue 6 | Page 27

Optometrist focuses on the bigger picture

by Karen Keast It was a traumatic injury to his left eye that first sparked Joe Macri’s interest in the eye.

“We are cheaper and we are easier for people to access,” he said.

A school yard accident left Joe with a cracked bone in the lower part of his eye socket and forced the 10-year-old to undergo treatment from a “kind, fun and caring” eye doctor.

“Eye specialists can be booked out for weeks and months in advance.

It also kindled Joe’s thirst for knowledge about the eye.

“I found at school after that eye injury I became very interested in the eye and read all about it,” he said.

“I think that set me up for life.”

Joe is now the owner of In Focus Eyecare in Cherrybrook, New South Wales, has been an optometrist for the past 10 years and works alongside his wife, Jessie, who is also an optometrist.

Joe and Jessie have worked all over Australia, including spending time working in Darwin with Indigenous communities and Joe has worked as a locum in Sydney, Newcastle, Canberra, Perth and Adelaide in both independent and corporate optometry practices, and he has also worked for an ophthalmologist.

The couple settled in Cherrybrook to take over an existing business six years ago.

Joe said he is now living his dream job, with flexible hours and great pay while helping people to see better every day.

“I love the people contact,” he said.

“I get to help people and you get to talk to people.”

Joe hopes to continue to improve his optometry skills and further his career, and believes enabling optometrists to be able to prescribe certain medication is a common sense approach to patient care.

Page 28 | www.ncah.com.au

“These people are already coming to optometrists for their glasses and we are checking the health of their eyes.”

Health Workforce Australia is now forging a national approach to prescribing by health professionals, other than doctors, with its Health Professionals Prescribing Pathway project.

“The biggest area we could be involved in is treatment and diagnosis of Glaucoma,” Joe said.

“Optometrists could quite comfortably treat a range of conditions.”

Mums hit Facebook amid concern over midwifery program closure

by Karen Keast

Mothers in Ipswich, Queensland, have turned to social media to protest against the possible closure of a midwifery program at the Ipswich Hospital.

A Facebook page was launched calling for the Ipswich Midwifery Group Practice’s antenatal services to remain accessible to all women, after it was rumoured low-risk women might not be able use the service because of a change in focus.

A number of mothers or expectant mothers indicated on the page that they had been informed they wouldn’t have access to the group practice’s services.

One post on the page reads: “HOW THE MGP HELPED ME: I had a miscarriage at 12.5 weeks with my first pregnancy. Luckily I had already had my booking in visit with the MGP, so instead of having to wait in emergency with possible missed miscarriage, my midwife (Kate) was able to check the baby with a scan, help me access obs, and ultrasonographers, and arrange the other appointments I had to have for a D&C. Not a great situation but SOOOOO much better than sitting in emergency with no one to help me negotiate through the system.”

New mother Harriet Gibson, who said she had been told that she wouldn’t be able to access the group practice’s services if she had another child, indicated part of the problem was a lack of funding.

“The number of midwives has not been expanded,” she said.

Daniele Day, who started the Facebook campaign, also indicated funding was an issue.

“If the same number of midwives have to meet the same quota (of mums) for priority groups with complicated issues, it’s going to take them longer and there won’t be the same quality of service,” she said.

According to a report in the Queensland Times however, West Moreton Hospital and Health Service chief executive Lesley Dwyer denied the program had been changed.

“The Midwifery Group Practice program remains available to all eligible women, including those with low-risk pregnancies,” Dwyer reportedly said.

“While we acknowledge that we may not be able to offer this service to every woman, our goal is to ensure our midwives provide a safe, midwiferyled birth experience to the region’s women.”

Nursing Careers Allied Health - Issue 6 | Page 29

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