Nursing Post - Issue 3: Theatre / Critical Care Nursing

theNursingPost The Career and Education magazine for Nurses and Health Professionals

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

Theatre / Critical Care Look inside to read this feature!

20 February 2012

- ISSUE 03

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Welcome to Issue 3 From the Editor...

Readers! Welcome to another issue of The Nursing Post! Here we are, mid February already!

This issue, we take a look at Theatre and Critical Care Nursing. Have you ever had an interest in this field of nursing but never quite known enough about the field to change careers.

Look no further. Turn to page 10 now to take a look at what potential career opportunities exist within this specialization, as well as a complete overview of Critical Care Nursing as a career move. Nurses it’s never too late to pursue your dream career or specialization, so take a look at this issue’s feature and get some serious inspiration.

keep our followers as best in the know as ourselves.

Visit us at www.facebook.com/TheNursingPost and like our page to stay updated.

Next issue, we’ll be wandering through regional Australia as we bring you a special feature on Indigenous Nursing in Australia. We will be taking a look at what nursing in regional Australia can do for yourself and your career. Stay tuned for the 5th of March readers! Until then, take care all!

ABN: 28 105 044 282 | PO BOX 6213, East Perth, WA, 6892 Ph: +(618) 9325 3917 | Fax: +(618) 9325 4037 E: admin@nursingpost.com.au | W: www.nursingpost.com.au Next Publication Details: Issue 04: 05 March 2012 Material Deadline: 27 February 2012

Don’t forget readers, you can now find us on Facebook! Hurray, never miss out on the latest news, publication and job updates as we like to

Editor / Artwork: Amrit Bhabra For media-kits, deadlines or advertising queries, please contact Michelle Soia.

Inside this Issue Theatre / Critical Care Nursing

Next Issue Indigenous Health

Printed by Westcare Pty Ltd

CONTENTS NAHRLS (Inside Front Cover) ...................................00 Ausmed Education . ................................................01 Mediserve Nursing Agency .....................................03,21,BC Ramsay Healthcare..................................................04 Pulse International...................................................05 Best Practice Nursing Agency...................................06 Remote Area Health Corps.......................................06 Quick N Easy Finance..............................................07 RNS Nursing ...........................................................08 Government of WA, Department of Health.................09 FEATURE: Theatre/Critical Care Nursing...................10 Mercy Health and Aged Care Central QLD................11 Feature Article: Critical Care Nursing.......................12-14 Latest News............................................................16-22 CQ Nurse.................................................................23

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Educational Courses,Conferences & Events..............24+25 Ausmed Article: Lung Sounds Made Easy................26+27 19th Annual Women’s Health Conference 2012 . .....28 Oceania University of Medicine ...............................29 Australian Wound Management Association Conference 2012.....................................................29 Inaugural Commonwealth Nurses Conference for 2012..................................................................30 The College of Nursing.............................................31 Book Review: Nursing & Midwifery Research..........32 GRF One Health Summit 2012.................................33 Pulse International...................................................36 Medacs Healthcare..................................................37

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T X E N E ISSU

INDIGENOUS Health

Publication Date: 5th MARCH, 2012 9

THEATRE / Critical Care Nursing // INSIDE THIS FEATURE Mercy Health and Aged Care Central QLD....................................11 Feature Article : Critical Care Nursing...........................................12-14 Mediserve Nursing Agency............................................................21 Latest News...................................................................................16-22

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“we are an equal opportunity employer”

Mercy Health & Aged Care Central Queensland Limited is looking to fill the following Theatre vacancies; REGISTERED NURSE – Operating Theatres (Mater Misericordiae Hospital – Mackay) REGISTERED NURSE – Scrub/Scout (Mater Misericordiae Hospital – Gladstone)

TERMS: Full-time or part-time with a base hourly rate range of $28.61 - $36.76 + superannuation & other applicable penalties and allowances dependant on comparable prior service. More information about these positions is available at www.mercycq.com/jobs where the positions are listed under Positions Available.

Enquiries: contact the facilities via phone during REGISTERED NURSE – Scrub (Mater Misericordiae Hospital – business hours or via email: Bundaberg) MACKAY: Karen Wade, Director of Nursing (07) 49655806 REGISTERED NURSE – Orthopaedic Scrub (Mater or email kwade@mercycq.com.

Misericordiae Hospital – Bundaberg) GLADSTONE: Pam Zions, Hospital Manager (07) 49713755 The successful candidate in these positions will provide or email pzions@mercycq.com. patient-centred nursing care in collaboration with other health professionals and significant other to ensure safe, efficient and effective management of the patient.

BUNDABERG: James Turner, Nurse Unit Manager (07) 41539461 or email jturner@mercycq.com.

Are you a theatre nurse?

Then we want YOU!

The Mater Hospitals in Mackay, Gladstone and Bundaberg operated by Mercy Health and Aged Care Central Queensland Limited (MH&ACCQL), are seeking Registered Operating Theatres Nurses in these rapidly growing areas of Queensland.

Our Mater Hospitals are a great place to work, just look at what some of our satisfied staff have to say: ‘I work in the operating theatre for the Mater and love it! We have a close relationship within the whole team including the surgeons. It is a very collaborative teamlike a family and very supportive of one another. There is great opportunity to share knowledge and expand ones professional development and influence quality patient care in a safe environment. Our theatre complex is one of the best equipped theatres that I have worked in.’

Saroj Saini, Mater Gladstone, Scrub/ Scout RN sponsored from overseas in 2011 ‘Mackay Mater Hospital St Joseph’s Operating Theatre consists of four operating theatres, six recovery bays and a

central sterilising area. The Mater Mackay Operating Theatre team enjoy the opportunity to work throughout the department in scrub, scout, recovery room and anaesthetics.

Mater Hospital Operating Theatre staff enjoy a friendly work environment within a modern smooth- flow pre and post operative layout located within close proximity to the surgical department’.

Karen Williams, Mater Mackay, Clinical Governance Manager.

‘Just some of the Theatre positives you can experience at Mater Bundaberg are: Provides nurses with a chance to be intricately involved in patient care, Theatre nursing skills are transferrable all over the world, you will be amazed at the technical advances occurring almost daily, and you will become an integral member of a dynamic multi-disciplined team.’

James Turner, Mater Bundaberg, Nurse Unit Manager 11

Critical Care Nursing Your Next Career Move?

Critical care nursing deals with human responses to life-threatening problems. A critical care nurse is responsible for taking care of critically or acutely ill patients who need to be closely and continuously monitored.

Critical care nurses are also trained to adhere to medications or therapies that have complex protocols. In addition, they need to have skills and experience in handling and maintaining sophisticated medical equipment.

Critical care nurses can work in post-operative, intensive care and other high dependency units in hospitals. You also have to opportunity to further specialize and can work in adult intensive care, paediatric intensive care or neonatal intensive care units as treatment modes differ for patients of different age groups.

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Here are a few pointers about what critical care nursing entails as a job: - Support and respect the patient’s chosen substitute’s rights to independent decision-making - Provide necessary care to the patient - Support and education the patient’s chosen replacement to make decisions.

- Be involved when the patient’s best interest is in question - Encourage and respect the patient’s beliefs, rights and values.

- Safeguard and keep track of the quality of care - Co-ordinate between patients, their families and fellow healthcare staff - Act as a mediator for patients who are unable to speak for themselves

EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS Most critical care nurses are registered nurses to begin with. But assuming you’ve already got a diploma in nursing, or a bachelor’s (BSN) / associate’s degree (AND) and have passed the

national licensing exam, you can then progress to the next level, which is a master’s level degree.

Certification tests your strong critical thinking abilities, primarily at the analysis and application level. Renewed licenses every three years help validate long-term knowledge of current practices in critical care nursing. This includes extensive clinical experience and continual education requirements.

To be a Certified Critical Care Nurse (CCRN), you will need two years of critical care practice to be eligible for the examination.

WORKING CONDITIONS Most critical care nurses work in well-lit and clean environments. However, the work hours are often odd, and one may have to be available for night shifts. In stressful situations, working overtime is not unusual. The job also involves a significant amount of physical stress.

Like all other nurses, critical care nurses have to observe rigorous guidelines while dealing with 13

patients suffering from infectious diseases. They are also exposed to occupational dangers like accidental needle pricks, radiation, and electric shocks. In addition, they have to deal with the emotional strain of witnessing suffering and pain on a daily basis.

YOUR CAREER’S OUTLOOK Critical care nurses usually begin their careers as nursing aides or practical nurses. On obtaining the RN (Registered Nurse) degree, one can find employment as staff nurses in hospitals.

Critical care nurses may advance from positions like assistant unit manger to higher levels like head nurse on the basis of experience and expertise. They may be offered administrative positions like chief nurse, assistant director, director, or vice president if they have the requisite communication and leadership skills.

Critical care nurses may also shift to academics and work as a faculty in colleges or universities.

Employment opportunities in the field of critical care nursing are expected to be better than those of other occupations. Technological advances in intensive medical care will increase the demand for highly trained critical care nurses.

An increase in the number of elderly patients needing critical care will also contribute to the growth in job opportunities. In addition, the need for fresh nursing faculty is expected to increase.

FOR MORE INFORMATION World Federation of Societies of Intensive and Critical Care Medicine www.world-critical-care.org World Federation of Critical Care Nurses http://en.wfccn.org/index.php The Australian College of Critical Care Nurses http://www.acccn.com.au 14

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Palliative Nurse Records Biggest Regrets of Dying Patients An Australian nurse has recorded what the most common regrets are amongst her dying patients over a period of several years working in palliative care. The patients she looked after had approximately 12 weeks left to live, from which nurse Bronnie Ware recorded their moments of clarity that her patients gained at the end of their lives.

Ms Ware published her thoughts through her blog, Inspiration and Chai, but after much attention she has published her research into a book titled The Top Five Regrets of the Dying.

Ms Ware stated that the dying have many lessons to teach us from the wisdom that they have gained through their epiphany. “When questioned about any regrets they had or anything they would do differently,” she says, “common themes surfaced again and again.”

1. I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.

“This was the most common regret of all. When people realise that their life is almost over and look back clearly on it, it is easy to see how many dreams have gone unfulfilled. Most people had not honoured even a half of their dreams and had to die knowing that it was due to choices they had made, or not made. Health brings a freedom very few realise, until they no longer have it.”

2. I wish I hadn’t worked so hard.

“This came from every male patient that I nursed.

They missed their children’s youth and their partner’s companionship. Women also spoke of this regret, but as most were from an older generation, many of the female 16

patients had not been breadwinners. All of the men I nursed deeply regretted spending so much of their lives on the treadmill of a work existence.”

3. I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings.

“Many people suppressed their feelings in order to keep peace with others. As a result, they settled for a mediocre existence and never became who they were truly capable of becoming. Many developed illnesses relating to the bitterness and resentment they carried as a result.”

4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.

“Often they would not truly realise the full benefits of old friends until their dying weeks and it was not always possible to track them down. Many had become so caught up in their own lives that they had let golden friendships slip by over the years. There were many deep regrets about not giving friendships the time and effort that they deserved. Everyone misses their friends when they are dying.”

5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.

“This is a surprisingly common one. Many did not realise until the end that happiness is a choice. They had stayed stuck in old patterns and habits. The so-called ‘comfort’ of familiarity overflowed into their emotions, as well as their physical lives. Fear of change had them pretending to others, and to their selves, that they were content, when deep within, they longed to laugh properly and have silliness in their life again.”

Visit www.inspirationandchai.com for further information and articles.

Opposition Pressures the Government to Unveil Secret Plan for Nurses The Victorian Opposition has called on the Australian Government to reveal what potential plans they have to replace the state’s nurses, who are threatening mass resignations.

if the nurses did go through with their plans of mass resignations, as patient safety was largely at risk.

Opposition Leader Daniel Andrews has stated that Victorians have the right to know what the nature of these secret plans are, and what it may potentially cost them.

The Department of Health was in discussion with hospitals across the state to determine what all possible scenarios could potentially play out. Mr Davis stated that it was “probably tactically the wrong approach to lay out the steps that we might take”.

“The health minister (David Davis) today has been caught out making secret contingency plans to replace Victorian nurses,” Mr Andrews stated.

Mr Davis told The Age that the Government was treating this situation very seriously, as the threat of mass resignations would throw the hospital system into chaos.

“The Health Minister and the Government indicate they don’t want to telegraph the plans they’ve made. Well, that’s just a nice way of saying they prefer to keep secret how much these replacement nurses will cost, where they’ll come from, what their skills will be, what they’ll get paid.”

The ANF conducted a meeting with 1500 members in December last year, where a unanimous vote was in favour of mass resignations, with nurses stating that they are not prepared to risk their registration or duty of care if there was no guarantee of minimum staffing levels.

These statements were made after angered nurses began preparing to quit en masse as their industrial campaign against the Victorian Government continues on a bitter trial.

Nurses are currently seeking an 18.5 per cent pay rise over the next three years.

It was only in December last year when Mr Davis stated that his department had prepared a number of options

The Government has made a proposal to the nurses with a 2.5 per cent annual pay rise, with any further increases to be based on productivity measures.

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Healthcare Staff Hit by Mining Boom The mining boom occurring in Australia has led to a serious shortage in aged-care workers as nursing home staff quit their jobs to pursue better-paid work.

The Australian Nursing Federation has estimated that Australia needs an additional 22,000 aged-care nurses to meet the ageing population growth’s demands.

Due to another hit to the aged-care staff shortages, major organizations and unions have launched a new blueprint for urgent reforms to ensure the system can cope with the ageing baby-boomer generation in Australia.

Unions have had to schedule a campaign for better salaries and conditions for aged-care staff.

Statistics released indicate that aged-care workers were paged approximately $168 less than their public hospital colleagues.

The Minister for Ageing, Mark Butler, has attempted to place a national public consultation process on aged-care reform, which has involved meeting with 4,000 people, including a public meeting in Canberra.

Mr Butler told The Canberra Times that employers and unions have made it clear to him that appropriate staff wages are if great importance for recruiting as well as retaining high-quality staff within the aged-care sector. ‘’What I’m also hearing from the sector is that the workforce pressures are very pronounced in mining boom states and remote and rural areas who struggle to compete for qualified staff,’’ Mr Butler said. ‘’The ongoing resources boom in Queensland and Western Australia has had a crowding out effect on aged care with many workers leaving aged care to work in other industries.’’

Potential aged-care workers living in mining towns were not able to compete for housing.

Mr Butler stated that the Government ensured him that they are committed to starting an aged-care reform during the current term of Parliament, and is working on a response to the Productivity Commission’s recommendations for overhauling aged care. He stated that many older Australians have informed him that they wanted support to live independently in their own homes for as long as possible, if not for the rest of their lives. ‘’They are living longer, healthier and more prosperous lives than any previous generation and entering retirement with bigger aspirations and expectations and want to experiment with ways of experiencing older age,’’ he said.

“What I want to see is a system that is financially sustainable, fair for those being cared for as well as for the rest of society and a system that provides the quality of care and support that Australians need and deserve in their later years. ‘’The first of the baby boomers turned 65 last year and we have an opportunity to lay the foundations that will support older Australians as we move through some very remarkable demographic changes over the next decades.’’

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UK Theatre Nurses Given Whistles for Emergency Calls Nurses in the UK are outraged after being given cheap plastic whistles to call for help in an emergency.

Staff working in the hospitals’ operating theatres have branded the move by management as an insult and believe that it is putting patients and their own lives at risk.

Management introduced the new whistle system into hospitals in November last year, and are insisting that this new system is “simple and effective”. They also revealed that surprisingly, there was no unified emergency call procedure in place prior to the introduction of the whistles.

Prior to the whistles, theatre nurses at Oxford’s Jon Radcliffe hospital would alert a porter via an electronic call system when emergency equipment was needed.

A source stated that “a lot of staff feel these whistles are an insult. It’s all very well the porters 20

being out in the corridor, but we still have to leave the patient to get them.

“The old way wasn’t ideal but we didn’t have to leave our patients for help. Our biggest fear is someone will go out of the room to get assistance, and the patient will die. For as long as we can remember there hasn’t been a proper emergency system.”

The Oxford University Hospitals NHS trust stated that they are working on installing a £14,000 bell system as soon as possible.

Theatre manager Amanda Middleton added that, “staff still have a number of options available for summoning support from porters and one is the use of whistles.

The whistles are simple and effective and not reliant on technology. The older theatres have never had an integrated call bell system but that is about to change. We are installing a new system as soon as we can action the work.”

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21

WA Hospital in Spotlight for Congestion

New Cancer Centre Opens in Adelaide

Mr Kim Snowball, Director General of Health has issued a clarification notice in addressing Royal Perth Hospital’s standards of operation as adequate, despite the congestions.

A new stand-alone cancer centre is officially underway at the Lyell McEwin Hospital.

An earlier report indicated that Royal Perth Hospital had an insufficient bed count, which fluctuated more or less on every second day between October to December of 2011.

The hospital’s system uses either red or black alerts to indicate when there is inadequate beds. However, the Australian Medical Association stated that this translates to disaster mode, and thus the situation has caused a number of adjustments to be made.

Mr Snowball has dismissed the statement by claiming that the congestion caused in the hospital is not an issue of main priority, as it is, if anything, a part of the hospital’s typical day’s work.

He stated that the situation is “a very normal part of operating any health system”, and that this isn’t limited to Western Australia only.

Hospitals routinely employ similar alert strategies, which he said was all about ensuring that hospitals would resort to the right action to avoid patients’ exposure to any dangers.

The Australian Medical Association stated at an earlier date that Royal Perth Hospital’s red or black alert operations are happening too often.

Mr Snowball defended the hospital by insisting on the regularity of the system. The hospital’s current operation is “safer than it’s ever been”.

Mr Snowball continued to state that these alerts were not “a signal to say you’ve got a terribly sick or unsafe hospital,” he said.

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This comes as a relief to Adelaide’s cancer patients living in the northern suburbs, as they now have better access to specialist treatment at the $11.5 million facility.

Once complete, the centre will be able to increase its number chemotherapy chairs by a third, as well as double patient access to radiotherapy.

Premier and Minister for State Development, Jay Weatherill, stated that, “based in one of our fastestgrowing districts, a specialist centre with increased capacity to treat and care for cancer patients will make a big difference.”

Health and Ageing Minister John Hill added, “this new centre offers comprehensive cancer facilities, so twice as many public patients can be treated much closer to where they live.”

Currently, patients are required to travel to the Royal Adelaide Hospital for treatment. With the new facility in place, local residents will have not have to travel as far, plus stress and inconvenience for patients and their families will reduce significantly.

The centre was funded by the State and Commonwealth Governments, which is part of the $339 million redevelopment project of the Lyell McEwin Hospital into one of South Australia’s three major tertiary hospitals.

The new centre will also include the existing linear accelerator facility plus an additional new linear accelerator, a 12-chair chemotherapy area and six consulting rooms.

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Educational Courses, Conferences & Events // CONTENTS Ausmed Education: Article - Lung Sounds Made Easy.................26+27 19th Annual Women’s Health Conference 2012............................28 Oceania University of Medicine..................................................... 29 Australian Wound Management Association Conference 2012.... 29 Inaugural Commonwealth Nurses Conference 2012.....................30 The College of Nursing....................................................................31 Book Review : ACCCN’s Critical Care Nursing..............................32 GRF One Health Summit 2012........................................................33 24

// Events + Conferences 2012 Commonwealth Nurses Federation Inaugural Nurses Conference

2nd National Indigenous Drug and Alcohol Conference

Our health: our common wealth

Beyond 2012: Leading the Way to Action

Commonwealth Nurses Federation 10-11 March 2012, London, UK. www.commonwealthnurses.org

6-8 June 2012, Fremantle, WA www.nidacconference.com.au

Australian College of Operating Room Nurses 15th National Conference Territorial boundaries: Dare to be diverse Australian College of Operating Room Nurses 22-26 May 2012, Darwin, NT www.acorn.org.au

International Nursing Conference Nursing: Caring to Know, Knowing to Care Nursing Division of Hadassah University Medical Centre 4-7 June 2012, Jerusalem, Israel www.israel.rnao.ca

4th Congress of the Wound Union of Wound Healing Societies Better care - Better life Wound Union of Wound Healing Societies 2-6 September 2012, Yokohama, Japan www.wuwhs2012.com

National Association of Childbirth Educators’ Biennial Conference Generation Now - the fears, the fantasy and finding the balance National Association of Childbirth Educators 16-18 October 2012, Luna Park, Sydney www.nace.org.au

11th Global Conference on Ageing

16th South Pacific Nurses Forum 2012

Ageing Connects

South Pacific Nurses Forum 19-22 November 2012, Melbourne, Leonda by the Yarra. www.spnf.org.au

IFA-FIV 28 May-1 June 2012, Prague Czech Republic www.ifa-fiv.org

Australian Wound Management Association Conference Harbouring wound care The AWMA 18-22 March 2012, Sydney www.awma2012.com

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Lung Sounds Made Easy Every nurse listens to lung sounds. From the general practice nurse to the ICU nurse, lung sounds tell you a great deal about a patient and their relative health. However, knowing the difference between a rale, a crackle, and a wheeze is sometimes still a confusing proposition for many nurses, especially new nurses. Part of the reason for that is that some of the language is interchangeable. For instance, crackles actually are rales, and the large amount of words can leave anyone’s head spinning. Knowing what to call what you hear on the other end of the stethoscope can tell you – and the doctor – quite a bit about a patient’s condition.

CRACKLES Crackles are the sounds you will hear in a lung field that has fluid in the small airways or if atelectasis is present. As stated before, crackles and rales are the same thing, and this can often lead to confusion among health care providers. Crackles come in two flavours: fine and coarse. Fine crackles sound 26

like salt heated on a frying pan or the sound of rolling your hair between your fingers next to your ear. Coarse crackles sound like pouring water out of a bottle or like ripping open Velcro. This lung sound is often a sign of adult respiratory distress syndrome, early congestive heart failure, asthma, and pulmonary edema.

WHEEZES Wheezes and rhonchi are actually very closely related. They are so closely related that the terminology for them has changed, too. Wheezes are now known as sibilant wheezes to distinguish them from rhonchi. Sibilant wheezes are highpitched and shrill sounding breath sounds that occur when the airway becomes narrowed.

They often have a musical quality to them. These are the typical wheezes heard when listening to an asthmatic patient. Sibilant wheezes are caused by asthma, congestive heart failure, chronic bronchitis, and COPD.

RHONCHI What was once called rhonchi are now called a sonorous wheeze, and this is because they have a snoring, gurgling quality to them. Rhonchi are often a low-pitched moan that is more prominent on exhalation. It differs from wheezes in that wheezes are high and squeaky while these are low and dull. Rhonchi are caused by blockages to the main airways by mucous, lesions, or foreign bodies.

Pneumonia, chronic bronchitis, and cystic fibrosis are patient populations that commonly present with rhonchi. Coughing can sometimes clear this breath sound and make it change to a different sound.

STRIDOR

C

M

Stridor is an unusual sound that not many adult patients will have, but it bears mentioning. It is a high-pitched, musical sound that is heard over the upper airway. It usually indicated a foreign body obstruction of the larger airways, such as the trachea or a main bronchus, and requires immediate attention. It is also the most common type of breath sound heard in children with croup, though it is important to differentiate between croup and a foreign body airway obstruction.

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

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RUB A pleural friction rub is caused by the inflammation of the visceral and parietal pleurae. These membranes are usually coated in a protective fluid, but when inflamed, they stick together and make a sound like leather creaking against itself. It often causes a great deal of pain, and the patient will splint their chest and resist breathing deeply to help mitigate the pain. A pericardial rub and a pleural rub will often sound similar, and the best

way to distinguish between the two is to make the patient hold their breath. If you still hear the rubbing sound, then the patient has a pericardial rub and requires different treatment. Pleural effusion and pneumothorax are two diagnoses that can cause a pleural friction rub.

Nurses, REFERENCES

Complete You Online and On-Time!

Foundations of Nursing; Lois White; 2005 http://books.google.com/books?id=xSFunA58p8gC&pg =PA448&lpg=PA448&dq=abnormal+breath+sounds+n ursing&source=bl&ots=xw6S8C-XMz&sig=CRZjL-0KHmcG5zVqSOyUQ8X8NU&hl=en&sa=X&ei=lNQuT-zEBKnh 0gGI5a3DCg&ved=0CEsQ6AEwBTgK#v= onepage&q=abnormal%20breath%20sounds%20 nursing&f=false MICU Nursing; Pulmonary Concepts In Critical Care: Access 100s of Australian Breath Sounds CPD Hours Education

M P

http://micunursing.com/breath.htm

Medicine Decoded; Breath Sounds Made Easy http://lessons4medicos.blogspot.com/2008/ 10/breath-sounds.html Eastern Tennessee State University; Pulmonary Breath Sounds; November 2002 http://faculty.etsu.edu/arnall/www/public_ html/heartlung/breathsounds/contents.html RN CEUs; Abnormal Breath Sounds; 2006 http://www.rnceus.com/resp/respabn.html

ausmed.com.au

If you’d like to hear each lung sound mentioned in this article, please visit http://www.ausmed. com.au/blog/entry/lung-sounds-made-easy to hear the recordings.

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19th Annual Women’s Health Conference 24 - 25 February, 2012 Sheraton Mirage Resort & Spa, Gold Coast Welcome to the 2012 Women’s Health Conference We continue with the two-day format and more concurrent sessions that was so well received last year. We are delighted that Michael Carr-Gregg is with us again. Today’s society includes many ‘mixed’ family groups and Michael will share his expertise in this area. In addition he will discuss the effects of bullying. Both topics will provide us with useful information for our female clients. The effect and use of hormone treatments is one of the core areas of Women’s Health. We welcome the expertise of Professor Rod Baber to update us on current issues and discuss management problems.

The conference always tries to look broadly at all topics that effect female patients. With this in mind, we welcome Professor Louise Newman to discuss the effects of trauma and abuse on parenting; coping with adversity by Professor Sandy McFarlane; Professor Rebecca Mason on the effects of vitamin D on the skin and bones; and Dr Jane Peake to update us on childhood allergies.

Back and joint aches are common issues for women and Professors Rachelle Buchbinder and Ellen McGirr will share their advice on early and evidenced-based management of these issues. Professor Glenys Ross will discuss the importance of the General Practitioner role in the management of women with diabetes. Gynaecological issues are not forgotten and we will have interesting presentations on fertility, pregnancy loss, endometriosis, urinary issues for women, and PCOS that includes the new guidelines for management Finally we welcome all the speakers old and new who add to the quality of this conference. After sessions conclude on Friday we again have drinks and canapes around the pool area for all to share. The Sheraton Mirage never fails to lift the sprits As always I hope you have a happy productive time at the conference.

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BOOK REVIEW Title:

ACCCN’s Critical Care Nursing Publication Date:

23 / 10 / 2006 Author:

(New edition coming soon!)

Doug Elliott, Leanne Aitken and Wendy Chaboyer

WHY IT’S WORTH THE READ: This is an ever popular title amongst students and nurses wishing to pursue a career in Critical Care Nursing.

It’s worth the read for students and nurses studying or who may have a keen interest in this field of nursing, or even if you are a registered nurse interested in pursuing a career in critical care, this text will give you great insight into what critical care nursing entails as a practice.

It’s been developed in conjunction with the Australian College of Critical Care Nurses (ACCCN), with the text written and edited by the most senior and experience critical care nursing clinicians and academics across the region.

FEATURES OF THE BOOK:

ACCN’s Critical Care Nursing is a fantastic resource that will assist you immensely with developing your skills and will give you the confidence you need to practice as a critical care nurse.

• Pedagogically rich chapters with learning objectives, key terms, case studies, practice tips, article abstracts, learning activities, research vignettes

It’s a very thorough text that includes detailed coverage of a number of specialty areas within the field of critical care nursing from intensive care, emergency nursing, cardiac nursing, neuroscience nursing and acute care.

• Reflects current clinical practice, policies, procedures and guidelines

The text encourages students to be reflective practitioners, ethical decision makers and providers of evidence-based care.

32

• Written by expert clinicians, academics, and educators

• Heavily illustrated and referenced

• The text has a patient-centred approach and will provide students with a sound knowledge base and critical thinking skills • Image bank of all illustrations from the text will be available to lecturers for teaching

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