23 minute read
Priority One
Priority One The significance of finding true meaning in what we do
Finding meaning in what we do is extremely important to our wellbeing reports Priority One Executive Manager Nat Dunton. Whilst we often advocate calm through strategies such as mindfulness or meditation, what we know is that when our experiences require contemplation and reflection, true meaning can often be found in adversity. This is a concept within Priority One that we also refer to as Post Traumatic Growth.
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Above
Priority One
Executive Manager,
Psychological
Education Nat Dunton.
This growth or meaning making has even led to new career paths in some instances and on a recent road trip with Clark Magele from Townsville to Ingham, he relayed a story that happened almost 25 years ago about this very thing:
“Magele, you’re in!” were the words that Clark remembers as he stood in the pouring rain, looking out at the 10-foot dinghy being skilfully manoeuvred by the farmer through the flooded waters from the other side. He suddenly wished he could have fit under the covered area like the others and been a bit more inconspicuous.
However, waiting on the other side, at the farmhouse some distance away, was the wife of the farmer, and the birth of their child was imminent, so time was of the essence. Clark jumped into the boat and held the equipment close to him to protect it from the weather and started contemplating some contingencies should he and the equipment end up downstream!
On making it to the other side, Clark’s adventure continued as he now had to get up the mossy rocks and into the station wagon that also housed the farmer’s other nine children. With only the driver side door that opened, Clark laid himself across the seats as best he could, still holding the kit and equipment and it was all getting very cosy. The mud was thick and the rain continued to pelt down. Just as Clark was wondering how they were going to get through the mud, the tractor ahead of them started and the farmer told him they were just going to follow in the tractor treads – obviously!
The mud from the tractor flicked up onto the windscreen and the farmer now driving with one hand on the wheel and another acting as a make-shift windscreen wiper to allow him to follow the tracks caused Clark to say a prayer or two that they would make it to the farmhouse intact.
His prayers were answered, they made it to the farmhouse and Clark assisted in the safe delivery of the baby. Clark now had the baby, the mother and the equipment and they all made their way back to the boat and back across the flooded creek the same way they had just come.
Clark remembers praying and contemplating his faith several times throughout the job somewhat unconsciously. Upon reflection though, Clark ponders about this providing the meaning for him that ultimately led him to following a path to study theology and become the QAS Senior Chaplain. More recently, Clark has accepted the role of Manager of Statewide Spiritual and Pastoral Services as part of the new structure within Priority One.
Priority One expansion boosts proactive support for QAS staff and families
This revised structure of the Priority One unit was an important expansion to ensure consistency and clarity across the state in terms of support and psychological education delivery as well as to provide a more proactive and preventative focus. To accomplish this a further three portfolio management positions were established to assist the Director, Todd Wehr in implementing this new model and include:
Executive Manager of Clinical Psychological
Support – DrRenee Treloar-Munroe. Renee has been within QAS HR Services for more than a decade, is trained as a Clinical Psychologist and undertook her PhD with Emergency Medical Dispatchers. Her role is to support and lead the internal and external Counselling teams and ensure that we continue to provide consistent evidence-based psychological interventions.
Executive Manager of Psychological Education
– John Murray. John is well known within QAS with more than three decades experience in various roles as a Critical Care Paramedic, Clinical Educator and more than a decade as a Staff Counsellor. He is currently taking some well-deserved Long Service Leave and his position is being filled by Nat Dunton. Nat is an experienced Psychologist, having worked within QPS and QFES. John and Nat’s role is to provide leadership and direction around evidence-based psychological education across the state.
Executive Manager of Peer Support – Terri-ann Spence. Terri-ann, who will be known by many of you is a Psychologist who has had more than two decades within QAS, having worked as a paramedic and for more than a decade as a Staff Counsellor. Her role is to provide leadership, support and ensure consistency across the Peer Support groups located throughout the state.
In addition to the highly experienced Priority One Management Team, a Priority One Regional Counselling Team was also established. These new fulltime regional counsellors are located in Cairns, Townsville, Rockhampton, Maroochydore, Brisbane (Metro North and Metro South), Toowoomba and the Gold Coast. Many of these counsellors (with the exception of Brisbane) will cover more than one LASN, with their areas aligned with the old QAS regional areas and each of them will support the Operations Centres in their geographical location. This is so that there is adequate coverage of all the LASNs and to try to equalise the number of staff that each regional counsellor will provide support to.
Priority One regional counsellor team
In March this year, as COVID-19 restrictions were just ramping up, we just managed to onboard these ‘essential’ workers to support all our QAS staff in what was to become a time of great uncertainty. Below is a picture of the new team all socially distancing and even one virtual team member who was unfortunately unable to travel interstate during that time although is pictured here on facetime on the IPAD.
These positions will be an important part of the Priority One structure to provide an opportunity for a more enhanced and localised level of support to the LASN, the existing Priority One external counsellors and the peer support officers. This role will play a critical role to support staff to continue to do the important work they do.
These regional counsellors have been tasked with getting out and about, attending meetings and getting to the staff in their areas in order to assist to reduce barriers and mental health stigma. To ensure that they maintain a proactive and preventative approach they will not necessarily be spending all their time providing counselling. Their role is to:
provide referral pathways for staff to access the existing Priority One external network
conduct risk assessments and assist with treatment pathways as required
provide advice and support to managers around mental health issues
provide informal and formal psychological education, consistent with the rest of the state
identify and if possible, assist in mitigating psychological risks or hazards
provide support to the peer support officers and managers around critical incident management and assist in identifying if additional supports may be required in some instances provide support and advice to peer support officers for any issues
provide support to the peer support coordinators.
By May 2020, all the counsellors were in their positions and many of you will have already met with them in your respective areas. Due to COVID-19 restrictions they weren’t able to travel as much as they would have liked to, however as restrictions are starting to ease, you will likely start seeing more of them.
Priority One external counsellors still continue to be an important component of the Staff Support Services. A considerable area of feedback during the QAS Workforce Forums has been around the availability to be able to access these counsellors in a timely manner or the desire to have more options to choose from within this group. For this reason we will continue to identify the needs and enhance the number of counsellors within particular areas. Additionally, there may be times when the internal Priority One regional counsellor may assist in obtaining a more timely appointment through the links that they have established with this group.
The most notable difference with this group is that they may have, in the past, attended meetings and undertaken station visits in the LASNs which will now be more appropriately undertaken by the internal regional counsellor. There may be instances where this may still be appropriate, however, this will be determined on a case by case basis by the Priority One management team to ensure consistency and governance.
Priority One peer support team is still the most critical component of the support that is provided through the Priority One Program. The biggest difference for Peer Support is that we anticipate that the above changes will provide a greater level of support and assistance to Peer Support. Research continues to demonstrate that the formal and informal conversations that peers have with their colleagues every day makes a difference.
The QAS is committed to supporting and promoting the psychological health, safety and wellbeing of all personnel. Priority One has a long history within QAS, with its roots and foundations stemming from evidence-based practice and ongoing research into the strategies and efficacy of programs to support staff within the organisation.
Further support, information and resources forfamilies:
Another area of consistent feedback during the QAS Staff Forums and through the QAS Mental Health Taskforce, is that many staff and their families express having difficulty accessing Priority One counsellors contact numbers if they do not have access to the internal QAS Portal. To enhance this access Priority One now has a new external web page attached to the QAS website. You can access this site through https:// www.ambulance.qld.gov.au/staff%20support.html or simply through a search engine. You can also still continue to access the resources and contacts on the QAS Portal under the Priority One Tab. <https://qas.psba.qld.gov.au/priorityone/Pages/default. aspx> Where do I find help?
24-hour telephone counselling
1800 805 980
QAS Priority One Director
0419 707 397
QAS Staff Counsellors
0408 191 215 or 0417 079 679 or 0409 056 983
QAS Priority One State Office
3635 3333
LGBTIQ+ support service
3830 5888
Chaplaincy service
0439 788 485 or
Office 3835 9923
Local Priority One Peer Support Officers or Counsellors
See list in each QAS Station or on QASPortal
Priority One has moved.
The new address is Terrace Office Park, Ground Floor, South Tower, 527 Gregory Terrace, Fortitude Valley.
References:
Sean C Murphy & Brock Bastian (2019). Emotional extreme life experiences are more meaningful, ‘The Journal of Positive Psychology.’ DOI: 10.1080/ 17439760. 2019.1639795
Shakespeare-Finch, J.E, Smith, S.G., Gow, K.M., Embelton, G., & Baird, L., (2003) The Prevalence of Posttraumatic Growth in Emergency Ambulance Personnel in Traumatology 9, 58-70
Beverley finds inspiration sharing cancer journey with family and friends
When Yeppoon ACP Beverley Brown was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer in February this year, she initiated a blog to keep family and friends up to date about her chemotherapy. What initially started as a means of communication soon turned into a source of strength when she began to realise just how many people were rallying behind her reports Caitlin Lambert.
Background
Beverley after the shave off.
“It’s been really inspirational to hear just how big my village is,” Beverley said.
“I’m not somebody who wants attention. I didn’t start the blog for that reason, I started it as an informative thing because I didn’t want to be repeating myself over and over again about what was happening.
The blog has not only been a useful tool for family and friends, but also to strangers who have been affected by a cancer diagnosis.
“I had a lady contact me from New Zealand whose daughter is going through breast cancer. I think it’s just a contact thing, everyone’s cancer journey is different,” she said.
The teams at the Yeppoon and
Rockhampton ambulance stations feature heavily on Beverley’s blog, acting as a strong pillar of support and setting a fantastic example of just how important it is to support your colleagues and accept that support in return.
Beverley emphasised.
In addition, Beverley said she has been humbled by the support she has been receiving from the local community, including staff at Capricorn Coast Hospital and Health Service.
Working as an Advanced Care Paramedic since 2003, Beverley knew what to expect prior to her diagnosis.
“I felt a lump on my breast and my lymph nodes were swollen. I could actually feel a few lymph nodes under my arm,” she said.
Having studied a little about tumours and how they behave, Beverley had a fair idea of what was coming next.
“You don’t hear the word cancer and think pleasant thoughts. You have to go through the grieving process, but I think it was good to process it before I was diagnosed,” she recalled.
Beverley was diagnosed with breast cancer on 7 February – four days before her birthday.
Her experience so far has inspired others thanks to the roles people around her have played.
Following scans which identified a spot on her lung indicating potential spread, Beverley was given three options moving forward.
“One option was to have a mastectomy and reconstruction straight away, the second was to have a mastectomy with no reconstruction and the third one was to have chemo first and a mastectomy later. I chose to have chemo first based on that spot,” she said
Writing about her health and discovering just how many people connected with her over her words has inspired Beverley to spread the word about the importance of ‘letting your village be your village’.
“I’m really passionate about the village concept. A little while ago we got called to a man to take his socks off, as he had compression socks on and lacked the capacity to take them off,” she said.
“I just thought to myself ‘how many people could I call if I found myself in that situation’.
Beverley cannot work in her current condition. Beverley has had four doses of chemotherapy at fortnightly intervals and 12 rounds of weekly chemotherapy. She is still to have surgery. To follow Beverley’s blog visit: Nevertheless, she is still caring for people in every www.facebook.com/ way she can and we can’t Bevs-Battlewait to see her back on road! 102015318048904/
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Beverley, pictured with Kym Mazzaferri, has been inspired by her village of supporters.
Middle
Beverley’s colleagues and friends helping her shave her head in preparation for chemotherapy. Pictured with Beverley are Yeppoon paramedics Dan McGee,
Helen Barndon, Kym Mazzaferri and Tracey Kent and friends Kerryn McClintock and Ainsley Vaughan.
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Dan McGee helping take off Beverley’s locks.
Paramedic discovers benefits of outback living while tapping in to nursing skills
Insight magazine Editor Jo Hales reports on an enthusiastic QAS officer who has found the perfect balance working as an Advanced Care Paramedic and Registered Nurse (RN) in an outback town in the Central West.
When Zayla Bourke moved from her coastal suburb of Kirra on the Gold Coast, to the remote outback township of Blackall in May 2019, the self-confessed beach lover, admits she was ‘a bit out of herdepth’.
Not only did she have to adjust to country living, Blackall’s newest paramedic also had to deal with being the centre of attention in the close-knit community, with locals quickly referring to Zayla as ‘the new ambo chick who lives in the big blue house’.
‘’I definitely got people talking when I moved here, it probably didn’t help when I accidently reversed into my fence one day and a section of it came down,’’ Zayla laughed.
“It was embarrassing, but it was also so lovely to have people come over and help me out. I guess it was a bit of an unconventional introduction to some of myneighbours.”
Now more than a year later, Zayla, 27, who grew up in the coastal town of Byron Bay, is settling well into country living and the many opportunities it presents her with. “I came out to Blackall (which has a population around 1000) initially on a six-month term transfer. But I enjoyed it so much I wanted to stay longer.”
The station currently has three paramedics, all of whom provide a mostly single officer response.
Zayla, who is Acting OIC, said she has learnt so much over the last 12 months.
“The experience has been invaluable to my career especially if I want to go down the managerial path,” she said.
She has also been enjoying the challenges of responding to jobs as a single officer. Jobs range from horse accidents, crashes involving cattle trucks, house fires and a light plane crash involving a person who was mustering.
“The Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) was dispatched and landed on the property as the patient was in a really bad way,’’ Zayla said.
“He had head, leg and face injuries and was intubated on the property before being transported in a critical condition.”
Zayla has also responded to a siege. However, one of the saddest jobs she was involved in was a three-day search for a 78-year-old Blackall resident in January this year.
Unfortunately, the lady who had a medical condition, was found deceased after becoming disorientated on her large property. While it was a tragic ending, Zayla said a rewarding aspect of that job was watching the way the small rural community banded together to search for the lady.
“It was fantastic to see the community rally together for three days on horse and motorbike, people even donated planes and helicopters. It was just incredible to be a part of,” she said.
Zayla said working in outback areas, itis essential to build relationships with other emergency services and volunteers ‘because you rely heavily on them’.
“It is important to dedicate time to undertake training with them and build those trusting relationships’’ she said.
Another rewarding element of her Blackall stay, is how the rural transfer is allowing Zayla to hone in on her nursing skills. Zayla is also helping recruit and pilot a graduate program in outback Queensland for people who hold a Bachelor of Nursing/ Bachelor of Paramedicine degree.
Zayla, who completed her Bachelor of Nursing/Bachelor of Paramedicine degree in 2014, put her feelers out for RN work when she was posted to the town and was given a casual position at Black Stump Medical Centre.
“I work eight days on for QAS and then have six days off,’’ she said.
“On my days off I spend, two, sometimes three days, working at the medical centre as a RN. There is even the odd shift at Blackall Hospital.
“I am really loving this opportunity. Being able to work some of my days off allows me to feel more involved within the community. It is definitely giving me more purpose and fulfillment with my time out here.”
The centre has two doctors and two nurses and Zayla said she can be kept extremely busy with a range of presentations including chronic wounds, immunisations and pathology requests. “I also assist with incisions for skin biopsies, take out lesions, conduct blood tests, help suture wounds and set up telehealth appointments in Brisbane for specialist services.
As people in the township work on the land and with animals, there are also plenty of vaccinations to be administered.
“We set up a drive through flu clinic this year at the showground so people were able to drive through in their cars to get vaccinated. It was a huge success and allowed for adequate social distancing,” she said.
At the eight-bed Blackall Hospital which provides basic x-ray services, Zayla said it was amazing the number of people who walk or hobble into the facility, rather than call an ambulance.
“Country people are very resilient and can at times leave it to the very last moment to seek help,’’ she said.
“I’ve been amazed by some of the people who come in because they are in such a bad way, whether it’s from an illness or an injury.
“We treat them and arrange for the RFDS to fly them out.”
Zayla said what she loves most about her dual roles is the ability to provide a continuation of care to the people in hercommunity.
“It is great being able to attend to the patients when I am working as a paramedic in an emergency setting and then see them recovered when they come into the clinic in a much better way. I get to bond with them and have a greater understanding of their medical and psychosocial needs,’’ Zayla said.
As for the future, Zayla has high hopes to expand her dual roles to benefit the surrounding rural and remote areas.
“There are smaller towns around Blackall and the Central West LASN that have primary health care centres with a nurse running the clinic and an ambulance supplied by QAS for the nurse to respond to jobs with a volunteer driver,’’ she said.
“My aim is to undertake training with the nurses and volunteer drivers in these clinics and to attend callouts in the ambulance with them. I think it would be fantastic for them to have a dual-trained person working alongside them as it would enhance their confidence and competence when attending to patients in a prehospital setting where QAS services are a few hours away.
“It would also be great to see these health clinics employee permanent dual trained RN/paramedics in the future.”
Opposite, above
Zayla Bourke outside Blackall Ambulance
Station.
Opposite, background
Zayla Bourke admiring the countryside from a lookout in Betoota, confirming the population is ‘zero’.
Above, from left to right
Zayla Bourke and former QAS volunteer driver turned Indigenous Cadet Dwayne
Kangan observe The People’s Sign on the Landsborough Highway at Blackall.
The pictures on the sign represent what it means to live in the region.
Exterior of the medical centre.
Zayla Bourke in Windorah, a small town between Longreach and Birdsville known for its famous Yabby races.
The ambulance parked just outside of
Blackall near the Roly Poly, a sculpture created by artist Richard Moffat. The visual arts concept is all about fun!
Paramedics’ emotional reunion with cute and cuddly bub
Paramedics Justine Buckley and Aimee Sweet were called to an imminent delivery at a Ningi address on Friday 15 May at 4.26am reports Tracey Cater.
Above
Paramedics Justine
Buckley and Aimee
Sweet were delighted to reunite with baby Summer and
Mum Jessica.
Right
Summer is finally back at home with her parents after her dramatic entry into the world.
A scary moment for first-time Mum Jessica as her baby was not expected for another 10 weeks and her husband was out of town for work. Luckily Jessica had her Mum with her.
Baby Summer was delivered in the living room of the family home at 4.41am but was unresponsive after birth.
Paramedics followed their protocol of active stimulation, ventilations and CPR. After two minutes of CPR, Justine felt a heartbeat under her fingers.
Jessica and Summer were then transferred lights and sirens to Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital for further care.
Summer remained in special care until she was strong enough to be transferred to a hospital a little closer to home. Mum and Dad finally welcomed their little bundle of joy home in the last week of June.
On 8 July, Jessica and Summer were reunited with Aimee and Justine in a Channel 10 exclusive that aired that night.
What an amazing story this beautiful family will have to share with baby Summer when she grows up.
QAS remembers lives lost in tragic Marlborough crash twenty years ago
Our ambulance service suffered one of the most tragic moments in our history on 24 July 2000. Five people, including two Ambulance Officers, a pilot, a patient and a family escort died when the Capricorn Rescue Helicopter crashed in Marlborough, 100 kilometres west of Rockhampton.
Above, left and right
Bill Birch and Craig Staines.
In the early hours of that day, Ambulance Officer Douglas John “Bill” Birch and Intensive Care Paramedic Craig Staines boarded the helicopter with pilot Paddy O’Brien, bound for a cattle station 200 kilometres west of Rockhampton. Five-year-old patient Anthony Sherry was suffering from croup and required airlifting to Rockhampton Hospital with his Mum Susan escorting the young boy.
As visibility worsened, with thick fog blanketing the region, the decision was made to land at Marlborough and continue the journey to hospital by road ambulance. Sadly, on the descent to land, the helicopter crashed, leaving behind no survivors.
Bill Birch and Craig Staines were very well-respected ambulance officers in the Central region and their loss, as well as the three other souls on board was felt around the state. Their memory will never be forgotten, and their lives will forever be celebrated as we remember them 20 years on.
QAS staff find different ways to show their respect on ANZAC Day
Above
Chermside.
The sound of bugles still filled the streets at dawn on 25 April as communities joined together in spirit to reflect on the service of our soldiers, current and past, during the unprecedented COVID-19 global pandemic which resulted in services being cancelled for the first time since World War II.
Whether in military dress or pyjamas, people gathered at the ends of driveways holding candles as a campaign to ‘Light Up the Dawn’ encouraged residents to commemorate the occasion during isolation.
Despite the restrictions, the day lost none of its significance.
Our QAS staff around the state, were among many Australians and New Zealanders who found a way to pay their respects to our ANZACs while adhering to social distancing guidelines.
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning – we will remember them.
Lest we forget.
