Lamp September 2012 by NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association

The magazine of the NSW Nursesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Association

volume 69 no.8 September 2012

TAKING THE LEAD FOR SAFE PATIENT CARE

Print Post Approved: PP241437/00033

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Low fees | Simple | Open Consider the First State Super Product Disclosure Statement having regard to your own situation before deciding whether becoming a member or continuing your membership is right for you. A copy is available by calling us or visiting our website. The information contained in this document is current as at June 2012. Prepared by FSS Trustee Corporation ABN 11 118 202 672, AFSL 293340, the trustee of First State Superannuation Scheme ABN 53 226 460 365.

FSS NURSES LAM 0612

First State Super – take us with you wherever you work!

CONTENTS

The

CONTACTS

lamp

NSW Nurses’ 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@nswnurses.asn.au W www.nswnurses.asn.au

Volume 69 No.8 September 2012

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

COVER STORY

NSWNA Communications Manager Janaki Chellam-Rajendra T 8595 1258

12 | Taking the lead The 2012 NSWNA Annual Conference was a time to reflect on the achievements of the last year, assess the new domestic and global political environment in which the Association operates, and set our goals for the future. Rebecca Golding, RN, Edward Makepeace, RN and Tatiana Muller, RN.

5 6 8 11 27 34 37 38 43 46 48 50

Editorial Your letters News in brief What’s on Ask Judith Social media Nursing research online Crossword Books Movies of the month Obituary Diary dates

COVER STORY

Produced by Hester Communications T 9568 3148 Press Releases Send your press releases to: F 9662 1414 E gensec@nswnurses.asn.au

PHOTOGRAPH: SHARON HICKEY

REGULARS

FOR ALL EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES, LETTERS AND DIARY DATES: T 8595 1234 E lamp@nswnurses.asn.au M 50 O’Dea Avenue, Waterloo NSW 2017

COVER STORY

20 | Bracing for a ‘perfect storm’ Canadian nursing unions want greater emphasis on community and home care as part of a survival strategy for their threatened Medicare scheme.

LONDON OLYMPICS

Editorial Committee • Brett Holmes, NSWNA General Secretary • Judith Kiejda, NSWNA Assistant General Secretary • Coral Levett, NSWNA President • Roz Norman, Tamworth Base Hospital • Elsie May Henson, Barraba Multi Purpose Service • Peg Hibbert, Hornsby & Ku-Ring-Gai Hospital • Michelle Cashman, Long Jetty Continuing Care • Richard Noort, Justice Health Advertising Patricia Purcell T 8595 2139 or 0416 259 845 or F 9662 1414 E ppurcell@nswnurses.asn.au Records and Information Centre – Library To find old articles in The Lamp, or to borrow from the NSWNA nursing and health collection, contact: Jeannette Bromfield, RIC Coordinator T 8595 2175 E gensec@nswnurses.asn.au

The Lamp ISSN: 0047-3936

24 | Rock ‘n’ Roll Ball

28 | Health service honoured at London Olympics Hundreds of British nurses danced their hearts out at the London 2012 Olympic opening ceremony, in a glittering tribute to the British National Health Service.

ADVERTISING COMPETITION

7 | Win an adventure holiday

ANF CAMPAIGN

31 | You’re in good hands

You couldn’t be in better hands, according to a new campaign driving public support for nurses and midwives across the country.

General disclaimer The Lamp is the official magazine of the NSWNA. Views expressed in articles are contributors’ own and not necessarily those of the NSWNA. 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 NSWNA takes no responsibility for the advertising appearing herein and it does not necessarily endorse any products advertised. Privacy Privacy statement: The NSWNA 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 NSWNA office. If you are still not satisfied that your privacy is being maintained you can contact the Privacy Commission. Subscriptions for 2012 Free to all Association members. Professional members can subscribe to the magazine at a reduced rate of $50. Individuals $78, Institutions $130, Overseas $140. THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2012 | 3

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Remember for every new member you recruit/have recruited from 30 June 2012 to 30 June 2013 means you will have your name submitted to the draw. RECRUITERS NOTE: Nurses and midwives can now join online! If you refer a new member to join online, make sure you ask them to put your name and workplace on the online application form. You will then be entitled to your vouchers and draw/s in the NSWNA Recruitment Incentive Scheme.

EDITORIAL BY BRETT HOLMES GENERAL SECRETARY

Taking the lead There was a theme at our 2012 Annual Conference: build on our legacy and strive to improve as a union and as a champion for safe patient care. The conference was timely. The past year has clarified the environment under which we operate, with a relatively new Coalition state government and less than a year from the expiry of the public health system Memorandum Of Understanding. It was a good time to reflect on what we have achieved and the challenges that lie before us. The conference heard some passionate addresses from nurse representatives from Ireland, Canada and the United States (see pages 18 to 22).

The response of our overseas colleagues is inspiring.They are mobilising to defend their health systems from these vicious attacks.

Their message was clear and consistent. Public services are under attack everywhere in the western world. Working people who use them and public sector workers, including nurses, who deliver them are forced to bear the brunt of austerity measures imposed as a result of the global financial crisis. Meanwhile, the irresponsible bankers and corporations who caused the crash are left to continue as if nothing has happened. The response of our overseas colleagues is inspiring. They are mobilising to defend their health systems from these vicious attacks. They are proactive and innovative in putting forward alternative economic remedies such as a Financial Transactions Tax that would, in one go, tackle speculation in the financial sector and raise significant revenue to fund decent public services. For us in Australia their message is sobering and cautionary. Our economy sailed through the GFC relatively unharmed – an achievement the current federal government should be given more credit for than it is. But there is an unmistakable trend in Australia that is consistent with, if somewhat lagging behind, our counterparts in Europe and North America. Here too, conservative political forces have targeted the public sector. Nowhere is this more obvious than in New South Wales. Public sector pay has been frozen, an excellent workers compensation scheme has been gutted and safe staffing measures are under threat.

The past year was one of consolidation for the Association as we worked to bed down the ratios won in the last public health system pay and conditions campaign. The implementation of ratios is on track, despite doomsayers saying there were not enough nurses to fill the positions. Our next challenge – and it is massive – will come with the negotiation of the public health system Memorandum of Understanding, which expires on June 30 next year. We will clearly need to be united and strong if we are to repel attacks on our conditions and continue the improvements that we know will deliver better patient care. NAME CHANGE An important vote at the annual conference was to change the name of the Association to include midwives in our title. This is recognition of the evolution of our professions over the years. Bachelor of Midwifery graduates now have their own register. Annual conference – our policy making body – decided it was time to be more inclusive and reflect this modern reality in our name. The new name – New South Wales Nurses and Midwives’ Association – is now with the industrial registrar to be ratified. We expect approval soon before we incorporate it into our daily work. SATISFYING GROWTH IN MEMBERSHIP Despite the difficult environment the union has achieved good growth over the past 12 months. The NSWNA recorded a net increase of 1,575 financial members in its membership for the 12 months to 30 June 2012, a growth of 2.89%. This brings the NSWNA to a financial membership, as of 30 June 2012, of 56,001. There are many more nurses and midwives who could join but have not yet been convinced of the importance of membership. It is all our responsibility to go out and invite these nurses, midwives and assistants in nursing to join our union.

THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2012 | 5

LETTERS LETTERS

LETTER OF THE MONTH

Workers’ comp breach of care Besides being rather angry about the proposed changes to workers’ compensation going through Parliament, I am somewhat afraid of what it might mean for me personally. It seems to me that we (the NSWNA, unions and individuals) can whinge and complain all we want about this, but in the end we do not have a big enough stick to make the Liberal government change its mind about how they are going to stop losing money through the present NSW Workers’ Compensation Scheme, other than by making life more miserable for injured workers (by taking away present workers’ compensation assistance). When I accepted employment with the Department of Health (DoH) about 11 years ago, I knew that my employer would look me after if I was injured. It was their duty of care to me if I was injured in the line of my work. Now they are deciding that they will only care for me a “little bit”. The DoH has so many policies – isn’t this a breach of their Duty of Care to me?

Jennifer Clarke, RN

Public-private threat to health service Delegates at annual conference heard several mentions of actual and proposed projects funded by Public Private Partnerships (PPPs). I believe that PPPs pose one of the greatest threats to the provision of public health services in NSW and therefore to public health employees and the communities they serve. We heard Jillian Skinner, NSW Health Minister, reiterate her commitment to working with the private sector, a statement that echoed her thoughts in the Sydney Morning Herald on 11 July, 2012, where she was quoted as saying that NSW Health “had neither the resources or the expertise” to fund all necessary projects. When asked at conference she did provide verbal assurance that no clinical staff would be transferred to private sector employment in the event of a PPP providing new or redevelopment infrastructure in NSW. She did not give any assurance for support staff such as cleaning, gardening, maintenance, facility management, laundry and catering. It is just such redeployment to the private sector that has created a debacle at Royal North Shore Hospital (RNSH). As these services are integral to the support of nursing care, and, having been pared back to achieve “cost efficiencies” for the private contractor, nursing staff at RNSH are left to pick up the slack, meaning that clinical patient care has been left to suffer and nurse managers are shifting beds after hours. Cost effective? Only to the private contractor! The NSW Commission of Audit report, just released, reiterates that it is these so-called “non-core” services that are recommended for redeployment, where the private sector can provide more cost efficiencies than the public sector. So, we can expect more of the same for any new or redevelopment infrastructure projects. I urge all nurses and midwives to make sure that they are consulted when a PPP is proposed in their LHD. We need to be vigilant, proactive and politically aware to protect our precious public health services now and into the future. Elizabeth McCall, Branch Secretary/Delegate 6 | THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2012

Disgusted by Minister’s comment I read with disgust the comments of Jillian Skinner at the NSWNA Annual Conference as printed in The Newcastle Herald on Friday 10 August, “nurses could secure pay rises above the minimum if they met cost saving measures set by health care employers.” As a nurse I find it disgraceful and offensive that a minister of the New South Wales government would give frontline nurses, who work tirelessly to provide excellent care to patients, often without the necessary resources, such an ultimatum to secure the pay rises that they deserve. Jacob Howell, RN

Thanks for career-long support In 2007 I had a work injury that forced an early retirement. I wish to thank the union for all its support and the referral to Maurice Blackburn Lawyers. Solicitor Danny Khoshaba and his assistant Bernadette Schembri were wonderful and looked after me with regard to workers’ compensation law and further. It is all over now and everything is okay. People will ask, why join a union? What’s in it for me? You have no idea until you need the union and someone behind you. In the preceding years I would ring up the union about things that were happening in my workplace that didn’t seem right and they always clarified situations, policy or procedure. And often I was right in questioning some methods of management. When I retired, the union found money I was owed and not paid. My rep worked very hard for my money and my rights and gave me the backing of a law firm that looked after me when the issues became legal. So, now retired, I wish to thank the New South Wales Nurses’ Association for the many years of membership and support. It was very well worth it. Lee Wilmott

SAY

SOMETHING Send your letters to: Editorial Enquiries email lamp@nswnurses.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.

LETTER OF THE MONTH The letter judged the best each month will be awarded a $50 Coles Myer voucher courtesy of Moore Equipment. ‘Clever carts to help clever nurses.’ For details on the range of clax carts please call (02) 9519 5540 or visit www.mooreequipment.com.au

Every letter published receives a $20 Coles Group & Myer gift card.

COMPETITION

Violence at work In the most recent issue of The Lamp Brett Holmes raises some very relevant and important issues around the challenges of protecting nurses from harm due to increasing violence in our workplace. Brett comments that all professions need to be protected from this violence. Here he includes “ambulance drivers”. I know that ambulance officers reading this editorial would be extremely insulted by this description. Describing them as “drivers” implies they do only that, drive the ambulance. Ambulance officers are very highly trained and skilled professionals with many now paramedics. I also note that nowhere in the editorial did Brett mention midwives and the risks that they face from workplace abuse and violence. There is a perception that maternity units are calm happy workplaces. In fact, delivery suites/birthing units are now second behind ERs as areas where the staff are frequently exposed to abuse and violence from partners and supporting families. As a midwife working in this environment, I have certainly seen a rapid increase in recent years in the level of abuse that is occurring. Abuse and violence in our workplaces is a very important issue. I am not sure what the answer is to reducing the exposure to abuse and violence, as the causes are so multifaceted. Acknowledging the issue and working together to find solutions is the first step. Marina Rhodes, CNS

NSWNA responds NSWNA has long advocated for the security of midwives.This is reflected in the recognition that the NSW Health’s zero tolerance policy and “Protecting People and Property” manual refers to maternity as a high-risk area for aggression. The Australasian Health Facility Guidelines also incorporate security requirements such as duress alarms and access control into the design guidelines for Maternity, Ambulatory Care and Community Health Centres. For those midwives working in the community, the Award requires that you be provided with an adequate communication device.These days technology has progressed to the point where remote duress alarms are also available on the market. If the risk of aggression has not been addressed in your workplace, we suggest that you raise it with management in the first instance through the normal reporting channels for hazards and incidents. If this isn’t effective, you can take the matter up with the facility Health and Safety Committee, elected Health and Safety Representative, or NSWNA Branch. You can also call NSWNA on 8595 2124 (metro) or 1300 367 962 (rural) for further advice and assistance. We agree that ambulance officers are highly skilled and valuable professionals.

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NEWS IN BRIEF

Britain

The good oil on brown fat

Photograph by Woodlouse

British researchers are looking at the promising possibilities of “mobilising” brown fat in the fight against obesity, diabetes and heart problems.

The Hadza live around Lake Eyasi in Northern Tanzania. On the whole they live a traditional huntergatherer existence.

United States

Office workers hold with hunter-gatherers It seems a straightforward hypothesis: that the largely sedentary nature of the Western lifestyle is responsible for rising levels of obesity. American researchers have been testing this claim, and have come up with surprising results. They tracked the foraging lifestyle of the Hazda, a huntergatherer population in Northern Tanzania, who procure their food without the help of modern instruments and do not consume processed foods. Using GPS devices, portable respirometry systems, and urine tests, researchers tracked the Hazda’s daily walking distances and measured their energy expenditure when walking and resting. This data was compared to individuals and populations comprising Western, market, and farming economies. True to form the Hazda were, on average, much more active than members of Western society. But, in a triumph for idleness, there was no significant cross-cultural difference in total energy expenditure between people of similar age and body composition. Lifestyle was not shown to be a contributing factor to one’s total daily energy expenditure. In fact, total energy expenditure was remarkably consistent across global cultures and economies, with researchers concluding it is perhaps “more a product of our common genetic inheritance than our diverse lifestyles”. So whether you are hunting down and killing your dinner, or grabbing take-out after sitting in front of a computer all day, the calorie intake needed to supplement your energy expenditure is more or less the same. The full study Hunter-gather energetics and human obesity was published in the journal PLoSOne (www.plosone.org).

8 | THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2012

Brown adipose tissue produces lots of heat by burning calories so, unlike white fat which clings to our hips and expands our ageing waistlines, brown fat keeps the weight off. “There is only about 50g of brown fat in the neck region and it switches on and off throughout the day as it’s exposed to different temperatures or if you exercise or eat, “ Professor Symonds, from the University of Nottingham told the BBC. Prof Symonds says this capacity is much greater in young children compared to adolescents and adults and the challenge is to use this knowledge to find out what factors might switch on brown fat, and therefore prevent excess weight gain. “This may provide new insights into the role of brown fat in how we balance energy from the food we eat, with the energy our bodies use up,” he said.

United States

Bone marrow transplants linked to HIV cure Researchers in Boston have discovered that two men no longer have detectable HIV in their blood cells, after undergoing bone marrow transplants. The findings suggest that by giving these patients transplants while they were on anti-retroviral therapy, they may have been cured of the AIDS-causing virus. One of the researchers, Dr Timothy Henrich, told ABC News: “We expected HIV to vanish from the patients’ plasma, but it is surprising that we can’t find any traces of HIV in their cells. It suggests that under the cover of anti-retroviral therapy, the cells that repopulated the patient’s immune system appear to be protected from becoming re-infected with HIV.” While altering a patient’s immune system may lead to a cure for HIV, bone marrow transplants are currently too costly and too dangerous for all HIV patients to undergo them, say researchers.

Australia

Online mental health tool The federal government has launched a new online mental health tool designed to support people living with a mental health issue such as anxiety or depression. Developed by a team of health professionals at the Black Dog Institute, and funded by the Australian government, myCompass.org.au is an online tool that assesses user symptoms and provides a personalised support program. The interactive program includes online psychological tools, round-the-clock monitoring of moods and behaviour, and motivational tips sent via email and SMS. The tool is part of the government’s recently launched e-mental health strategy. “With four in five Australians turning to the web for information about their health it was critical to develop online tools that provided good information and advice,” the Federal Minister for Mental Health, Mark Butler, said. “We also know that one in five Australians will experience a mental illness in a given year, but less than half of these people will seek treatment. So anything we can do to help people take the first step in asking for help is a good thing.”

Australia

Big tobacco challenge stubbed out The Gillard Government has scored a massive victory against big tobacco companies with the High Court finding its world-first plain packaging is constitutionally valid. Tobacco companies British-American Tobacco, Britain’s Imperial Tobacco, Philip Morris and Japan Tobacco challenged the laws, arguing they were unconstitutional because they effectively extinguished the companies’ intellectual property rights. The High Court found otherwise. The laws, the toughest in the world, are in line with World Health Organisation recommendations and are being watched closely by many other countries including Britain, Norway, New Zealand, Canada and India, which are considering similar measures. From December, tobacco companies will no longer be able to display their brand designs and logos on cigarette packs. The packs will instead come in a generic shade of olive green and feature graphic health warnings and images such as cancerriddled mouths and blinded eyeballs. The High Court has awarded costs against the tobacco companies that are estimated to run into hundreds of thousands of dollars. President of the Australian Council on Smoking and Health, Mike Daube, told the Sydney Morning Herald the decision was “a massive win for public health”. “It is also the global tobacco industry’s worst defeat,” said Professor Daube, who chaired the federal government’s expert committee that recommended plain packaging. “The global tobacco companies have opposed plain packaging more ferociously than any other measure we have seen.”

“It is the global tobacco industry’s worst defeat.”

THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2012 | 9

NEWS IN BRIEF

Australia

Liberals’ unfair dismissal plan: unfair

“How can a low-paid worker risk taking a legitimate case to the tribunal if they have the threat of substantial costs being awarded against them?”

A Liberal Party plan to make unsuccessful claimants pay costs in unfair dismissal cases would severely curtail a fundamental workplace right and protection says the ACTU. ACTU President Ged Kearney said the threat of costs being awarded for an unsuccessful claim would effectively prevent many low-paid workers from ever pursuing legitimate claims for unfair dismissal. “How can a low-paid worker risk taking a legitimate case to the tribunal if they have the threat of substantial costs being awarded against them if they are unsuccessful? “This goes against over a century of industrial relations practice, in which the independent umpire has been a no-cost jurisdiction.” Kearney said the removal of unfair dismissal protections was a “Holy Grail” of the Liberal Party. Under WorkChoices employers with less than 100 staff were exempt from any claims of unfair dismissal. This denied 66% of all employees in the federal system – almost six million people – from any unfair dismissal protection. The Fair Work Act restored unfair dismissal rights for all workers. On average, about one million workers are dismissed each year, with only about 1.5% of all dismissals being taken to Fair Work Australia.

Australia

Britain

First State Super gives up cigarettes

Austerity digs bigger hole for British

First State Super, one of Australia’s largest super funds, has excluded investments in all companies involved in the manufacture of cigarettes and other tobacco products from its portfolios. CEO of First State Super, Michael Dwyer, said: “The Trustee Board decided to extend the exclusion of tobacco investments across all our portfolios following strong feedback from health employers and those working in health services, who represent 40% of our total membership of 770,000 members. “Governments are introducing initiatives to dissuade consumers from purchasing tobacco products that send a clear message regarding the tobacco industry and the consumption of tobacco products i.e. plain packaging, no advertising, restrictions on smoking in public areas etc. “It … is unquestionably the right thing to do,” he said.

10 | THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2012

“the uk is on c ou r s e f o r a lo n g e r de pre ssion t han t h e 3 0 s , t h e t i g h t e st s qu e e z e i n living stan dar d s since the 20s an d m o r e t han a million you n g p e o p l e ar e c u r r e n t ly ou t o f wo r k .”

While the National Health Service was gloriously celebrated at the Olympics opening ceremony (see page 28), the British government policy of public service cuts is looking increasingly disastrous. The Bank of England is expected to embark on emergency measures to stimulate growth in the coming year, following the release of official figures showing a shock 0.7% contraction in economic activity in the three months to June. The three main sectors of the economy – services, industrial production and construction –all suffered falls in activity. Economic activity has now declined in five of the past seven quarters, making Britain the worst performing country in the G8 group of industrialised countries, after Italy. The Trade Union Congress general secretary, Brendan Barber, told The Guardian newspaper: “The UK is on course for a longer depression than the 30s, the tightest squeeze in living standards since the 20s and more than a million young people are currently out of work. The government must abandon self-defeating austerity and prioritise public and private investment in infrastructure and in the futures of our long-term unemployed to get Britain working again.”

EDUCATION@NSWNA

WHAT’S ON SEPTEMBER 2012

Computer Essentials for Nurses and Midwives – 1 day 5 September, Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick Seminar is suitable for all nurses and midwives. Members $85 Non-members $170 ——— • ———

Australia

Drug companies attack cheap medicine A free trade agreement between India and the European Union threatens the health of the world’s poor, according to Australian academic Hans Lofgren from Deakin University. India is often called the “pharmacy of the developing world” because of its enormous generic medicine industry. It exports 50% of its $10bn annual production for use by poor people in the developing world. Prof Logren says the EU is calling for the enforcement of intellectual property rights that goes well beyond India’s obligations as a member of the World Trade Organisation, making it all but impossible for generic drug manufacturers in the country to continue in their present structure. “This could delay the introduction of cheaper medicines in India and elsewhere at a time when the global financial crisis has already put the squeeze on life-saving medicines across the world,’ he wrote in The Guardian newspaper. It is not only Indian patients who stand to suffer. So too will charities, such as Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), which relies on Indian generic producers to supply 80% of the antiretrovirals it uses around the world. According to MSF spokeswoman Leena Menghaney, India is “the lifeline of patients in the developing world”.

Legal & Professional Issues for Nurses and Midwives – ½ day 28 September, Port Macquarie 5 October, Tamworth 18 October, Batemans Bay Topics covered include the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law, potential liability, importance of documentation, role of disciplinary tribunals and writing statements. Members $40 Non-members $85 ——— • ———

Are you meeting your CPD requirements – ½ day 21 September, Albury Seminar is suitable for all nurses and midwives to learn about CPD requirements and what’s involved in the process. Members $40 Non-members $85 ——— • ———

Men in Nursing Forum – 1 day 19 September, Waterloo Members $30 Non-members $50 ——— • ———

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Student Nurses Forum – 1 day 26 September, Waterloo Members $30 Non-members $50 ——— • ———

Basic Foot Care for RNs & ENs – 2 days 10 & 11 October, Tamworth Members $203 Non-members $350 ——— • ——— To register or for more information go to www.nswnurses.asn.au/education or phone Carolyn Kulling on 1300 367 962

THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2012 | 11

COVER STORY

Taking the lead The 2012 NSWNA Annual Conference was a time to reflect on the achievements of the last year, assess the new domestic and global political environment in which the Association operates, and set our goals for the future.

12 | THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2012

O’Farrell Government makes for challenging times The state government’s attack on public sector wages and workers’ comp, plus changes to electoral funding laws that severely curtail the capacity of unions to campaign, illustrate the difficult framework in which our next pay and conditions campaign will be conducted, Brett Holmes told annual conference. IN HIS REPORT TO THE NSWNA’S ANNUAL

conference, General Secretary Brett Holmes acknowledged the notable wins achieved by “a well organised and resourced union supported by a committed membership”. But he flagged that the coming year would be a challenge to consolidate and expand on these achievements. However, Brett emphasised the NSWNA’s will to meet this challenge. “This annual conference is about further empowering you as delegates and representatives of your branches to take the lead on delivering safe patient care,” he said. Brett said the state government’s relentless attack on public sector workers had set the tone for the Association’s next public health system pay and conditions campaign. In particular he singled out the winding back of workers’ compensation entitlements and the cap on public sector wages. Brett described changes to workers’ compensation, introduced by the O’Farrell Government, as “a classic case of bad law” and criticised the back-door methods by which they were introduced. “The government process of a quick parliamentary inquiry followed by laws pushed through in the middle of the night or at 3am, are the sign of a failure of fair and decent democracy. “Essentially the long-term injured will be worst affected by these laws. “Workers’ compensation will be a campaign focus for the union movement for the years to come, until we see a New South Wales government that has some compassion or commitment to working people.” Brett also criticised the government’s public sector wages policy. “Ageing, disability and home care members were given little choice but to accept a minimum 2.5% pay increase in July 2011

and are facing the same outcome again, with nothing that can be realistically traded off. Let there be no doubt that our members are suffering as a result of these state government decisions,” he said. SILENCING YOUR VOICE Brett said changes to the state electoral funding laws were lesser known but had far reaching ramifications on the ability of unions to campaign on behalf of their members. “Under current laws, our ability to participate in a campaign as a collective with other unions is illegal, if it is deemed that it is for the purpose of influencing the vote for a political party or an individual. “No such limitation has been spelled out for the media who have become campaigning organisations mostly in favour of big business and conservative political parties.” CAMPAIGNING AND ACTIVISM WORKS Brett acknowledged the great progress made in aged care that has culminated in a Productivity Commission report and increased federal government funding for the sector – a significant amount of which is allocated to bridge the wages gap. He emphasised the critical role of campaigning and member activism in achieving these wins. “Let us be clear – the Productivity Commission inquiry, report and subsequent Aged Care Compact, would not have happened without the Because We Care campaign of the past three-and-a-half years. “All of those members who participated in this campaign should be acknowledged for the hard work and determination they have shown to get the outcome, which might not be everything we had been campaigning for, but which will make a difference in the longer term.”

“The government process of a quick parliamentary inquiry followed by laws pushed through in the middle of the night or at 3am, are the sign of a failure of fair and decent democracy.”

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COVER STORY

ANNUAL CONFERENCE

Protecting public services and safe patient care Assistant Secretary Judith Kiejda reported on the work with global and local organisations to protect public services, the ongoing implementation of ratios and preparations for the next pay and conditions campaign.

It is important to develop relationships with local groups with common interests.This had been done through the Sydney Alliance.

JOINING FORCES WITH OTHER ORGANISATIONS WITH COMMON

interests has been a key part of the NSWNA’s work over the past year says Judith Kiejda. “The attack on public services is worldwide and Public Services International has been coordinating a major global campaign – ‘Quality Public Services – Action Now!’ since 2010.This campaign has seen a number of activities that have drawn attention to the continual erosion of public services including health.” Judith said it was also important to develop relationships with local groups with common interests and this had been done through the Sydney Alliance. “The Association has been very active in developing campaigns within the Alliance particularly in the areas of transport safety, community care and social inclusion.” IMPLEMENTATION OF RATIOS ON TRACK Judith said that despite initial hiccups the implementation of ratios was proceeding well. “The full implementation of approximately 1400 FTE additional nurses is on track to be completed by the agreed deadline of 30 June 2013. “The remaining wards to convert to nursing hours, known as the final tranche 3 will be converted in two equal funding allocations, by 30 September 2012 and by 31 March 2013. “Despite delays in the initial implementation of tranche 1 in 14 | THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2012

the second half of 2011, overall the recruitment of new staff to fill the additional positions has been successful, quashing one of the major employer objections to ratios which was that additional staff could not be found to recruit.” THE IMPLEMENTATION OF BIRTHRATE PLUS IS ALSO PROGRESSING “Approximately 141 FTEs have been recruited to Maternity Services in stages 1 and 2.” Judith said that during discussions with the Association it was agreed that the implementation of the final maternity services would be completed by 30 November 2012.The first group of 14 Maternity Services will be implemented by 30 September 2012, the next group by 31 October 2012 and the final group by 30 November 2012. WORKING GROUPS PREPARE FOR 2013 Following the successful achievements of ratios in many specialties, Judith said it was time to build on the next phase in the 2013 Public Health System wages and conditions campaign. “Working groups have been established. In addition the Association has convened education and local campaigning sessions with Community Health and Community Mental Health nurses across the state.”

Green light to free speech Minister supports the right of Association members to speak to the media. “Anyone can talk to the media as far as I am concerned. I am an ex-journalist.” — Health Minister Jillian Skinner HEALTH MINISTER JILLIAN SKINNER HAS

given nurses the green light to speak to The Lamp and other media, without interference from NSW Health bureaucrats. “Anyone can talk to the media as far as I am concerned. I am an ex-journalist,” Mrs Skinner told the annual conference on August 9. She did point out that nurses need to ensure patient confidentiality. The minister was commenting on recent attempts by managers at various workplaces to muzzle NSWNA members, particularly branch officials. In one case, NSW Health district management asked the Association’s Broken Hill branch to have all Association members advise management or media units before speaking to any form of media. In another instance, management of Justice Health tried to interfere with an interview between the secretary of the NSWNA’s Justice Health branch and The Lamp. At the NSWNA annual conference, a delegate from the Association’s Broken Hill Base Hospital branch, Bonnie Tavian RN, asked Mrs Skinner: “When you were elected in March 2011, you wrote to all health employees about the importance of openness, ensuring that ‘the facts are on the table no matter how embarrassing’. “So why are Association members being intimidated by local management and media units not to talk to our union journalists? And what will you do about this?” Following Mrs Skinner’s reply, Bonnie told The Lamp it was important that the minister stated a clear position because “we were concerned by the fact that CEOs and management were claiming that we had breached the Code of Conduct. “I’m pleased the minister said we can talk to the media, it has given us some confidence,” she said. The secretary of the Association’s Justice Health branch, Brian Owens, was the focus

of would-be censors when he spoke to The Lamp about issues, including nurse safety, at the Forensic Hospital. A Justice Health (JH) manager emailed him warning, “If you are being portrayed as a JH employee, you need CE permission for any article/photos”. He told Brian to submit The Lamp story for management approval. A more senior manager sent Brian another email advising that any staff member representing Justice Health needed prior approval from management, and enclosing the Justice Health Code of Conduct. Bonnie Tavian RN questions Mrs Skinner.

Brian sought advice from NSWNA General Secretary Brett Holmes, who told him he was not infringing the Code of Conduct. “Brett advised me that the NSWNA Council had authorised branch officials to speak to the media on behalf of branch members,” Brian said. “Brett said management had no right to require me to submit my statements about union matters to management for approval. “I passed the union’s advice on to management and the The Lamp article was published without any further attempt to interfere.”

Brett Holmes told The Lamp that Justice Health management appeared to have misinterpreted the Justice Health Code of Conduct. “Staff cannot speak on behalf of Justice Health unless authorised to do so. However the code recognises their right to express their personal views through public comment. Obviously, patient privacy and confidentiality should never be breached. Also, staff should be careful not to defame any particular individual. “In this case it was absolutely clear that Brian was speaking to the union magazine, not on behalf of Justice Health but, in his capacity as a union representative and was well within his rights to do so.” Brett said the NSWNA would resist attempts by managers to infringe on the right of union members to communicate with other members about union-related issues via The Lamp. “We encourage members to put their point of view in the media, particularly The Lamp,” he said. “We are not advocating a breach of the Code of Conduct but make it clear that there are still some rights left to make personal comment or speak on behalf of union members about issues of importance.” He said some managers had wrongly claimed that, under the NSW Health Code of Conduct, union members could not speak to the media without authorisation from management, and that comments must be approved by management. “There is nothing in the code of conduct to suggest this. Clause 4.3.13 of the Code of Conduct states that when making public comment on issues, or participating in political or industrial activities, staff must ‘not indicate or imply that their views are those of NSW Health’. “As long as members make it clear when making statements to the media that they are speaking on behalf of the union then it should be absolutely clear they are not also speaking on behalf of management.” The NSWNA is available to provide guidance to members on making comment to the media. THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2012 | 15

COVER STORY

ANNUAL CONFERENCE

Ministe home Delegates made their compensation and th policy clear to Health at the Associationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

16 | THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2012

r hears truths feelings about workers’ e government’s wages Minister Jillian Skinner annual conference.

WAS A SPEECH THAT LAUDED THE

government’s health achievements, although most of those seemed to be improvements won by the NSWNA from the previous Labor government. But it was Jillian Skinner’s references to the government’s wages policy, and her lack of reference to workers’ compensation changes, that got the greatest response from delegates. On the issue of wages and conditions Mrs Skinner opened with a conciliatory remark: “I agree with the NSWNA that wages and conditions are important for recruitment and retention,” she said. She then said nurses could only secure pay rises above the minimum if they met costsaving measures set by health care employers. “The policy also provides for increases in wages or other conditions of employment by more than 2.5% where sufficient employerrelated cost savings have been achieved to meet increased costs,” she said, and was immediately met with derision and catcalls from the conference floor. “That’s always been policy, it was never implemented previously,” she replied. Minister Skinner was vague when asked by Daniel O'Flynn from Westmead hospital whether she would guarantee ratios in the next pay and conditions negotiations. “Nursing Hours Per Patient Day is a more flexible arrangement than ratios. In my opinion Nursing Hours Per Patient Day is the right model for nurses for the patient load,” she said. Although NSWNA General Secretary Brett Holmes specifically asked Mrs Skinner to address recent changes to workers’ compensation in her speech, she pointedly did not. Brett thanked the Minister for attending the conference, but made it clear that the government’s changes to workers’ comp would be contested vigorously and for as long as it took. “We have a group of our members at high risk and that is of great concern. It is [incumbent] on us to pick up the pieces. While there are many issues in the health system, we can’t leave behind those hurt at work and then left on the scrapheap.

THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2012 | 17

COVER STORY

INTERNATIONAL SPEAKERS

Irish eyes are crying Four years of recession have taken their toll on Ireland’s nurses – but their union is leading a campaign to recover lost jobs and services.

SIXTEEN HUNDRED IRISH STUDENT NURSES will graduate this month but none will get nursing jobs in Ireland. A government ban on recruitment means that many will be forced to seek work overseas in countries including Australia. Ireland’s future nurses are not the only casualties of a harsh four years of recession following a 2008 banking collapse brought on by financial speculation and a property bubble. “Our government guaranteed all bank debt without knowing the full cost, and put the burden of repayment on the ordinary taxpaying worker,” Claire Mahon, president of the Irish Nurses and Midwives’ Organisation, told the NSWNA annual conference. Ireland’s public health system and its nurses are reeling from budget cuts, wage cuts and tax increases designed to help the government pay the banks’ debts, Claire said.The consequences include no replacements for sick leave and maternity leave, bans on hiring agency nurses, closure of some wards, operating theatres and even entire hospitals. Claire said all public sector employees lost 20–25% of annual income when the government imposed wage cuts, tax increases and a levy on superannuation. Then came the 2010-2014 Croke Park Agreement, under which the government undertook not to impose further pay cuts and compulsory redundancies on the public

“We need to protect our patients and win their support back.” — Claire Mahon

18 | THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2012

sector. In return, unions agreed to help achieve (in the words of the Irish Department of Public Expenditure and Reform) “efficiencies and savings so that both the cost and the number of people working in the public service can fall significantly, while continuing to meet the need for services and improve the experience of service users”. “We were left with no choice but to agree,” Claire, a clinical nurse manager in trauma services at Waterford regional hospital, said. With ongoing forced redundancies in the private sector, Claire says the media began vilifying nurses and other public employees because their jobs were now guaranteed. “Everything is targeted at public servants even though we did not cause the financial crash. “We have huge staff shortages as a result of losing 5000 nurses through ‘incentivised’ retirement schemes and natural attrition. “Yet there is increased demand for our services because people can no longer afford private health insurance. “In my hospital, managers are taking more patients out of ED and putting them on trolleys in ward corridors. Our union is running a public campaign called Trolley Watch to highlight this development.” Another campaign called Safe Practice, aims to get Irish nurses to highlight staff shortages by reporting clinical risk to managers. This includes nurses filling in disclaimer forms saying they will not take responsibility for resulting threats to public safety. “We need to protect our patients and win their support back – bring them back to believing in our profession,” Claire said. “I love the NSWNA’s television campaign, I think your advertising is brilliant and I might bring something like that back home with me. “We have to share our experiences with colleagues around the world and hopefully help others fight what might be coming down the road for them.” She said the nurses’ union was trying to show the government the economic value of “nurse-led initiatives” and advanced nurse and midwifery practice. “The health service is now focused on trying to get patients out in to the community so we’re trying to show we can lead that change by highlighting the role of the nurse in chronic disease management, community care and intervention. “We are trying to show that nurses can be more beneficial to the service than some of our more expensive colleagues. Medical consultants have not been hit in any way by the recruitment moratorium – in fact their numbers have risen.”

DELEGATES

Organising for safe patient care Active NSWNA member from “One was about new grad the Royal North Shore Hospital registration fees. When they sign up they pay $317 initially, (RNSH), Edward Makepeace, is which is a lot more that what a young Cardiology RN who we have to pay, and then five attended this year’s conference months later they have to pay for the third time. $157 for renewal. Edward said the highlight for him was the two resolutions “We thought that was a really important issue that people that his branch brought to weren’t aware of and it was a conference, which were both really good opportunity to passed. highlight that.” “That was a really good Since the RNS branch raised opportunity to highlight some the issue at the conference, the issues that we wanted to raise NSWNA has vowed to lobby to the whole Association,” the AHPRA (the Australian Health RN told The Lamp. Practitioner Regulation Agency) to review graduate registration fees.

“The other issue was a resolution asking the state government to declare a moratorium on private partnerships, which is a particular issue for our branch at the RNSH because we’re moving into a public-private partnership. We’ve had some concerns with it because it takes away local control from the hospital,” Edward said. “We were raising it as a state wide issue for other hospitals who are looking to go down a public-private partnership [route].”

Edward Makepeace

THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2012 | 19

COVER STORY

INTERNATIONAL SPEAKERS

Bracing for a ‘perfect storm’ Canadian nursing unions want greater emphasis on community and home care as part of a survival strategy for their threatened Medicare scheme.

“Privateers see our health system as an untapped oyster.” — Linda Silas

THE 200,000-STRONG CANADIAN FEDERATION of Nursing Unions warns that, despite overwhelming public support, Canada’s public health care system is under unprecedented threat. “We face an approaching ‘perfect storm’ created by a slowing economy, ageing population, increased chronic disease and greater reliance on expensive technology,” the Federation’s president, Linda Silas told the NSWNA annual conference. 20 | THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2012

“Cries that Medicare cannot be sustained are getting louder the more our economy slows down.” Linda says the threat comes from “privateers who know they can make a buck on health care. They see our health system as an untapped oyster – if they tap on it loud enough they might grab that big rich pearl.” Canadian Medicare – similar but not identical to Australia’s health system – is a

publicly-funded universal health insurance system, mostly free at the point of use, and with most services delivered by private providers. Almost all doctors’ services, and 90% of hospital care, are publicly funded. Linda said Canadian government revenues were shrinking “as a matter of choice, not fate: foregone revenue from tax cuts for the past seven years was equal to $220 billion.” She said this would have paid for a pharmaceutical scheme, an adequately funded universal health care program, safe water and education for every Aboriginal child and a budget surplus. Linda said health authorities were closing emergency departments and cutting the number of beds, especially in rural and small hospitals. Day care programs were under the knife and registered nurses were being replaced with less qualified staff. “Canadian nurses are walking round with targets on their backs. Managers are thinking, how can I cut a nurse in my hospital or long-term care facility?” Linda warned that health budgets were stretched at a time of rapid increases in chronic diseases. “Thirty-six per cent of Canadians with diabetes have two or more chronic conditions. One quarter of patients in hospital hallways are 75 or over. Half a million Canadians are living with dementia and this will double within the next generation. “We need to move beyond acute care to nurse-led clinics and home care.” Linda said the NSWNA’s success in winning nurse-to-patient ratios in 2010, building on similar victories in Victoria and California, had encouraged every nurse union in Canada. “We are at the bargaining table in three provinces with safe staffing as our number one priority. My activists are saying, if it’s good enough for California and Australia it should be good enough for Canada too.”

DELEGATES

Eye opening experience Rebecca Golding, a third year Theatre Nurse at Campbelltown Private Hospital, attended the conference for the first time. “The education day was really good because it taught us a few different things about taking some time out to take care of ourselves, and the actual voting days were enlightening. It was very interesting to hear about what’s happening in other areas of nursing, not just the area I’m involved in. “WorkCover is going to be one of our major battles and keeping our shift rates and patient ratios is going to be a major challenge for the ward staff. There were lots of different issues raised with the union, which was a bit of an eye opener.” The scrub nurse was so impressed by Dr Adam Fraser’s lecture at the conference on “How to be healthy in an unhealthy world”, that she wanted to remind other nurses “to take time out for themselves. “Make sure that you’re getting proper nutrition and proper breaks,” Rebecca urged. “Don’t be afraid to speak up if something’s not right. “This is a message that we forget as we get bogged down. It’s nice to be reminded that we can say those things and that we have the right to stand up and verbalise our issues.”

Rebecca Golding

THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2012 | 21

COVER STORY

INTERNATIONAL SPEAKERS

“These people were rewarded not with prison sentences, but with bailouts and bonuses.” — Jill Furillo

US nurses push Robin Hood tax Taxing financial speculators to help pay for economic recovery and quality public services is a growing demand in countries ravaged by the long recession. 6% SALES TAX WHEN they shop and a 14.5% tax when they stay at a hotel. But traders on Wall Street pay no tax when they speculate. The USA’s biggest nursing union says that’s unfair. National Nurses United (NNU) wants a “Robin Hood” financial transaction tax on Wall Street, to pay for the economic crisis caused by financial speculation. The NNU’s bargaining director, Jill Furillo RN, told the NSWNA’s annual conference that getting big corporations and the rich to pay a fair share of tax was the key demand of a popular campaign for “a Main Street contract for the American people”. AMERICANS PAY A

22 | THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2012

The Main Street program includes “good jobs at living wages”, guaranteed health care “like most other countries have” and quality public education, she said. “To help fund this far reaching program, we recognised there needed to be a major new source of revenue, one that also addressed the source of the economic crisis. “Thus the proposal for a financial transaction tax or sales tax on the buying and selling of stocks, bonds, derivatives and currency. “It will be paid by the same banks and financial institutions that broke the economy by gambling with people’s homes and pensions, and stole hundreds of billions of dollars from Main Street communities and families.

Robin Hood Tax More than 15 countries now have a Financial Transaction Tax (FTT) – sometimes called a Robin Hood Tax or Tobin Tax. The FTT would apply to buying and selling of stocks, bonds, derivatives, futures, credit default swaps etc. It targets major speculators, banks and investment firms, not ordinary investors. The charity Oxfam Australia says the tax can be as low as an average 0.05%. But when levied on the billions of dollars moving throughout the global finance system on a daily basis, through transactions such as foreign exchange, derivatives and share deals, it could raise hundreds of billions of dollars annually. “That could pay for vital investment in much needed and underfunded public services like health and education, as well as measures to combat global poverty and climate change,” Oxfam Australia says.

“These people were rewarded not with prison sentences, but with bailouts and bonuses.” Jill said nurses across the USA saw the harmful effects of the economic crisis in their hospitals and clinics every day. “Health conditions nurses identified as linked to the prolonged economic decline include stress-induced ailments in younger patients, increased obesity linked to poverty, anxiety disorders in young people and deaths resulting from delays in treatment tied to poverty or health insurance barriers.” To get patients the care they needed, National Nurses United recognised it had to “take the fight beyond the bedside to the policy arena and the streets.” Jill said nurses saw the effects of the long recession, which began in 2008, in their own families “Nurses who fought for decades to finally win pay equity and improvements, suddenly were becoming the sole source of support for their families due to job loss and lack of housing and health care.” The NSWNA council supports the push by international nursing and public services organisations for the introduction of a FTT and the Association has campaigned strongly for its introduction in Australia.

DELEGATES

NSW Nurses’ Association gratefully acknowledges the sponsorship provided by the following companies for our Annual Conference held at Rosehill Gardens 8, 9 & 10 August 2012 First State Super HE HESTA STA Super Fund Health Industry Plan M ME E Bank

Never too late to get involved Emergency department RN Tatiana Muller from Bathurst Base Hospital wants to send a message to other nurses interested in getting involved in their union. “There’s no use sitting there and complaining about something if you don’t make the effort to be part of it. If you want change to happen you’ve got to be willing to help towards it as well by putting a bit of time and effort into it,” Tatiana said. “Definitely be involved. Help your workmates and help yourself. Get involved with the union and try to help your hospital in making decisions.” An RN for 20 years and long-term member of the NSWNA, Tatiana was not an active member, until now.

“It’s taken me many years to see the light,” Tatiana told The Lamp. “It’s not just being a part of the union but learning how much work goes behind it and what they do. I think that was the main thing that I took away from the conference, and how important it is for young nurses that are coming into the workforce. “We’ve got a couple of students in our department this week and I said, ‘You guys need to look after your profession. No one else will do it’. “Joining the union is important because they do positive things for you and your work mates, so if they’re not there to help to push all these things, then you’re on your own.”

Angel Mah-Chut Architects Chiﬂey Financial Services Commonweath Bank Fuji Xerox Gillen Motors Offset Alpine Printing Scott and Broad/Clark Paciﬁc

The Association also thanks the following companies for their contribution and assistance Berocca Health Evodia Forte e Brands Li te r Mints

Tatiana Muller

67TH Annual Conference

Rock ‘n’ Roll Ball Delegates brought out the Brylcreem, pulled on the petticoats and gave it some good old rock ‘n roll on Friday 10 August, at a dinner to mark the closing of our Annual Conference at Rosehill Gardens. While some showed more balls than most – great balls of fire! – everyone celebrated the hard work and success of our 67th Association conference.

Scrub up! itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time to

At the NSWNA 67th Annual Conference this year, several hundred delegates proudly wore their new campaign scrub uniforms.

campaign uniform also has number of functional features, including jet pockets, pen partition, drawstring front on pants and brushed fabric coating for added comfort.

The effect is stunning!

Sizes range from XS-5XL to ensure various body shapes and sizes are catered for. Most importantly, the range has been designed to ensure a comfortable fit every time. A size chart is available online.

The purpose of having a campaign uniform is to show a united front during rally and conference times, and we certainly made an impression! Our new look did not go unnoticed by the media and some VIP speakers at the conference. Over the past few months, NSWNA and Total Image Group have been working together to create a new fit for purpose scrubs range. The new campaign uniform range endorses a modern appearance and offers both comfort and durable features, while still embracing our image. The new range consists of a Unisex Scrub Top and Unisex Classic Pant. Both are made from 65% polyester and 35% cotton. This blend is durable and of superior quality. The scrub

Scrub top and pant are $40 including GST or $20 each. You can place your order by the following methods: 1. Shop online, by registering as a user on www.totalimagegrouponline.com/nswnurses on our tailored NSWNA online store. 2. Browse through tour customised catalogue, complete the order form and send back to Total Image. Email: sales@totalimagegroup.com.au Fax: 9569 6200. Post: PO Box 199, Westgate NSW 2048

For more information please contact Total Image on (02) 9569 6233 or uniforms@totalimagegroup.com.au

Q&A

ASK JUDITH

When it comes to your rights and entitlements at work, NSWNA Assistant General Secretary JUDITH KIEJDA has the answers.

Can’t find vehicle allowance

Unhappy with decision

I am an RN in a public hospital and am often on call. I know I can claim for the use of my vehicle when called in, but what is the rate of the allowance and where is detailed? The Public Health System Nurses’ & Midwives’ (State) Award at Clause 21, Car Allowance, stipulates that an allowance will be paid “… based on the rates prescribed by Item 6 of Table 1 of the Department of Premier and Cabinet Circular C2010-28 Review of Meal,Travelling and Other Allowances (as amended or replaced).” Circular C2010-28 has been replaced by Circular C2011-30, and Item 6 sets out two rates, a business rate and a casual rate (40% of the business rate). For a private motor vehicle maintained primarily for other than official business, the casual rate applies, which is as follows: • Engine capacity 2601cc and over: 30.0 cents per km • Engine capacity 1601-2600cc: 29.6 cents per km • Engine capacity 1600 or less: 25.2 cents per km These rates are mirrored in Ministry of Health Information Bulletin IB2009_049 Private Motor Vehicle Use on Official Business – Transport Rate. Policy Directive PD2009_016 Travel – Official sets out the precise requirements for the application of business and casual rates.

I am an RN and I recently applied for a position as a CNC, but was unsuccessful. I am unhappy with the decision so what can I do? Your rights in this regard are set out in PD2011_032 Recruitment and Selection of Staff of the NSW Health Service. Briefly, you can request feedback from the Selection Panel Convenor, request access to information and ask for an internal review of the decision.

Signing away breaks I’m employed in the public health system and my employer has given all the nurses a form asking us to sign away 10hour breaks between shifts. Should I sign this? Really, it is up to you whether you agree to sign this.The Public Health System Nurses’ & Midwives’ (State) Award 2011 provides at clause 4(iv)a that you are entitled to no less than a 10-hour break between rostered shifts, unless agreed otherwise between you and your local nursing management.The important things to note are that you are entitled not to sign it; you shouldn’t be placed under any pressure to sign it; and once you sign it you can always write to local management to rescind your agreement. Remember, there are good reasons why you should have decent breaks between shifts: It’s in the interest of both you and your patients.

Returning to work I am an RN who has been away from nursing for six years. I am planning on returning to the nursing workforce now that my child is attending school. Can you advise me of any issues that may prevent me from doing this ? The Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Agency (AHPRA) requires you to demonstrate recency of practice before you return to nursing. Recency of practice means that a practitioner/nurse has maintained an adequate connection with, and recent practice in, the profession since qualifying or obtaining registration. Practice means any role, whether remunerated or not, in which the individual uses their skills and knowledge as a nurse or midwife. For the purposes of this registration standard, practice is not restricted to the provision of direct clinical care. It also includes working in a non-clinical relationship with clients, working in management, administration, education, research, advisory, regulatory or policy development roles, and any other roles that impact on safe, effective delivery of services in the profession and/or use of their professional skills. You will need to provide evidence that you have undertaken sufficient practice within the past five years for a period equivalent to a minimum of three months full-time work. Once you have satisfied AHPRA’s recency of practice requirements, and your registration is in order, there should no reason you cannot return to nursing.

Quality legal advice for NSWNA members 2 Compensation and negligence claims 2 Motor vehicle claims 2 Wage loss claims 2 Industrial and Employment law

2 First Free Consultation for all members 2 Discounted rates for members on all matters 2 Free Standard Wills 2 No win – no charge*

Call the NSWNA on 1300 367 962 and find out how you can access this great service. Offices in Sydney, Newcastle and visiting offices in regional areas (by appointment). *Conditions apply

THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2012 | 27

LONDON OLYMPICS

Health service honoured at London Olympics

Performers dressed as nurses and orderlies perform with children during the Opening Ceremony at the Olympic Stadium in London, England, during the 2012 Summer Olympic Games, Friday, July 27, 2012. HARRY E. WALKER/ÂŠMCT VIA GETTY IMAGES. 28 | THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2012

Hundreds of British nurses danced their hearts out at the London 2012 Olympic opening ceremony, in a glittering tribute to the British National Health Service. 600 NURSES FOLLOWED HOT ON THE HEELS OF Daniel Craig’s James Bond, in the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics. The National Health Service (NHS) nurses appeared alongside Harry Potter author, J.K. Rowling, in a joint tribute honouring popular British children’s fiction and the nation’s national health care system. Founded in 1948, today the NHS provides the vast majority of free medical treatment and medicines to British residents. Despite being one of the worlds most highly regarded health systems, the NHS has been under attack from austerity measures by the conservative British government. More than 30,000 NHS workers lost their jobs in 2011 and the service has been opened up to sweeping privatisation. East London NHS Foundation Trust nurse, Matthew House, was one of the volunteers who took part in the opening ceremony. “What a show to be involved in and what a night,” Matthew, a primary care liaison nurse, told the Nursing Times. Billions of viewers from around the world watched as the NHS nurses lit up the Olympic stage, spelling out the letters NHS and GOSH (for Great Ormond Street Hospital) in glowing blue lights. “I was trembling with nervousness as we waited to enter the stadium,” Matthew recalled. “Then on entering the stadium, the roaring spectators got louder as we danced with the beds and children.” The highly choreographed routine included a lively jazz swing dance by NHS nurses, patients and staff from the Great Ormond Street Hospital, who also shared the stage with a cast of giant villains created by British authors of children’s fiction. Dancing around enormous puppets of fictional villains from Voldemort (J.K. Rowling), Cruella de Vil (Dodie Smith), Captain Hook (J.M. Barrie) and the Red Queen (Lewis Carroll), the performers also had to display their acting ability when hundreds of Mary Poppins floated in on umbrellas to help chase the villains away. “Suddenly the difficulty of remembering the routine was gone as the crowd joined us with their pixel lights and roared back their delight,” Matthew said. He was one of the 800 NHS nurses who volunteered to take part in the opening ceremony, which required a commitment of up to 150 hours for training and rehearsals. Almost all of the volunteer dancers in the ceremony also worked for the NHS. The theme of the ceremony was celebrating the creativity and exuberance of British people, as well as the contributions that the UK has made to the world through innovation and revolution. Images projected on the screen during the NHS tribute included an ultrasound scan of a baby in the womb. The technique of using ultrasound in antenatal care was developed by, among others, Professor Ian McDonald and Dr Stuart Campbell, who are both Scottish. MORE THAN

THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2012 | 29

Previous ďŹ lms can be viewed on our we website bsite

www2.nswnurses .nswnurses.asn.au nswnurses.asn.au au/g gallery.html allery.html Authorised by B.Holmes, General Secretary Secretary,, NSWNA

ANF CAMPAIGN

You’re in good hands You couldn’t be in better hands, according to a new campaign driving public support for nurses and midwives across the country. A N AT I O N A L C A M PA I G N P RO M OT I N G

“I believe strongly in the union and what they do for us as nurses…” — jenna fanning, rn

positive attitudes towards nurses has been launched by the Australian Nursing Federation (ANF) and features Westmead Children’s Hospital RN, Jenna Fanning. The oncology nurse told The Lamp that the nationwide campaign lets Australians know “you’re in good hands when you’re being looked after by Australian nurses and midwives”. “I think it’s a really important message and I was quite happy to get involved because it’s always good to have positive messages about nurses out there,” Jenna said.” The fourth year RN was filmed and photographed at home and on the job for a series of advertisements, now being seen around the country on billboards, in magazines, on TV and radio and in cinemas. “It was quite an eye opening experience and a bit different doing your job while having a couple of cameras there,” Jenna said. “It was a bit hard to get used to. “It was actually quite fun, though I don’t know if I’d like to have cameras in my face every day,” the RN said, laughing. “But yeah, it was an interesting experience and something a little bit different.”

Through the national campaign the ANF is aiming to address poor community perceptions, and their frustrations with the health system, by building public support for nurses and putting pressure on political parties to improve conditions for nurses and midwives. “I believe strongly in the union and what they do for us as nurses and the support they give us in improving our conditions and wages,” Jenna told The Lamp. “They help us do our job better.” The RN has been a union member since she began training and believes in the strength of the campaign and the work of the ANF and NSWNA. “I think it’s really important that we, as nurses, support the unions because of all the work the unions do for us, so I’m happy to be involved if they ask me again. “Being involved with this campaign was about getting that message out to the community and ensuring that we get to see some positive messages about nursing and healthcare and how we can move forward together as a community to improve things, not just for nurses but for the people that we look after.”

THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2012 | 31

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CORRESPONDENCE

Justice Health and Forensic Mental Health Network

Dear Brett,

and those of the board about I am writing to express my concerns raised in the August issue of been the misleading claims that have ital, Grafton Correctional Hosp nsic Fore the rding The Lamp rega staff safety within forensic of s Centre and an editorial raising issue . ents onm envir al and correction shifts, physical assaults, the changes to article relate to the descriptions of the in ern conc you to t like mos ld of wou ies I urac ction The inacc nts. By way of corre and the descriptions of forensic patie the security arrangements in place consider the following points: over a health facilities. Analysis of incidents consideration in all inpatient mental tly less fican signi in lted resu has • The management of risk is a key ital Hosp that the model of care in the Forensic NSW. As well the in ties 12 month period has demonstrated facili h healt tal men tient pared with comparable inpa incidents of aggression when com r therapeutic engagement, provide Hospital are designed to deliver bette nsic Fore the n withi shifts changes to n and continuity of care; icatio mun com development and support more opportunities for professional health n therapeutic facilities where mental n. Forensic patients are treated withi • The Forensic Hospital is not a priso nt. care and rehabilitation are paramou the within the hospital who are among are well understood by clinical staff nts patie been has ital Hosp nsic • Any risks posed by forensic Fore n the state. The current model of care withi d Kingdom. most highly trained and expert in the New Zealand, Canada and the Unite ria, Victo in place in els mod tice developed based on best prac te nursing staff. It is provided by a priva Hospital is not the responsibility of ital; and Hosp nsic Fore the n • Perimeter security at the Forensic withi for ent is to deliver a therapeutic environm security firm. The role of JH&FMHN context in ances that are appropriate for the Hospital receive environmental allow • Nurses working in the Forensic which they work. itions. Hospital are working in unsafe cond the article that nurses in the Forensic in e mad s claim the t rejec gly I stron Your sincerely, tal Health Network r, Justice Health and Forensic Men The Hon. Patricia Staunton AM, Chai original letter.) (This is an abridged version of the

N S W N U R S E S ’ A S S O C I AT I O N

Dear The Hon. Patricia Staunton, a therapeutic off and meal breaks is couched in k on shift lengths, therefore, days tened across threa g bein are s I note the change of shifts and attac ition cond on ks Forensic Hospital but the same attac day, as environment for the patients in the are locked in cells for 18-hours per where correctional centre inmates ices Serv th Heal the rest of the Justice the Way Forward. continuity across rd to shift lengths and the issue of debate on continuity of care with rega n days of seve or six five, s versu r roste It is always interesting to watch the our per day or two per day on a 12-h staff of ps must grou ents rent onm diffe envir three , work g a day or a week staff in very challengin nisations who wish to retain specialist . care nt patie safe and ic rotating shifts. At some point, orga peut achieve thera rences and work collaboratively to listen to their staff and their prefe however it must operation of the Forensic Hospital, to support, assist and facilitate the way its of nurses employed. out cient gone suffi has NA were NSW The services were only opened when there that re ensu to hard fight y in a taxi to injur had be said that we have case, sent to hospital with a head injured and, in one well documented th services been heal have tal bers men in mem than this, ital ite Desp in the Forensic Hosp assessment that it is safer to work health nurses. tal men for s place without an escort. The JH&FMHN work safe de th Ministry and its capacity to provi is a sad indictment of the NSW Heal Your sincerely, Brett Holmes, General Secretary Holmes’ reply) (This is an abridged version of Brett

THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2012 | 33

SOCIAL MEDIA

NURSESONLINE nurses are on the frontline of health care — and at the cutting edge online. WHAT’S

HOT THIS MONTH

Nurse Uncut – a blog for Australian nurses: www.nurseuncut.com.au Sign up for the weekly email newsletter that alerts you to the most recent posts. Nurse Uncut is also on Facebook: www.facebook.com/NurseUncutAustralia. And on Twitter @nurseuncut

Nurses at the Olympics www.nurseuncut.com.au/nurses-in-the-olympics-opening-ceremony/

Hundreds of actual nurses volunteered to take part in the opening ceremony tribute to the British National Health Service.

Reacting to violence and abuse www.nurseuncut.com.au/reacting-to-violence-and-abuse/

Random violence was in the news – but nurses are no strangers to abuse and violence, as many comments on this post showed.

Nurses on YouTube www.nurseuncut.com.au/nurses-on-youtube/

Sexual playthings, witless incompetents – unfortunately these images of nurses top the YouTube hit list.

Mental health nurses petition www.nurseuncut.com.au/mental-health-nurses-and-uniforms-petition/

A petition against sending mental health nurses back into compulsory uniform had the desired effect!

Knit in with Coral www.nurseuncut.com.au/knit-in-with-the-nswna/

Coral Levett, president of the NSWNA Council, shared her knitting pattern for a rug using the NSWNA logo.

Muswellbrook: just one more nurse www.nurseuncut.com.au/muswellbrook-asking-for-just-one-more-rn/

Nurses from Muswellbrook Hospital are campaigning for safer staffing in the ED.

History made at annual conference www.nurseuncut.com.au/history-made-at-annual-conference/

Among several posts written at conference, we blogged about the historic decision to include midwives in the Association’s name.

ONLINE Join us

New South Wales Nurses’ Association www.facebook.com/nswnursesassoc Aged Care Nurses: Time to Act for Better Pay www.facebook.com/timetoact4betterpay One2four the way to safe patient care www.facebook.com/safepatientcare

@nurseuncut

34 | THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2012

Tweet us NSW Nurses @nswnurses Watch us on YouTube NSW Nurses

SOCIAL MEDIA

WHAT

NURSES

SAID & LIKED on facebook

Only two weeks later we had another 52 fans. Why not “like” us next time you log on to Facebook? We post lots of photos and links to news stories about nurses in New South Wales, Australia and the world.

GO FOR GOLD!

“Hurray! We now have 1001 Likers on this page. Given that approximately half the Australian population uses Facebook, and there are 56,000 members of the Association, would it be too much to aim for 28,000?! We’re striking out today towards the 2000 mark!”

When the NSW Nurses’ Association Facebook page reached 987 “likes” on 30 July, we urged people to tell their friends to like us. We passed the 1000 mark the next day and wrote:

ANNUAL CONFERENCE Facebook ran hot during our annual conference – we carried photos of the many nurses who dropped by the social media stand, and links to the Facebook pages of our speakers.

All the photos were very popular, including one of speaker Claire Mahon of the Irish Nurses and Midwives’ Organisation

He was fantastic!

I felt very lucky to be an Australian nurse after Claire’s presentation.

Our special Twitter hashtag, #NSWNAconf12, was also busy, with several members tweeting direct from the conference hall.

Really enjoyed this session!

Aconf NSWN

12 Am i

# rt to the a t s c i t s nta Fraser urses fa @nswn with Dr Adam stitches e with #JillianSkinner Looking forward to question tim

RT@nswnurses: #NSWNAconf12 Minister supports openness and says, “Anyone can talkSkinner to the media as far as I’m concerned.”

THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2012 | 35

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These articles appear in the latest issue of the Australian Journal of Advanced Nursing (ajan.com.au)

Patient views of over 75 years health assessments in general practice Margaret Spillman School of Medicine & Dentistry, James Cook University; Debbie Kimber, Practice Nurse, Mackay, Queensland; Tracy ChefďŹ ns, School of Medicine & Dentistry, James Cook University.

Health Assessments (HAs) for over 75 year olds were introduced by the Australian Department of Health and Ageing in 1999, to support GPs in the provision of coordinated primary health care. All people aged 75 years and over, 55 and over for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, who are living in the community or in hostel level aged care accommodation, are eligible for a HA. The assessment is undertaken by the GP or a combination of the GP and practice nurse, and attracts a Medicare benefit. A review of elderly HAs in primary care recommended using practice nurses to support the process (Gray and Newbury 2004). This study was undertaken within one general practiceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s patient group to allow the practice to gain an understanding of the value of HAs from the perspective of the patient. It aimed to show whether the patients found the HAs beneficial, and whether they considered the annual timeframe for HAs appropriate. www.ajan.com.au/Vol29/29-4_Spillman.pdf

Sleep in residential aged care: A review of the literature Ms Leslie Dowson; Ms Kirsten Moore; Dr Jean Tinney; Ms Kay Ledgerwood; Dr Briony Dow; National Ageing Research Institute, University of Melbourne.

Sleep disturbances in older populations are common. Examples of primary sleep disorders common in older people include sleep apnoea, periodic limb movement disorder, circadian rhythm disorders, and primary insomnia. No large-scale epidemiologic studies of the prevalence of primary sleep disorders in residential care have been conducted (Martin 2008). This literature review aimed to identify evidence based strategies to improve sleep in residential care, and offer recommendations for further research. www.ajan.com.au/Vol29/29-4_Dowson.pdf

Causes, reporting, and prevention of medication errors from a paediatric nurse perspective Ebru Kilicarslan Toruner, PhD, RN, Gazi University Health Sciences Faculty, Nursing Department Ankara, Turkey; Gulzade Uysal, MSN, RN, Baskent University Health Sciences Faculty, Nursing Department Ankara, Turkey.

Medical errors are one of the most common threats to patient safety (Prot et al 2005; Wong et al 2004). In addition to adverse economic consequences, medication errors, one of the most common types of medical errors, are also a source of morbidity and mortality (IOM 2000). According to the Institute of Medicine (IOM), 400,000 cases of avoidable patient injury due to medication errors take place annually in hospitals in USA. In addition, between 44,000 and 98,000 hospital patients have been estimated to die annually as a result of medication errors (IOM 2000). Medication errors can occur both as a result of human mistakes as well as from systemic errors (AAP 2003) and this complicates effective monitoring of drug administration www.ajan.com.au/Vol29/29-4_Toruner.pdf

Places for nurse practitioners to flourish: Examining third sector primary care Jill Wilkinson, RN, PGCert TT, PhD Senior Lecturer, School of Health and Social Services, Massey University, Wellington, New Zealand.

In 2001 the New Zealand government introduced the Primary Health Care (PHC) Strategy, a new policy document that would restructure the publicly funded primary care sector (Ministry of Health 2001). The vision of the strategy was for a different type of health service that would produce more equitable and long-term health outcomes in more cost-efficient ways (Ministry of Health 2001). The strategy provided for the establishment of community trusts called Primary Health Organisations (PHOs) and were modelled on non-profit organisations operating in the third sector (King 2000). The PHC strategy brought a challenge to the traditional GP model of care delivery, with the expectation of more appropriate use of a multi-disciplinary workforce (Hill 2001). The strategy has therefore been an important driver for the development of the nurse practitioner role. Nurse practitioners (NPs) are well established in primary care in many countries, most notably the United States (on which the New Zealand model was developed), the United Kingdom and, more recently, Australia. However, the role has been slow to establish in New Zealand since its introduction in 2001. The aim of this paper is to highlight the characteristics of third sector primary care organisations and provide an example of the type of practice environment likely to nurture NP care delivery models. www.ajan.com.au/Vol29/29-4_Wilkinson.pdf

THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2012 | 37

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38 | THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2012

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www.nswnurses.asn.au www .nswnurses.asn.au Alternatively call us on Metro 8595 1234 or Rural 1300 367 962 Authorised by B.Holmes, General Secretary Secretary,, NSWNA

BOOKS

BOOK ME Exploring Social Psychology (5th ed.) David G. Myers, McGraw-Hill

RRP $108.99 j ISBN 9780073370644 j www.mcgraw-hill.com.au By introducing social psychology in an essay format and writing in a voice that is both solidly scientific and warmly human, Exploring Social Psychology is able to reveal social psychology as an investigative reporter might: by providing a current summary of important social phenomena, by showing how social psychologists uncover and explain such phenomena, and by reflecting on their human significance.

SPECIAL INTEREST

Family Violence and Nursing Practice (2nd ed.) Edited by Janice Humphreys and Jacquelyn C. Campbell, Springer Publishing Company

RRP $POA j ISBN 9780826118295 j springerpub.com The second edition of Family Violence and Nursing Practice continues to be a landmark resource. It provides uniquely comprehensive, nursing-focused coverage of family violence, and offers nursing students of every level a clear view of the essential theories, interventions, and issues surrounding family violence. This book provides detailed overview of family violence including: intimate partner violence (IPV) including abuse during pregnancy, same sex IPV, intimate partner homicide, stalking, violence against women with disabilities, dating violence, child maltreatment, children witnessing violence, sexual assault (child & adult), and elder mistreatment.

Get Well Soon: My (un)Brilliant Career as a Nurse Kristy Chambers, University of Queensland Press

RRP $24.95 j ISBN 9780702239205 j www.uqp.uq.edu. After graduating from university as a nurse, age 30, Kirsty Chambers worked in several hospitals around Australia before writing this memoir. Her dark humour and skill for one-liners – “My baptism of fire in nursing was harsh, but a pointed reminder that buried beneath my foul mouth was a kind heart” – will resonate with many in the profession.

Communication Skills in Health and Social Care (2nd ed.) Bernard Moss, Sage Publications (available Footprint Books)

RRP $51.95 j ISBN 9781446208199 j footprint.com.au The second edition of Communication Skills in Health and Social Care is an ideal quick reference point on the core subject of communication skills for busy students and practitioners across the helping professions. The inclusion of an enhanced dictionary format is particularly effective in both providing an overview of the territory and helpful guidance on linking theoretical understanding to the challenges of practice.

Caring for Somebody with Dementia Merideth Sindel, Connor Court Publishing Pty Ltd (available from Footprint Books)

RRP $24.95 j ISBN 9781921421754 j footprint.com.au j www.connorcourt.com/catalog1/ Caring for Somebody with Dementia describes the experiences of the author over a three-year period in which her mother was diagnosed with dementia and she became her full-time carer. The text details the causes of dementia, mechanisms for dealing with the symptoms and offers advice on personal care, frailty and the practicalities of caring, as well as insight in how to maintain communication with somebody with dementia.

Lewis’s Medical-Surgical Nursing: Assessment and Management of Clinical Problems (3rd ed.) Di Brown and Helen Edwards, Mosby (available through Elsevier Australia)

RRP $164.93 j ISBN 9780729539951 j www.elsevier.com.au The third edition of Lewis’s Medical-Surgical Nursing: Assessment and Management of Clinical Problems has been thoroughly revised to reflect recent changes in clinical practice in Australia and New Zealand. This local focus is strengthened by up-to-date research, data, policies, procedures and guidelines, with an emphasis on current issues.

All books can be ordered through the publisher or your local bookshop. NSWNA members can borrow the books featured here, and many more, from our records and information centre (RIC). Contact Jeannette Bromfield gensec@nswnurses.asn.au or Cathy Matias 8595 2121 cmatias@nswnurses.asn.au. All reviews by NSWNA RIC coordinator Jeannette Bromfield. Some books are reviewed using information supplied and have not been independently reviewed. THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2012 | 43

Agitated, Disruptive â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Even Aggressive Patients? We can help! Since 1980, CPI has been teaching health care professionals proven methods for managing difficult or assaultive behaviour. To date, over six million individualsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; including thousands of nurses and other health care professionalsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;have participated in CPIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s highly successful Nonviolent Crisis InterventionSM training course. This course teaches staff not only how to respond effectively to the warning signs that someone is about to lose control, but also addresses how staff can deal with their own stress and anxiety when confronted with these difficult situations. Visit crisisprevention.com/story for more information and to download our FREE eBook, Creating a Safe and Caring Work Environment, containing insightful tips you can share immediately with your staff.

Join us at an upcoming 2012 training course: 11â&#x20AC;&#x201C;14 September U Perth, WA 9â&#x20AC;&#x201C;12 October U Melbourne, VIC 16â&#x20AC;&#x201C;19 October U Brisbane, QLD

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30 Octoberâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;2 November U Sydney, NSW 6â&#x20AC;&#x201C;9 November U Kent Town (Adelaide), SA Priority Code: LA122

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< 44 | THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2012

pi pinkribbonday.com.au n kribbonday.c om.au

BUY BUY IIT T FFOR OR TTHOSE HOSE AFFECTED AFFECTED B BY Y BREAST CANCER CANCER BREAST This October, you can show your suppor t for all those living with breast cancer by buying Pink merchandise from the Pink Box. T h e m o n ey r a i s e d w i l l h Cancer Council ﬁght breast cancer through prevention programs, supp o r t s e r vic e s, a nd world-class breast cancer research.

Show Show your your true true c colours. olours. Buy from the Pink Pink Box. Box. If you need to talk to someone about cancer call the Cancer Council helpline 13 11 20.

LIONS NURSES’ SCHOLARSHIP Looking for funding to further your studies in 2013? The trustees of the Lions Nurses’ Scholarship Foundation invite applications for scholarships for 2013. Nurses eligible for these scholarships must be resident and employed within the State of NSW or ACT. You must be registered or enrolled with either the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency or regulatory authority of the ACT, and must have a minimum of three years’ experience in the nursing profession in NSW or the ACT. Applicants must also be able to produce evidence that your employer will grant leave for the required period of the scholarship. Details of eligibility and the scholarships available (which include study projects either within Australia or overseas), and application forms are available from: The Honourary Secretary Lions Nurses’ Scholarship Foundation 50 O’Dea Avenue, Waterloo NSW 2017 or contact Ms Glen Ginty on 1300 367 962 or gginty@nswnurses.asn.au www.nswnurses.asn.au Completed applications must be in the hands of the secretary no later than 28 November 2012. THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2012 | 45

MOVIES

movies of the month LORE

ciné files Lore is a german-australian co-production and is in german and english with english subtitles.

MEMBERS GIVEAWAY the lamp has 10 in-season double passes to give away to Lore, thanks to transmissions films. the first 10 members to email their name, membership number, address and telephone number to lamp@nswnurses.asn.au will win.

46 | THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2012

Lore will cause you to take pause and contemplate both sides of every story, writes SUE MILES. This beautiful film by Australian director Cate Shortland (Somersault), adapted from the Booker shortlisted novel, The Dark Room by Rachel Seiffert, examines the effect of war on the young. Set in the spring of 1945, Hitler is dead, her Nazi SS parents have been taken into custody by the Allies, and 15-year-old, Lore (Saskia Rosendahl), short for Hannelore, is responsible for taking her four siblings on a 900km journey to the safety of their grandmother’s home in Hamburg. Lore goes from carefree member of the Hitler Youth, to head of a young family that she must feed and shelter on their hazardous journey. Along the way they encounter many suffering from post-war denial and deprivation, and see for the first time the reality and aftermath of their parents’ actions. On the journey, Lore is helped by Jewish survivor Thomas (Kai-Peter Malina), a man who represents all that she has been taught to despise. As she struggles with her adolescent self, and the young woman within that is beginning to stir, Lore finds herself attracted and repulsed by Thomas. The film is exquisitely filmed and the portrayal of Lore is as a perfect specimen of a true Aryan. The position of the defeated Germans is one that we often do not consider. As always there are two sides to every story, and many more sides to most. This film is well worth seeing to experience a fabulous example of cinematography and a rapturous piece of story telling. Sue Miles is a Mental Health Nurse at the RPA IN CINEMAS 20 SEPTEMBER.

MEMBERS GIVEAWAY the lamp has 15 in-season double passes to give away to Last Will, thanks to rialto distribution. the first 15 members to email their name, membership number, address and telephone number to lamp@nswnurses.asn.au will win.

ciné files Last Will is based on the novel by swedish writer liza marklund, who has written a series of annika bengtzon books. malin crépin has appeared in six annika bengstzon films.

LAST WILL

arbitrage

A wonderful movie for a rainy weekend, writes ROBIN MOON Set in beautiful Stockholm this movie is your classic whodunnit. Annika Bengstzon (Malin Crépin) is a believable heroine, a journalist juggling the rigours of her day job and the chronic guilt of young parenting. Her frenzied life unravels when she unwittingly witnesses the murder of a Nobel Prize-winner, Aaron Wiesel. A terrorist group with connections to the Middle East admits responsibility for the murder. International press is all over the story, as are the police. But a gag order prevents Annika from reporting on the news and she is not happy when she is shipped sideways to the gossip mags.

“Arbitrage is a riveting 100 minutes that examines how we decide where to draw the line.” She becomes increasingly convinced that the real target of the attack was not Wiesel but his dancing partner, Caroline von Behring, chair of the Nobel Committee. Annika’s journalistic investigations lead her closer and closer to the inner workings and power struggles within the closed and secretive circle of the Nobel Prize Committee. A watchable subplot grows as she realises she needs to intervene to alleviate the misery of her bullied son. This careens to a not-so-obvious conclusion, at the same time as the murder situation becomes increasingly more dangerous. Add in jealousy; the ever-popular theme of stem cell research; people locked in freezers; guns; and of course, the obligatory school concert shenanigans; and you get a wonderful movie for a rainy weekend. Robin Moon is a Clinical Nurse Specialist at Macquarie University Hospital IN CINEMAS 20 SEPTEMBER.

MEMBERS GIVEAWAY the lamp has 15 in-season double passes to give away to Arbitrage, thanks to madman entertainment. the first 15 members to email their name, membership number, address and telephone number to lamp@nswnurses.asn.au will win.

A past-faced thriller set between the realms of big business and family commitment, writes SHARON KETELAAR. We meet Robert Miller (Richard Gere) and his wife Ellen (Susan Sarandon) on the evening of Robert’s 60th birthday, surrounded by his grown children and grandchildren who he obviously adores. Their home oozes wealth and privilege. Robert is a powerful man, a hedge fund magnate who also has a public profile as a generous benefactor. However, greed has pushed Robert into an impossible financial situation. His whole future, financially and personally, revolves around a deal that will not only save his reputation, but will save others from financial loss, embarrassment or criminal proceedings. The fabric of Robert and Ellen’s family is interwoven in the business. Their brilliant daughter Brooke holds a key position and trusts her father implicitly. Ellen makes us wonder if she is blissfully unaware of Robert’s dubious business dealings, or is just as ruthless as her husband. She reminds him about their promised contribution to a hospital benefit, chiding him: “It’s only 10 million.”

When an unexpected event causes his personal life to career out of control, Robert involves an innocent figure from his past in his deception, essentially calling in a favour from someone who has nothing. Will his instinct for self-preservation put others at risk? Will he smother his conscience and do whatever it takes to cover his lies, deceit and failures? Arbitrage places the viewer into a dilemma similar to Robert’s: do we hope that he gets away with his crimes because that would save heartache and financial ruin for blameless others? Or do we take the high moral ground? Arbitrage is a riveting 100 minutes that examines how we decide where to draw the line. Sharon Ketelaar is an RN and editor of medical texts. IN CINEMAS 27 SEPTEMBER. THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2012 | 47

OBITUARY

Brett David Dowd 1966 — 2012

[e\ IT IS WITH MUCH SADNESS THAT WE

announce the sudden passing of our dear colleague and friend Brett Dowd. Brett was a registered nurse on the cardiology/cardiothoracic ward at St Vincent’s Private Hospital Darlinghurst (SVPH) from November 2000 until his untimely death in March this year. Brett was a caring, competent and compassionate nurse. He was regularly mentioned in patient’s feedback forms, thanking him for his outstanding care. Ex-patients visiting the ward would enquire about Brett as he and his care were legendary.

“It was a pleasure to have worked alongside such an outstanding nurse and unique individual.”

48 | THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2012

Brett enthusiastically and competently mentored nursing students, recent graduates and new staff. His attention to detail was renowned and he was an excellent teacher and communicator. Brett was the nurse you wanted beside you during those difficult or emergency situations. Brett was an advocate for his colleagues. He was actively involved in the New South Wales Nurses’ Association; the President of the SVPH branch from 2003 to 2011 and a strong negotiator in the nurses’ enterprise bargaining agreement. In addition, Brett was a Councillor on the NSW Nurses’ Association Council from 2007 to 2011, as well as being a Councillor on the ANF NSW Branch Council from 2008 to 2011. Throughout, Brett diligently attended Council and Committee of Delegates meetings, NSWNA Annual Conferences, ANF Biennial National Conferences and ACTU Congress to keep himself and his colleagues up to date with industrial matters.

Brett was born in Putaruru New Zealand on 27 September 1966. He was the second child of four (two sisters and one brother). He completed his schooling at 17 then moved to Auckland where he worked for the Artificial Limb Board for five years. He gained his certificate in Orthotics and Prosthetics. This job inspired his love for nursing and he went on to gain his Diploma as a Comprehensive Nurse at the Carrington Polytechnic in 1991. Brett worked in mental health, respiratory medicine and cardiology. Cardiology became Brett’s passion working in Auckland’s Greenlane Hospital and London’s St Mary’s Hospital. In 2000, Brett came to Australia where he continued his cardiology speciality at SVPH. It was a pleasure to have worked alongside such an outstanding nurse and unique individual. The professional and life lessons that Brett taught will stay with us always, he made us laugh and will be sorely missed by his friends and colleagues at SVPH. Footnote: The Council of the NSW Nurses’ Association also expresses their condolences to Brett’s family and friends and echoes the sentiment expressed by his colleagues at St Vincent’s Private.

Nina Marie Van Stappen (nĂŠe Benton) 9 April 1926 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 12 November 2011

[e\ NINA WAS

BORN AT

PARRAMATTA

Hospital to Cyril and Alma Benton. The eldest of four children, Bill (now passed), and Lorraine and Dawn. The family lived in Albury, Castle Hill and then settled in Maitland, where Nina began her training for nursing at Maitland Hospital, at 18 years of age. In her fourth and final year she won both awards given to the fourth year nurse for Theory and Practical Nursing, making her one of only four nurses to receive both awards. Receiving The Edna Davies Memorial Prize in 1948, Nina was selected as the fourth year nurse who combined in the highest degree, the characteristics of Practical Nursing Courtesy and Kindness to patients and their friends and co-operation with fellow workers. A dedicated and caring nurse Nina gained experience in various types of nursing and in various hospitals in NSW, Tasmania and SA. Such experience included emergency, theatre work, obstetrics, and acting matron at Maitland and Gosford Hospitals.

During this time she became best of friends with another nurse, Frieda Van Stappen, later to become Frieda Bain, who introduced Nina to her brother Dick. Nina married Omer (Dick) on 1 March 1958, ending her nursing career to begin her new life on the farm as a supportive and loving wife and, later, mother to Sandra and Peter and Nanna to Brad, Jason and Nathan Very much loved and appreciated by her family, Nina was dedicated to them and showed her love for them in all that she did, always working behind the scenes to assist them in the pursuit of their chosen endeavours â&#x20AC;&#x201C; even learning to drive in her 40s. Nina treasured her three grandsons and by all accounts lived her life in the very best way possible, always supportive and quick to notice and assist whenever someone was in need, and this generosity of spirit also extended to those outside the family. Nina was a perfectionist and gifted in her chosen crafts and artwork. In later years Nina adapted her knowledge of cake decorating to porcelain, developing a method of creating very fine porcelain flowers and figurines.

Nina was also a practical and thoughtful person, shown by the manner in which she went about organising her belongings and artwork etc., so as to minimise the work that would be left for her family, after her passing. Fifteen months after being diagnosed with lung cancer and emphysema, Nina passed in good spirits, with a firm belief and ready acceptance of facing her next life, even at times with light humour. At a family gathering, only a week prior to her passing, Nina expressed that she would like to pass soon. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Oh! But not too soon,â&#x20AC;? she said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to spoil your lunch!â&#x20AC;? Having lived her life by the conviction that â&#x20AC;&#x153;if something is worth doing, then it is worth doing wellâ&#x20AC;? Nina left her mark on this world and much to show for her time spent here. She did her best in all her endeavours and will be remembered by the particular way she touched the lives of those who knew her.

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DIARY DATES

conferences, seminars, meetings SYDNEY, HUNTER & ILLAWARRA Nurse Symposium: 40th Annual Meeting of International Society of Paediatric Neurosurgery 10 September 2012, Sydney Tracey Frawley 0412 174 090 info@ispn2012sydney.org www.ispn2012sydney.org/Nursesymposium Spring with the Kids Paediatric Perioperative Seminar 15 September 2012, Parramatta Claudia Watson 9845 2112 claudia.watson@health.nsw.edu.au Doing Our Bit: Mosman 1914-18: Nurses in WW1 by historian K. Harris Mosman Library, 605 Military Road, Mosman 19 September 2012, 7pm-9pm http://mosman1914-1918.net (02) 9978 4091 Annual Enrolled Nurse Conference 20-21 September 2012, Sydney ENPA members $220, non-members $250 1300 554 249 rjroseby@gmail.com Australasian College for Infection Prevention and Control Conference 2012 8-11 October 2012, Sydney conferenceinfo@ashm.org.au Bones on the Beach orthopaedic conference 13 October 2012, Wollongong Karin Tarne (02) 4222 5811 karin.tarne@sesiahs.health.nsw.gov.au National Spina Bifida Conference – Australian Masterclass 19-20 October 2012, Sydney Julie Dicker, Kids Rehab: 9845 2802 Julie.dicker@health.nsw.gov.au www.nswspinabifidacollab.org.au Strength to Strength: Breast Cancer Network Australia’s National Conference 2012 25-26 October, 2012, Sydney www.bcna.org.au/events/bcnaconferences/national-conference-2012

It’s a Knock Out! Anaesthetic Cocktails and PACU Pick-me-ups 27 October 2012, Terrigal Teresa Farrell 4389 9419 farrellt@ramsayhealth.com.au Australasian Society for Ultrasound in Medicine 42nd Annual Scientific Meeting (ASUM 2012 ASM) 26-28 October 2012, Sydney (03) 9645 6311 congress@asum.com.au www.asumcongress.com.au/ Midwives on the Tweed (sub-branch of ACM) 10th Annual Education Day: Igniting the Flame 29th October 2012, Tweed Heads midwivesonthetweed@iprimus.com.au Jenni Sullivan 0430 599 062 Enhancing Practice 2012 31 October – 2 November 2012, Sydney www.enhancingpractice12.com.au/ 2012 AWMA(NSW) Bi-Annual Branch Conference: Growing, Nurturing and Harvesting – Wound Care in the Vines 11-12 November 201, Cessnock Mimi Wilson mimiwilson45@hotmail.com Council for Children’s Nurses NSW Biennial Conference: Winds of Change – Thinking into Action March 14-15 2013, Sydney www.ccnnsw.org.au/2013-ccnconference/ 7th Australian Women’s Health Conference 7-10 May 2013, Sydney (02) 9254 5000 www.womenshealth2013.org.au info@womenshealth2013.org.au

REGIONAL 12th Rural Critical Care Conference 24-25 August 2012, Dubbo info@eastcoastconferences.com.au www.ruralcriticalcare.asn.au Australian Women’s Health Nurses Association (AWHNA) Annual Professional Update 27-28 August 2012, Canberra Sue Green, Women’s Health Nurse Queanbeyan (02) 6298 9233 Sue.green@gsahs.health.nsw.gov.au

Crossword solution W I N D P I P E

H O P A T O A M E I T E T R E A L L L A U D R B I F C

O P R R I M P I P A R I A N O G S I T T O R L

I N G C O U G U O R U M R N A E M B R N I F O R M I N B N G I O S A R R A G E T A G O E N V E R A F T A M I R I O N N G E R I A A A T E L R H I N A

50 | THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2012

H Y P E R A C U S I S

A A W N I S I S O M O M A S S E T I I C A U D O T R I C U T L G I A

Wound Wound Dressings Dressings are are Confusing Confusing

Gundagai District Hospital Dinner Dance 27 September 2012 Gundagai Farewell Gundagai District Hospital and welcome new Gundagai Multi Purpose Service. 30 September Brunch and Hospital Tours Gundagai Health Service 02 6944 1022 gundagai.hospitalgsahs.health.nsw.gov.au

INTERSTATE & OVERSEAS Mental Health Services 22nd Annual Conference ‘Recovering Citizenship’ 21 - 24 August 2012, Cairns (02) 9810 8700 Fax (02) 9810 8733 info@themhs.org www.themhs.org Future Health Leaders Conference 1-2 September 2012, Adelaide conference@futurehealthleaders.org.au http://futurehealthleaders.org.au/conference Union of Risk Management for Preventive Medicine (URMPM) World Congress 2012 8-9 September 2012, London, UK www.urmpm.org/UWC2012/ head.office@urmpm.com Third International Conference on Violence in the Health Sector 24-27 October 2012, Vancouver, Canada www.oudconsultancy.nl/vancouver/ 4th Australian Rural & Remote Mental Health Symposium 19-21 November 2012, Adelaide anzmh.asn.au/rrmh (07) 5502 2068 Hospital in the Home Society of Australasia 5th Annual Scientific Conference 2012 22 – 23 November 2012, Melbourne www.hithsociety.org.au/conference Megan.Chinzani@ashm.org.au 0458 291 166

REUNIONS Sydney Hospital Graduate Nurses’ Assoc. 50th Anniversary Reunion Lunch 3 October Sydney Jeanette Fox 02 4751 4829 bekysa@tpg.com.au RAHC March 1973 PTS reunion 17 March 2013 Bronwyn Exley bronwyn.exley@bigpond.com Jenny Elliott jenelliot@bigpond.com Sherran Alexander (Peck) sherran.j.alexander@gmail.com

NOTICES Nurses: from Zululand to Afghanistan exhibition Australian War Memorial, Canberra Until 17 October, free www.awm.gov.au

What dressing works best on which wound?

Wound Wound Management Management and and Skin Integrity Integrity Find answers Fin d the the a nswers at tthis his seminar about off w wound care. abo ut tthe he basics o ound car e.

* * 1466 1466 *

1448 0 CPD 1448 Sydney 11 Sydney 11 - 12 12 Feb Feb 2013 2013 110

469 28 - 29 Apr 2013 2013 110 0 CPD 11469

Al bury Albury Sydney Sydney

3 - 4 Jun Jun 2013 2013

110 0 CPD

Ot Other her Upc Upcoming oming

Nursing Seminars How How to to be an an Inspirational Inspirational and and Effective Effective Leader Leader Sydney Sydney

8 - 9 Oct

10.5 10. 5 CPD 11145 145

Caring for Live for People People Who Liv e with Chronic Mental with Chr onic Ment al iillness llness Sydney Sydney

15 --16 16 Oct

10.5 10. 5 CPD 1381 1 381

* *

Diabetes Diabetes Refresher Refresher Canberra Canberrra

18 - 19 Oct 10.5 10. 5 CPD 1354 1354

Acute Acute Coronary Coronary Syndrome Syndrome

* 1387 1387 *

Sydney Sydney

19 - 20 Oct 10.5 10. 5 CPD 1124 1 124

Canberrra Canberra

26 - 27 27 Oct 10.5 10. 5 CPD

NSWNA Events Check venue location with Lyn Stevens 02 8595 1234 Free call 1300 367 962.

EDUCATION DATES For more information on NSWNA Education Courses, contact Carolyn Kulling (02) 8595 1234 Free call 1300 367 962 www.nswnurses.asn.au/topics/2761.html diary dates is a free service. Please send details of your event by the 5th of each month, in the format used here – event, date, contact details, website if applicable. Email: lamp@nswnurses.asn.au Fax: 9550 3667 Post: 50 O’Dea Ave, Waterloo NSW 2017

Day Surgery Day Surge ry Nursing Sydney Sydney

22 - 23 Oct 10.5 10. 5 CPD 11366 366

Improving Improving Your Your Knowledge off Medicines Knowledge o Sydney Sydney

29 - 30 Oct

1279 1 1 CPD 1279 11

Wound Management Wound Ma nagement The The Next Next Step Step Sydney Sydney

30 - 31 Oct

11 1 1 CPD 11189 189

* *

R Register egister online at:

www.Ausmed.com.au www. Ausmed. com. au

Go Direct Debit & Win

a fabulous South Coast holiday Start paying your NSWNA fees by Direct Debit for the chance to win a two-night stay at the Bannisters in Mollymook, worth over $1,000!

The prize includes a two-night midweek stay in an Ocean Deluxe room, with deck and stunning ocean views; hot breakfasts for two; a picnic hamper for two; a day spa voucher to the value of $120; a $200 Rick Stein at Bannisters Restaurant dinner voucher; and a signed copy of Rick’s latest cookbook. Spring is fabulous on the NSW south coast – uncluttered, very laid-back and the locals are friendly and welcoming. Think of long sandy beaches, fresh clean air, fantastic seafood dining and award winning luxury accommodation and you have all the ingredients that makes Bannisters as a ‘must do’ on your getaway list. This boutique hotel is home to international chef Rick Stein’s only restaurant outside of the UK. Understandably it features the seafood that has become his hallmark, and celebrates the wonderful fresh fish from local south coast waters. This is a dining experience not to be missed, and one that many avid foodies make the pilgrimage to enjoy. Deluxe guest rooms enjoy panoramic sea views, and in season this means you can whale-watch from your private balcony! Spoil yourself with an coastal getaway at Bannisters. To find out more visit www.bannisters.com.au or phone (02) 4455 3044 Conditions: valid midweek shoulder season, from 1 September 2012 – 30 April 2013, excluding school and public holidays.

HERE’S HOW HO W YYOU OU CAN WIN

ss # #ANCEL YOUR PAYROLL DEDUCTIONS AND START PAYING YOUR FEES THROUGH DIRECT DEBIT AND YOU WILL ANCEL YOUR PAYROLL DEDUCTIONS AND START PAYING YOUR FEES THROUGH DIRECT DEBIT AND YOU WILL go into the lucky draw and/or ss # #ONVINCE YOUR COLLEAGUES TO CONVERT FROM PAYROLL DEDUCTIONS TO DIRECT DEBIT AND YOU AND ONVINCE YOUR COLLEAGUES TO CONVERT FROM PAYROLL DEDUCTIONS TO DIRECT DEBIT AND YOU AND each of your colleagues who switch to direct debit will go into the lucky draw and/or ss 3 3IGN UP A NEW MEMBER USING THE DIRECT DEBIT METHOD OF PAYING THEIR FEES AND YOU AND THE IGN UP A NEW MEMBER USING THE DIRECT DEBIT METHOD OF PAYING THEIR FEES AND YOU AND THE new member will go into the lucky draw. draw.

Direct debit is not only the easiest and most convenient way to pay your membership, but switching over could win you a luxury holiday! Don’t risk your membership lapsing from changing workplaces. W With ith direct debit you are always protected on the job.

Membership Application forms or Dir Direct rect e D Debit forms can be downloaded from from our website www.nswnurses.asn.au. www.nswnurses.asn.au. Alternatively Alter natively call the NSWNA on 8595 1234 (metr (metroo area) area) or 1300 367 962 (non-metro (non-metro area) area) for more more information.

LANDER NISSAN

Are you ready for your next car? Micra ST

ABS brakes, ESP, 6 airbags, Bluetooth, front power windows, steering wheel audio controls. Plus more!

FR.

15,990

drive away#

X-Trail

6 airbags, ABS + ESP, 17” alloy wheels, Bluetooth, cruise control, ﬂexible cargo area. Plus more!

FR.

26,990

drive away†

Dualis +2

7 seat ﬂexibility, Bluetooth, cruise control, 16” alloy wheels, roof rails. Plus more!

FR.

31,990

drive away

Murano Ti

Dual glass panoramic roof, sat nav, 9.3GB Bose stereo, memory leather seats, push button start, automatic windows, reverse camera.Plus more!

FR.

NURSES PACK CAR THIS MONTH AND

56,990

drive away

YOU WILL RECEIVE

UINE EE GEN $500 FOR R KIA ACCESSORIES PURCHASE ANY NEW

NISSAN

LANDER KIA BLACKTOWN

Cerato S Hatch

2L, Bluetooth, iPod connectivity, 6 airbags, 5 year unlimited warranty. FR.

$18,890 Driveaway

5 YEAR UNLIMITED KM FACTORY WARRANTY ON ALL KIAS

Rio 5 door

Sportage Si

Optima Si

Economical 1.4L, 6 airbags, Bluetooth, iPod connectivity, 5 year warranty.

16” alloy wheels, cruise and audio controls, Bluetooth, iPod connectivity, 5 year warranty.

16” alloy wheels, reverse camera, dual zone climate control, fog lights, 5 year warranty.

CAR OF THE YEAR*

FR.

$16,990

FR.

Driveaway

$27,490 Driveaway

FR.

$30,990 Driveaway

#Price applies to demo vehicles. †Price is for manual transmission. *Awarded to Kia Rio Si model. ^$500 FREE accessories valid with every new Nissan and Kia sold between 1st & 30th September, 2012. Offer not redeemable for cash. This ad must be presented at time of purchase. Vehicles are available at time of printing. Cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer or promotion. Offer ends 30.9.12. MD20305 YPA4368

NISSAN & KIA 02 8014 4487 | 37 Blacktown Road | Blacktown www.landernissan.com.au

www.landerkia.com.au

Part of Australia’s Largest Motoring Group

www.ahg.com.au

ONLY 4 MINS FROM PROSPECT HWY TURN OFF ON THE M4