Lamp December 2017 by NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association

PRIVATISATION

PALLAITIVE CARE

A race to the bottom

Doubts cling to palliative care privatisation

Stand together for safer staffing

page 12

page 16

page 18

COVER STORY

RAMSAY ENTERPRISE AGREEMENT

REGULARS Your rights and entitlements at work Nurse Uncut – your stories What nurses and midwives said Nursing research online

THE MAGAZINE OF THE NSW NURSES AND MIDWIVES’ ASSOCIATION VOLUME 74 NO. 11 DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018

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p.37 p.39 p.41 p.43

COVER STORY

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2 | THE LAMP DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018

CONTENTS Contacts NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association For all membership enquiries and assistance, including Lamp subscriptions and change of address, contact our Sydney office. Sydney Office 50 O’Dea Avenue, Waterloo NSW 2017 (all correspondence) T 8595 1234 (metro) 1300 367 962 (non-metro) F 9662 1414 E gensec@nswnma.asn.au W www.nswnma.asn.au

VOLUME 74 NO. 11 | DEC 2017 / JAN 2018

Hunter Office 8-14 Telford Street, Newcastle East NSW 2300

NSWNMA Communications Manager Janaki Chellam-Rajendra T 1300 367 962 For all editorial enquiries letters and diary dates T 8595 1234 E lamp@nswnma.asn.au 50 O’Dea Avenue, Waterloo NSW 2017

COVER STORY

Shellharbour to stay public

Produced by Hester Communications T 9568 3148

Community opposition prevails over another government attempt to sell off a valued hospital.

Press Releases Send your press releases to: F 9662 1414 E gensec@nswnma.asn.au Editorial Committee Brett Holmes, NSWNMA General Secretary Judith Kiejda, NSWNMA Assistant General Secretary Coral Levett, NSWNMA President Peg Hibbert, Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Hospital Michelle Cashman, Long Jetty Continuing Care Richard Noort, Justice Health Advertising Danielle Nicholson T 8595 2139 or 0429 269 750 F 9662 1414 E dnicholson@nswnma.asn.au Information & Records Management Centre To find archived articles from The Lamp, or to borrow from the NSWNMA nursing and health collection, contact: Jeannette Bromfield, Coordinator. T 8595 2175 E gensec@nswnma.asn.au The Lamp ISSN: 0047-3936 General Disclaimer The Lamp is the official magazine of the NSWNMA. Views expressed in articles are contributors’ own and not necessarily those of the NSWNMA. Statements of fact are believed to be true, but no legal responsibility is accepted for them. All material appearing in The Lamp is covered by copyright and may not be reproduced without prior written permission. The NSWNMA takes no responsibility for the advertising appearing herein and it does not necessarily endorse any products advertised. Privacy Statement The NSWNMA collects personal information from members in order to perform our role of representing their industrial and professional interests. We place great emphasis on maintaining and enhancing the privacy and security of your personal information. Personal information is protected under law and can only be released to someone else where the law requires or where you give permission. If you have concerns about your personal information, please contact the NSWNMA office. If you are still not satisfied that your privacy is being maintained, you can contact the Privacy Commission. Subscriptions for 2018 Free to all Association members. Professional members can subscribe to the magazine at a reduced rate of $30. Individuals $84, Institutions $140, Overseas $150.

66,436

Average Net Distribution per issue. The Lamp is independently under the AMAA's CAB Total Distribution Audit. Publisher's Statement for the period: 01/04/2016 - 30/09/2016

REGULARS

COVER STORY Community onside in

5 6 28 32 37 39 41 43 45 47 49 50

anti-privatisation battle Shellharbour decision a win for Port Kembla Hospital too.

PRIVATISATION A race to the bottom

Australians are increasingly concerned by the impact of privatisation on our most vulnerable citizens.

PRIVATISATION Privatisation means dirtier hospitals

Governments have to clean up the mess left by private contractors.

Editorial Your letters Competition News in brief Ask Judith Nurse Uncut Facebook Nursing Research Online Crossword Book Club At the Movies Diary Dates

PRIVATISATION Maitland petition tops 20,000

The people of Maitland have made it clear they want their hospital to stay in public ownership.

PALLIATIVE CARE Doubts cling to palliative care privatisation

PRIVATE HOSPITALS Stand together for safer staffing

Questions in western Sydney over Silver Chain funding and care arrangements.

Ramsay nurses and midwives demand safe staffing so they can deliver quality patient care.

CHANGING THE RULES The case for a modern living wage

PRIVATISATION

PALLAITIVE CARE

A race to the bottom

Doubts cling to palliative care privatisation

Stand together for safe staffing

page 12

page 16

page 18

COVER STORY

RAMSAY ENTERPRISE AGREEMENT

REGULARS Your rights and entitlements at work Nurse Uncut – your stories What nurses and midwives said Nursing research online

p.37 p.39 p.41 p.43

THE MAGAZINE OF THE NSW NURSES AND MIDWIVES’ ASSOCIATION VOLUME 74 NO. 11 DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018

Boosting the wages of the lowest paid makes sound economic sense says the ACTU.

CHANGING THE RULES ALP: employers have too much power

Australia cannot tackle inequality or build a future of inclusive prosperity without a workplace relations system that is both productive and fair, says Brendan O’Connor.

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1 | THE LAMP DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018

OUR COVER: Shellharbour celebrates Photographed by Gerrit Fokkema THE LAMP DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018 | 3

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EDITORIAL

Brett

Holmes GENERAL SECRETARY

A wonderful win Retaining Shellharbour and Port Kembla Hospitals in public hands is a significant victory. When the then health minister Jillian Skinner announced in September 2016 that she intended privatising five regional hospitals – at Maitland, Wyong, Goulburn, Bowral and Shellharbour – it seemed like a massive attack on our public health system that would be hard to defeat. In the decades and decades that privatisations have been imposed on the community it is hard to remember one that was stopped. Over the last 13 months we have stopped four. It is an incredible achievement by local nurses, midwives, other health workers and their communities. It has been achieved through community engagement, the boundless commitment and energy of staff and unity between health unions. When the state government announced it would not proceed with the privatisation of Wyong, Bowral and Goulburn it would have been understandable if heads dropped at Shellharbour and Port Kembla. But health staff in these hospitals continued to fight hard to keep their hospitals in public hands too. Their success is inspirational and we salute them. So, four down but there is still one to go. Staff at Maitland have also been resilient and refuse to buckle. They have continued to campaign keep their hospital in public hands. In their case the government has tried to muddy the waters by saying they will give the operation of the hospital over to a not-for-profit organisation. Of course this is still privatisation by another name. Maitland staff have collected a massive 20,000 signatures on a petition calling on the state government not to privatise their hospital. Maitland only had a population of 68,000 at the 2011 census so this is an incredible achievement. It is also a clear message from the people of Maitland to the state government: they don’t want a bar of its agenda to privatise local public health services.

VALUABLE LESSONS There is a valuable lesson to be learned from the experiences of this anti-privatisation campaign over the last 13 months. If we get organised and mobilise we can make governments accountable for poor decisions. When politicians make bad decisions that impact on patient safety and the quality of care we can deliver than we have to engage with the community and put pressure on those politicians to revisit their poor decisions. There are other lessons too. It is becoming increasingly obvious that the public has tired of the wider neo-liberal agenda that has dominated Australian politics for the last forty years. People are sick of privatisation and deregulation and economic policy that caters to the self-interest of corporations and the very wealthy. For a long time we were told that there was no other way. But we beg to differ. And even some conservatives and many economists are beginning to agree (see p. 24). The public wants to see something done about the widening inequality that has become so evident in Australia. They want strong investment in public health and other public services. They want a minimum wage that is livable. They want a fair industrial relations system that can deliver decent wage increases for everybody. And they want corporations and the wealthy to pay their fair share of tax. These are reasonable and laudable aspirations. The NSWNMA and the rest of the union movement will continue to fight for a change in the rules until these aspirations are met. ■

‘ If we get organised and mobilise we can make governments accountable for poor decisions.’ THE LAMP DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018 | 5

PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION

YOUR LETTERS

What’s On

Transitioning to the Workplace – 1 DAY Grad RN

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Thursday 25 January – Newcastle Thursday 8 February – Waterloo $ Members $20 / non-members $40 To provide new grad nurses and midwives with basic skills to start their professional journey into the workforce. Learn about your award, rostering, clinical handover NMBA and AHPRA Codes and Standards, documentation and CPD. Elder Abuse Forum – 1 DAY

Babies are patients too

CPD

6 Wednesday 14 February – Tamworth $ Members $60 / non-members $120 Protecting me, Protecting you: Keeping us all safe in aged care. Hear from experts in aged care about how to recognise and respond to elder abuse and legal issues that impact on our ability to keep people safe. Learn how to respond if you are the target of abuse, including ways to manage your own stress. All

Medication Safety, Professional Obligations and CPD the NMBA Decision Making Framework (DMF): 6 How to make the right practice choices – 1 DAY RN EN MW

Friday 23 February – Central Coast, Ourimbah $ Members $95 / non-members $190 This course reaffirms processes and principles about safe medication administration and explores the responsibilities and importance of knowing your scope of practice in relation to the National Standards of Practice for nurses and midwives. Medicinal Cannabis: Debunking the Myths – 1 DAY CPD All 6 Friday 9 March – Coffs Harbour $ Members $60 / non-members $120 Following on from our hugely successful Medicinal Cannabis Forum held in Sydney in September 2017, we are now bringing the forum to Coffs Harbour. Increasing Resilience in Stressful and Changing Times – FACE TO FACE / SELF DIRECTED All $

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Wednesday 14 March – Waterloo Members $95 / non-members $190

How to be an effective Preceptor / Mentor – 1 DAY RN EN MW

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Thursday 22 March – Waterloo $ Members $95 / non-members $190 About understanding the differences and similarities between preceptor and mentoring in an effort to appreciate the contribution such relationships can make to the novice nurse.

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Say

Babies need to be recognised as patients and there should be funding for their care. People forget that however many women you care for postnatally, you actually have double the number of patients. So, of a night, for example, if you have one midwife caring for eight postnatal women, that is actually 16 care plans, 16 relationships and handovers to document on eMR2 etc. This doesn’t leave time to do proper midwifery. No wonder breastfeeding rates are down and people receive either substandard care or documentation that is not adequate. There are so many hoops for midwives to jump through – and with risks to registration, no wonder they are leaving in droves. There is only so much one person can do! The stresses are horrendous. Keltie Foster RM, Clarenza

A memorable moment at Mantra Just under one year ago I won three nights at the Nelson Bay Mantra Aqua Resort. I received positive accolades for being a nurse. My husband and I were upgraded to a 3-bedroom apartment at the resort. It had great accommodation, a great pool and spa, and it was a fantastic place to holiday. We spent a memorable 14th wedding anniversary there. We seriously would like to buy an apartment in this resort. Thank you to Mantra Resorts and The Lamp for making this possibility available to my husband Peter and me. Sharon Emerson CNE, Holbrook MLHD

If there’s something on your mind, send us a letter and have your say. The letter of the month will WIN a gift card

Letter of the month Enough is enough! After reading the articles in the October issue of The Lamp, here is what I’ve come up with. Nursing is an occupation dealing directly with the human spirit and is highly charged with emotion. Whenever emotion becomes involved the real issues at hand can become clouded. This is what happens every day in hospital wards and units everywhere. It’s the nature of the beast. Nurses are by nature caring and compassionate people, which is their gift and why they are in the profession. This is preyed upon, exploited, by management to get what they want. Nurses by nature try to accommodate everybody. Therefore something’s got to give. The nurse gives in ways above and beyond her/his role. And this has been happening for decades. When I read in The Lamp about the nurse cleaning beds for new patients to occupy, (I thought) that was the very chance to slow down the push of management. If a nurse was not going to clean the bed, who would come and do it? Not management! We’ve got to recognise that we have the power to play the game our way, the

reasonable way. For far too long “the tail has been wagging the dog”. We are the body of the dog; we are the larger group in the hospital system. We are at the coal face and are dealing with the patients we have as best we can at the time. We’re not about KPIs or budgets. We’re about patient care, and if it wasn’t for patients none of us would have jobs. Have management ever stopped to realise this? Management are the tail – the smaller appendage. We have the ability to take back the strength needed to run hospitals the right way. We need to take the emotion out of the situation, not to feel obliged to do overtime – and recognise bullying when there’s pressure to work overtime. We need to say no and work to rule, don’t clean beds if it’s not our job, and don’t allow any more patients into the ward unless the staffing levels are adequate. And even close beds!! A lot of this comes under duty of care to ensure that we can look after the patients we have. We should have the control here, not the people in suits that push the pens. Enough is enough! Louise Lovedee RN

SEND YOUR LETTERS TO: Editorial Enquiries EMAIL lamp@nswnma.asn.au fax 9662 1414   MAIL 50 O’Dea Avenue, Waterloo NSW 2017. Please include a high-resolution photo along with your name, address, phone and membership number. Letters may be edited for clarity and space. Anonymous letters will not be published.

Onerous tick charts Do tick charts to record when patients have been sighted, improve clinical outcomes? At what point do they become counterproductive? Our psych ward had these charts implemented after a serious incident. The investigation of the incident commended our nursing practices and concluded our observation of patients was appropriate. The charts assign frequency of observation from 10-minute to one-hour intervals for patients. Nursing levels in our ward are frequently short. The acuity is high – we generally have one or two patients who are nursed 1:1, requiring “specials” (casual staff usually). Therefore our care is very much driven by trying to be everywhere at once. For some patients who are high risk to themselves or others, we do use 10–30 -minute charts to prompt frequency of observation. For the majority of patients the 30-minute to 1-hour rounding is standard practice. The tick charts are not referred to in ward rounds. Medical and multidisciplinary staff are not required to continue the charts when they are attending patients. As the 30-minute to 1-hour rounding is standard practice, charting this is redundant. Is anyone aware of any evidence supportive of the indiscriminate use of such charts? I regard it as needlessly onerous, when there are more pressing priorities. Niko Leka EN

Letter of the month The letter judged the best each month will win a $50 Coles Group & Myer gift card! Union Shopper offers members BIG savings on a wide range of products! unionshopper.com.au 1300 368 117

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THE LAMP DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018 | 7

COVER STORY

Shellharbour to stay public Community opposition prevails over another government attempt to sell off a valued hospital. Glenn Hayes, Nadia Rodriquez and Chevonne Cowell

ealth workers reacted with shrieks of excitement and tears of joy to the news that Shellharbour Hospital would remain in public ownership. Staff at Shellharbour, and the closely affiliated Port Kembla Hospital, heard the news at a packed Friday afternoon meeting addressed by Margot Mains, chief executive of Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District. She told the assembled nurses, midwives, doctors and allied health staff that the state government had abandoned its plan to privatise the hospital – as it had already done at Bowral, Goulburn and Wyong hospitals. “I was sitting on the floor during the staff meeting and I literally jumped up and down,” said Nadia Rodriguez, a member of the NSWNMA’s Shellharbour Hospital Branch. “Everyone cheered when we heard the news.

8 | THE LAMP DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018

‘ We filled the room to overflowing with community members and it did a lot to change public perceptions.’ — Chevonne Cowell I think we were all in shock and couldn’t believe what we were hearing. ‘’What this means is that we have universal health care for everyone; our patients will continue to receive high quality care and our staff finally have security. “We all fought together and this is the outcome, it is just brilliant. We are so pleased.”

COVER STORY

Shellharbour hospital nurse educator and NSWNMA branch member Chevonne Cowell got the news live by speaker phone on her way to the meeting. “I was so overjoyed I started crying. Tears were streaming down my face,” she said.

NURSES CONFRONT MINISTER Chevonne was part of a delegation of Shellharbour/ Port Kembla health workers who met Health Minister Brad Hazzard a week before the government’s backdown. “I left the meeting in Parliament House thinking this wasn’t going to be over soon and that we still had a fight on our hands,” she said.

‘ It’s a win for every single person who attended a rally, and who signed the petition.’ — Anna Watson MP

“As we left the meeting I shook his hand and said, ‘I just need you to know we are not going to give up.’

of a PPP (public–private partnership) anymore ...and it’s my view that the government should proceed itself with the $251 million redevelopment of Shellharbour Hospital.”

Chevonne said Minister Hazzard listened carefully as NSWNMA delegate at Port Kembla Hospital, Nilda Miranda, a clinical nurse consultant in palliative care, outlined problems arising from the privatisation of part of its palliative care service to the Silver Chain company.

Chevonne said, “We welcomed that he finally came on board because it gave people who really weren’t convinced a signal that the government’s own MP had turned against it. It gave us more clout in the community.”

“He has a special interest in palliative care and he was all ears when Nilda explained that inadequate information, communication and coordination between the public and private services could result in clinical incidents.” Chevonne said Shellharbour hospital’s NSWNMA branch received “fantastic support” from NSWNMA officials and staff. “We developed a leadership group within the branch and we got the message out to the community that opposition to privatisation is being driven by nurses in the hospital who are concerned about patient care – not something driven by union head office. “We have refocused our efforts onto Maitland Hospital to help the nurses there overturn that privatisation decision as well. Some of our members will travel to Maitland by bus to support those nurses. “If privatisation is not appropriate for other communities, why would it be a success in Maitland?”

A CAMPAIGN WITH MANY HIGHLIGHTS She said highlights of the campaign included a Shellharbour community forum webcast live by WIN television in June.

In the run-up to local government elections, Shellharbour Council’s Labor candidates signed a pledge of support for a fully-funded public hospital. Wollongong Council’s Labor candidates did the same at Port Kembla Hospital. Shellharbour Labor MP Anna Watson called the government’s backdown “a win for every single person who attended a rally, and who signed the petition.” Chevonne said the formation of a community group, facilitated by the combined unions, was vital to the campaign’s success. “The group was made up of respected community leaders who campaigned alongside us and they were instrumental in engaging the community, especially in Gareth Ward’s electorate.” Shellharbour and Port Kembla Public Hospitals Community Group coordinator Irene Hatzipetros told The Illawarra Mercury that public opposition to privatisation was based on experience of past privatisation failures. ‘’A lot of people can’t afford private health insurance and are hugely concerned about their access to vital services under the proposal,” she said. ■

“We filled the room to overflowing with community members and it did a lot to change public perceptions.” Health workers and community members held a candlelight vigil outside the hospital and more than 12,000 Illawarra residents signed a petition opposing privatisation, which prompted a vigorous debate when presented to the NSW parliament. Another highlight was the decision by the Liberal MP for Kiama, Gareth Ward, to publicly oppose privatisation after “sitting on the fence” for a year. In announcing his decision Ward told the Illawarra Mercury: ‘’I’m not in a position to entertain the concept

HELP SUPPORT MAITLAND Four down one to go! Maitland Hospital is the only one of the five hospitals initially earmarked for privatisation that is still under threat. Join our campaign to keep Maitland public by registering your support via the Keep NSW in a Healthy State website (https:// keepnswinahealthystate.com.au/). THE LAMP DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018 | 9

COVER STORY

Community onside in anti-privatisation battle Shellharbour decision a win for Port Kembla Hospital too.

‘ We mobilised the entire community and the issue touched the hearts of the people of the Illawarra.’ — Nilda Miranda

he decision not to privatise Shellharbour hospital was vital for the future of neighbouring Port Kembla Hospital, said NSWNMA delegate Nilda Miranda. Por t Kembla Hospita l specia lises in rehabilitation, aged care and palliative care and some services including rehab wards, palliative wards and palliative community care may be relocated to Shellharbour or Wollongong hospitals. “We are not opposed to moving as long as the services remain public. When that was confirmed people were dancing in the corridors,” Nilda said. Nurses and midwives celebrated the news with a number of events, including a family picnic day. “Families played a huge part in supporting the nurses who were active in the campaign to stop privatisation. The families also made a big contribution to get their own networks to understand the issues at stake. “Social media was pivotal to our success. We got great support via social media and it influenced so many people’s thinking and actions.”

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WE HAD A COMPELLING ARGUMENT She said community actions included a very successful “Politics in the Pub” debate at Kiama, an evening candlelight vigil outside Shellharbour Hospital and a car-chalking event to get the antiprivatisation message onto the streets. “We brought along chalking pens and stencils and asked people to come down and let us write on their car windows. “Everywhere we went we saw cars with messages such as “Save Shellharbour Hospital” and “#keepitpublic”. It helped keep the issue fresh in people’s minds and filled in the gaps between media coverage. “The campaign succeeded in stopping privatisation because we mobilised the entire community and the issue touched the hearts of the people of the Illawarra. “We were able to articulate the issues affecting us, such as economic disadvantage, high levels of cultural diversity, our geographic and demographic challenges.

COVER STORY

Nurses, midwives, other health union members and the local community celebrate a fabulous win.

“We put a coherent and compelling argument and the policy makers had no choice but to listen. “We made sense and represented our community with vigour and enthusiasm.” Nilda said the whole union gave invaluable support to Shellharbour/Port Kembla nurses and midwives. “We could not have done this without the leadership and resources the NSWNMA put at our disposal. “We will remain vigilant and have been taught many important lessons. “Most important of all is that by working together with a clear goal and supporting one another we can achieve what we once thought impossible. “We changed the position of the government and we will do it again if we need to.” ■

Victory after 13-month campaign General Secretary of the NSWNMA, Brett Holmes, said more than 13 months of tireless campaigning by local health workers, community members and public health advocates had paid off with the decision to keep Shellharbour Hospital in public hands. “This is without a doubt a victory for the people of Shellharbour and Port Kembla and I am thrilled the right decision has been made,” Brett said. He called on Health Minister Brad Hazzard to scrap the government’s plan to sell off Maitland Hospital – the last of five regional hospitals listed for privatisation by former Health Minister Jillian Skinner in September 2016. ‘’We stand by the evidence that indicates public–private partnerships in the health sector do not work.’’

THE LAMP DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018 | 11

PRIVATISATION

A race to the bottom Australians are increasingly concerned by the impact of privatisation on our most vulnerable citizens.

eople with a profound disability, and those requiring hospitalisation, aged care, child care, and child protection, have suffered “significant harm” as a result of privatisation of public services, a national inquiry has found. The report of the People’s Inquiry into Privatisation says communities across Australia “are feeling let down by privatisations that deliver worse and often more expensive services”.

‘ We heard powerful and moving personal stories of the pain that privatisation has caused people in this country’ — Privatisation Inquiry

Initiated by public sector unions including the NSWNMA, the inquiry heard from hundreds of affected people, including nurses, at public hearings in capital cities and regional centres.

aimed to “begin a conversation about the issue of privatisation in all its forms ... and build consensus around an alternative vision for our public services”.

The inquiry was held to determine the extent and effects of privatisation and to put forward alternatives that protect public services.

The report said the inquiry’s three-member independent panel “was overwhelmed by the thoughtful and passionate response to the inquiry from the community. We received detailed analysis, based on extensive research and evidence, from individuals and organisations who gave us a clear – and alarming – picture of the impact of privatisation”.

The report described the privatisation of public health care services as “a story of policy failure that successive governments seem keen to repeat, despite the evidence.” “The intrusion of the profit motive inevitably produces a race to the bottom in service quality that is totally inappropriate to the provision of public health care,” it found. It said submissions to the inquiry raised concerns about the potential damage to t he nu r sing profe s sion of cont inu ing hospital privatisation. Inquiry chairman David Hetherington, executive director of the progressive thinktank, Per Capita, said the inquiry broadly 12 | THE LAMP DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018

“We also heard, in written contributions and in person, powerful and moving personal stories of the pain that privatisation has caused people in this country.”

PRIVATISATION HURTS PEOPLE It said community response showed that “privatisation is not an abstract policy issue – it is deeply personal to the families and communities who brought us stories of damage that privatisation has done”.

PRIVATISATION

Failure across the board NSWNMA General Secretary Brett Holmes said the union supported the privatisation inquiry because it believed public services and especially health services should be run for public good not private profit. He said the inquiry was needed to start a campaign that would build consensus for a positive vision for improved health care and other public services. The inquiry found that privatisation has failed in three areas of major concern to nurses and patients:

HOSPITALS: • limited government control over quality • poor contracting management • increased risk for the state following contract difficulties • cost blow-outs • decline in quality of services to the public

“The evidence that we received showed that privatisation has overall had a damaging effect on services and that these effects make a real difference to people’s lives. “When privatisation goes wrong, it is not a mere matter of inconvenience – it hurts people in very specific ways. “Despite the very direct and personal impact that privatisation has on people’s lives, decisions about privatisation have been taken out of the democratic realm, and the discussion about privatisation has become technocratic, inaccessible and opaque. “There is a lack of democracy in the way decisions are made: there is a lack of meaningful consultation with stakeholders, decisions are made with reference to the financial impacts of privatisation more than the impact of the actual services that are delivered, and vital information about privatisation is unavailable to citizens because of ‘commercial in confidence’ provisions and other mechanisms that prevent scrutiny.”

AGED CARE: • reduction in care hours • reduction of staffing and skill mix • profit motive outweighing delivery of quality care • erosion of pay and conditions for staff

DISABILITY: • Loss of the right to choose services • Loss of a public disability safety net for people with complex needs • Fears of service cutbacks and deterioration of quality care • Lack of accountability and ability for nongovernment providers to turn away highneeds clients • Reduced pay and conditions for workers • Privatisations are rushed and distressing for client.

NO ACCOUNTABILITY The report said it was increasingly difficult for communities to hold someone accountable for the delivery of privatised services. “There is a very basic need for people to know who to call when things go wrong, to get answers from someone in authority, to know what level of service they can expect and who to blame if services fail. “All these things are harder when services are at arm’s length from government, when corporations are not held to the same standards of transparency as government bodies, and when government is vacating the regulatory and oversight space.” The report said evidence presented to the inquiry clearly showed that privatisation did not lead to greater consumer choice and claimed financial benefits were often “mythical” too. “There is therefore a clear demand to reverse or somehow address failed privatisations – to improve oversight, to restore services to public hands, to right the wrongs that these policies have inflicted.” ■ THE LAMP DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018 | 13

PRIVATISATION

Privatisation means dirtier hospitals Governments have to clean up the mess left by private contractors.

he People’s Inquiry into P r ivat i s at ion re c eive d details of “numerous” public hospitals that had been wholly or partly privatised, only to be returned to public control. They were handed back to governments after “catastrophic contracting failures endangered service provision to the public”, the inquiry said. The inquiry report cited examples from all states including Port Macquarie Base Hospital (NSW), La Trobe Valley hospitals (Victoria), Modbury Hospital (South Australia), Robina Hospital (Queensland), Mersey and North West Regional hospitals (Tasmania) and Fiona Stanley, Perth Children’s and Midland hospitals (Western Australia). The report said privatisation seriously affected hospital cleaning services – a crucial element in disease control and patient safety. It found that new contracting arrangements under privatisation required cleaners to work at a faster rate, to the detriment of public safety. Cleaners also suffered reduced job security, making it difficult for them to speak out about employment and hospital hygiene issues. A submission by the Uniting Church’s Justice and International Mission cited evidence from the UK where the contracting of cleaning services has largely been abandoned due to failures relating to staff retention, training and engagement that produced serious infection control issues. 14 | THE LAMP DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018

‘ Delays with cleaning beds after a patient was discharged at one point reached six hours – causing a huge backlog of patients in the emergency department.’ — Privatisation Inquiry EVEN MORE WORK FOR NURSES The inquiry report cited Sydney’s Royal North Shore Hospital (RNSH) where cleaning ser vices were contracted out through a “public– private partnership” (PPP) but had to be returned to public control due to ongoing problems. The report said that in 2008, the NSW government announced that in order to redevelop RNSH, a PPP would be entered into with a consortium called Infrashore, which would build the new facility and provide ‘soft services’ and maintenance services until 2036. After this time, the hospital building would be handed over to NSW Health. A confidential submission to the inquiry outlined some of the problems including disputes over the quality of service provided after cleaning and portering staff numbers were cut by 20 per cent. “Patient care was being delayed by a lack of porters and the nurses were picking up extra work. Delays with cleaning beds after a patient was discharged at one point reached six hours – causing a huge backlog of patients in the emergency department. “This had a debilitating impact

on an already struggling service and the RNSH branch of the NSWNMA resorted to writing to Jillian Skinner MP, NSW Health Minister, begging her to intervene.” Earlier this year it was announced that consortium member ISS lost the contract for soft services and Healthshare (part of NSW Health) was to take over for 18 months. “This was to bring the service up to the level required at which point it will then go out to private industry to tender for the ongoing contract,” the inquiry reported. It noted that the retail arm of the PPP had clashed with the hospital volunteers who run a shop with all profits donated to the hospital. “Not only was the volunteer shop relegated to a low traffic area, a rival convenience store was opened close to the entrance, taking a lot of the volunteer shop’s business.” ■

READ THE REPORT TAKING BACK CONTROL A COMMUNITY RESPONSE TO PRIVATISATION www.peoplesinquiry.org.au

www.peoples inquiry.org.au

PRIVATISATION

Maitland petition tops 20,000 The people of Maitland have made it clear they want their hospital to stay in public ownership.

NO CONSULTATION

nother 10,000 people have put their names to a petition calling on the state government not to privatise Maitland Hospital, in the lower Hunter Valley. Members of the NSWNMA’s Maitland branch presented the second petition to their state Labor MP Jenny Aitchison.

Jane said there was very little understanding of what a notfor-profit hospital would mean for the community. “As a teaching hospital, we have a lot of new grads, nursing students and student doctors coming through, which may not continue under a notfor-profit model.

She will take it to parliament where it is expected to be debated for a second time. Gathering a total of 20,000 signatures indicates the extent of opposition to privatisation: Maitland had a population of only 68,000 at the 2011 census. The hospital also takes patients from hospitals in towns such as Dungog, Cessnock, Kurri Kurri, Singleton, Muswellbrook and Taree. The government says a new Maitland Hospital will be built and r un by a not-for-prof it organisation rather than via a public–private partnership model, as it first proposed. Community opposition has already forced the government to abandon plans to privatise four out of five hospitals it earmarked last year. Of the five, Maitland is the only one that could be handed over to the not-for-profit sector rather than stay as a government-run facility. President of the NSWNMA’s Maitland branch, Jane Burton, said the not-for-profit model was “privatisation by another name. Being a not-for-profit means they

“There has been no consultation or guarantee as to how many public beds will be provided within the new hospital. The existing hospital is way too small to meet current demand.

‘ There has been no consultation or guarantee as to how many public beds will be provided within the new hospital.’ — Jane Burton

are still working to produce a financial surplus.” “Our community deserves a public hospital. They deserve to know they are going to be looked after now and into the future and standards of care will be maintained. “Only 15.5 per cent of our population has private health cover.

“The government will not say what maternity and midwifery services will be available.” Jane said the government had failed to commit to the new hospital maintaining its current wards such as the new intensive care unit, coronary care unit, mental health ward and gazetted beds. “There is nothing to say they won’t outsource services such as pathology, x-ray, cleaning and catering, which are commonly farmed out to private providers in the not-for-profit system.” She said Maitland nurses and midwives would only be guaranteed state award conditions for two years after privatisation. She said branch members would continue their “conversation with the community” including door-knocking, leafleting markets and shopping centres and public meetings. ■ THE LAMP DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018 | 15

PALLIATIVE CARE

Doubts cling to palliative care privatisation Questions in Western Sydney over Silver Chain funding and care arrangements.

leading palliative care specialist and advocate has questioned the funding and model of care involved in the privatisation of communitybased palliative care services in Western Sydney Local Health District (WSLHD). Dr Yvonne McMaster, a retired palliative care specialist who received the Order of Australia Medal, campaigns for increased palliative care funding in NSW. She collected over 86,000 signatures on a petition for the cause. Dr McMaster wants to know why WSLHD’s privatised service has been allocated almost 40 per cent of additional palliative care funding provided for the whole of NSW. The Silver Chain Group took over in-home palliative care services in WSLHD in July. The government says the contract to care for people needing palliative care in the last three months of life, is expected to be worth $80 million over seven years. The June state budget included a $100 million increase in palliative care funding over the next four years. In her newsletter Push for 16 | THE LAMP DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018

Palliative Dr. McMaster said $38.9 million of the increased funding would go to Silver Chain for services in WSLHD. She wrote: “Being just one LHD and representing only 7 per cent of the NSW population, while costing 38.9 per cent of the total $100m enhancements for NSW, we ask whether the other 14 LHDs will see similar enhancements.”

OTHER LHDs SHORTCHANGED She told The Lamp, “It’s a lot of money to spend on one LHD. Other LHDs have been shortchanged because they are getting what’s left over. Fourteen of them will have to share the remaining $61 million.” She said palliative care services in the other 14 LHDs were mainly provided by public health services i n combi nat ion w it h nongovernment organisations under long-established partnerships. “The Silver Chain arrangement is part of a social impact investment which is supposed to save money for the government. But I don’t see those savings coming back to palliative care.” ‘Social impact investment’ is an

increasingly common euphemism for privatisation and contracting out, which – as surveys show – the public overwhelmingly oppose. Dr McMaster said the public health system in Western Sydney once provided 24-hour home visits to palliative care patients but the service had gradually been cut back. Her newsletter noted: “We are pleased to learn this (Silver Chain) service will offer patients in Western Sydney 24/7 access to palliative care, including home visits by RNs in the last three months of life - though we note this was available in WSLHD years ago before being cut, and find it troubling that the medical aspect of this new service will be mainly delivered by GPs.” “We contend that a model which employs specialist physicians, nurses, and allied health, with endof-life home care and 24/7 palliative care access to home visits, should be the focus of investment for the other 14 LHDs. “This model could be provided for a fraction of the cost of the WSLHD investment, with similar savings, and greater support.” ■

PALLIATIVE CARE

‘ It was a tragedy when they cut that very valuable service.’ — Dr Yvonne McMaster

Silver Chain breaks continuity of care Silver Chain ‘partnership’ is really a takeover, nurses say.

estern Sydney Local Health District chief executive Danny O’Connor claims the Silver Chain arrangement is a “partnership” with WSLHD aimed at “increasing options for patients and families in Western Sydney”. However, palliative care nurses employed by Western Sydney LHD’s Integrated Care service say the arrangement is about shifting patients and profits to the private sector. “They say it’s a partnership but we all know it’s not,” one nurse told The Lamp. “Silver Chain don’t want to share care; they want total ownership of patients.” Silver Chain Group calls itself the biggest provider of non-government community-based palliative care services in Australia. It says it has more than 3,000 staff, 400 volunteers and 62,000 patients in all mainland states.

A BIG PLAYER IN WA According to the magazine Medical Forum, the company controls around 35 per cent of health and community services public funding in WA, giving it a “unique and leading position within WA’s primary care infrastructure.” “They try to operate in Western Sydney on the basis of their West Australian model but in WA they are the community health service,” said a nurse familiar with Silver Chain. “In Western Sydney we have an existing community service delivered by the public health system. “Years ago, we covered people 24/7, but over time it has

‘ We build up a rapport with the patient and family and then we have to hand them over to Silver Chain to die.’ — palliative care nurse

been eroded and we have had our funding taken off us. “We still care for patients in the community but now we are forced to hand them over to Silver Chain when they are estimated to have about three months left. “There is no continuity of care. We build up a rapport with the patient and family and then we have to hand them over to Silver Chain to die. “Silver Chain expect us to chase all the information for them but once we hand patients over, they are not even allowed to access our phone service. “Our nurses are not even told when the people they have been caring for have died. “It is not about giving patients greater choice; it actually denies them the right to choose.” Nurses also question why Silver Chain has permission to access hospital records through the Cerner IT system, when other NGOs cannot. ■

THE LAMP DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018 | 17

PRIVATE HOSPITALS

Stand together for safer staffing Ramsay nurses and midwives call for safer staffing so they can deliver quality patient care.

a msay nurses and midwives have embarked on an enterprise agreement campaign that seeks to improve staffing and skill mix in order to deliver safer patient care. Members’ claims include ratios for the following specialties: • Medical and Surgical Wards • Rehabilitation • End-of-life/Palliative Care • Critical Care (Adult and Paediatric) • Maternity Services • Perioperative Services – ACORN • Emergency Department • Mental Health • Paediatric Beds Staffing • Short Stay Wards • Nursing Models for Oncology, Dialysis and Infusions. Members also call for: • sufficient staff on shift for breaks to be taken • nurses and midwives allocated to patients clinically assessed as needing specialised 1:1 care in addition to the rostered nursing hours and • a revision of the midnight census to accurately reflect the needs of patients.

NEW SAFE STAFFING FRAMEWORK In their claim, Ramsay nurses and midwives seek a “Safe Staffing Framework” that would include: • skill mix for each ward/unit should 18 | THE LAMP DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018

‘ Ramsay is a $14.5 billion company that is highly profitable. It is making record profits, with strong growth in the Australian business expected to continue. ’ include a minimum 85 per cent RNs for each shift • nurses and midwives designated in charge should not carry a patient load and should be additional to the ratios • ‘like-for-like’ replacement for all absences including sick leave (see box for full claim). NSWNMA General Secretary Brett Holmes says the company has always been proud of the “Ramsay Way” – a corporate culture underpinned by the values of “people caring for people” and with a commitment “to ongoing improvement of patient care”. Nurses and midwives are seeking changes that are consistent with these goals and will ultimately be beneficial to the company, staff and patients, he says. “Ramsay is a $14.5 billion company that is highly profitable. It is making record profits, with strong growth in the Australian business expected to continue. The company can afford better staffing and skill mix, which will give safer patient care,” he said. Brett says the Association consulted extensively with Ramsay nurses and

midwives when compiling the claims for the new Agreement and there is an overwhelming message that staffing must be improved. Ramsay are well placed as a leader in NSW to make this happen. “Nurses and midwives are telling us that the company regularly expects them to do more with less which means tremendous pressure, missed breaks and gaming of the rosters depending on fluctuations in patient numbers. “There are unrealistic expectations of staff. Overtime is expected. It is expected that you finish your list before a meal break is allowed. “But staff have expectations of the company as well. They expect MyTime to be accurate and live up to what it was promised to be: accessible, transparent and reliable. “They expect to get meal breaks and if they don’t it should be easy to claim a meal allowance. “And most important of all, they expect to work with enough nurses or midwives and have the right skill mix on their shift.” ■

PRIVATE HOSPITALS

Proposed NSWNMA Ramsay safe staffing framework • Skill mix for each ward/unit should include a minimum of 85 per cent RNs for each shift with the overall shift comprising staff with the appropriate qualifications, education and competency to provide safe patient care. • Only nurses providing direct clinical care should be included in the ratios. Positions such as After Hours Managers (AHMs), Nursing/Midwifery Unit Managers (NUM/MUMs), Clinical Nurse/ Midwife Educators (CNE/CMEs), Clinical Nurse/ Midwife Consultants (CNC/CMCs), dedicated administrative support staff and wards persons should be additional. • Nurses/midwives designated in charge will not be allocated a patient load and should be additional to the ratios. • ‘ Like-for-like’ replacement – all leave absences including sick leave to be replaced by the same skilled staff or higher classification. • Nurses and midwives will be allocated to patients clinically assessed as needing specialised 1:1 care in addition to the rostered nursing hours. • Where the NUM/MUM/in charge on a shift considers that patient needs cannot be sufficiently met from the nurses/midwives immediately available, the NUM/MUM/in charge will inform the senior nurse/midwife manager who together with the NUM/MUM/in charge will implement a solution including: – additional hours for part time staff – engagement of casual/agency staff – overtime, and/or – prioritisation of nursing activities on the ward/unit. • There must be sufficient staff on shift for breaks to be taken. • Stores and pharmacy always to be available. • Additional nurses/midwives will be provided for escort duty. • Additional Clinical Nurse/Midwifery Educators will be employed in all specialties and rostered across all shifts. • Revise the ‘midnight census’ because it does not accurately reflect the needs of patients. • Riskman to be the appropriate tool for reporting unsafe staffing. • All facilities to have adequate available nurses with competency in Advanced Life Support.

‘ People want safe levels of staffing’ Toni Simmonds, CNS

“

The biggest issue that came up in our members’ meeting is staffing. People want safe levels of staffing. They try to cut back on staffing when they can. There are pressures from above to save costs on staffing. Pay is another issue. We have unpaid meal breaks. We work eight and a half hours and get paid eight hours, but very often we have to work through our meal breaks to ensure safe staffing. We want transparency around MyTime, and how it is used to calculate earnings. There are also issues with roster changes being made on short notice, or staff being asked to take a day off and use annual leave when patient numbers are low. Sometimes it’s just one day’s notice. Even though we have an enterprise agreement saying you can’t be expected to do this, when staff are asked one-on-one they feel pressured. When people are approached this way it is too much pressure, especially for the graduate staff. Junior staff really feel like they have to please a manager. It’s so important to try and educate new staff about the importance of belonging to the Association so that we bargain effectively to maintain fair work practices and to continue to improve conditions.

”

THE LAMP DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018 | 19

PRIVATE HOSPITALS

Ramsay members’ survey: staffing is the number one issue

ver 1000 Ramsay nurses and midwives feel that the staffing in their ward, unit or theatre does not allow them to provide the quality care their patients need, according to NSWNMA survey results. 73 per cent of over 1400 Ramsay nurses and midwives who participated in a NSWNMA survey said that staffing numbers were inadequate to deliver the quality care that patients need.

he greatest challenge is T skill mix and short staffing. Management’s solution is to expect more from nurses. ‘ The greatest challenge is skill mix and short staffing. Management’s solution is to expect more from nurses. Equally, if the patient numbers slightly drop, they cut a nurse which means we don’t even get breaks and we leave late. My concern is that compromises patient care,” said one nurse. “Burning out nurses who are giving 110 per cent every day, who are not supported and are expected to work in conditions that put patient safety second and the budget first is not smart,” said another. Other comments on staffing included: “Something needs to be done, Ramsay keeps cutting absolutely everything. It’s becoming dangerous for everyone.” “We seem to have less staff with more patients and patients having higher needs.” “Shifts are changed without staff agreeing.” Nurses and midwives also felt strongly about having to work through meal breaks. “Staff often don’t take a proper lunch or morning break. They mostly eat while they are writing notes or working in the staff/doctors room. This is considered normal,” said one. Rosters were also a contentious issue. “Rosters are not available in advance. They are often out on a Thursday for the following week so you are unable to plan social events.” ■ 20 | THE LAMP DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018

Ramsay Enterprise Agreement pay and conditions claims at a glance • Safe staffing standards for quality patient care • Four per cent pay rise per annum • Maintain and protect current wages and conditions in an agreement that applies to all NSW hospitals • Tightening of agreement language to ensure Ramsay honour all nurses and midwives’ agreed entitlements and include examples of how it works • Valuing nurses and midwives through better pay and conditions • Guaranteeing nurses and midwives’ work/life balance • Guaranteeing Nurses and Midwives’ Health and Safety • Guaranteeing and Recognising Nurses and Midwives’ Professional Education, Skills and Experience • Valuing Nurses and Midwives’ Clinical Leadership and Support • Getting nurses and midwives’ pay right using MyTime

LIKE US ON FACEBOOK AND SUPPORT YOUR CAMPAIGN Over 1000 Ramsay nurses and midwives are on the NSWNMA Ramsay Facebook page: like and share now and visit https://www.facebook.com/ramsaynswnma/ for the latest updates.

PRIVATE HOSPITALS

‘ We can’t get our proper meal breaks because there aren’t enough nurses on the floor’

‘ We’re going for ratios’ Karen Atcheson, EN

“

Michelle Van-Aalst, RN

“

We just want safe nursing, which means having more nurses on the floor so we can give safe nursing to our patients. On a night shift you can have one nurse for up to 11 to 12 patients, which isn’t safe. On a morning shift you can have one RN for up to eight patients, and on an afternoon shift you can have up to 12 patients with an AiN or an EN.

We can’t get our proper meal breaks because there aren’t enough nurses on the floor. It would be better to have the AiN as extras, not with patient loads, so you can get them to float on a floor, and have no more than four patients for each RN on a day shift, and no more than six patients per RN at night. We need our work safe so we can care for our patients safely. I’ve been here for 13 years, and you didn’t have a patient load as an AiN when I started. Now AiNs are included in the workload, and can have up to eight patients with an RN or sometimes with an EN.

”

We want ratios and the ACORN standards for theatre. We don’t have any ratios at the moment; the ACORN standards recommend three and a half nurses for a theatre, or seven between two theatres, and we have three, sometimes two, in the spinal injection list. Extended operation lists means that people are working back, sometimes to 3am. Operating for extended hours is not safe for patients or staff. We’d like increased breaks between shifts – at least ten hours, rather than the current minimum of eight hours. Eight hours between shifts is not really eight hours – you’ve got drive time to and from work, and then you have to wind down before going to bed, so some people are getting four to five hours sleep between shifts. We’d also like a fatigue policy to deal with all these issues. Meal breaks need to be planned for in the staffing – some people are doing whole shifts without one break. If staff were compensated for working through their breaks management would make sure that breaks were provided. We’d like the KPIs not to include wardsmen and ward clerks, when they can’t provide nursing care.

”

THE LAMP DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018 | 21

SAFE STAFFING

Westmead ward closed despite bed shortage A major Western Sydney hospital loses a ward and more than 40 nurses.

estmead Ho s p it a l nurses have called on the state government to provide adequate f unding to a llow Westmead Hospital to reopen a 29-bed surgical ward that was shut down with one week’s notice. The hospital’s NSWNMA branch says the ear, nose and throat; head and neck; and plastics surgical ward, known as B3A, was closed to reduce overall staff numbers and cut costs. The branch rejected Western Sydney Local Health District’s stated and conflicting explanations for the sudden closure of the ward and transfer of its 47 nurses to vacant positions throughout the hospital. More than 200 angry nurses rallied outside the hospital in protest against the decision. Westmead branch delegate Liwayway Besilos said the closure was announced with no consultation and staff were given no time to discuss the impacts on the rest of the hospital. Nurses were given just one week to advise management where they wished to be transferred to, and not all requests were met. Unofficial advice to nurses from management confirmed the closure was aimed at reducing the LHD’s budget deficit. “This explanation is supported by the fact that other areas of the hospital are cutting back on paid overtime and working short-staffed,” Liwayway said. “The hospital has effectively lost more than 40 full-time positions not including an educator, nurse unit 22 | THE LAMP DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018

‘ Patients are staying longer in recovery and having to spend the night in day-only areas because there is a shortage of beds.’ — Liwayway Besilos manager and auxiliary staff.”

WESTERN SYDNEY’S POPULATION IS INCREASING Following the nurses and midwives’ rally the WSLHD LHD executive, Danny O’Connor, said: “It was a terrible winter with the flu season but we don’t need as many beds so we have closed a ward due to demand dropping off.” Liwayway said that explanation made no sense. “First, B3A was a specialty surgical ward. The nurses there were familiar with surgeons’ protocols on how to care for their patients postoperatively and these patients would now be placed somewhere else.

“Second ly, members have reported that patients are staying longer in recovery and having to spend the night in day-only areas because there is a shortage of beds to go to in the wards. “Post-op patients are having to wait longer to go to recovery, which is not the way it should be done. “The population of Western Sydney is increasing, demand for health care is going up, and the government is building a new Westmead hospital facility, which they said was needed to accommodate a growing population. Yet, the WSLHD is closing beds and cutting nursing positions.” ■

SAFE STAFFING

142 eight-hour shifts not filled at Hornsby Hornsby Hospital stretched to breaking point by understaffing.

ornsby Hospital nurses have held a rally outside the emergency department to warn the public about unsafe staffing practices throughout the hospital. Data from just four wards revealed that 142 eight-hour shifts went unfilled over the previous 10 months. In the aged care and rehabilitation wards, unfilled shifts represented a total of 752.2 hours below award minimum staffing levels. Understaffing below the legal minimum at Wards 3A and 3B amounted to 214.8 hours and 170.8 hours respectively. The hospital’s NSWNMA branch secretary Michelle Rosentreter said there was a growing problem of absences not being replaced or being replaced for only part of a shift. “The nursing hours per patient day (NHPPD) tool is supposed to be used to determine the minimum staffing level but management seems to regard the NHPPD as the maximum,” she said. “On units such as general wards that use a varied skill mix, we increasingly see AiNs being counted in the NHPPD numbers. “You might only find two RNs on a particular shift and the rest of the positions filled with ENs and AiNs. “AiNs are a valued part of the workforce but they should never be counted in your nurse-topatient numbers. “We don’t consider that to be safe. AiNs cannot be responsible for a patient because they can only work under the direction of a RN.

‘ We have a professional responsibility to advocate for improvements.’ — Michelle Rosentreter “Supervising AiNs on top of their own patient load can be a heavy burden for RNs in units where they are working short.” Michelle said understaffing posed a growing risk of a serious clinical incident. “The public have a right to know that the hospital is stretched and our staff are almost at breaking point. “It is not just happening in general wards it is also happening in theatres, maternity, paediatrics, mental health and so on. “Nurses in all disciplines throughout the hospital are feeling the effects, particularly after hours and on weekends.

“We have a professional responsibility to advocate for improvements. We understand the LHD are trying to save money but we feel it has become unsustainable.” ■

RATIOS PUT PATIENT SAFETY FIRST Visit our website for updates and resources for our ratios campaign. http://www.nswnma. asn.au/ratios-putpatient-safety-first/. THE LAMP DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018 | 23

CHANGING THE RULES

The case for a modern living wage Boosting the wages of the lowest paid makes sound economic sense says the ACTU.

much higher national minimum wage is critical if the unacceptable levels of inequality now found in Australia are to be reversed, finds an ACTU report. The ACTU says wage stagnation, cut s to pena lt y rates, t he casualisation of work and the rapid growth in inequality means day-today life has got a lot harder for working families. “It was once possible for working class families to have a decent but modest lifestyle and still meet the mortgage. This is no longer the case,” it says. In the report – Living Up to the Promise of Harvester – the ACTU argues for a change in the rules that would allow low-paid workers to receive an income that would cover the reasonable needs of an average sized family. “This must include the cost of: rent in a suitable dwelling; a balanced and healthy diet; a good quality education; childcare and all health needs; transport; electricity and other energy costs; adequate clothing; an allowance for entertainment; and a contingency for unexpected expenses,” it says.

MINIMUM WAGE HAS NO IMPACT ON JOBS Australia’s minimum wage has been going backwards in comparison to other developed countries for decades. In Britain the minimum wage has increased in real value by 33.1 per cent since 1999. Over the same period the Australian minimum wage has increased by 7 per cent in real terms. During that period the Fair Work Commission has consistently accepted the employers’ assertion that increasing the minimum wage would lead to a loss of jobs. The ACTU report contests this argument. It says the “evidence for the last two decades across a very broad range of countries have confirmed … findings that increases in the minimum wage do not have a negative impact on employment”. E ven m a ny con s er vat ive economists are changing their minds about minimum wages, it says. The Economist, the bible of conser vative economics, had opposed the introduction of a nationwide minimum wage in Britain in 1999 on the grounds that it would cost jobs. Recently the editors of The Economist said: “No-one who

‘Australians are paying more to see a doctor, paying more for childcare and paying more for energy.’ 24 | THE LAMP DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018

has studied the effects of Britain’s minimum wage now thinks it has raised unemployment”. Based on hard evidence the magazine admitted it had “changed its mind”. In the United States more than 600 economists – including seven Nobel Prize winners – recently signed an open letter to Congress calling for an increase in the minimum wage. They said the weight of evidence now demonstrated that increases in the wage had “little or no negative effect on the employment of minimumwage workers”. The IMF has also said raising wages of the low paid is good for the economy. “We find that increasing the income share of the poor and the middle class actually increases growth while a rising income share of the top twenty per cent results in lower growth – that is, when the rich get richer, benefits do not trickle down,” it said. ■

MORE INFORMATION Read Living Up to the Promise of Harvester: https://www.actu.org.au/ media/1033485/livingup-to-the-promise-ofharvester.pdf

CHANGING THE RULES

194%

The ratio of household debt relative to income has quintupled since the 1980s, reaching an all-time high of 194 per cent.

The origins of the living wage This year marks the 110th anniversary of the Harvester judgment which, for the first time, established the rules for a fair and reasonable wage. In 1907, Justice Higgins calculated a wage required to meet the “normal needs of the average employee regarded as a human being living in a civilised community”. He reasoned that for a man, wife and three children to live in “frugal comfort” a minimum wage of seven shillings was required. His judgment meant Australia was one of the first countries in the world to establish minimum wages. This historic ruling came after two decades of wage cuts and worker oppression that followed the depression of the 1890s. Conditions which, the ACTU argues, “are not dissimilar to what working men and women have recently endured in modern Australia”. The current rules to determine minimum wage increases require the Fair Work Commission to balance a wide variety of factors, especially the interests of business and the wider economy on the one hand and the interests of the worker on the other. In practice, the main focus is on the cost of labour – the main concern of employers. “What is missing from this process is any attempt to define and measure what income the worker needs to have a reasonable standard of living,” says the ACTU. “Balance can be restored by focusing more on assessing the income that a working family requires to purchase the basic commodities and services that they require for a civilised existence in contemporary Australian cities.”

Cost of living crisis Australian Bureau of Statistics figures show that over the last year: • The price of electricity has increased 539 per cent faster than inflation • Gas increased 356 per cent faster • Childcare increased 161 per cent faster • Utilities increased 394 per cent faster • Health increased 117 per cent faster • Housing increased 83 per cent faster • Education increased 74 per cent faster • Transport increased 50 per cent faster • Car fuel increased 317 per cent faster. A recent survey (Annual Wage Review 201617) found that among low paid employees:

19.4% 11.9% 18.5% could not pay sought help their electricity, from friends gas or telephone or family bills on time

were unable to raise $2000 for something important.

More and more families are going into debt. Australia now has one of the highest levels of household debt in the world.

THE LAMP DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018 | 25

CHANGING THE RULES

ALP: employers have too much power Australia cannot tackle inequality or build a future of inclusive prosperity without a workplace relations system that is both productive and fair, says Brendan O’Connor.

“

The tilt of bargaining power away from workers and to employers has gone too far,” says the ALP’s shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations Brendan O’Connor. In a speech to the National Press Club, O’Connor said Australia’s industrial relations laws are being “gamed” by employers, “cheered on by a complicit government”. He cited large companies such as Pizza Hut or Myer using subcontractors on sham contracts to pay employees as little as $6 per hour. “ T her e is s ome t h i n g really wrong when those big, household-name companies apparently feel absolutely no responsibility, or consider themselves immune from reputational risk, for exploitation of the workers on whose labour they make a vast profit,” he said. “Wage theft appears to be reaching epidemic proportions across our economy. It’s not just 7-Eleven, or Dominos

Pizza, or a certain celebrity chef underpaying workers. “Over the 12 months from June 2015 to July 2016, the Fair Work Ombudsman recovered more than $27 million owed to over 11,000 workers, from almost 30,000 allegations of Fair Work Act breaches.” O’Connor says the Turnbull government is “clueless” about what to do about these abuses. “Instead, they obsess about destroying organised labour in all its forms, which will only put downward pressure on wages.” The federal government’s behaviour as an employer is an insight into its workplace relations policies, he says. “Look at the way the Turnbull government treats its own workforce: dragging out bargaining, outsourcing jobs, privatising services and fighting every step of the way the efforts of the CPSU (the main federal public sector union) to protect the pay and conditions of Commonwealth public servants.” ■

‘ The Turnbull government obsesses about destroying organised labour in all its forms, which will only put downward pressure on wages.’ 26 | THE LAMP DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018

The ALP’s plan to change the rules In his Press Club speech Brendan O’Connor outlined some of the changes Labor intends to implement to make workplace relations fairer: • Amend the law to prevent employers forcing their workers into sham contracting arrangements to avoid direct employment. • Create a National Labor Hire Licensing scheme: a licence would only go to those employers with a clean record of complying with employment, tax and OH&S laws. Licences would be revoked for serious misconduct. • Increase penalties for employers who systematically underpay workers, make companies responsible for business practices that rely on underpaying workers, and ensure that Australian and temporary overseas workers are not being exploited.

CHANGING THE RULES

Raid on union offices “a shocking attack on democracy” Labour movement leaders express anger at police raid on Australian Workers’ Union offices.

he raid of the AWU’s Sydney and Melbourne offices was part of an investigation by the Reg istered Organisations Commission (ROC) into whether donations to the online activist group GetUp were authorised under the union’s rules. The Turnbull government set up the ROC after the Heydon royal commission into unions. The raids were widely publicised after the media was tipped off beforehand by employment minister Michaela Cash’s office. Michaelia Cash denied five times in the Senate any prior knowledge of the raid. “I can also assure you that my office did not find out about the raids until after they were conducted,” she said. Within days her senior media officer David De Garis resigned after admitting he had briefed media outlets about the AFP operation. Josh Bornstein from law firm Maurice Blackburn described the raids as an “outrageous abuse of power” and said the ROC could have written to the union or produced a summons for the documents. “None of these actions were taken. Instead, a highly organised media strategy was implemented so that television cameras arrived before the AFP (Australian Federal Police) to capture the raid and therefore seek to paint the union in the worst possible light.” The AWU made a $100,000

‘ The ROC and the ABCC (Australian Building and Construction Commission) are given extraordinary and undemocratic powers to pursue working people.’ — Sally McManus, ACTU Secretary donation to GetUp when it was created in 2005. The then leader of the AWU, Bill Shorten, was a founding director of GetUp. The donations were disclosed to the Australian Electoral Commission in statements signed by Bill Shorten on 19 January 2007 and thenVictorian secretary Cesar Melham in December 2006. The decision to support GetUp was also discussed in the union’s magazine at the time.

ANOTHER ANTI-UNION “SMEAR FEST” Current AWU national secretary Daniel Walton said the union had been cooperating with the ROC prior to the raid. “The strange thing is we had already provided details through to the Registered Organisations to show proof of making proper declarations on these. “Those donations were made to further the interests of AWU members. We stood by them then, and we stand by them today.”

ACTU secretary Sally McManus accused the Turnbull government of “a shocking attack on democracy”. “The ROC and the ABCC (Aust ra lia n Building and Construction Commission) are given extraordinary and undemocratic powers to pursue working people, making unions the most overly regulated organisations in the country,” she said. “As we have now seen, the ROC will raid union offices on the basis of an anonymous phone call.” Bill Shor ten said he had already been cleared by the Heydon royal commission which had closely scrutinised his leadership of the AWU. “A whole royal commission was set up – in no small part to attack my reputation. $80 million of taxpayer money wasted. I answered and attended that royal commission over two days … and at the end of that massive waste of money – that political smear fest – there were no adverse findings made.” ■ THE LAMP DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018 | 27

COMPETITION

Wishing all our members a Merry Christmas and offering you the chance to be part of this year’s Christmas giveaway.

+ HOW TO ENTER To be in the draw to win one of these fabulous prizes, simply provide your name, address, membership number and the prize you would like to win (a separate email is required for each prize) and email your entry with the subject: Christmas giveaway (Prize title) to lamp@nswnma.asn.au

FROM THE NSWNMA Indulge in a Majestic Blue Mountains getaway Take a dose of fresh mountain air and relax, recharge and recuperate amid luxurious heritage at the Hydro Majestic Hotel in the Blue Mountains. The Lamp is offering members the chance to win a two-night midweek (Sunday to Thursday) luxury stay in a heritage room with breakfast and high tea for two in the Hydro Majestic Hotel. Stroll through some colourful theatres of history such as the famous Shanghai chic Salon du Thé tearoom and bar, sumptuous Cat’s Alley bar & gin palace and the Majestic Ballroom with vaulted ceilings, open fireplaces and glamour of yesteryear. Complete your injection of high altitude opulence with a signature high tea in the Wintergarden Restaurant with views over the Megalong Valley. Go to hydromajestic.com.au for more dining, event and accommodation details and bookings. No second opinion needed.

IMPORTANT: Only one entry per member for each competition will be accepted. Entries must indicate which prize you would like to win in the email subject.

Beautiful, The Carole King Musical

Splash into summer at Wet‘n’Wild Sydney

Long before she was Carole King, chart-topping music legend, she was an ordinary girl with extraordinary talent. Her music would become the soundtrack of a generation, with countless classics such as (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman, You’ve Got a Friend, I Feel The Earth Move and It’s Too Late. Win a double pass to see Beautiful, The Carole King Musical* at Sydney Lyric Theatre. To book go to www.ticketmaster.com.au

Wet‘n’Wild Sydney is the biggest and best water theme park and has cemented its place as an iconic and exciting attraction in Sydney. With over 40 slides and attractions and a smart new queuing system, Tap’n’Play, Wet’n’Wild Sydney is the best place to spend time with your friends and family this summer. Win one of 4 x double passes to Wet’n’Wild Sydney*. To book your tickets go to wetnwildsydney.com.au/ tickets/buy#

*Performance dates include 9 – 11 and 16 – 18 January 2018 at 7.30pm.

*Conditions apply. Offer only valid for Season 5 which commences 23 September 2017 until 29 April 2018. Tickets are valid for one single day use per ticket only. Unless otherwise stated, fees for food, merchandise, locker rentals, pay-per-ride attractions (Sydney SkyCoaster), special concerts or events are not included in the admission prices. Prices and product offerings are subject to change without notice. Children 3 years and under free.

*Conditions apply. Competition entries from NSWNMA members only and limited to one entry per member per prize. All entries must be in by Thursday, 14 December 2017. 28 | THE LAMP DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018

Holiday reading Sydney Festival and accommodation package Win a double pass to see Sydney Festival’s RIOT* at the famous Magic Mirrors Spiegeltent, Meriton Festival Village, Hyde Park North plus a two night stay (for two) at the Rydges Sydney Central with breakfast each morning and parking included for the duration of your stay. *Conditions apply. RIOT performance is on Saturday 13 January 2018, commencing at 5.15pm. Major prize is two separate prizes. Winner can choose to use the RIOT tickets and accommodation package at the same time or separately. Accommodation package is valid until 18/4/18 and not valid during long weekends or special event periods (not valid on New Years Eve).

Sydney Festival: 136 events, 51 venues, 24 days Returning in January, Sydney Festival transforms Sydney with a cultural celebration based on the highest quality art and ideas. The diverse program includes everything from burlesque circus to large scale free concerts in The Domain and Parramatta. To celebrate, Sydney Festival is giving away three double passes to RIOT at the famous Magic Mirrors Spiegeltent, Meriton Festival Village, Hyde Park North on Friday 5 January 2018 at 7.30pm. This acclaimed Irish variety show melds high art and trash culture in a disorderly cocktail of partying and politics. RIOT is a dazzling blend of dance, drag, circus, comedy and powerful spoken word. Sydney Festival will commence on 6 January and conclude 28 January 2018, to book go to sydneyfestival.org.au

Relax and unwind in the luxurious Rydges Sydney Central You will be surrounded by elegance from the moment you walk through the doors of the Rydges Sydney Central. Conveniently located in Surry Hills, just minutes away from Sydney’s Darling Harbour, China Town and the Royal Botanic Gardens, you will be in the perfect location to explore the city of Sydney. The Lamp is offering members the chance to win two nights’ accommodation in an Executive King Room with breakfast daily and complimentary parking (valued at over $700). *Conditions apply. Rooms subject to availability. Prize must be redeemed by 18 April 2018 (not valid during long weekends or special event periods). Voucher is nontransferable and not redeemable for cash. Voucher must be presented on arrival.

Kick back and relax with a threebook gift pack from Penguin Random House. We have six gift packs (of three books each) to give away: Saving the Snowy Brumbies by Kelly Wilson. The Wilson Sisters head to Australia, taming wild horses from Snowy Mountains to rescue them from the annual Brumby cull. Sanctuary by Judy Nunn. Compassion meets bigotry, hatred meets love, and despair meets hope on the shores of Australia. Munich by Robert Harris. When the stakes are this high, who are you willing to betray? Friends, family, country or conscience? Island Home by Tim Winton. A beautiful, evocative, sometimes provocative, investigation of how the land makes us who we are. Charlatan by Catherine Jinks. A 19th century court case story of Thomas Guthrie Carr, a notorious, larger-than-life mesmerist, phrenologist, public speaker and some say charlatan. Australian Desperadoes by Terry Smyth. In the 1850s California gold rush, San Francisco was America’s most dangerous town, made so by a notorious Australian criminal gang, the Sydney Coves. A Life Underwater by Charlie Veron. A memoir of marine biologist Charlie Veron, a maverick Australian who transformed our understanding of coral reefs. No Is Not Enough by Naomi Klein. Naomi Klein gives us the toolkit we need to survive our surreal, shocking age. A Universe of One’s Own by Antonia Hayes. Three powerful essays tracing a life in language, from the rhythms of first words to taking Virginia Woolf ’s call for equality into today and beyond.

The prizes will be drawn on 15 December 2017. If a redraw is required for an unclaimed prize it must be held up to 3 months from the original draw date. NSW Permit no: LTPM/17/01625 THE LAMP DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018 | 29

NHS

Scrap the cap! British nurses and midwives are pressing for a 3.9 per cent pay rise and £800 ($A1376) in back pay after 7 years of enforced austerity.

ourteen unions representing one million health workers in the NHS have written directly to the government and demanded it provide funds to the NHS to meet the pay rise. They say nurses and midwives and other health staff have experienced a cut of 15 per cent in real-terms since 2010 due to the government’s one per cent cap on wage increases. Last month the government abandoned the cap, which covered the whole public sector, in what has been described as a symbolic U-turn on austerity. Sara Gorton, head of health at Unison, one of the largest NHS unions, told the Nursing Standard that a pay rise for health workers was critical. “Their wages continue to fall behind inflation as food and fuel bills, housing and transport costs rise,” she said. “A decent pay rise will make it easier for struggling hospital trusts to attract new recruits and hold onto experienced staff. Continuing with the pay cap will further damage services, and that affects us all.” Jon Skewes, from the Royal College of Midwives, said the claim “represents fair compensation for the rise in cost of living and goes someway to make up for midwives’ pay losing over £6000 ($A10,321) in value since 2010”.

EMPLOYERS AND THE PUBLIC SUPPORT NHS PAY RISE NHS staff have the support of their employers in their push for better pay. The NHS Confederation, which represents health organisations, said that “workforce 30 | THE LAMP DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018

‘ Continuing with the pay cap will further damage services.’ is now their number one challenge”. “We do not believe the one per cent pay cap is sustainable and our members have mounting concern about both recruitment and retention of vital front line staff,” said NHS Confederation chief executive Niall Dickson. “We recognise that extra money for healthcare has to come from somewhere, but we believe there would be public support for making this a priority.” Union research confirms that there is strong public support for a pay rise. A survey of over 2000 people found that: • 84 per cent of the public supported the removal of the one per cent cap on pay rises for NHS staff • 69 per cent of the public supported NHS staff being paid an extra £800 on top of a pay increase that is in line with inflation • 73 per cent of respondents backed more funding being made available by the government to the NHS pay review body to fund the increase. “This poll shows that the government needs to stop the excuses and start listening to public opinion,” said Unison’s Sara Gorton. “Hard-pressed NHS staff from all disciplines go above and beyond every day to keep services running. It’s time for the government to show it values them enough to invest in them.” ■

84%

of the public supported the removal of the one per cent cap on pay rises for NHS staff

69%

of the public supported NHS staff being paid an extra £800 on top of a pay increase that is in line with inflation.

73%

of respondents backed more funding being made available by the government to the NHS pay review body to fund the increase.

Kaplan says “Thank You” to Nurses, Teachers, Defence Force Personnel, Police, Paramedics, Ambulance, Fire and SES who choose to build with Kaplan Homes with a $5,000 cash rebate to spend where you want, on what you want.

NEWS IN BRIEF

AUSTRALIA

HESTA supports Indigenous nurses The Industry Super Fund launched an Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) at the Congress of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nurses and Midwives (CATSINaM) conference last month. A key component of the RAP is a commitment to supporting the development of Indigenous nurse leaders in the health care sector. “We’re proud to promote initiatives and programs that support future Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders within the health sector. We recognise the vital role these future health professionals play in achieving health equality between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and the wider Australian community,” HESTA CEO Debby Blakey said. A significant action in the HESTA Innovate RAP will be to shine a light on the history of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nurses in Australia, with HESTA working with CATSINaM to help record and celebrate their stories. CATSINaM CEO Janine Mohamed said it was important to tell the stories of Indigenous nurses from their own perspective and highlight their contribution to health equity. “It’s really important for our Indigenous nurses and midwives to see their predecessors’ contributions to their professions. It’s vital that both Indigenous and non-Indigenous nurses know the beautiful rich history of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nurses and midwives in this country. “Their stories need to be elevated so that we can know and have pride in them.”

PHOTOGRAPHY BY TATE NEEDHAM

‘ It’s really important for our Indigenous nurses and midwives to see their predecessors’ contributions to their professions.’ — Janine Mohamed

MORE INFORMATION Visit the CATSINaM website catsinam.org.au 32 | THE LAMP DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018

BRITAIN

Airbnb hospitals The NHS is trialling a pilot scheme where patients recovering from surgery are discharged from hospital to recuperate in private houses. The scheme is being trialled in Southend and aims to save money and tackle bed shortages. Bed blocking in the NHS has risen by 40 per cent in the past year. Under the scheme hosts would be asked to welcome patients recovering minor procedures, cook three microwave meals a day and offer conversation, according to CareRooms, a company working with the NHS and local councils, to implement the scheme. CareRooms is a part of the NHS England’s “clinical entrepreneurship program”. A local Southend campaign group, Save Southend A & E, told The Guardian the scheme “opens a huge can of worms for safeguarding, governance and possible financial and emotional abuse of people at their most vulnerable time”. The group, which includes doctors and nurses, said CareRooms was handing out flyers in the public canteen at Southend hospital, which offer people the chance to earn up to £1000 a month renting out a spare room to accommodate someone needing to recuperate from hospital. “We are shocked that an NHS trust is endorsing such a company. It is almost weekly that there are reports of abuse and poor care in registered residential and care homes, therefore the monitoring of such ‘placements’ in private homes would be a huge and risky task,” it said.

‘ The scheme opens a huge can of worms for safeguarding, governance and possible financial and emotional abuse of people at their most vulnerable time.”

NEWS IN BRIEF

BRITAIN

UNITED STATES

British public sector wages sink below private sector

Opioids declared a US health emergency

Public sector workers earn 0.6 per cent less than their private sector colleagues according to Treasury figures obtained by GMB union.

President Trump orders the declaration of a public health emergency over opioid epidemic but fails to commit funds.

The difference comes after seven years of austerity and cuts to public spending. In 2005, public sector workers earned 3.1 per cent more than those in similar jobs in the private sector. In 2010, they earned 5.8 per cent more.

Trump called the country’s escalating opioid epidemic “the worst drug crisis in American history”. His announcement followed a Drug Enforcement Agency report stating that prescription drugs, mostly opioid painkillers, have been the single largest cause of overdose deaths since 2001. Over the past six years, overdose deaths have outnumbered those caused by guns, vehicles, suicide and murders. Trump faced widespread criticism for failing to commit new funds to fight an epidemic that now claims more than 100 lives a day in the United States. Dr Andrew Kolodny, co-founder of Physicians for Responsible Opioid Prescribing, said the government lacked a plan. “The problem is if you are going to declare a public health emergency you should at the same time be saying we’re going to be asking Congress to appropriate billions to tackle this public health emergency. That’s just not mentioned.” Emily Walden, a leader of the activist group Fed Up, whose son died of an opioid overdose, emphasised the need to deal with the mass prescribing of painkillers. “We have to address the root cause of this to prevent new addiction,” she said. “With the influence that the pharmaceutical companies have over our government, it seems almost hopeless that this is going to change,” she said.

Rehana Azam, the national secretary for public services of GMB (one of Britain’s largest public sector unions), said the Treasury estimates “kicked away the last prop” behind the government’s policy of enforcing real-terms public sector pay cuts. The GMB also cited a separate estimate by the Office for National Statistics, which shows that public sector pay is 5.5 per cent lower on average for jobs in similarly sized organisations. The GMB said research had found that “as private sector wages for nurses increase, hospital deaths also tend to rise”. Similarly, school results decline as private sector wage opportunities for teachers improve. Rehana Azam said the figures challenged Treasurer Philip Hammond’s reported claim in a July cabinet meeting that public sector workers are overpaid. “The Tories can never again claim that public sector workers are ‘overpaid’ when the Treasury’s own assessment proves otherwise,” he said. “It’s shameful that in one of the world’s richest nations some of our public sector heroes are forced to take on debt or use food banks to make ends meet. Enough is enough.”

‘ It’s shameful that in one of the world’s richest nations some of our public sector heroes are forced to take on debt or use food banks to make ends meet.’

‘ With the influence that the pharmaceutical companies have over our government, it seems almost hopeless that this is going to change.’

Christmas ONLINE GIFT VOUCHERS

Blue Mountains luxurious gift ideas

AN INDULGENT JOURNEY ON THE EDGE

hydromajestic.com.au THE LAMP DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018 | 33

NEWS IN BRIEF

AUSTRALIA

Low-skilled job market “dire” The young and the low-skilled are falling behind in Australia’s job market according to a new report by Anglicare. While Australia’s overall unemployment rate had fallen to a four year low of 5.5 per cent Anglicare describes the situation in entry-level jobs as “dire”. Youth unemployment remains high at almost 17 per cent; unemployment among those without post-school qualifications is almost nine per cent; and the labour under-utilisation rate in the 15–24 age group is 31 per cent. The research revealed unqualified or inexperienced jobseekers outnumber job vacancies by five to one. Anglicare recommends reforms to government policy, including raising the Newstart and Youth Allowance – which it called “dangerously low” – and government intervention in the market to create more low-skilled jobs. In particular, it urged the government to create more entry-level job opportunities in human services sectors such as disability and aged care. The report found a pronounced drop in the number of level 5 job vacancies over the past seven years. (Level 5 occupations require skills equivalent to a Certificare 1 qualification, secondary school education or some on-thejob training.) It also found a drop in level 4 jobs – the next level up from entry level – over the same period. The report found the growing trend towards the “casualisation” of the workforce meant many job seekers were unable to find “suitable and secure” work.

MeMbership Fees 2018 NsW Nurses & Midwives’ Association – in association with the Australian Nursing & Midwifery Federation Classification registered Nurse

Year

Quarter Month Fortnight

$745.00 $186.25 $62.08

$28.64

$633.00 $158.25

$52.75

$24.34

$522.00 $130.50 $43.50

$20.06

Midwife enrolled Nurse Assistant in Nursing+ Assistant in Midwifery

Membership fees are tax deductible *All membership fees include GsT + Trainee AiNs have their fees waived for the period of their traineeship AbN 63 398 164 405

34 | THE LAMP DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018

‘ Anglicare urged the government to create more entry-level job opportunities in human services sectors such as disability and aged care.’

UNITED STATES

Link between nurses’ depression and medical errors More than half of nurses reported sub-optimal physical and mental health in an American nationwide survey. Depression stood out as a major concern among the 1790 nurses who responded to the survey, and as the key predictor of medical errors. About a third said they had some degree of depression, anxiety or stress. Less than half said they had a good professional quality of life. About half the nurses reported medical errors in the past five years. The study appears online in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (October 2017). “When you’re not in optimal health, you’re not going to be on top of your game,” said lead author Bernadette Melnyk, dean of Ohio State University’s College of Nursing. “Hospital administrators should build a culture of wellbeing and implement strategies to better support good physical and mental health in their employees. It’s good for nurses, and it’s good for their patients. “Nurses do a great job of caring for other people, but they often don’t prioritise their own self-care. “And their work lives are increasingly stressful – patients are sicker, hospitals are crunched financially, and nurses are having to find ways to juggle patient care with all of their other assigned tasks.”

‘ When you’re not in optimal health, you’re not going to be on top of your game.’

NEWS IN BRIEF

AUSTRALIA

TPP would spike cost of medications A new report shows that the resurrection of the Trans Pacific Partnership would massively increase the cost of prescription medication in Australia. A study by La Trobe University found that the cost of biologic medicines, which are currently given additional patent protection and cost the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) $2.2 billion a year, could be cut by $560 million if current protections were scrapped. The TPP, which has been abandoned by its original architects in the US, would extent patents. The monopoly on drug production by large pharmaceutical companies would then jump from five to eight years, costing the PBS hundreds of millions of dollars. The new Prime Minister of New Zealand, Jacinda Ardern, is calling for reform of the agreement, including removal of a clause that allows multinational companies to sue governments. ACTU President Ged Kearney says the report is more evidence the TPP fails on every test. “Academics estimate the TPP would directly result in 39,000 job losses in Australia. The TPP has no tangible benefits to Australian citizens, with the World Bank predicting that Australian GDP would rise by less than 0.005% per year,” she said.

‘ The monopoly on drug production by large pharmaceutical companies would then jump from five to eight years, costing the PBS hundreds of millions of dollars.’

‘ Favourite places stimulated a feeling of belonging, of being physically and emotionally safe.’ BRITAIN

Places enhance wellbeing more than objects New research using cutting-edge imaging has found people experience intense feelings of wellbeing, contentment and belonging from places rather than objects such as photographs or wedding rings. The research, commissioned by the British National Trust, used Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) as well as in-depth interviews with volunteers, and an online survey of 2000 people, about their special places. It found places that are intensely meaningful invoke a sense of calm, space to think and a feeling of completeness. The research showed favourite places stimulated a feeling of belonging, of being physically and emotionally safe, and of a strong internal pull to the place. The majority of those questioned (86 per cent) agreed “this place is part of me”, while 60 per cent felt “I feel safe here” and 79 per cent described “I’m drawn here by a magnetic pull”. It found the brain’s emotional response to special places was much higher than towards meaningful objects. Dr Andy Myers, consultant on the research, told The Guardian: “For the first time we have been able to prove the physical and emotional benefits of place, far beyond any research that has been done before.”

THE LAMP DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018 | 35

YOUR RIGHTS

Ask

Judith Breaking News Mandatory education and training

A continuing bugbear for members working in public health (and for that matter in private health and aged care) is the lack of support provided to nurses and midwives when completing education and training required by the employer. At the 2017 Annual Conference of the Association a resolution was endorsed “…that the NSWNMA works with the NSW Ministry of Health to ensure that all hospital managers formulate a system which adequately facilitates staff to complete all elements of their mandatory education in work time. That this includes online and face-toface components … Staff should not be pressured by managers/educators to attend to this in their own time. The conference debate correctly identified that such training should be undertaken in work time, and that such time and necessary resources should be made available (consistent with Clause 55 of the Public Health System Nurses’ and Midwives’ (State) Award 2017 and PD2017_028 Leave Matters for the NSW Health Service). Whilst the Association is continuing to make representations to the Ministry, I would encourage all members via their branches to ensure that this award requirement is complied with, and if not, escalated to the relevant consultative forum or to a Reasonable Workloads Committee, in that an “employee’s workload will not prevent reasonable and practicable access to Learning and Development Leave, together with ‘in-house’ courses or activities, and mandatory training and education”. [Clause 53(iii)(h)] For those working in private health or aged care, make sure you check your agreements for rights that you may have.

Minimum not maximum I am a registered nurse working in a public hospital. The ward I work in has a staffing arrangement of five NHPPD (nursing hours per patient day). In conversation with

When it comes to your rights and entitlements at work, NSWNMA Assistant General Secretary Judith Kiejda has the answers.

my NUM and other colleagues, this figure is described as the maximum staffing permitted in the ward. Is that right? No. Clause 53 (Staffing Arrangements) of the Public Health System Nurses’ and Midwifes’ (State) Award 2017 makes clear that “nothing in this clause prevents a higher level of staffing from being provided when, and where, this is necessary for clinical or other reasons”. This was recently the subject of a recommendation by the Industrial Relations Commission of NSW, which observed during a dispute regarding Belmont Hospital that “…the 5.0 NHPPD is the minimum number of hours possible in NHPPD wards and that there may be occasions where patient need will require additional staffing”.

Recognition of service I recently obtained a position at a hospital operated by Healthscope. I now realise I excluded some service as a nurse elsewhere from my application. Can this still be taken into account? Clause 10 of the Healthscope Group – NSWNMA/ANMF – NSW Nurses and Midwives’ – Enterprise Agreement 2015–2019 sets out that when commencing employment, the hospital should notify you that if you have documentary evidence regarding your service or experience not disclosed at the time of commencing, which may have a bearing on your pay/increment, you should provide this. If made known within three months of starting, and accepted by the hospital, your pay will be adjusted and paid from your starting date. If provided outside this three-month window, your pay can still be adjusted but back pay to commencement is not required.

Flexible work arrangements I work permanent part time in an aged care facility operated by Uniting. I now find I am having trouble juggling work and a need to provide care for a family member with a disability. Can I

ask for some flexibility? Clause 12 of the UnitingCare Aged Care Residential & Community Services Agreement (NSW) 2014–2017 permits employees to request flexible work arrangements to assist with a number of scenarios, including carer responsibilities. Permanent employees are entitled to make such a request, in writing, after 12 months continuous service. You need to set out the change requested and why it is necessary. A written response from the employer is required within 21 days of the request being made.

Mandatory training I am a registered nurse working in a public hospital. The hospital requires us to complete compulsory training and education but often there is little to no time to undertake such activity in the workplace. Do I need to complete these in my own (non-work) time? No. Under Clause 55 (Learning and Development Leave) of the Public Health System Nurses’ and Midwives’ (State) Award 2017, employees are considered to be on duty for in-house courses/activities; or mandatory training and education required to be completed at the direction of the employer. [See breaking news for more.]

Sleep over I am a registered nurse and recently started work at a facility run by RSL LifeCare. I have heard mention of sleepovers, which I have not come across before. What are these? In short, a sleepover means sleeping at the facility at night in order to be on call for emergencies that may arise. Specific provisions and payments apply. However, under Clause 21.4 of the RSL LifeCare, NSWNMA and HSU NSW Enterprise Agreement 2015–2017, nurses cannot be directed to undertake a sleepover, albeit they can do so by agreement.

THE LAMP DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018 | 37

Upgrade REGULARS your NSWNMA membership & you could win a relaxing 5 NIGHT ESCAPE in

LEGIAN, B ALI!

ARE Y OU AN ASSOCIATE, AIN OR EN MEMB ER?

Any member who upgrades their membership by 31 March 2018 will be entered into the draw to win 5

. . .

nightsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; accommodation (for two guests) at the Astagina Resort Villa & Spa in a deluxe room Daily breakfast for two 2 x dinners for each guest 1 x 60 minute massage each Return airport transfers. The NSWNMA will arrange and pay for return f lights for two to Denpasar. You will experience a traditional Balinese escape in Legian - a short stroll to the beaches and restaurants of Seminyak. Astagina Resort Villa & Spa is perfectly situated close to the famous Cocoon Beach Club and Double Six Beach, trendy boutiques and cafes and bars Seminyak has to offer. Or choose to relax by the pool and be pampered at the Anjali Spa, where you will be left feeling relaxed and rejuvenated.

E VERY MEMB ER WHO UPGRADES THEIR MEMB ERSHIP WILL B E ENTERED INTO THE DRAW!

PRIZE DRAWN 1 APRIL 2018 38 | THE LAMP MARCH 2017

Conditions apply. Prize must be redeemed by 1 April 2019 and is subject to room availability. Block out dates 1 July to 31 August 2018 and 20 December 2018 to 10 January 2019. Booking to be made directly through Astagina Resort Villa & Spa on info@astaginaresort.com. Competition opens on 1 October 2017 and closes 31 March 2018. The prize will be drawn on 1 April 2018. Must be a financial member of the NSWNMA at time of travel. If a redraw is required for an unclaimed prize it must be held up to 3 months from the original draw date. NSW Permit no: LTPM/17/01625

SOCIAL MEDIA

Do you have a story to tell? An opinion to share? Nurse Uncut is a blog written by everyday nurses and midwives. We welcome your ideas at nurseuncut@nswnma.asn.au

New on our Support Nurses YouTube channel

Aged care – where are company profits coming from? WOLLONGONG HOSPITAL MATERNITY CAMPAIGN LAUNCH See the launch of the campaign to improve maternity services at Wollongong hospital bit.ly/wollongongmaternity

THE NURSES AND MIDWIVES’ ASSOCIATION CUP Check out who won the race that stops the Association! bit.ly/nswnmacup Connect with us on Facebook Nurse Uncut www.facebook. com/NurseUncutAustralia New South Wales Nurses and Midwives’ Association www.facebook.com/nswnma Ratios put patient safety first www.facebook.com/ safepatientcare Aged Care Nurses www.facebook.com/ agedcarenurses Look for your local branch on our Facebook page www.facebook.com/nswnma Follow us on twitter @nswnma / @nurseuncut Share on Instagram by tagging @nswnma and don’t forget to use the hashtag #nswnma!

The constant justification for low pay used by aged care providers needs to be scrutinised. https://www.nurseuncut. com.au/aged-care-where-arecompany-profits-coming-from/

Student EEN: are there actually any jobs? Julie writes: As a student EEN about to graduate in two weeks, I wish I’d looked into employment options prior to enrolling. https://www.nurseuncut.com.au/ student-een-are-there-actuallyany-jobs/

Working as an aged care nurse – the reality Jemma has left aged care behind, but wants to share her observations of the sector, which she sees as ruled by corporate greed. https://www.nurseuncut.com.au/ working-as-an-aged-care-nurse-thereality/

Nurses and Midwives Continue to Experience Violence at Work How would you feel if you went to work on a Monday morning only to get punched, spat at, threatened with a knife or even shot at? https://www.nurseuncut.com.au/ nurses-and-midwives-continue-toexperience-violence-at-work/

Seven tips for nurses and midwives who sleep during the day

Five pieces of advice for mature aged nursing and midwifery students Not all of us go to Uni straight out of school. Some of us come in to it with kids, jobs and a whole other life outside university. https://www.nurseuncut.com.au/5tips-for-mature-aged-nursing-andmidwifery-students/

We know that most nurses and midwives will work night shifts at some stage in their careers. Here’s our best tips for helping you get to sleep during the day. https://www.nurseuncut.com.au/7tips-for-nurses-and-midwives-whosleep-during-the-day

Listen to our podcast WHAT IS MEDICINAL CANNABIS? bit.ly/nswnmacannabis profession17 THE LAMP DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018 | 39

Going to work shouldn’t be like this

Download the NSWNMA App and report your workplace violence incident. The NSWNMA has a tool as part of our NSWNMA Tool Kit App that allows you to quickly report an incident to the Association as soon as it happens. It’s an easy fillable form you can submit from your mobile device and an officer of the Association will be in touch with you. Nursing is considered one of the most dangerous professions. HELP STOP VIOLENCE AT WORK! NSWNMA Toolkit App is FREE and available to download from iTunes and Google Play store 40 | THE LAMP MARCH 2017

SOCIAL MEDIA

your

Say

What nurses and midwives said and liked on Facebook www.facebook.com/nswnma

that led her to leave the profession, we asked you if you’d had similar experiences.

Everyone loses Nurses and midwives at John Hunter Hospital have introduced bans until safe staffing is addressed: when wards are short-staffed everyone suffers. Can I just say that generally we manage and the patients usually don’t suffer... but we do! Not being flippant. We manage all the time and our patients always say how hard we work to make their experience a positive one. But we go home and fall in a heap and it’s our families that bear the brunt... I’m proud of the fact we manage. But it makes my blood boil that we have to! Management don’t care, nurses are burning out, patient safety at risk; are they prepared for a law suit? It’s absurd and it’s only going to get worse with an increase in population. It’s the staff picking up the slack that suffer.

Nursing leaders and managers need to be on the side of their staff, and not just meeting KPIs and putting unrealistic models of care into place. Happens daily, and not just in mental health facilities, either. Patients with known violent behaviour injure health professionals in every context. So sad to hear the same story again. It’s time for us all to stand together and take action against unfair and unsafe working conditions. Nurses are the most remarkable people in our hospitals... but so many take advantage of them, especially the government. They need a pay rise and they also need to be treated with lots of respect. Many of them leave their profession due to a lot of traumas and PTSD... not fair!

the gallery

Well done. Hard work paid off. Let’s hope we at Maitland have the same result. Democracy at work. Congratulations. Great news for those who worked so hard and the community. Thank you to all the committed hard-working nurses and community representatives and members, union members who fought so intensely for our public hospital.

Traumatised by work When a mental health nurse told her story about trauma

A further win against privatisation with Shellharbour hospital saved for the public! Now on to Maitland… Absolutely wonderful everyone... NURSE POWER!!!

Goodonya Gale! Flight nurse Gayle received the Lions Scholarship last year to help with her professional development. You took to Facebook to pass on your congratulations. Congratulations to the kindest, most caring, loving person... the patients you care for are very lucky people, Gayle. So very proud of you and all your wonderful achievements in nursing. Well done, Gayle, you were always a pleasure to fly with.

A win for the ages

That is one super nurse. Thanks to the Lion’s scholarship I was able to complete my diploma over the last year. Huge thanks to the NSWNMA and the scholarship board.

1/ Aged care nurses from south west Sydney support the We Won’t Wait campaign for domestic violence leave 2/ Westmead Hospital nurses and midwives take a stand against the shutdown of the 29bed ward at Westmead Hospital due to budget constraints 3/ Nurses and midwives gather to keep Maitland Hospital public 4/ Bob Fenwick grant recipients 5/ Nurses and health workers from Liverpool ED backing marriage equality

THE LAMP DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018 | 41

JOURNEY ACCIDENT INSURANCE Your journey injury safety net

DID YOU KNOW THAT

your membership fees cover you for travel to and from work? If you are involved in an accident while travelling to or from work, NSWNMA’s Journey Accident Insurance provides you with peace of mind. As a financial member of the NSWNMA you are automatically covered by this policy. Make sure your membership remains financial at all times, so you’re covered.

Unsure if you are financial?

It’s easy! Ring and check today on 8595 1234 (metro) or 1300 367 962 (rural). Change your payment information online at

“

It was nice to know that the Association was there to provide that assistance. I am so impressed and indebted to them for it. RN Alexis Devine

”

bit.ly/NSWNMA-alexis Watch Alexis talk about Journey Accident Insurance

“

The Association has been absolutely marvellous, helping me step by step throughout the whole process. They also organised and helped me go back to work on restricted duties. RN Shari Bugden

”

bit.ly/NSWNMA-shari Watch Shari talk about Journey Accident Insurance

www.nswnma.asn.au

42 | THE LAMP DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018

NURSING RESEARCH ONLINE A report from the Productivity Commission called Shifting the Dial is worth a look if you are interested in ideas about how to improve our healthcare system.

Healthier Australians Shifting the Dial: 5 Year Productivity Review, Chapter 2 Productivity Commission 2017 More than 2000 years ago, the Roman poet Virgil expressed the enduring and widely accepted view that the ‘greatest wealth is health’. The centrality of health to people’s lives is hardly surprising. It directly affects their sense of wellbeing, functioning, engagement with their families and society, and labour market prospects. The people striving to assist in our health system create significant unrecognised wealth. However, compared with the best performing international health systems, there appears to be numerous opportunities to improve health outcomes for given expenditure or to achieve existing health outcomes for less, including by more effective prevention. Too often, these opportunities are stymied by systemic and jurisdictional barriers. Addressing these offers serious scope to improve lives and to lift both workforce productivity and participation. Many of the opportunities for improvement in the health system relate to issues other than total resourcing — how it is organised and funded, what it does, and the behaviours of clinicians, administrators, bureaucracies and the people they serve. That does not mean that funding issues are irrelevant. An ageing population, the inexorable development of new (and often more expensive) technologies, and the ever-growing public expectations of a better health system will inevitably and justifiably require further public investments in health. http://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/completed/ productivity-review/report/2-healthier-australians

Why a Better Health System Matters Shifting the Dial: Five Year Productivity Review, Supporting Paper No. 4 Productivity Commission 2017 Many of the issues confronting the Australian health care system have origins in the heightening prevalence of chronic conditions among the population, how the system is structured, where resources are allocated and how its prime actors behave. There is a particular concern about how Australia’s health system engages in preventative care and, where people have acquired a chronic illness, how it integrates care to manage their condition. This paper assesses how Australia’s health system is performing in achieving the health aspirations of Australians. It is not a systematic assessment of

the functioning of the system. Rather, it selectively examines some of the indicators of the health or ill health of the nation, including the prevalence of key chronic diseases. It explains why, and to what degree, health matters for almost all aspects of a society, including its economic and social impacts. http://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/completed/ productivity-review/report/productivity-reviewsupporting4.pdf

Integrated Care Shifting the Dial: Five Year Productivity Review, Supporting Paper No. 5 Productivity Commission 2017 Like all other developed countries, chronic illness is now the main focus of Australia’s health care system (OECD 2015a). In part, this is a story of success. Chronic illness is what is left over if a system has solved many other sources of morbidity and death, such as infection, infant mortality, and premature death after the onset of a disease. While prevalence rates of some chronic illnesses appear to be stable (cancer for example), the reported prevalence rates of affective disorders, like anxiety, are rising. Population ageing and rising public health problems, such as obesity, will also increase the share of Australians with complex and chronic conditions, a trend that is evident across the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD 2015a). By definition, chronic illnesses are enduring and, therefore, where they have serious effects on a person’s life, they require ongoing and often costly management from different parts of the health system. Given their persistent nature, they are also inviting prospects for prevention. Against that background, health policymakers have embraced the concept of integrating the actions of, and information from, the different parts of the health and community sector to provide care suited to the personal circumstances of the patient — ‘integrated patientcentred care’. The objective is fourfold – to improve health outcomes while at the same time delivering a higher quality service to patients, lowering costs and ensuring the wellbeing of the health workforce (Berwick, Nolan and Whittington 2008; Bodenheimer and Sinsky 2014). http://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/completed/ productivity-review/report/productivity-reviewsupporting5.pdf

THE LAMP DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018 | 43

REGULARS

e m S i l n a y a t i k R w O y ha F a st aw RECENTLY I!

r! fe oo

Be A TRI sw P ep t

AL B O OT

WI N

CHANGED YOUR EMAIL? CLASSIFICATION CHANGED?

Log on to ONLINE.NSWNMA.ASN.AU and update your details to be automatically entered in the draw to win

5 nights in your very own one-bedroom pool villa at the luxurious Villa Kayu Raja. YOU AND A FRIEND WILL ENJOY:

• 5 nights’ accommodation in a 1-bedroom pool villa for two • Return airport transfers for two • Return flights for two to Denpasar • Breakfast daily for two • 2 x dinners for two • 2 x 60-minute massages. Spend your time relaxing and recharging at the resort, a tropical oasis surrounded by palms, or take the complimentary shuttle into Seminyak and experience all the region has to offer – boutique shopping, cafes and chic bars.

lt er

44 | THE LAMP MARCH 2017

Log on and update your details from 1 October 2017 – 30 June 2018 and you will automatically be entered in the draw to win.

m sa nd co nd it

ion s

are

avai lable

at www .nswnma.asn.au/nswnm

st s nte o c / bers amem

ns /

online.nswnma.asn.au

ot m ro p d- an

CROSSWORD

test your

Knowledge 1

16 18

22 24

27 30

33 34

36 38

37 39

ACROSS 1. Visceral motor ganglia (9.7) 8. A benzodiazepine anxiolytic, antidepressant, sedative, hypnotic (9) 10. To make someone aware of new surroundings (6) 11. Okra (5) 13. Having the same form or shape, or being morphologically equal (10) 15. An area of soft, naturally waterlogged ground (3) 16. Symbol for tantalum (2)

17. A triangular smooth area at the base of the bladder between the openings of the two ureters and that of the urethra (7.2.7) 22. Glomerulonephritis (1.1) 23. Endometrial curettage (1.1.1) 24. To call together for a common purpose (5) 26. Impairment of the sense of touch (8) 27. Symbol for oersted (2) 29. A computer network confined to a limited area, usually of the same floor or building (1.1.1)

30. An instrument for inspecting the ear (8) 31. A deep pulsating type of pain (5) 33. A tie; snare. (5) 34. Standards or attributes for judging a condition or establishing a diagnosis (8) 37. Inflammation of the sebaceous gland of an eyelash (4) 38. Pressure (6) 40. Microorganisms that produce pigment in the absence of light (16)

DOWN 1. Long forceps with a small hinged jaw on the end (9.7) 2. Stationary blood clots along the wall of blood vessels (7) 3. Having or consisting of lines resembling a map (7) 4. Detach (4.3) 5. A Mexican salamander with ability to regenerate severed nerves (7) 6. Hold fast or firmly (7) 7. Tending to delay or prevent tumor formation (16) 9. The production of living young from within the body (7) 12. Causes to be overcome, as with fright or astonishment (7) 14. A single observation (4) 18. An apparatus by which oxygen is introduced into the blood during circulation outside the body, as during openheart surgery (10) 19. A disk of cells from which the embryo develops (10) 20. To stick fast to something; stay attached (6) 21. The act of whitening, bleaching, or blanching (10) 25. Investigate (4.4) 28. Tart, acid (4) 32. The symbol for hassium (2) 35. A reverberating sound sometimes heard during auscultation of the chest (4) 36. Intestinal spirochetosis (1.1) 39. To sink, droop, or settle from pressure or weight (3)

THE LAMP DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018 | 45

Do you have a story to tell? INTERNATIONAL MIDWIVES’ DAY & INTERNATIONAL NURSES’ DAY

2018 Short Story & Poetry Competition Nurses and midwives have always talked about the amazing, uplifting and special moments they experience in their work. These stories inspire the nurses and midwives who hear them, as well as some who, after hearing such poignant stories, decide to take up the profession. So without breaching confidentiality, let’s celebrate International Midwives’ and International Nurses’ Days 2018 by sharing our stories in prose or poetry. First State Super is once again proud to help celebrate this short story and poetry competition by sponsoring the FIRST PRIZE OF $2000, and the 2 RUNNER-UP PRIZES OF $500. These prizes will be awarded to members or associate members of the NSWNMA who can tell an entertaining and inspiring story that promotes the wonderful work of nurses and midwives.

. Conditions of Entry • Entrant must be a financial or associate member of the NSWNMA • Entry must be original and the work of the entrant • Entry must not have been published previously • Stories/poems to be no longer than 2500 words • Confidentiality must not be breached, patients/ clients names must not be used. And the facility in which your story takes place must not be identifiable • Please keep a copy of your story as your entry/entries will not be returned • The NSWNMA reserves the right to retain and publish copies of the entries, in The Lamp and on NSWNMA online (including nurseuncut.com.au) • Copyright remains with the author • Judges’ decision will be final • Failure to meet the conditions above will render entries ineligible.

e z i r st p

Fir

r-up e n n u Two prrizes of m 5 p 018 e n s clo rch 2 ced o s trie Ma noun En y 16 an da ill be 018 i r F w y2 ers 4 Ma n in

. How to enter • There is no limit on the number of entries, but each entry must have its own entry form • Complete the online entry form • Number and title each page of your story or poem • Do not include your name and address anywhere on your story/ poem copies • Keep within the word limit • 3 copies of the story to be included for the judges and to be double spaced on one side only with a 2cm margin. 46 | THE LAMP MARCH 2017

www.nswnma.asn.au

REVIEWS DISCOUNT BOOKS FOR MEMBERS The Library is pleased to announce that McGraw-Hill Publishers are now offering members a 25% discount off the RRP! The offer currently covers medical as well as a range of other professional series books. Please see the online Book Me reviews for a link to the promotion code and further instructions, or contact the Library directly for further information.

T ES

S PE

Bill ‘Swampy’ Marsh Harper Collins: https://www.booktopia.com.au/ RRP $30.90 ISBN 9780733333163

INTE IAL

ST RE

Great Australian outback nurses stories

SPE C

book club

All the latest Book Club reviews from The Lamp can be read online at www.nswnma.asn.au/libraryservices/book-reviews.

With hearts as big as the outback, rural and remote nurses are CI AL a dedicated and gutsy bunch who work selflessly to care for their IN T E communities, often in isolated and inhospitable conditions, with few resources but plenty of experience, courage and care. Outback nurses deal with it all: broken limbs, labour pains, snake bites, sunburnt backpackers, lost explorers, vaccinations, and defibrillations – even the occasional crook cattle dog. One thing they are never short of is stories to tell.

This memorable and eye-opening collection of real-life accounts from nurses in the Australian bush is by turns inspiring, poignant, heartbreaking and hilarious – and Swampy should know. It was while he was researching this book he had a near-fatal fall from a cliff in Kakadu, and experienced first-hand the skill and heroism of these outback nurses in extraordinary situations.

Clinical Companion for Fundamentals of Nursing: Just the Facts Veronica Peterson Elsevier: RRP $39.95 ISBN 9780323396639

A concise, pocketsized nursing reference, Clinical Companion for Fundamentals of Nursing, 9th Edition includes all the facts and figures you’ll need to succeed in clinicals. The streamlined format organises content by body system, with tables, boxes, and bulleted lists that simplify searching. From definitions and abbreviations to dosage calculations and lab values, this pocket guide presents the most up-to-date guidelines and clinical information in an easy-to-use, quick-reference format.

How to Win Campaigns: Communications for Change Chris Rose

Earthscan: https://www. bookdepository.com/ RRP $50.99. ISBN 9781849711142

This new approach to leadership focuses on how students can develop leadership

skills right from the start of their nursing program through to transitioning to their first role. The book first takes students through the underpinning knowledge and theory and then through practical skills to help them understand all aspects of leadership and how it is a key component of providing quality care to patients in a range of environments and settings. Real stories from nursing leaders, practitioners and students are included to inspire students and show them how they can impact positively on practice, whatever level they are working at. Further reading and links to journal articles in both the book and the companion website help students delve deeper and prepare for assessments.

Law and Professional Issues in Nursing Richard Griffith & Cassam Tengnah Sage Publishing: www.footprint.com.au RRP $63.00. ISBN 9781473969421

Law and Professional Issues in Nursing provides nurses of all levels with a crash course in law written in clear and straightforward language. It is filled with insightful case studies and thought-provoking activities that demonstrate the relevance

of law and how it underpins safe and effective practice. Written explicitly for nurses, the book is an ideal starting point for nurses seeking to better understand the legal obligations they face leaving them better prepared for safe and effective practice.

Clinical Judgement and Decision Making in Nursing Mooi Standing

Sage Publishing: www.footprint.com.au RRP $51.99 ISBN 9781473957268

Clinical decisionmaking is an indispensable facet of professional nursing care. It is essential that students develop sound decision-making skills in order to deal with the challenges they will encounter as registered nurses. This book enables preregistration nursing students to understand, develop and apply these skills in order to practice safely and effectively. All books can be ordered through the publisher or your local bookshop. NSWNMA members can borrow the books featured here via the Library’s Online Catalogue: visit http:// www.nswnma.asn.au/library-services. Call 8595 1234 or 1300 367 962, or email gensec@nswnma.asn.au for assistance with loans or research. Some books are reviewed using information supplied and have not been independently reviewed. THE LAMP DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018 | 47

Great deals for members at

The Good Guys As a valued Union Shopper member you can now get exclusive access to a new online shopping site with The Good Guys Commercial. You will be able to see ‘live’ discounted pricing on the entire The Good Guys range – that’s great deals on over 4,000 products! And you will be able to make your purchases online – saving you time and money.

To register for online access to The Good Guys Commercial website, visit www.unionshopper.com.au/the-good-guys/ or phone 1300 368 117

1300 368 117 unionshopper.com.au

Anne ACU student

A future in training to train the future. Our clinical education programs will give you the skills to design, implement and evaluate clinical education programs within healthcare settings. You will examine the ethical aspects of contemporary healthcare delivery, analyse different learner groups, understand health and safety, and learn to be a leader.

Study clinical education yourfuture.acu.edu.au CRICOS registered provider: 00004G

48 | THE LAMP DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018

REVIEWS

at the movies

RUR

DVD GIV E

MEM AL

R BE

WI N

MOV

RO ME ET

BER M

Sweet Country

Chris Ladera, RN, CCU St Vincent’s Hospital is this month’s reviewer. If you would like to be a movie reviewer, email lamp@nswnma.asn.au

GIV A W E

HAMPSTEAD Diane Keaton and Brendan Gleeson star in Hampstead, a London-set romantic comedy about an American widow who finds unexpected love with a man living in a ramshackle hut on Hampstead Heath when they take on the developers who want to destroy his home. Email The Lamp by the 15th of the month to be in the draw to win a DVD of Hampstead thanks to Entertainment One. Email your name, membership number, address and telephone number to lamp@ nswnma.asn.au for a chance to win! Not so black and white Sweet Country is the latest film by acclaimed director, Warwick Thornton, winner of 2009 Cannes’ Camera d’Or award for Samson and Delilah. The film is described as a 1920s period western, set in the outback of the Northern Territory. It is inspired by real events and tackles the pursuit of justice when an Aboriginal stockman, Sam, kills a white station owner, Harry March. Sam runs away with his wife, Lizzie, across the harsh and unforgiving outback. Sergeant Fletcher ardently pursues the fugitive, in an attempt to bring justice and order to an already hardened community. Sam, eventually, gives himself up for the health of his pregnant wife, and he is immediately put on trial in front of a courtroom Judge. Hamilton Morris plays Sam who embodies the unyielding protagonist. Sam Neill, Bryan Brown and newcomer twins Tremayne and Trevon Doolan make up a convincing cast. Warwick Thornton’s experience as a cinematographer is obvious as he captures a raw, harsh and visually

stunning outback, essential to how events in the film unfold. The film has already received praise in various film festivals including a standing ovation at the Venice Film Festival. More than critical acclaim, the film provokes discussion, as it successfully connects with audiences and provides a glimpse into the harsh realities of outback Australia. It offers an important insight to the critical foundations of Australia. Sam’s trial, which attempts to capture the pursuit of justice, in fact puts the basic notion of justice on trial. The film brings a balance of awareness on different characters’ experiences, which ultimately depict the complexities of human experience and endeavour which are never black and white. Email The Lamp by the 12th of the month to be in the draw to win a double pass to Sweet Country thanks to Transmission Films. Email your name, membership number, address and telephone number to lamp@nswnma. asn.au for a chance to win!

GEORGE GENTLY SERIES 8 The shocking final series of the longrunning hit detective drama. The North of England’s most upstanding detective, George Gently (Martin Shaw), returns to work the beat alongside his trusted partner. Together they investigate murder and corruption set against the turbulent tide of 1970s Britain. Email The Lamp by the 15th of the month to be in the draw to win a DVD of George Gently Series 8 thanks to Acorn Media. Email your name, membership number, address and telephone number to lamp@nswnma. asn.au for a chance to win! THE LAMP DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018 | 49

DIARY DATES

make a date

Diary Dates for conferences, seminars, meetings, and reunions is a free service for members. lamp@nswnma.asn.au

EVENTS: NSW

5th National Elder Abuse Conference 19–20 February 2018 Sofitel Sydney Wentworth togethermakingchange.org.au The Wellness Show 25–26 June, 2018 International Convention Centre Sydney www.wellnessshow.com.au EVENTS: INTERSTATE

17th National Nurse Education Conference 1–4 May 2018 Crown Promenade, Melbourne www.dcconferences.com.au/nnec2018 EVENTS: INTERNATIONAL

4th Commonwealth Nurses and Midwives’ Conference 12 March 2018 London, UK http://www.commonwealthnurses.org/ conference2018 3rd Asian Conference in Nursing Education 18–20 April, 2018 Yogyakarta, Indonesia. http://acine2018.fk.ugm.ac.id/ 12th PACEA CONFERENCE: Pre conference training courses 4–6 June, 2018 Taipei, Taiwan http://ncfi.org/conference/ ncfi-pacea-regional-conference/

NCFI PACEA Conference ‘Christian nursing in a troubled world’ 7–11 June 2018 Chientan Youth Activity Center, Taipei, Taiwan ncfi.org/conference/ ncfi-pacea-regional-conference EVENTS: REUNIONS

Nurses Christian Fellowship, Christmas BBQ 4 December 2017, 6pm Balls Head Reserve, Sydney http://ncfansw.org Prince of Wales, Prince Henry Hospitals and Eastern Suburbs NSW of UNSW 1973 PTS Class 17 February 2018, 6 pm Malabar (Randwick) Golf Club Roslyn Kerr: gert2@optusnet.com.au Patricia Marshall (Purdy): tapric135@bigpond.com West Metropolitan Group School of Nursing, Westmead – All Years 24 March 2018 Castle Hill RSL Luxe Room alison.zecchin@health.nsw.gov.au St. Vincent’s Hospital March 1975 PTS Group Reunion 24 March, 2018 Sydney Anne Roth anne.roth@health.nsw.gov.au

Advertise in The Lamp and reach more than 66,000 nurses and midwives. To advertise, contact: Danielle Nicholson 02 8595 2139 / 0429 269 750 dnicholson@nswnma.asn.au

50 | THE LAMP DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018

Please send event details in the format used here: event name, date and location, contact details – by the 5th of each preceding month. Send your event details to: lamp@nswnma.asn.au Fax 02 9662 1414 Post 50 O’Dea Ave, Waterloo NSW 2017. All listings are edited for the purposes of style and space. Priority is given to non-profit professional events.

Crown Street Women’s Hospital Graduates March 1968 50-Year Reunion Lunch 1 June, 2018 Wendy Wooler kwooler@tpg.com.au RNSH Hospital July 1977 Intake 40-Year Reunion Ann Fincher (Wyllie-Olson) afincher0@ gmail.com Linda Tebbutt lyndagtebbutt@gmail.com Tamworth Base Hospital February 1976 Intake 40-Year Reunion Sandra Cox: sandra.cox@hnehealth.nsw Sean O’Connor: 0408 349 126 Gerard Jeffery: 0417 664 993 Camden District Hospital PTS February 1978 Reunion Gay Woodhouse 0438 422 069 Gay.woodhouse@health.nsw.gov.au

CROSSWORD SOLUTION

While you look after those who need it most, we’re looking out for you. Contact us to register today.

02 9965 9456

nurses@pulsestaffing.com.au pulsestaffing.com.au

Bali?

Do you want to escape to

i! l w a r a r e n d b d g o e i h n a t t o m e m B u, ew g n g n a a C n i t to win a 5 night holiday rui

The 2017–2018 NSWNMA Member Recruitment scheme prize The winner will experience their very own private oasis in two luxurious villas, with the following inclusions (for two): g Five nights’ accommodation at two super luxe properties located in Canggu, Bali (three nights at Sandhya Villa and two nights at Lalasa Villas) g Return airport transfers and transfers from Sandhya Villa to Lalasa Villas g Breakfast daily g One dinner for two guests at Lalasa Villas g One 60-minute massage for two guests at Unagi Spa g The NSWNMA will arrange return flights for two to Denpasar. You will experience a serene and peaceful holiday away from the hustle and bustle, with Seminyak’s fabulous restaurants and shopping just a stone’s throw away. Relax by your private pool, take a free shuttle service to Berawa Beach or explore the village of Canggu. Recruiters note: Join online at www.nswnma.asn.au. If you refer a member to join online, make sure you ask them to put your name and workplace on the online application form. You will then be entered in to the NSWNMA Member Recruitment scheme draw.

Every member you sign up over the year gives you an entry in the draw! Conditions apply. Prize must be redeemed by 30 June 2019 and is subject to room availability. Block out dates 1–30 August 2018 and 24 December 2018–5 January 2019. Competition opens on 1 August 2017 and closes 30 June 2018. The prize will be drawn on 30 June 2018. If a redraw is required for an unclaimed prize it must be held up to 3 months from the original draw date. NSW Permit no: LTPM/17/01625

Prize drawn 30 June 2018

REGULARS

Our financial planners can help you face tomorrow with confidence. For your future-ready feeling go to firststatesuper.com.au/feelfutureready

Winner. Outstanding value Superannuation.

52 | THE LAMP MARCH 2017

firststatesuper.com.au/feelfutureready | 1300 650 873 Winner of the Canstar award for the Personal Super product. Consider our product disclosure statement before making a decision about First State Super. Call us or visit our website for a copy. FSS Trustee Corporation ABN 11 118 202 672 ASFL 293340 is the trustee of the First State Superannuation Scheme ABN 53 226 460 365.