In The Loop St John of God South East Melbourne Hospitals April 2021
Wig Library Reopens New location and opening hours for Community Wig Library
The Spotlight On Mental Health
Strategies to help mitigate caregiver burnout
Berwick | Frankston | Pinelodge Clinic | Langmore Centre
Hospitality | Compassion | Respect | Justice | Excellence
Move Over Covid The next biggest health crisis to hit our waiting rooms
Welcome Lisa Norman
CEO, South East Melbourne hospitals I think if we rewind to a year ago, none of us really imagined we’d still be talking about Covid-19 let alone still working around restrictions to manage it. And yet from a health care perspective it lurks among us, manipulating our everyday practices, waiting to rear its ugly head again ... ad perpetuam. But this week the easing of our screening program across SEM hospitals brings hope that a return to normal is in the making. Small little baby steps but nonetheless, in a forward motion. I’d like to take this opportunity to explain the new process while reminding everyone to continue to remain vigilant, follow procedures and not to let our guard down too soon. Screening process for caregivers including doctors
Screening for visitors Temperature checking is no longer required •
Temperature checking is no longer required •
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Attestation is required via the Department of Health QR Code and App. This system allows you to be informed about the current high risk areas and allows us to have confidence that all caregivers are aware of high risk locations and agree they have not attended them. Our screeners will start to disappear, however our expectation is that caregivers, including doctors, will undertake the QR Code Attestations on entry to the hospital. Managers will ask caregivers at the start of shifts about attestation and we will undertake audits to ensure that this process is being adhered to. This is a vital step in ensuring that our caregivers and patients remain safe.
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Attestation is required via the Department of Health QR Code and App or on paper where access to the QR code App is not possible. Over coming weeks we will reduce the presence of screeners and move to different methods of assisting our visitors and patients to enter the hospital safely. Surgical masks are still required in patient and public facing areas by all visitors and caregivers.
These new Covid screening changes are another step in our return to normal and I would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you for your support of me and the SEM Covid Response Team over the last 12 months. I would like to congratulate you on your willingness to adapt to our ever changing Covid environment. SEM caregivers have proven themselves to be agile and resilient when confronted with the challenges of a pandemic and I could not be more proud of the team over the last 12 months.
Lisa
St John of God Frankston Rehabilitation Hospital
St John of God Berwick Hospital St John of God Pinelodge Clinic
Feedback and story ideas are welcome: marketing.berwick@sjog.org.au
St John of God Langmore Centre
In The Loop is a monthly publication which brings together stories and news from the St John of God South East Melbourne Hospitals, keeping caregivers in the loop.
CONSTRUCTION UPDATE: The Langmore Centre A word from our Clinical Redevelopment Manager Right: : Evan Rundell, Clinical Redevelopment Manger
The Langmore Redevelopment Project continues to progress as planned as we move towards the exciting times of finally starting the build process. Our cost estimates are reassuring that we will deliver the project on budget and we’ve received approval from the South Eastern Steering Committee to take our plans to the tender market in search of a builder. This process is also approved through the Steering Committee with a shortlist of reputable builders chosen using strict criteria. The next few weeks will see these builders inspect the site and review our plans to essentially quote the work required to deliver the project. Some final adjustments are also being made to our documents and plans as we sign off on the interior colour schemes and carpet. We’ve also had to allow for consistency between design and functionality of our mental health facilities as the SJOG Richmond redevelopment progresses through its design development phase. At Langmore we continue to get the site ready for construction and in doing so we’ve seen a number of items of furniture assessed and catalogued (which were used during our aged care response), then packed into storage space at our neighbouring Stephenson House. Kent’s removalists were called in to do all the heavy lifting and they did a great job in ensuring everything was packed efficiently and with no fuss. Despite all our items packed away, sent to furnish the COVID vaccination clinic, or returned to Berwick for distribution throughout the wards, there is still a number of items to be moved.
We’ve arranged with Anthea Ramos, our SJOG Director of International Health, and with assistance from Rotary International’s Donation in Kind, to send our unwanted medical equipment to Dili in East Timor, helping to provide much needed medical supplies to countries less fortunate than ourselves. Transcorp, a removal and storage company arrived earlier this week to pack and deliver 32 hospital beds, 35 mattresses, 50 pillows, 42 bedside tables, 35 overbed trays, 32 black visitor chairs and one filing cabinet. Despite this massive donation effort, there are still some items remaining and will be open to all SJGHC SEM caregivers during our own Langmore Garage Sale. This includes electrical equipment such as TVs and stereos and furniture including tables and chairs. This will be held on Friday 23rd April between 1pm and 5pm at the Langmore Centre site, with all equipment costing a gold coin donation. All proceeds will go to Lifeline Australia which assists with suicide prevention and crisis resource support. Look forward to seeing you there.
Pictures: Kent Removalists moving our equipment from Langmore to Stephenson House for storage
Picture: Equipment available as part of the garage sale includes old electrical items such as TVs, stereos, etc.
Evan Rundell Pictures: Items getting packed, ready for delivery to East Timor
Put your posts on the Pulse The vast majority of workers don’t sit at their desks all day and SJGHC is no exception. With the rise of remote work and deskless frontline workers, effective mobile communication within a workplace is now more important than ever. Lucky for us we have Pulse — a communication app that you can download to your phone or your desktop that makes sharing information with your workmates really easy. According to reports, workplaces with engaged workers outperform their lower-engaged competitors by more than 200 per cent—forging ahead in terms of profitability, productivity, customer satisfaction, employee attendance and workplace safety. For management and senior leaders, it’s important to not only encourage your caregivers to share information, it’s vital for your staff to know that you are listening. Pulse is a great application that can enable you to do both.
For managers: Trust is an important workplace tool, especially in environments that see change occurring at speed and quite often. The only way to gain trust is to build relationships and that generally only happens in a two-way fashion. What caregivers need to feel is that you are listening to them. This can be done by liking posts and commenting on them. SWOOP Analytics reports that “the act of liking a message posted by someone on the shop floor can literally energise that person for a whole week. Not a bad return for a single click. Also if you like someone’s post, SWOOP research shows it is three times more likely they will like yours when you post something.”
For caregivers: If you see something you would like to share with fellow caregivers on Pulse, go ahead and do so. Just use the ‘Submit’ function ( + in the mobile app; or the icon next to your profile picture in the desktop version) to submit your content for approval. Here are some examples of content we would love to see: •St John of God Health Care news •St John of God Health Care in the community •Industry news and events •Fundraising or social events you and your caregivers participate in *Note: Your program manager will review and approve your submissions before they go live, if that helps remove any anxiety about giving it a go!
To achieve a reasonable balance between posting, replying and liking, SWOOP suggests using the 1/2/3 rule: for every 1 post you make, also make 2 replies and provide 3 likes. This sets a realistic benchmark and an achievable target for how much you should interact on a weekly basis. Having the app on your phone makes it easy to provide quick updates, or post a photo between meetings. It’s also beneficial to encourage your staff to make posts too. If leaders want to build trust they need to give permission for their people to engage with them. This can be achieved by asking questions. In order to elicit the most replies, keep questions specific but relevant to a broad audience. If you’re new to Pulse and sharing on social media platforms, it’s common for people to experience writer’s block—making them reluctant to share. To get your feet wet, don’t worry about posting initially. Start simply and easily by liking things instead. It takes minimum effort and shows you’re taking interest. It’s generally regarded the same as nodding during a face-to-face conversation.
User manual and guides: Link here
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Move over Covid The next biggest health crisis to hit our waiting rooms is emerging. “We are definitely seeing patients presenting with more advanced stages of disease,” admits Dr Sem Liew, Oncologist who consults out of St John of God Specialist Centre in Berwick. “Patients who may have been fit for treatment a few months ago, are now unfit for treatment as a result of a number of reasons—but one of which can be traced back to the effect COVID-19 and lockdowns have had on patient behaviour and lack of desire to seek medical treatment,” says Dr Liew. When Covid hit people’s lives were thrown into chaos. An unfamiliar territory greeted almost everyone on Earth. And with lockdowns mimicking ‘a life on hold’ it’s easy to see why many people put their medical needs on hold also. While medical attention was never deprived, access to commonplace diagnostic practices and regular screening was compromised. Telehealth, although an important component to treating patients during a pandemic, did not replace face-to-face consultations where a more thorough examination could be conducted and diagnosis confirmed. “As a result we are seeing three cohorts of patients coming through our doors,” explains Dr Liew. “We have patients who were already sick with cancer who put off medical appointments to avoid being exposed to the virus, we have people who presented with cancer symptoms but then chose to put off following up their condition with appropriate tests, and then we have those patients who felt healthy but delayed their regular screenings and checkups which meant preventative measures based on early intervention were missed.” It’s a story all too familiar for famous Australian YouTube star and former AFL player, Mark Orval, who is well known
to millions as “Angry Dad” —an unwitting victim of pranks played out to the world on social media by his adult sons, Mitchell and Dylan. Recently Mark took to social media to reveal that he is battling aggressive prostate cancer and blames missing his annual test last year due to Covid as the reason it wasn’t picked up sooner. “Twelve months earlier (at his 2018 regular screen) my results were perfect!” Dr Liew concurs, “Sadly I’ve had two patients in the last year who completely missed the boat for active treatment.” And it’s not just cancer says Dr Liew. “Cancer is a hot topic but there are other areas of medicine that are likely experiencing the same flow-on effect of Covid. If you miss your annual screening for cholesterol, iron, diabetes, kidney/liver functions etc. there is an increased likelihood you can delay early detention, particularly where there are tests available to detect diagnosable conditions before they become fatal.” Despite the damage that COVID continues to inflict, Dr Liew believes it’s time to move on and focus on encouraging people to put their health back at the forefront of their lives. “The storm has passed now. It’s time to get people back on track and into our care. We need to remind people that if they haven’t attended to their health in the past year then go back to your doctor, catch up on your tests. We have the ability in the private system to accommodate patients sooner. The wait time for the public system could be a bit longer but it shouldn’t be a deterrent.” It’s a message Mark Orval wishes he’d taken heed of last year. “Whilst this is a very private matter I feel the immediate need to share this as a message to ALL men that are at risk of this disease to GET TESTED. I regrettably missed my annual test last year due to Covid and whilst that now doesn’t matter and can’t change things it highlights the importance of regular tests.”
In The Loop
SCOOP Charity Golf Day raises almost $50,000 for charity
For 23 years, Rotary Frankston Sunshine have been hosting charity golf events which have become a permanent fixture in the Mornington Peninsula’s corporate events calendar. Unfortunately due to Covid, the event was cancelled last year but that didn’t deter regular attendees coming out swinging at this year’s Covid-free golf day. SJOG sent two teams of surgeons to compete at the sold-out event held at the prestigious Peninsula Kingswood Country Golf Club. And while, SJOG Frankston has supported this charity event for a number of years, this year we had the opportunity to showcase ourselves under our regional SEM banner. It was also a chance for Jo Masters, Business Development Manager, to introduce Sam Buchanan (Allied Health Manager at SJOG Frankston), and Merran Mackie (SEM GP Liaison) to some of our surgeons, doubling as an opportunity to help establish future relationships now that Jo Masters has recently retired. This year’s event saw a total of $49,000 raised with proceeds going to:
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Community Support Frankston Wheelchairs for kids Blackwood Special School Dogs for kids with disabilities FOCUS individualised support services
“It’s important for us to maintain close community relationships with likeminded local organisations that benefit the communities we live in. We’ve had the pleasure of maintaining a longstanding friendship with Rotary Frankston Sunrise and I look forward to expanding our connections further to introduce them to our Berwick and Pinelodge hospitals,” said Sharon McIntyre, Director of Clinical Services at Frankston Hospital, adding that, “The money raised by the Rotary Club since the annual golf day’s inception, has this year brought the grand fundraising total to $730,000. It’s an outstanding effort and achievement by all of those involved and for all of the worthy charities that stand to benefit from the club’s generosity.
Frankston Rehabilitation patient designs and donates SJOG artwork Tatiana has been a special inpatient and outpatient of SJOG Frankston since 2018. Previously a ceramic teacher and well known artist, Tatiana has not been able to teach due to her ongoing injuries sustained in a scooter vs car accident. That said, she thoroughly enjoys creating her own ceramics and has been working on two SJOG inspired art pieces since COVID-19 stage 4 restrictions were reintroduced in mid-2020. Recently Tatiana kindly donated her creations to SJGHC and are both proudly on display at Frankston.
SJGHC joins forces with Lifeblood for three-month donation drive
Community Wig Library reopens at Stephenson House
St John of God Health Care is taking part in the Health Services Blood Drive. Lifeblood Teams across the country are working towards a single goal of 10,500 donations during the 3-month blood drive from April 1 to June 30. Australia needs 31,000 donations every week to meet demand. Some patients need blood to get through cancer or a difficult pregnancy. Others have medical conditions which mean they need blood products regularly to stay healthy. To join in, simply give blood or plasma from now until June 30 and your donation will automatically be added to your team’s tally and to the overall drive total. If you can’t donate right now, you can still play a vital role by helping spread the word. Let others know that every time they donate, they’re giving someone another chance to live the life they love.
Forced to close once Covid hit, Berwick Hospital’s Community Wig Library is back up and running from its new location at Stephenson House on Gibb St. Opposite the former Berwick Hospital location the wig service is available to anyone in Melbourne’s South East who has suffered cancer related hair loss. Open from 10am-2pm on Tuesdays, community members can make an appointment to be fitted by one of our dedicated team of volunteer wig fitters. The wigs, which come in many styles, lengths and colours can be loaned at no cost for the duration of a patient’s cancer treatment and can be returned when the wig is no longer needed. If you have friends or family members who would be eligible for this service please call 8784 5600 or email berwick.consultingsuites@ sjog.org.au to make an appointment. Clients will be screened on arrival and must wear a mask. Please allow for traffic delays on Clyde Road due to ongoing roadworks.
Honouring our war heroes God of love and liberty, we bring our thanks this day for the peace and security we enjoy, which was won for us through the courage and devotion of those who gave their lives in time of war. We pray that their labour and sacrifice may not be in vain, but that their spirit may live on in us and in generations to come. That the liberty, truth and justice which they sought to preserve may be seen and known in all the nations upon earth. Amen. For Anzac Day 2021 across Berwick, Frankston and Pinelodge, the Pastoral Care team will provide an Anzac Day reflection leaflet for patient breakfast trays. Being on Sunday this year, the pastoral team will have a display and booklet for personal reflection in the chapel/quiet room of each hospital/clinic.
Abbassia, Cairo, Egypt, 22 September 1917. Two members of the nursing staff of the 14th Australian General Hospital (14AGH) and two patients (from a photograph donated by J. Scott-Findlay).
To put into some perspective the workloads and consequent stresses nurses endured when caring for injured soldiers, consider: During the First World War, a one thousand bed hospital, in Cairo, completely under tentage, without any floor covering was staffed by one matron, 15 sisters and 30 staff nurses with male medical orderlies from the Australian Army Medical Corps. In 1917, in France, the hospital had to be extended to accommodate 2,000 beds during a “heavy rush”. Compare this to the Royal Melbourne Hospital in 1990 with 700 beds and a staff of 670 nurses, excluding administration and education. Acting under such adverse conditions, these ladies proved themselves to be of awesome dedication, courage and spirit, and truly professional. Text contributed by Major Roslyn Bell RAANC
In The Loop
Are you an enrolled nurse interested in completing your IV endorsement?
SCOOP
St John of God is partnering with Chisholm Berwick to offer enrolled nurses a chance to complete their IV endorsement. If you are interested or would like further information, please contact:
Websites to help caregivers support multicultural population Embrace Multicultural Mental Health (the Embrace Project) is run by Mental Health Australia and provides a national focus on mental health and suicide prevention for people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds. It’s a national platform for Australian mental health services and multicultural communities to access resources, services and information in a culturally accessible format. And in particular ,provides mental health and wellbeing resources such as: • Translated COVID resources • Training and education modules in the Framework tab • Resources for clinical practice Health Translations (a Victorian government initiative) is another website that can help caregivers support our multicultural populations with access to translated information in lots of different languages. On the website you can search a topic and then put in the language you need to translate information to and you’ll be able to read it in the language you have chosen.
Abbie Davis E: Abigail.davis@sjog.org.au P: 8784 5087
World immunisation Week: April 24-30 Celebrated every year in the last week of April, World Immunisation Week aims to promote the use of vaccines to protect people of all ages against disease. Immunisation saves millions of lives every year and is widely recognised as one of the world’s most successful health interventions. With Covid-19 still circulating our globe vaccinations have become a hot topic this year but it’s important to know that although symptoms and ‘at risk groups of Covid are similar to that of the flu, the Covid-19 vaccination will not protect you against influenza and vice versa. It’s also important to note that while most people experience minor discomfort, if an infection by influenza is followed by a Covid-19 infection (or in reverse) it could have devastating effects, so it’s now more important than ever to get immunised against both of these diseases. It is recommended, however, that the interval between receiving the Covid vaccine and any other, including the flu, is 14 days.
Changes afoot for Berwick Hospital Auxiliary After many years in the joint role of secretary, Jenny Gillespie and Dianne Mison have chosen to step down. Jenny is planning to retire from the Auxiliary while Dianne will continue on as a member remaining on hand to help coordinate the beanie knitting for Oncology and hospital mail outs. Trish Nicholson (president) and Maree McPhee (vice-president) will also be stepping away but will continue their roles in a ‘caretaker’ manner until committee elections in September. Sally Wright has formally accepted the role of Auxiliary President, and will work closely with Trish until she steps down. Margaret Tinschert will continue in her role as treasurer. The Auxiliary also welcomes Roger Fedyk as publicity officer. The Auxiliary committee is currently looking to appoint a new secretary and recruit new members to help fundraise. Contact Sally Wright if you, or someone you know, would like to join: Sr22@iprimus.com.au. Ph: 0474 381 413.
Traffic woes:
How it’s affecting your work Commuting is one of the least pleasant things we do. But it’s not just an annoying time waster—research is now showing that it’s a major public health issue too. On average Australian cities spend more than an hour in traffic each day. Shockingly that equates to more than 20 days stuck in a car, or on a train or bus every year. And according to Infrastructure Australia the future isn’t looking any brighter as the population continues to grow at a rapid pace. None of this is news to people living around or commuting to our Berwick Hospital campus which has seen traffic congestion increase substantially in recent years. During peak congestion times commuters can take up to an hour to move a mere five kilometres. It’s a problem that not only affects the mental health of caregivers and patients, it’s an issue that affects productivity and ultimately an organisation’s bottomline. According to a survey conducted by Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA), people with long commutes are less satisfied with their working hours, worklife balance and even pay. They have lower levels of work participation, engagement, productivity and overall job satisfaction and are generally likely to quit or lose their jobs within the next year. Covid-19 has had a positive impact on work-life balance over the past 12 months as far as workplaces being able to offer more flexibility and working from home options but that’s not always possible and rarely is it achievable for a great majority of our workforce. If you have a long commute in the morning it’s worth considering a few options to reduce your stress and give you the best possible start to your work day.
Consider: • re-routing. Use google maps or downloading the WAZE app to plan alternate routes if necessary (they can alert to road congestion) • stay up-to-date with what might be affecting your way to work by downloading VicRoads app • breathing in deeply, exhaling, rinsing and repeating. It’s a proven technique that elicits relaxation and gives you something to do behind the steering wheel. • reframing your mindset. Embrace the chance to listen to your favourite station or playlist. Welcome the respite from work. • noticing and accepting what you’re feeling when someone cuts you off or you experience negative feelings. You’re not expected to eliminate every angry emotion but this does allow you to stop fuming over the behaviour and move on to the next moment. • approaching anxiety with a mindful attitude. It’s not fun to worry about being late but it’s important to accept the feeling and let it go. Try focusing on what’s happening around you, the sounds of sirens, the feel of your foot on the pedal. • putting on a smile, even if it feels fake. Research suggests that even going through the motions of smiling helps to reduce the intensity of your body’s stress response and seeing the humour in situations is always helpful. • talking to your manager about flexible work hours to avoid peak congestion periods.
Roadworks around Berwick hospital from April to late 2021 Major works are underway to build the new Clyde Road underpass. These extensive works will impact caregivers by the way of lane closures, reduced speed limits and traffic management along Clyde Road, Berwick Station and local roads. Pedestrians and cyclists will be rerouted and heavy vehicle activity with moderate construction/vibrations could impact the surrounding areas. Night works may also occur. • •
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Clyde road will be reduced to a single northbound lane between the Princes Fwy off-ramp and Jane Street. Pedestrian access between Sir Gustov Nossal Blvd and Enterprise Avenue will be closed. Detours via Buchannan Park or Kangan Drive will enable access to Berwick Station.
Up to 170 car parking spaces at Berwick Station will be closed until the middle of the year Pick up/drop off zones and taxi bays on both sides of the station will be closed until March 2022 Some public car parking spaces will be closed on Clyde Road near the Berwick Skate Park until late 2021
Addressing burnout in the workplace It’s no secret that health care professionals experience a higher degree of burnout than most other professions, but feeling fatigued, stressed or disengaged with your workplace can be common especially, in believe it or not, highly engaged workforces where often employees report feelings of both high engagement AND high burnout. These workers are passionate about their jobs, but also have intensely mixed feelings about them — reporting high levels of interest, stress, and frustration. In combatting this, it’s important first to identify what burnout is and how we can mitigate it before it develops. A recent article published in the Academy Times, a publication of Australia’s Mental Health Academy, discusses the issue prevalent among health professionals, with particular emphasis on therapists. However the information provided applies to almost any one in any form of employment.
What is burnout? The World Health Organisation defines burnout as: “ ...A syndrome conceptualised as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. It is characterised by three dimensions— Feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion, increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job, and reduced professional efficacy”. Note that phrase “chronic workplace stress”. This latest WHO definition lands burnout squarely in the camp of an occupational phenomenon, re-labelled after being formerly classed as a life management problem. This has implications for who is responsible for “fixing” the problem, with employers needing to take a greater role in creating sustainable workplaces. How many of us have burnout? Worldwide, it is estimated that about 210 million suffer from this. In Australia, a 2020 survey found that four out of five white collar working people (many of whom were working from home) suffered burnout last year during the pandemic; this 77% is 6% above the global average, and gives Australia the dubious distinction of being the country in the world with the highest rate of burnout, although we note that, all over Australia, the perception of decreased mental wellbeing as a result of the pandemic (in 45% of people) would mean that pre-pandemic levels of burnout were lower. While there are no direct statistics, a survey published in 2018 by the Australian Psychological Society found that 26% of Australians had moderate to severe depression, and about that many also experienced high levels of anxiety. Some experts and commentators believe that the helping professions are hit harder by burnout; emergency service workers, such as paramedics, doctors, nurses, police, and some counsellors continually work in highstress conditions. What are the symptoms? How do we know if we’re burning out? As per the WHO definition, we can sort burnout symptoms into three lists: one for each of its dimensions: (1) depletion or exhaustion; (2) feelings of negativity or cynicism related to one’s job; (3) reduced professional efficacy.
Symptoms of depletion or exhaustion
Symptoms of negativity or cynicism
Symptoms of ineffectiveness
•Lack of motivation •Irritability •Fatigue •Insomnia •Memory issues •Feeling hopeless •Nervousness •Headaches •Irritability •Change in appetite •Trouble concentrating •Cynicism •Depression •Increased illness •Loss of energy
•Isolation •Lack of enjoyment •Apathy •Impatience •Being critical •Feeling persecuted •Hopelessness •Negative attitude •Excessive use of sarcasm •Disillusionment with work •Loss of job satisfaction •Self-medication •Dread of work
•Loss of productivity •Poor performance •Missing deadlines •Habitual complaining •Missing work goals
What to look out for If you wonder if you are burning out, here is a brief set of indicative questions: • Has anyone close to you asked you to cut down on your work? • In recent months have you become angry or resentful about your work or about colleagues, clients or patients? • Do you feel guilty that you are not spending enough time with your friends, family or even yourself? • Do you find yourself becoming increasingly emotional, for example crying, getting angry, shouting, or feeling tense for no obvious reason? A “yes” response to any of these questions means it might be time to change your work habits or attitude. In addition, you may be on the road to burnout if: • Every day is a bad day. • Caring about your work or home life seems like a total waste of energy. • You’re exhausted all the time. • The majority of your day is spent on tasks you find either mind-numbingly dull or overwhelming. • You feel like nothing you do makes a difference or is appreciated
Stress versus burnout The term “burnout” has come into ever-greater usage in common parlance; many use it interchangeably with the term “stress”, but they are different. Here’s a handy guide to recall the characteristics that differentiate them. Stress • • • • • • •
A person is over-engaged. There is emotional overreaction. The sense of urgency creates hyperactivity. The inadividual has a loss of energy. Can lead to anxiety disorders. The damage is mostly physical. May kill prematurely.
Burnout • • •
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A person is disengaged. Emotions are blunted. There is a sense of helplessness and hopelessness. The person experiences a loss of motivation, ideals, and hope. Leads to detachment and depression. The damage is mainly emotional.
What causes burnout? • Lack of control. You may have little control over decisions about your schedule, assignments, or workload, which can lead to burnout. • Unclear job expectations. • Dysfunctional workplace dynamics dealing with bullies, micromanagers, bureaucratic red tape, uncooperative client families, or unhelpful people or
What we’re doing at SJGHC SEM to enhance caregiver wellbeing Meeting together at Chisholm Tafe for the first time in 2021, the SEM Leadership team spent the afternoon forecasting and planning for the months to come. Time was spent reflecting on the results of the 2020 caregiver survey, unpacking the findings and discussing the opportunities for the future. A representative of Converge spoke to the group about the EAP, offering insight into the trends during Covid-19
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organisations with whom you must liaise with. Extremes of activity. Lack of social support. Work-life imbalance. Personality traits contributing to burnout are: perfectionism, pessimism, control, high-achieving
Getting off the burnout motorway We asserted at the beginning that it is far preferable never to even start down that ugly burnout motorway, but if you suspect that you have somehow gotten onto the road, here are five exits you can take to get off it as soon as possible. • Seek support • Reframe how you think about your work • Check if you need to re-prioritise • Set boundaries. • Turn off tech for some period every day. • Go slower: Relax and sleep. • Make exercise important • Eat a healthy diet A lot of this information is probably not new to you, especially if you work in the mental health field but hopefully it has served as a reminder about how many symptoms of burnout there are, how easy it is to start burning out without realising it, and what some of the ways of avoiding it are.
and reiterating the impact the pandemic has had on healthcare workers both professionally and personally. It was yet another reminder of the importance of caregiver wellbeing and the lingering side-effects of the difficult year gone by. It was a surprise to some that not only does Converge provide SJGHC caregivers with complimentary and confidential counselling and mental health support, it also gives caregivers access to financial, dietary, management and family support too. You can learn more these services here: www.convergeinternational.com.au.
Caregiver Corner Profile: Angela started with SJGBH in 2008 and over her 13 years with the hospital and in between a couple of maternity leaves she has held a range of positions from theatre bookings, executive assistant, quality assistant and most recently she put her hand up to tackle the massive role of moving the old paperbased credentialing system online, back in 2019. A process that would take almost a year. But more about that on the opposite page. For now let’s get to know Angela a little bit better. What did you want to be when you grew up? A nurse or a vet. What is something you are good at? Taking care of others. What’s your favourite thing to do on a weekend? I love it when we have a weekend day with no plans. We recharge our batteries with a PJ day. I also love spending time in nature— off grid — camping, walking, gardening.
Do you play an instrument? If not, what would you like to learn to play? I played the flute as child and tried to learn the guitar in my 20s but failed miserably. Are you an introvert or an extrovert? The older I get, the more introverted I become, but I can be a bit of a contradiction. Do you have any phobias? I have a strong dislike for small enclosed spaces. What has been your favourite holiday? A working holiday in Ireland when I was in my 20s. If you could pick anywhere else in the world to go, where would it be? Canada. What’s your favourite season? Spring. Have you ever met anyone famous? I went to school with Grant Denyer— does that count?
What show are you currently bingewatching? I just finished New Amsterdam. What skill do you think you could improve on? There are too many to list! If you could change one thing about your life, what would it be? Nothing. I have plenty to be grateful for, but the thing I am most grateful for is my beautiful little family who are all equally as quirky as me — at home with them is my ultimate happy place. Who do you look up to at work? I am so fortunate to work with so many amazing people—I look up to them all in so many different ways. Are you a morning person or nightowl? I am not really either, but if I had to pick one, I’d say that I am more of a morning person. What was your first paying job? Childcare assistant.
The process of credentialing at SJGHC Credentialing is our process of verifying the qualifications, experience and scope of practice of our doctors, allied health professionals and external nurses. Up until 2019 the process was entirely paper-based with the documentation required to credential the 850 doctors we have across SEM hospitals kept physically in filing cabinets on site.
Angela bri credent ngs SJGHC’s ial into the ing system 21st Ce ntury Basic Auslan signs to help in emergency situations “It was a massive project that Angela has been working on and she has done such an amazing job with it,” said Helen McCulloch, Lisa Norman’s EA and the person who recommended shining the spotlight on this project. Having merged Berwick’s old credentialing system with WebPAS back in 2008/2009 Angela jumped at the opportunity to throw herself into the credentialing role yet again. Only this time Berwick Hospital had expanded and joined Frankston and Pinelodge under the SEM Health Care banner. A job, that Angela affectionately describes as one where she spends much of her time harassing doctors. The previous, very generic and basic paper-based system, didn’t allow SJGHC to drill down to the specifics of what doctors are qualified to do. “It’s a far more robust, comprehensive and detailed process now with a defined scope of practice for each doctor.” With 850 doctors across the three sites, Angela has her hands full. The process of moving the paper-based documents into an e-credential platform took roughly a year but the actual system of credentialing doctors is an ongoing practice. “It’s a hamster wheel of a job,” says Angela, pointing out that when medical staff are onboarded they are given a 12-month provisional period where at the end of that time they are recredentialed and moved to a permanent three-year cycle. “At that point doctors begin the credentialing process again to ensure a host of mandatory requirements, such as, training, insurance, registration, licenses, Working With Children Checks etc are all up-to-date.” On top of that, Angela takes care of the Medical Advisory Committee, the Credentialing Committee, all doctor communications, as well as managing the Medallion Club membership and ticket allocations. “Needless to say, it’s just me and I, alone, send A LOT of emails to A LOT of doctors every day.” The role is a busy one, with a constant stream of new doctors, as well as last minute surgical assistants and anaesthetists to check on. In the beginning it was very much a support role and lots of handholding to help doctors adapt to the new online system. Now doctors are more familiar with the process and can generally update their online profile themselves with Angela receiving a notification each time a doctor has made an amendment to their information. Of course that doesn’t mean the updates are done correctly or are complete, “the updates are often missing vital information that I have to follow up.” Despite the fact, that Angela’s job seems never ending, she is extremely proud of what she has accomplished so far, mentioning that in 2020 alone she credentialed/ recredentialed 420 SEM doctors.
Farewell Jo Joanne Masters has been an integral part of the Berwick Hospital for over 20 years. Starting as a scrub nurse at Gibb Street, Jo quickly gained respect as the right hand woman to many of the Berwick surgeons. It was during these early years that Jo began forming relationships with doctors which would see her eventually retire from her position as Business Development Manager. Jo commenced this position, alongside Lisa Norman, in 2010. Her achievements are numerous and have contributed to Berwick growing its revenue by 700%, enabling the VMO base to grow from a couple of hundred to over 800. It is remarkable growth and one that has been acknowledged as extremely rare in the private health industry. Jo’s ability to connect with our VMO’s and keep them engaged has been pivotal to the success of the hospital. Jo allows people to feel at ease around her whilst offering clear information and guidance, leaving people to feel informed, cared about and connected to our hospital. It is an art, but to her it comes naturally and she makes it look easy. Jo made the decision to transition to retirement on April 15 and will be commencing long service leave, returning in early 2022. During this time, Jo and her husband Gary will continue their caravan adventures around Australia. Although retiring from full time work in her business development role, she will grace our halls to offer an ear to the new Business Development Manager, however, mostly she will return to her beloved operating theatres working casually in the scrub/scout team. We have commenced our search to find Jo’s replacement which will expand to include all three South East Melbourne Hospitals. There has already been some interest in the role and we are confident that we will recruit an amazing person to enable us to carry on with growing new and existing services, continue to develop the practice of our current doctors, all the while finding new specialists for us to partner with. So, we say goodbye to Jo for now, but most importantly we thank her for her commitment to developing us as people and for enabling the growth of Berwick Hospital. The result of Jo’s dedication to St John of God has seen a beautiful new workplace which allows us to care for our community. Please take the time to wish her every success and happiness as she embarks on a new journey.
Maryanne calls it quits too but not before taking out coveted Rotary award After spending 45 years caring for others, Maryanne Burr, has decided it’s time to give nursing away and focus on herself for a change. Maryanne has spent the last 10 years as a chemotherapy clinical educator and oncology nurse in SJGBH Oncology Unit and is sure to be missed by her friends and colleagues. Lisa Marchetti, who manages the unit, says “Maryanne is loved by, not just her teammates, but all of our patients too. Her beautiful smile, her caring personality and fantastic sense of humour is noticeably absent within our walls since her retirement.” This dedication to her patients and team saw her also depart with the Paul Harris Fellow award bestowed to her by the Rotary Club — a top award for community achievement which recognised her efforts in establishing the Day Oncology Unit. Maryanne has plans to enjoy her garden, do some volunteer work and spend more time with her family, especially her grandchildren who she adores. We wish her well in her endeavours.
Back pats
Dodi Lawson said: 5 stars I have been to St John of God on multiple occasions and ALWAYS receive excellent care. All staff are amazing from front desk reception to maintenance. Could not highly recommend more.
Penelope Creedy said: 5 stars Such a warm & friendly hospital. All staff go out of their way to help you
What does have to say? SEM ??????? Of the 425 respondents to our patient feedback surveys
82% of participants reported a positive experience across all SEM hospitals since April 1st.
Berwick
Patient feedback
Attentive, down to earth staff who give you confidence that you are being looked after in a professional manner. That applies to admin and medical staff.
Pinelodge
Patient feedback Awesome doctors, nurses and psychiatrist, everything about Pinelodge is really great, I enjoyed my stay very much and thanks to the team ??????? I was working with I am now 100% clean and sober. I would recommend them to anyone with drug, alcohol or mental health problems. They really work hard to cater for everyone under some hard circumstances. Thank you for saving my life to all staff I have been working with.
Frankston
Patient feedback Nothing was too much trouble. Always checking I was alright and comfortable — and ALWAYS with a smile and friendly word. Food was amazing, toilet, shower room always clean. Felt like I was in a 5 star hotel at times. Big thank you in my early days of rehab.
Based on hours of in-depth interviews with doctors and nurses about their experiences of training and working in hospitals, ‘Grace Under Pressure’ is a surprising, intimate, and deeply moving theatre experience that reveals the hidden stories of health professionals in their own words.
Tuesday 1 June 2021 7.30 pm Bunjil Place, Narre Warren Adult $39.00 Concession/Pensioner Senior/Student FT $35.00 Under 25 $25.00 For tickets visit: www.bunjilplace.com.au
Health professionals are with us when we’re born, and they’re with us when we die. They devote their lives to caring for us, but how do we care for them? Can a doctor or nurse give a patient the best possible care if he or she hasn’t slept for days? What if they are also being bullied or sexually harassed at work? What if they complain about having to work excessive hours, but are told to stop whinging and suck it up? How do they cope with the pressure? Ranging from wildly funny to utterly heartbreaking, the stories within Grace Under Pressure will leave no audience member unaffected. Beautifully staged and disarmingly performed, Grace Under Pressure is a truly unique theatre experience.