Lamp November 2013

lamp THE MAGAZINE OF THE NSW NURSES AND MIDWIVES’ ASSOCIATION

VOLUME 70 No.10 NOVEMBER 2013

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CONTENTS

lamp THE

CONTACTS NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association For all membership enquiries and assistance, including Lamp subscriptions and change of address, contact our Sydney office.

VOLUME 70 No.10 NOVEMBER 2013

Sydney Office 50 O’Dea Avenue, Waterloo NSW 2017 (all correspondence) T 8595 1234 (metro) 1300 367 962 (non-metro) F 9662 1414 E gensec@nswnma.asn.au W www.nswnma.asn.au Hunter Office 8-14 Telford Street, Newcastle East NSW 2300 NSWNMA Communications Manager Janaki Chellam-Rajendra T 8595 1258

COVER STORY

12 | Work bans fast track recruitment Operating theatre nurses imposed work bans after their local health district failed to recruit nurses it had already received funding for.

David Pfanner and Suzanne McKay, John Hunter Hospital

5 6 8 37 39 42 43 45 47 50

Editorial Your letters News in brief Ask Judith Social Media Nursing research online Crossword Books Movie of the month Diary dates

COMPETITION

9 | Win a family break at Port Stephens

COVER STORY

14 | Plan to close beds gets results

Staff shortages eased at Dubbo Base Hospital emergency department after nurses voted to close beds and ban excessive overtime.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

24 | Employer’s rethink on domestic violence Taking part in a charity sleepout helped persuade one CEO that domestic violence ought to be considered a workplace issue.

PROFESSIONAL DAY

30 | The politics of health

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

PROFESSIONAL DAY

28 | Our health system flies!

The 2005 Australian of the Year Fiona Wood gave an inspirational speech to the NSWNMA Professional Conference.

Editorial Committee • Brett Holmes, NSWNMA General Secretary • Judith Kiejda, NSWNMA Assistant General Secretary • Coral Levett, NSWNMA 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@nswnma.asn.au Records and Information Centre – Library To find old articles from The Lamp, or to borrow from the NSWNMA nursing and health collection, contact: Jeannette Bromfield, RIC Coordinator T 8595 2175 E gensec@nswnma.asn.au

The Lamp ISSN: 0047-3936 General disclaimer The Lamp is the official magazine of the NSWNMA. Views expressed in articles are contributors’ own and not necessarily those of the NSWNMA. Statements of fact are believed to be true, but no legal responsibility is accepted for them. All material appearing in The Lamp is covered by copyright and may not be reproduced without prior written permission. The NSWNMA takes no responsibility for the advertising appearing herein and it does not necessarily endorse any products advertised.

Privacy Privacy statement: The NSWNMA collects personal information from members in order to perform our role of representing their industrial and professional interests. We place great emphasis on maintaining and enhancing the privacy and security of your personal information. Personal information is protected under law and can only be released to someone else where the law requires or where you give permission. If you have concerns about your personal information please contact the NSWNMA office. If you are still not satisfied that your privacy is being maintained you can contact the Privacy Commission.

Subscriptions for 2013 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 NOVEMBER 2013 | 3

EDITORIAL

BY BRETT HOLMES GENERAL SECRETARY

We must stand up for what we have won The repeal of the aged care supplement, and public hospital management dragging the chain on staffing, remind us that winning improvements in the public health system and aged care is only a beginning. You must constantly defend what you have won.

It is not good enough to win staffing arrangements like ratios and a reasonable workloads clause and have them embedded in the award.

These award provisions also need to be enforced.

Nurses and midwives often find themselves exposed to unsafe staffing arrangements in their wards despite the existence of ratios and a reasonable workloads clause in the public health system award.

In this month’s Lamp (see pages 16 and 12) we look at how NSWNMA members at Dubbo and John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle have taken strong action to enforce those provisions in the award and forced management to allocate adequate resources to fund safe staffing.

The Dubbo Hospital branch of the NSWNMA voted to close the emergency medical unit and refused to work overtime as a response to unsafe staffing arrangements. Management then moved quickly to remedy this unsafe staffing.

At John Hunter, operating theatre nurses imposed work bans after the health service failed to recruit nurses it had received funding for.

The Industrial Relations Commission agreed with them and management has been forced to fast track recruitment.

There is a clear lesson for us here. It is not good enough to win staffing arrangements like ratios and a reasonable workloads clause and have them embedded in the award. These award provisions also need to be enforced.

We have to stand up for what we have won.

I encourage members everywhere to follow the lead of their Dubbo and John Hunter colleagues and stand up for their rights and the rights of their patients. It is only by such actions that the high quality care our patients deserve will be delivered.

PRIME MINISTER ABBOTT BLOCKS AGED CARE SUPPLEMENT The Abbott Government had only been in office for a month and one of its first actions was to block the modest pay increases due to aged care workers.

The Association is extremely disappointed that

the federal government has seen fit to snatch this overdue pay increase out of aged care workers very meagre income.

Aged care employers are very happy they have control of the funding. Aged care workers have fewer reasons to be happy. History tells us that when funding has been made available for staffing it has always resulted in a less than adequate return for employees.

It is important to note that the amount of funding has not been reduced. What Tony Abbott has done is remove the guarantee that the increased funding will be passed on to aged care worker in wages.

We are going to have to fight long and hard to make sure employers don’t keep that funding as profits.

ADHC IS NEXT CAB OFF PRIVATISATION RANK As The Lamp went to print it had been announced, in another unilateral decision by the New South Wales government, that Ageing, Disability and Home Care (ADHC) would be privatised and disability services passed to the non-government sector by 2018.

The O’Farrell Government is manipulating the new National Disability Insurance Scheme to justify washing its hands of all responsibility for delivering disability services.

The Association has serious concerns about whether standards of care and the quality of care will be maintained in such an environment.

If our experiences in aged care with the non-government sector are anything to go by, the retention of qualified nursing staff at the current levels provided in NSW government services will be at risk, as a result of the demand for surpluses/profits to maintain viability of non- government organisations.

We will have more to say about this in next month’s Lamp.

THE LAMP NOVEMBER 2013 | 5

YOUR LETTERS

LETTER OF THE MONTH

Worldwide network of support COVER STORY

CANADA The Canadian Federated Nurses Union and United Nurses of Alberta held a rally in Calgary, opposing attempts by the government to impose cutbacks in the health care system.

Around the world, nurses stand together UNITED STATES In the United States National Nurses United held a major demonstration in New York City, opposite the United Nations centre, demanding an end to austerity policies and passage of the Robin Hood tax.

The proposed tax – a tiny impost on financial transactions – would reduce volatility in financial markets and provide governments with much needed revenue to fund social services including public health.

American nurses marched from the UN to the world headquarters of JP Morgan Chase, one of the world’s largest investment banks. From there they marched to the New York City Metropolitan Transit Authority (which has been cutting services and cutting workers), then to the State University of New York to demand that they stop closing hospitals in the city.

More than 35 unions and community and student groups marched in support of nurses.

BRAZIL The Brazilian Nurses’ Union – Federação Nacional dos Enfermeiros – used the global day of action to call on the Minister of Health and the President to vote on a draft law that regulates the working hours of all nursing professionals at 30 hours a week. They also launched the National Forum of Nursing Organisations to broaden the debate on issues related to working conditions and professional status.

Global Nurses United is the fledgling movement walk on September 17 around the world, New York and Korea of healthcare as

only two months young but showed it could walk the with coordinated actions from Sydney to to Brazil, in support a human right.

SOUTH KOREA The Korean Health and Medical Union rallied to save the Jinju Medical Centre, to fight against austerity and for the rights of health workers.

The fight to save Jinju Medical Centre is seen as a test of the commitment to public health care by the government of South Gyeongsang Province. The hospital has 102 years of history of delivering health care to the poor in the area and is one of the oldest hospitals in the country.

Earlier this year three employees were hospitalised after a hunger strike protesting against the closure.

A senior member of the government told the Korean Times newspaper that the hospital was to close because it “lags behind in terms of profitability”.

QUEENSLAND The Queensland Nurses’ Union held morning teas at hospitals across the state on September 17. They published an ad in newspapers in Queensland on the vital role of nurses and midwives in providing universal health care. They also held a tree-planting ceremony at the union’s Brisbane office to mark the first Global Nurses United day of action.

HONDURAS The National Association of Nurse Auxiliaries of Honduras held picket lines at hospitals throughout the country and a major rally in front of government house in Tegucigalpa.

They demanded an improvement to patient care in public hospitals, more nurses and fully funded nurse pensions.

22 | THE LAMP OCTOBER 2013

SOUTH AFRICA The Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (DENOSA) marked the day with a call for the enforcement of a Robin Hood tax by all governments that apply austerity measures, and to use the proceeds from that tax to specifically improve health infrastructure.

DENOSA also launched an online campaign in support of the Robin Hood tax.

PHILIPPINES The Alliance of Health Workers used the day to condemn the Aquino Government’s privatisation of public hospitals and other health services.

“This is nothing but a final step towards the abandonment of state responsibility for people’s health,” said Jossel Ebesate, the union’s national president. “Filipinos and others in developing countries can never have healthy living with the worsening economic and political situation that further deprives them of their right to health. Health, being a basic right should never be used for profit and should remain mainly as a state responsibility.”

THE LAMP OCTOBER 2013 | 23

“I AM IMMENSELY PROUD TO BE PART OF AN ORGANISATION THAT IS SOUGHT OUT FOR ADVICE AND GUIDANCE BY NURSES ACROSS THE GLOBE.”

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The recent Global Day of Action highlighted, for me, the importance of developing and maintaining links with nursing organisations across the world.

While the core business of the NSWNMA is, and always will be, its membership, the call to join with and support other nursing organisations must not be ignored. While we continue to fight our battles here in New South Wales and support Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation campaigns across Australia, we must also stand ready to answer the calls from nursing organisations throughout the Asia Pacific region and much further afield.

It may be a joint rally (such as the Global Day of Action), writing to other governments in support of a nurses’ union, providing speakers at conferences or accepting roles at high levels of international organisations, which will strengthen these links.

We have a moral and social obligation to speak up for patients and nurses, wherever they reside, whose voices are being suppressed, denied or simply ignored. Having the leadership of our union invited to address international conferences and chair international health committees is not only an honour but a recognition that many countries look to the NSWNMA as a leader in the field of nursing unions.

I am immensely proud to be part of an organisation that is sought out for advice and guidance by nurses across the globe.

Although not at the forefront of these activities personally, I am very happy to see what is a relatively small portion of my membership fee used to assist nurses outside New South Wales.

We can only imagine the horrors faced by nurses in some countries, where politics and religion undermine the care that should be given, or where governments constantly underbudget health care to dangerous levels. Nurses in these difficult situations must rely on the support of colleagues to highlight their struggles.

Wherever nurses face threats personally or professionally and healthcare standards are undermined or at risk, a worldwide network of support cannot be undervalued. That many nursing unions across the world will look to the NSWNMA for that support and guidance cannot be denied.

Rozlyn Norman,Tamworth Better allowances needed You guys do a great job fighting for better pay and ratios, but what I think is needed for nurses is better penalties for night shift and, more importantly, more sick leave and family and carers’ leave. With all the diseases we face every day, 10 days is nowhere enough.

How do teachers get more than double that! Nurses have families and we are called on to help them more than twice a year too. I believe we are reasonably well paid (not that I will ever knock back a pay rise), I just think our leave allowance is poor.

Samantha Bellamy, Bateau Bay

NO TIME

YOUR LETTERS

Protect international students Will someone look at the plight of international nursing students lured to Australia by promoters who visit Asian countries with promises of a land of milk and honey, jobs for the asking, beautiful accommodation, etc.? The students are then hit with ridiculous fees: for example, international students pay $12 to 14,000 per semester and an Australian student pays about $3000.

The international student does not have the choice to pay in instalments and of course HECS is not offered. The international student does not receive a travel concession card and has a working limit of 40 hours per fortnight, but if weeks overlap it works out that they can only work 20 hours per week.

Because of the enormous numbers of nursing students, there are not enough clinical placements during university terms. Therefore the students are placed on clinicals when the university is closed for term, preventing them from working the 40 hours per week they are allowed during holidays.

The “fantastic” accommodation offered by the university is a small airless room with shared bathroom and kitchen costing approximately $240 per week. No wonder students are ripped off by private renters offering five to seven students two rooms for upwards of $700. I have heard of students sleeping in shifts because they do not have enough beds for everyone.

A public hospital informed an international student who applied for a casual job as an AiN, that they have a policy not to employ international students as AiNs or in the new grad intake.Yet they employ casual AiNs, who are international students, from agencies. So obviously they would rather go to an agency to employ random workers than have regulars on their casual pool.

Why then are the universities continuing to lure students from developing countries? This is so unethical.

At the end of the day it is the universities who are raking in the money by exploiting international students. What can we as fellow nurses do to address this? Are we going to sit back and continue to let this happen because it does not directly or indirectly impact upon us?

Karen Francis RN, Brookvale

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NEWS IN BRIEF

Canada

Heroin trial gets green light Health Canada has authorised doctors in British Columbia to prescribe heroin for patients who have failed to respond to conventional addiction treatments, according to Canadian newspaper the Guardian and Mail.

Health Canada granted doctors access to heroin for patients with “serious or life-threatening conditions when conventional therapies have failed, are unsuitable or unavailable”.

The decision followed research published in the New England Journal of Medicine, which found prescription heroin was a safe and effective treatment for the small group of addicts who did not benefit from conventional treatments such as methadone.

Participants who took prescription heroin were more likely to stay in treatment, reduce illegal drug use and avoid illegal activities, researchers found.

Health Canada’s green light to the heroin trial may soon turn red, however. The decision provoked a furore, with federal Health Minister Rona Ambrose saying the authorisation was “in direct opposition to the government’s anti-drug policy”.

United States

Resistant to HIV but not guilt Stephen Crohn, who in the early days of the AIDS epidemic proved mysteriously resistant to the HIV virus, has died, aged 66.

According to the health website, SHOTS, Crohn’s partner was one of the first people to die from AIDS, in 1978. Over the years Crohn watched as partners and friends died from the disease but he never got sick. Realising there was something unique about his physiology, Crohn volunteered himself as a research subject.

Scientists established that Crohn had a genetic mutation, carried by only 1% of the population, which made him resistant to HIV infection. The discovery helped researchers develop an anti-viral drug and devise the first experimental strategies for curing HIV. Immunologist Bill Paxton, who worked with Crohn at the Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Centre in New York, told SHOTS: “Steve was quite phenomenal. He understood, you know, before scientists did, that he had this resistance to AIDS. He said, ‘I have this protection. I have something. Study me.’

“At the end, we could say to Steve, ‘You were right.You have this molecule missing. That is advancing science.’”

An artist and editor, Crohn committed suicide in August. His sister, Amy Crohn Santagata, told The New York Times that he suffered from survivor’s guilt.

HUNT WANTS TO PUT AN END TO THE NHS TRADITION OF SMALL INCREASES EACH YEAR.

8 | THE LAMP NOVEMBER 2013

NEWS IN BRIEF

Australia

Health agencies under review The new federal government is expected to move quickly on promises to slash jobs in federal health departments.

New health and sport minister Peter Dutton says the cuts will deliver “less spin doctors and more real doctors”.

Dutton has flagged research funding reviews for two major health agencies – the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare and the National Health Performance Authority.

The Coalition will also begin unwinding what they call “nanny state” agencies such as the Australian National Preventative Health Agency, established to lead the national fight against obesity, alcohol abuse and tobacco use.

The Abbott Government is targeting up to 12,000 public servant jobs across all departments. Peter Dutton has not yet revealed how many health jobs are up for grabs.

“I’ve just got my eye on next May’s budget. The previous government increased bureaucracy in health by 30%,” he said. “We have to make sure we are spending money on hip operations, on GPs, on medicines and new cancer drugs and there’s only so much money.

“We have to make sure we are spending money wisely.

I think some of those jobs will have to go.”

Britain

Health minister tries to scrap paltry pay rise After two years of frozen wages British nurses and other National Health Service workers were due a miserly 1% pay rise next year.

But the British health minister Jeremy Hunt is urging the pay review body to scrap the pay rise, due in April 2014.

According to The Guardian newspaper, Hunt has urged the two independent pay review bodies that set earnings for the NHS’s 1.3 million workforce to cancel the 1% rise, even though the British Chancellor has previously said it was affordable.

Hunt also wants to put an end to the NHS tradition of small increases each year, by moving up grades within a pay band after meeting performance indicators.

The health department claims a pay rise would mean hospitals having to lay off staff, impacting on safe staffing levels. Health unions claimed that making the link between salary levels and safety standards was insulting and emotional blackmail.

Rachael Maskell, head of health at the union Unite, which represents about 100,000 NHS personnel including nurses and midwives, accused Hunt of “trying to emotionally blackmail the staff to sacrifice their pay”.

She said this new threat to terms and conditions was the latest of the health minister’s “strange bullying tactics”, such as making emergency funding for emergency departments dependent on enough hospital staff members having had flu jabs.

NHS staff have already had their pay frozen for two years under the Conservative government and been forced to accept a major downgrading of their pension benefits.

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NEWS IN BRIEF

Australia

Health reporting in decline

“GIVEN THAT THE LOSS OF JOURNALISM JOBS AFFECTED SOME OF THE HIGHEST QUALITY NEWSPAPERS, THERE IS CLEARLY CAUSE FOR CONCERN ABOUT THEIR EFFECT ON THE FUTURE QUALITY OF HEALTH REPORTING IN THIS COUNTRY.”

Quality health reporting in the mainstream media – and with it the health literacy of the community – is at risk due to the downsizing of major media companies.

Newspapers everywhere have taken a massive hit to advertising revenues with ads, particularly classified, moving to the internet. This has also led to the loss of experienced journalists.

The Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance – the union for journalists – estimates that one in seven journalism jobs in major Australian newspapers was lost in 2012.

Dr Christopher Jordens of the University of Sydney’s Centre for Values, Ethics and the Law in Medicine, co-wrote an article in the Medical Journal of Australia (MJA) expressing concerns about the public health impact of the extensive loss of experienced journalists from major newspapers.

“Given that the loss of journalism jobs affected some of the highest quality newspapers, there is clearly cause for concern about their effect on the future quality of health reporting in this country”, the article said.

Carol Bennett, CEO of Consumers Health Forum, told the MJA that the loss of experienced health journalists had weakened the coverage of complex issues.

“Australia is still well served by a dwindling number of seasoned health reporters who know where the bodies are buried when it comes to health issues. But these days we are more likely to get calls from journalists whose knowledge of health issues may be thin and you have to spend some time explaining the issue to them,” she said.

“Health reporting is becoming ever more complicated because of the sheer growth in care options, their cost and the interplay of powerful, well-resourced provider groups.”

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10 | THE LAMP OCTOBER 2013

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NEWS IN BRIEF

Australia

United States

200 nurses face chop in SA

Brawl over healthcare leads to US government shutdown

South Australian nurses have discovered their jobs are not sacrosanct despite previous assurances from the state government that frontline jobs were safe from cuts.

In a remarkable exercise in brinkmanship the US Republican Party brought the American government to a standstill because of its violent opposition to the modest improvements to public healthcare introduced by President Obama.

South Australia’s health and ageing minister, Jack Snelling, said after the release of the state budget that 684 health jobs would be cut by June 30, without admitting that nurse positions would go.

When SA Health’s deputy chief executive David Archer gave evidence to a state parliament committee, he revealed that number would include 200 nursing positions.

The Daily Advertiser reported that Mr Archer was “currently estimating about 200 of that figure will be in relation to direct nursing positions” to help save $161 million in health this year.

The health minister has not ruled out forced redundancies, although the government claims that with nurse turnover they may not be necessary.

The SA state government promised the new cuts would not harm frontline services and said new hospital practices, including discharging healthy people earlier, would reduce the need for staff.

Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation SA secretary, Elizabeth Dabars, said the efficiency plan was “ambitious” and the union would closely monitor its implementation.

“They can’t just push it back to the nurses and midwives and say ‘work harder’,” she said.

Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation NSW Branch

Financial Report The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation NSW Branch Financial Report for the year ended 30 June 2013 is available on the members’ only page at www.nswnma.asn.au.

Members without internet access may obtain a hard copy of the report by applying in writing to: Brett Holmes, Branch Secretary Australian Nursing Federation 50 O’Dea Avenue Waterloo NSW 2017

“IF THE AMERICANS SHOOT THEMSELVES IN THE FOOT RIGHT NOW, IT IS HIGHLY DANGEROUS FOR THE ENTIRE GLOBAL ECONOMY.”

The government shutdown was caused by the Republican Party blocking President Obama’s entire budget plan in an attempt to force him to back down on his Affordable Healthcare Act. The shutdown left government departments struggling to pay their bills and over 800,000 government workers were initially sent home – equivalent to the combined workforces of Exxon Mobil, General Motors, Google and giant retailer Target.

Polls showed that the Republicans’ actions were highly unpopular in the United States and led the party to broaden their justification for the shutdown to imposing a ceiling on the amount of borrowing set by Congress in order to rein in the US deficit.

Prominent US economist Dean Barker says that, ironically, a key cause of the American deficit is the broken US healthcare system.

“We pay 2.5 times as much as the UK. If our costs were at all in line with those in other wealthy countries, we would be looking at explosive budget surpluses running into the trillions of dollars annually.”

World political and business leaders expressed alarm at the threat posed to the fragile global economy still struggling to recover from the GFC. China’s Xinhua news agency labelled US domestic politicians “dangerously irresponsible” for wrangling over debt while the president of the Federal Association for German Wholesalers and Foreign Trade, warned: “if the Americans shoot themselves in the foot right now, it is highly dangerous for the entire global economy.”

THE LAMP NOVEMBER 2013 | 11

COVER STORY

Work bans fast track recruitment Operating theatre nurses imposed work bans after their local health district failed to recruit nurses it had already received funding for.

BANS ON NON-NURSING THEATRE DUTIES at Newcastle’s John Hunter Hospital (JHH) quickly got the dispute before the NSW Industrial Commission.

The Commission ordered the Hunter New England Local Health District to fast track recruitment of nurses and co-operate with the NSWNMA to solve staffing issues.

Commission Deputy President Rod Harrison also ordered management to consult with theatre staff and the NSWNMA about the daily theatre workload every morning, while the parties negotiated an escalation plan for the longer term.

JHH is one of the state’s biggest hospitals with the only trauma centre in New South Wales outside of Sydney.

NSWNMA branch delegate at the hospital, David Pfanner, said management was moving faster to recruit staff while giving part-timers more hours, thereby reducing the need for overtime.

“The branch held a secret ballot which unanimously supported the bans – and they got the desired result,” said David, a theatre nurse.

“The staff are really happy with the outcome – people are saying the union has done a fantastic job.”

David said the dispute had been brewing since last year but got worse with the LHD’s failure to recruit to seven FTE (full time equivalent) positions by March 31 as it was funded to do.

David raised the failure to fill the funded positions with Health Minister Jillian Skinner when she addressed the NSWNMA annual conference on August 9. Mrs Skinner said she new nothing about it and would investigate.

12 | THE LAMP NOVEMBER 2013

It seemed the money – more than $700,000 – was held up at LHD level.

“The district was given the money but the hospital say they never received it.We do know it wasn’t spent on more nurses as was supposed to happen,” David said.

The NSWNMA branch passed a resolution on August 14 demanding fast recruitment of the seven FTE positions, which should have been filled at least five months earlier, and use of agency nurses to backfill in the meantime.

Meanwhile management disputed the branch’s staffing calculations for the operating theatre nursing profile. Management and the branch disagreed over the number of nurses needed to staff theatres according to ACORN (Australian College of Operating Room Nurses) standards.

On August 23 the branch voted for work bans due to continued reliance on excessive overtime, delays in recruiting funded positions, management’s refusal to use agency staff and confusion about the nursing profile.

The bans led the LHD to invoke the disputes clause of the award, meaning industrial action was suspended while the dispute went to the Industrial Commission.

The Commission’s orders included daily consultation between management and the union over staff numbers needed to manage the theatre list.

“Management didn’t like the idea of having to consult with the union every day but with the Commission involved they don’t have much choice,” David said.

“Both management and us are now accountable to an outside arbiter which is good.”

Suzanne McKay and David Pfanner, John Hunter Hospital.

“A SECRET BALLOT UNANIMOUSLY SUPPORTED THE BANS.” — David Pfanner David said a Union-Specific Consultative Committee involving the NSWNMA, nurse delegates from John Hunter and the Royal Newcastle Centre, and LHD and hospital managements, was now meeting weekly to negotiate a long-term staffing solution.

David said a major task of the consultative committee was to oversee the development of an escalation plan “so we are not constantly scrambling to find enough staff to handle the daily theatre list.”

Meanwhile the NSWNMA is seeking to commission an external review of the staffing profile. However JHH management says it reserves the right to reject any request to carry out an external review and will not be bound by its findings.

“WE OPTED FOR BANS THAT WEREN’T GOING TO AFFECT THE PATIENT JOURNEY.” — Suzanne McKay

Bans target income, not patients N ON - NURSING DUTIES BANNED BY John Hunter Hospital theatre nurses included emptying linen bins, cleaning tables and transporting patients – all tasks supposed to be done by theatre assistants.

Theatre nurse Suzanne McKay, a member of the Union Specific Consultative Committee, said the ban also covered clerical duties not directly affecting patients.

“We opted for bans that we felt weren’t going to affect the patient journey but would affect the LHD financially,” she said.

“For example, when we complete an implant and prosthesis form for a patient we normally photocopy it so the hospital can obtain rebates.

“Under the ban we were going to fill out the implant form for the patient but not photocopy it for the administration, thereby preventing them obtaining the rebates.

“Management knew that would cost them money which is why they moved quickly to meet with us.”

The bans were only in place for an hour before management agreed to meet the union.

Suzanne said nurses simply wanted to work in accordance with their award including regular breaks and with staff levels at 2008 ACORN standards.

“Working conditions were abominable earlier this year. Nurses were regularly missing out on morning tea and lunch breaks and doing huge amounts of overtime.

“Management claimed there was no expectation on people to do overtime however they wouldn’t send anyone in to relieve us.

And we couldn’t just walk out on patients.

“At the same time management were asking why people were taking so much sick leave.”

Suzanne said the daily consultations over staff numbers were helping to achieve a more reasonable workload which would improve patient safety.

“Today we had to cancel a list due to failure to replace staff on sick leave. That never would have happened before we went to the Commission.

“Previously we would have just soldiered on without morning tea or lunch breaks and by bringing management onto the floor.The award conditions we are entitled to would have all gone out the window.

“Cancelling lists hurts the bottom line and we understand the need to earn income.

But it is not acceptable to put patients in an unsafe environment because you’ve got novice staff running a room on their own and perhaps not being aware of all the protocols, for example.”

THE LAMP NOVEMBER 2013 | 13

COVER STORY

“ED NURSES BELIEVED THEY COULD NO LONGER PROVIDE THE COMMUNITY WITH THE SAFE LEVEL OF CARE THEY WERE ENTITLED TO.” — Micheal Harper

Micheal Harper and collleagues, Dubbo Base Hospital.

14 | THE LAMP NOVEMBER 2013

Dubbo proves case for ratios

Plan to close beds gets results Staff shortages eased at Dubbo Base Hospital emergency department after nurses voted to close beds and ban excessive overtime.

DUBBO HOSPITAL BRANCH OF THE NSWNMA voted to close the six-bed emergency medical unit (EMU) and refuse to work unreasonable overtime in the emergency department (ED), unless management put an end to unsafe staffing arrangements.

Management moved quickly to fill gaps in the roster following the vote.

A fortnight later nurses reported that both staff numbers and the skill mix in the ED were improving.

“Members are pleased that management has acted on our concerns,” branch secretary Micheal Harper said. He said the issue had been building for months.

“Branch members were pretty determined to do whatever it took to improve safety. They believed closing beds was the only action left open to them,” he said.

“Management said they were the only ones who had the right to close beds.

However we told management that under work health and safety law they had an obligation to provide a safe working environment.

“There were too many junior nurses and people were working short all the time.

“ED nurses believed they could no longer provide the community with the safe level of care they were entitled to. Patients come here expecting to be in a safe environment and we need to be able to

provide the appropriate skill mix and staffing levels.”

In mid-September, ED nurses reported that the 20-bed ED had 7.2 FTE (full time equivalent) vacancies including nurses on leave. In the period 16 September to 13 October there were 127 gaps in the roster including 71 shifts with shortages of experienced nurses: 26 in the resuscitation area; 16 in triage; 13 in the clinical initiative role; and 16 in the nurse in charge position.

ED nurses told the Association that overtime was out of control and new graduates were replacing experienced nurses.

A NSWNMA branch meeting on September 26, called on the administration to advertise and backfill all vacancies, including those on leave or seconded to other positions.

The meeting called for all PPT (permanent part time) and casual nurses to be asked in writing to increase their hours permanently, and for casuals to be employed for the duration of the shift they were covering.

The meeting voted unanimously to close six beds in the EMU as of Monday 30 September until all vacancies were recruited, and for ED nurses to refuse to perform unreasonable amounts of overtime starting 4 October.

Hospital and Local Health District

The staff shortage at Dubbo Base Hospital was further evidence of the need for mandated, minimum nurse-topatient ratios in all clinical areas, including EDs, in all hospitals, NSWNMA general secretary Brett Holmes said.

“The failure of Western NSW Local Health District to fill the Dubbo positions, even with agency nurses while they recruit permanent nurses, proves why local managers cannot be left to handle these things without compulsory minimum staffing levels,” Brett said.

Brett said the ED needed 41.05 FTE staff to cover all shifts at the end of September but was only operating at 32.21 with three nurses on maternity leave.

“This is completely unacceptable, especially in a key regional emergency department,” he said. “The people of Dubbo and surrounding regions that depend on Dubbo Base deserve better than this from the state government. It is unsafe for patients and staff and the ED nurses were right to act decisively.

“All nurses and midwives have a professional obligation to ensure safe patient care and no employer can ask or expect a nurse or midwife to work unsafely.”

The first round of enforceable, minimum nurse-to-patient ratios was introduced into general medical and surgical wards in most New South Wales hospitals as part of the 2010-11 award, negotiated between the NSWNMA and the former Labor government.

In March this year, the NSWNMA launched its Ratios put patient safety first campaign to have ratios extended to more clinical units, including emergency departments, children’s wards, intensive care units, community health services and smaller hospitals.

…continued page 17 THE LAMP NOVEMBER 2013 | 15

Authorised by B.Holmes, General Secretary, NSWNMA

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“NO EMPLOYER CAN ASK OR EXPECT A NURSE OR MIDWIFE TO WORK UNSAFELY.” — Brett Holmes

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management met branch members on 30 September and hammered out a short-term agreement.

The main points were: 1. Management would not put ward patients in the EMU and they would remain in ED until a ward bed became available.

2. Patients would not go into EMU unless staff members were available.

3. Nurses on annual leave would be asked to return to work voluntarily to fill gaps in the roster.

4. Management would improve the skill mix in the ED and closely monitor rosters weekly.

5. Agency nurses would be employed to backfill gaps.

6. The branch reserved their right to close beds if they felt the staffing level was unsafe.

Two weeks after reaching this agreement the EMU remained closed by decision of the management because of a combination of factors.

“There were not enough suitable patients, no ward patients were being admitted to EMU and the staff member who would previously have been on duty in EMU has been used in ED to fill the roster gaps,” Micheal Harper said.

Gaps in the ED allocation sheet had been reduced to 31 and overtime had been reduced, though some nurses still had to work double shifts and 12-hour shifts due to unplanned sick leave.

The skill mix had improved but there were still not enough experienced staff members to cover all shifts.

Micheal said he believed the administration was genuinely trying to find a solution.

“I don’t think management like the fact their staff are overworked and unhappy and stressed out.They seem quite willing to work with the branch to try to find a solution.”

THE LAMP NOVEMBER 2013 | 17

COVER STORY

Community nurses vote for bans Management at Albury is breaching the nurses’ award by failing to backfill annual leave. Community mental health nurses and their clients are the casualties.

“MANAGEMENT IS TAKING A VERY TOP DOWN, AUTHORITARIAN APPROACH.” — Margaret Traill

18 | THE LAMP NOVEMBER 2013

ALBURY COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH nurses have banned a range of administrative and other tasks in response to management’s failure to backfill annual leave.

Nurses said management had failed to backfill 711 leave days from the start of 2013 to September 24. This forced nurses to cancel 365 client appointments despite doing lots of unpaid overtime.

At the same time management failed to advertise to fill about three FTE (full time equivalent) vacant positions in the community mental health nursing team.

Some had been vacant for more than a year.

Nurses voted to ban: • attendance at staff and other nonclinical meetings • typing minutes for any meetings • doing data entry • using the sign-in book.

They also decided to return to base at the end of shift from each outreach, and ensure that two clinicians attend all appointments, in line with service policy.

The branch voted to escalate the bans a week later when management failed to give a written commitment to tackle the problems.

Nurses put additional bans on providing data to one of the service’s NGO partners and attending inter-agency meetings.

Margaret Traill, secretary of the Albury Community and Mental Health Nurses Branch of the NSWNMA, said Murrumbidgee Local Health District management had shown “a lack of

transparency and lack of goodwill” by failing to co-operate with nurses to find solutions to serious staffing issues.

“We should be working together to solve these issues but management are taking a very top down, authoritarian approach,” she said.

Margaret said management was in breach of the 2011 nurses award, which says community nurses will be backfilled for four weeks annual leave and longer if they work shift work or weekends.

“LHD management has admitted in a letter to the branch that they do receive funding for backfilling leave, after verbally denying that they received any such funding.

“We can only assume they are using the money for service delivery elsewhere.

Nurses should not be denied their award conditions in order to plug funding shortfalls in other areas.

“The members are very determined – they feel that this is something they have to follow through on.

“If nurses are expected to put up with an excessive workload when colleagues take annual leave, then management should be accountable for the public money they are entrusted with to fund a mental health service.

“We have had real difficulty engaging with mental health managers. They have failed to attend important staff consultative committee meetings and Reasonable Workload Committee (RWC) meetings and when they have attended they have not conducted themselves in a spirit of consultation and negotiation.”

Petra Smith (in blue) with colleagues

Branch president and mental health nurse Petra Smyth said work bans were carefully targeted so as not to have an impact on clients.

“The whole point of our action is to improve the quality of the service, starting with backfilling annual leave so we have sufficient staff to keep appointments with clients,” Petra, who is also the nominated representative for community mental health nurses on the RWC, said.

She said that since the bans went into effect management had declined all requests for leave.

“They have suggested we go on annual leave one nurse at a time. That would mean we could go on annual leave about once every two and a half years, given the size of our team.”

Petra said another management suggestion was to assign the full time equivalent of one of the existing nursing staff to the job of backfilling colleagues’ annual leave.

Not only would this be inadequate to cover all nurses on the roster it would also mean they were one FTE down for case management.

She said management had made no serious attempt to recruit to a casual pool.

“They did say if we had any friends or

“THE WHOLE POINT OF OUR ACTION IS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF THE SERVICE.” — Petra Smyth

ex-colleagues looking for casual work we should encourage them to apply, which is not really active recruitment,” Petra said.

She said failure to backfill annual leave made it much harder to provide an adequate range of service and quality of service.

“We were able to manage in the past when we were a full team. But now that we are seriously short staffed and with no backfilling of leave, we are really just patching things up and running an emergency service.”

NSWNMA Assistant General Secretary Judith Kiejda said Albury mental health nurses were concerned they could not maintain a quality and safe service while there was no backfilling of nurses on annual leave.

“Providing replacement nurses for annual leave has been funded since 2011, but the funding has rarely been utilised,” she said. “Over the past few months the nurses have made every reasonable attempt, through meetings and consultation, to resolve this matter internally. However, there has been no timely and effective response from management at any stage.

“That is why the nurses now feel they must take a stronger stand over the issue, through these work bans.”

THE LAMP NOVEMBER 2013 | 19

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COVER STORY

Standing up for patients in the Shire Nurses and midwives at Sutherland Hospital are concerned about their ability to deliver safe patient care after a budget overrun at South Eastern Sydney LHD. NURSES AND MIDWIVES FROM SUTHERLAND, Ryde and Campbelltown have held rallies to highlight inadequate staffing in their hospitals, relative to neighbouring facilities, and to collect signatures on a petition that would trigger a debate about ratios in the New South Wales Parliament.

As The Lamp went to print NSWNMA members had collected more than 80,000 signatures and had their target of 100,000 in sight.

Sutherland Hospital has less ratios/nursing hours per patient day than St George, Prince of Wales and Wollongong Hospitals.

Warwick Moriarty, president of the NSWNMA Sutherland Branch, says this means that a ward with 30 patients at Sutherland receives 15 hours less nursing care per day than a patient in a similar ward at nearby hospitals.

“With better ratios we would be looking after four patients for one staff. It would be much safer and more manageable.We’d have less sick leave, less stress for staff and better care for patients,” he said. “We’re here not only to support Sutherland staff in our campaign for nurse-patient ratios but also we’re looking across the whole state and supporting other areas, particularly country areas and community nursing, who are all doing it tough at the moment.”

Gaye Napper, a NUM in Maternity at Sutherland Hospital, said all staff members were working extra hours.

“It’s difficult to replace staff because of the funding. It is difficult to replace those who are on long service leave or on maternity leave.We’re told to keep it safe but there is no funding for that so we are constantly over budget.”

A prominent supporter at the Sutherland rally was Barry Collier, newly re-elected MP for Miranda, who voiced his concern at the raw deal being dealt out to patients of Sutherland Hospital compared to other hospitals.

“I was personally involved in the building of these hospitals as the local member down here. Patients aren’t getting the same level of care [at Sutherland] you get at St George and other hospitals. Mr O’Farrell you have to do something about this. We want the same level of care at Sutherland Hospital as you get at St George and everywhere else. Do the right thing and stand up for us in the Shire.”

Petitions can be downloaded from the “Ratios put patient safety first” campaign area of the NSWNMA website. The petition asks the NSW Legislative Assembly to mandate nurse-to patient ratios in all hospitals – including country hospitals in the public health system as well as some specialty units.

Branch President Warwick Moriarty with colleagues at the Sutherland Hospital rally.

THE LAMP NOVEMBER 2013 | 21

AGED CARE

Government stops aged care supplement In one of its earliest actions the Abbott Government has blocked modest pay increases for more than 200,000 aged care workers.

AGED CARE WORKERS ARE HAVING promised pay rises cancelled after the Abbott Government said it would tear up Labor’s workforce compact guaranteeing higher wages in the sector.

On September 26, the government suspended new applications from aged-care operators seeking to sign up to the Aged Care Workforce Supplement.

The ACTU says the Abbott Government had broken its commitment that no worker will be worse off under the Coalition.

Under Labor, the $1.2 billion Workforce Supplement was allocated to pay wage rises of one per cent, backdated to July 1, over and above any other increases negotiated with employers.

This recognised the need to make aged care jobs more attractive in view of current and projected workforce shortages.

The new government has vowed to return the $1.2 billion to the general aged care funding pool while it “develops alternative policy options”.

Minister for Social Services, Kevin Andrews, claimed many employers could not afford to cover all costs associated with the Workforce Supplement.

Mr Andrews also complained that “the funding was conditional upon the signing of a union-dictated EBA.” The former government required employers with more than 50 employees to sign up to enterprise bargaining agreements, negotiated with their employees, in order to access the supplementary payments.

This was done to ensure that public money allocated to boost wages was paid to employees in a transparent and verifiable fashion.

Mr Andrews said aged-care facilities 22 | THE LAMP NOVEMBER 2013

already approved for the supplement would continue to receive it and the Department of Social Services would continue to process applications lodged before September 26.

“The government will consider transitional arrangements for these providers as it develops alternative policy options,” he said.

In New South Wales, at least two employers – Calvary Retirement

“These aged care workers are seeing an immediate cut to their future earnings with the change of government,” ACTU President Ged Kearney said.

NSWNMA General Secretary Brett Holmes said low pay was a major contributor to the chronic shortage of nurses in the aged care sector.

“Putting the Workforce Supplement into enterprise agreements guaranteed that government funding flowed straight into

“PUTTING THE WORKFORCE SUPPLEMENT INTO ENTERPRISE AT AGREEMENTS GUARANTEED TH GOVERNMENT FUNDING FLOWED S.” ET STRAIGHT INTO WORKERS’ POCK — Brett Holmes Communities and Warrigal Care – had no recourse but to withdraw offers to pay the 1% supplementary increase following the government’s announcement. Employers already paying the supplement in NSW include major operators Domain Principal Group and Uniting Care.

At least 4000 aged care workers in Victoria were early casualties of the change of policy, with two major employers withdrawing pay offers based on funds from the previous government’s Commonwealth Aged Care Supplement, the ACTU reported.

workers’ pockets, thereby helping the sector retain and attract staff,” Brett said.

The office of outgoing Labor Minister for Mental Health and Ageing, Jacinta Collins, also voiced her disapointment.

“The tragic reality is that the Coalition will rip these pay increases out of the pockets of hard-working nurses and aged care workers at a time when we need to help the aged-care workforce almost triple in size to meet the demands of the ageing population,” a spokeswoman for Senator Collins said.

Seniors urge action on wages Seniors groups have called on the federal government to act quickly to improve wages and working conditions in aged care.

Council on the Ageing chief executive, Ian Yates, said strategies to support increased wages, to help retain and expand the aged care workforce, must be developed as a priority given that the government plans to move away from the Workforce Supplement.

“Good quality, well-paid staff are essential to good quality of care,” he said.

National Seniors Australia chief executive, Michael O’Neill, welcomed plans to streamline “over-the-top” paperwork, but said wages and conditions for aged care workers had to be improved and it was not clear how the government would achieve this.

The Combined Pensioners and Superannuants Association (CPSA) said the Abbott Government’s proposals to relax aged care regulation demonstrated a poor understanding of the problems of abuse, neglect and premature death in Australian nursing homes.

The CPSA’s senior policy advisor, Charmaine Crowe, described the policy reversal as “a win for the nursing home industry and a slap in the face for older Australians”.

The CPSA also called on the government to mandate staff-to-resident ratios in nursing homes to prevent understaffing.

“Ratios exist in hospitals and childcare, but not in nursing homes,” it pointed out.

Rosie Smith

“THE LIBERALS …

HAVE DEVALUED AGED CARE AS A PROFESSION.” Rosie Smith Calvary Retirement Community, Cessnock

Disrespect for aged care staff Rosie Smith, NSWNMA branch secretary and endorsed enrolled nurse at Calvary Retirement Community in Cessnock, said she was “extremely disappointed but not surprised” by the government’s action.

“It is the sort of thing you expect from a Liberal government,” she said. “I think most of us knew that if the Liberals got in we would not be getting the 1% Workforce Supplement.

“I would like to know what is going to happen to the funding that the former government allocated as a wage increase.

“The Liberals will say they are working on a different funding model for aged care, but how long will it take them to sort it out? Will there be any benefit for workers in the sector?”

Rosie Smith said Labor’s Workforce Supplement amounted to recognition by the Australian government of the importance of the work done by aged care employees.

“Labor acknowledged that the work we do is worth more. The Liberals have shown their disrespect towards us by taking away the supplementary increase. They have devalued aged care as a profession.”

She said Minister Andrews’ criticism of “union-dictated” enterprise bargaining agreements was ridiculous.

“When we negotiate our EBA with union support we are only after a fair and equitable outcome.

“Nobody is dictating anything – if we dictated agreements to the employer we’d be millionaires.”

THE LAMP NOVEMBER 2013 | 23

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

Left to right: Gary Barnier, Ian Thorley, Simon Barnier at the Vinnies CEO Sleepout.

Employer’s rethink on domestic violence Taking part in a charity sleepout helped persuade one CEO that domestic violence ought to be considered a workplace issue.

THE

HEAD OF AUSTRALIA’S LARGEST PRIaged care provider was against putting a domestic violence clause in the company’s enterprise agreement until he took part in this winter’s Vinnies CEO Sleepout.

Domain Principal Group CEO Gary Barnier joined other business and community leaders including NSWNMA General Secretary Brett Holmes and the Sex Discrimination Commissioner Elizabeth Broderick in ‘sleeping rough’ for the annual charity event.

Equipped with a sleeping bag and a sheet of cardboard to keep out the wind and rain, they spent a night outdoors to

VATE

24 | THE LAMP NOVEMBER 2013

“Women need help and support from their employer to be able to get through such terrible times.”

— Brett Holmes

raise sponsorship money for St Vincent de Paul while gaining an insight into what homeless people go through every night.

The sleepout happened to coincide with enterprise agreement negotiations between the NSWNMA and Domain Principal.

Elizabeth Broderick spoke to the CEOs about domestic violence and this prompted a direct conversation between Gary Barnier and Elizabeth Broderick on this issue. Brett was on the spot to argue for the inclusion of a domestic violence clause in the EBA. Mr Barnier said his conversations with Commissioner Broderick and Brett persuaded him to move from a position of

PHOTOGRAPHS: NIC LONG PHOTOGRAPHY

Elizabeth Broderick at the Vinnies CEO Sleepout.

not wishing to include domestic violence in the EA to agreeing to deal with it as a workplace safety matter.

“My initial view was that it was not appropriate for the enterprise agreement to provide for a set amount of domestic violence leave because that seemed in some way to be making domestic violence almost ‘acceptable’ and institutionalised,” Mr Barnier told The Lamp.

“However Elizabeth emphasised how debilitating and destructive domestic violence can be to the person who is a victim.

“She asked me to think about it as a staff safety issue, with domestic violence having just as big an impact on the workplace as any other safety issue.

“My conversations with Brett and Elizabeth at the sleepout were really powerful in helping me to think about the importance of domestic violence as a staff safety issue and how we might support any of our staff who are victims.

“Brett and I agreed we would put a domestic violence provision in the safety

clause of the NSW agreement. Our company will look to extend it nationally using the NSW agreement as a model.

“We want staff to feel confident they can come and talk to us about domestic violence and we will organise counselling and support for them including time off where appropriate.

“We want our staff to know that domestic violence is not acceptable and we will look after them and support them if they are a victim. We will keep engaging with our staff and unions about the best strategy and education to deal with the issue.”

The provision says Domain Principal is committed to the personal safety of all employees and recognises domestic violence as a matter of personal safety.

“Where an employee faces domestic violence the employer is committed to providing support where practical through flexible working arrangements and support through the company employee assistance programme,” it says.

Brett said Elizabeth Broderick made the point that there was a strong link between domestic violence and homelessness.

“One of the highlights of the sleepout was to hear Elizabeth talk about the benefits of domestic violence clauses in workplace agreements, helping women in particular, who are afraid of being homeless and jobless if they move out of a dangerous home situation, which in turn impacts on their work.

“They need help and support from their employer to be able to get through such terrible times and be safe at work – to get back on their feet again while maintaining their employment.

“The Association is a supporter of the Safe at Home, Safe at Work project to have domestic violence taken seriously as a workplace issue, which would go some way towards alleviating the scale of homelessness.”

Brett Holmes wishes to thank all those who sponsored him at the sleepout.

He topped his $7000 donation target by raising $11,105.

THE LAMP NOVEMBER 2013 | 25

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DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

Helping domestic violence victims Domestic violence puts many women in a state of “raw fear” and employers need to do more to make the workplace a refuge, says the Sex Discrimination Commissioner.

MORE THAN ONE MILLION AUSTRALIAN workers now have access to some form of paid leave to deal with effects of domestic violence, thanks to union negotiations, the ACTU says.

The ACTU Congress in May 2012 decided unions should play a role in helping victims keep their jobs and escape family violence.

Congress said domestic violence provisions in industrial agreements should include paid leave as well as flexible work arrangements for affected employees.

Industrial agreements should also help employees to access domestic violence support services, ensure confidentiality of employee details and prevent discrimination against affected employees.

“Unions have a critical role in helping women keep their jobs and economic independence by being able to access paid leave to help them escape domestic violence,” said ACTU President Ged Kearney.

She said paid leave would help affected workers attend court, see a counselor and attend appointments with schools, banks and other relevant institutions.

The previous federal Labor government changed the Fair Work Act to give employees who experience family violence or who are caring for a household member who is experiencing family violence, the right to request flexible work arrangements.

Flexible work arrangements include: • changing hours of work (e.g. working fewer hours or changing start or finish times) • changing patterns of work (e.g. working ‘split shifts’ or job sharing).

The Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Elizabeth Broderick, hailed the amendments to the Fair Work Act as ‘a very significant achievement.’

“Those people who are living through the personal hell that is domestic and family violence – the vast majority of whom are women – now have additional support

when it comes to ensuring security in employment,” Commissioner Broderick said.

She said domestic violence was “an enormous problem in this country and happening all around us – to women of all backgrounds and income levels.”

“Domestic and family violence means that many women enter their own homes each day in a state of raw fear.

“Added to this is the intense pressure and stress of trying to navigate violent behaviour while very often also trying to keep children, other family members and pets safe.”

Commissioner Broderick said that, contrary to popular expectation, even the workplace did not provide a haven from abuse.

“Of the respondents to the 2011 National Domestic Violence and the Workplace Survey who reported experiencing violence, 19% said that the violence had continued in the workplace, including through abusive phone calls and emails and the perpetrator presenting at the workplace of the victim.”

The same research found that only 48% of respondents who had experienced domestic violence disclosed it to a manager or supervisor.

“Unions have a critical role in helping women keep their jobs and economic independence by being able to access paid leave.”

— Ged Kearney “I’d like people to stop and think, ‘what can I do?’ – as friends, colleagues, employers or executives in large businesses – to support women living with violence, including making work a supportive and safe haven.”

ACTU president Ged Kearney

THE LAMP NOVEMBER 2013 | 27

ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2013 PROFESSIONAL DAY

“We look at the NHS, we look at the American system and we say what is it about the Australian system that flies? …Let’s not let it slip through our fingers like sand.” — Fiona Wood

28 | THE LAMP NOVEMBER 2013

Our health system flies!

The 2005 Australian of the Year Fiona Wood gave an inspirational speech to the NSWNMA Professional Conference about her work with burns injuries.

SHE WENT TO A QUAKER VILLAGE SCHOOL because the state system said she wasn’t university material. At medical school in London she fell in love with plastic surgery and still is. “I could talk about skin all day.”

Next Fiona Wood fell in love with an Australian surgeon, arrived in Australia in 1987 with him and their two children under two*. Her first application for a plastic surgery registrar’s job in Australia failed because “no mother with two children could possibly do that job. “ “That was a bit tricky,” Fiona told the NSWNMA 2013 Professional Day. But her mum didn’t pick Brussels sprouts in the fog of northern winters to educate a girl who’d be stopped at such hurdles. From her first day at a village Quaker school she heeded her mother’s advice “grasp the nettle with both hands Fiona, never let it go.”

In 1990 as a plastic surgery registrar at the Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital in Perth, she watched with a sense of “powerlessness and exasperation” a 56-yearold woman with 70 per cent body surface burns. Then she heard on her car radio a report of a Monash scientist growing skin.

“It was like a lightning bolt. It was a time I know I refused to hear ‘no.’ We sent the last little piece of her donor site that was healed to Monash, They grew the skin cell sheets and we brought them back three weeks later.

Three weeks later and five months

post-burn the woman was out of intensive care and on the burns unit. At seven months post burn she died.

“The temptation to dive in a hole and forget about it was enormous. All those people I had coerced and cajoled into helping and it didn’t work. Or I could stand back and think how can that life save another?

“Twenty three years down the track there have been many lives saved because of the experiences of that time.

“I’d seen the power of taking some skin from an individual, putting it into a lab and allowing it to grow and bringing it back so it covered the whole person. “ In January 1991, Fiona was appointed director of the Burn Service of Western Australia. “I inherited a great team and one of the biggest groups in our team is the nurses. I may spend a lot of hours in the operating room but nurses spend weeks keeping the skin grafts on day in, day out. It’s that teamwork that is making a difference, the allied health, the nursing, the surgery, and infection control. In building that team it was clear to me in order to go forward we had to take our blinkers off, work across the board with other people and work out how we could deal with this problem of burn injury in a different and innovative way.”

In 1993 Fiona and scientist Marie Stoner were granted funding to treat 12 patients, sending skin to Melbourne to grow and getting it back to the patient. It was a 21-day process.

Another grant established a lab to grow skin in WA. Stoner grew the cells

in 10 days. In 1994 they decided, “we should spray this stuff on.”

Marie and Fiona clipped the nozzle of a commonly available mouth freshener spray onto a 5ml syringe and their result was “spray on skin”. Though in fact it’s sprayed on at the dermal epidermal junction. By 1995 tissue growth time had been reduced to 30 minutes using a technique that puts the tissue engineering process in a box in the operating room.

The tissue is programmed to make skin not scar so when the wound is well prepared there is a regenerative pattern not a scar pattern.

In 2005 Fiona was named Australian of the Year following her work with the burns team at Royal Perth Hospital who fought to save 28 Bali bombing victims suffering between 2 and 92 per cent body burns, infections and delayed shock.

“Thirty years ago I had this feeling the whole focus of scarless healing would be a bit like climbing the mountain and putting the flag on the top and then we’d all go down to the beach and drink piña colada,” Fiona said.

“I’ve learned that’s not the way; it’s all about the journey and there’s no such thing as a bad decision; you learn from it, live with it and make sure the next one’s better.

“So when I look at doing basic science and the health system I say ‘yay.’ We look at the NHS, we look at the American system and we say what is it about the Australian system that flies? We live in an environment that is extraordinarily privileged. Let’s not let it slip through our fingers like sand.”

*Fiona now has six children. In the early nineties she sometimes took her eldest to work with her in the lab.

His Grade One drawing project was a skin incubator. “He’s a bit of a nerd.”

THE LAMP NOVEMBER 2013 | 29

ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2013 PROFESSIONAL DAY

The politics of health Australian nurses can play an important role in achieving a health system that is more equitable, says Dr Gwendolyn Gray, adjunct fellow in the School of Political Science and International Relations at the Australian National University.

DR GWENDOLYN GRAY, WHO HAS A SPECIAL interest in the way health and welfare policies affect women, told members attending the 2013 NSWNMA Professional Day that ethical and philosophical differences between Australia’s two major political parties meant Australians had seen massive changes to the health system under different governments.

“A health system provides, or not, an appropriate range of services. It ensures or it doesn’t ensure geographical access to services.

It ensures or it doesn’t that financial barriers to service use are non-existent or negligible.

So how well does the Australian system do? The general answer is ‘not very well,’ Gwendolyn said.

The Liberal Party of Australia primarily takes the view that healthcare is a product to be bought and sold in the market place just like any other.

“The concept is not to harm but not to be responsible either to provide conditions to prevent illness. In this philosophy government plays only a minor role,” Gwendolyn said.

The view favoured by the Australian Labor Party is that communities can provide for themselves through government, that medical need, not ability to pay should be the basis for access to services. That even if some citizens work hard to get themselves out of poverty, somebody else will fall back in because market societies work with a residuum of around about 20% to 30% of people who are on no, or very low, income.

The changes in the Australian health system in the past 70 years reflect both views in varying degrees: In the 1940s a federal Labor government introduced the nation’s first free hospital system, paying the states to remove hospital fees. Opposition from the Australian Medical Association (AMA – then called the British Medical Association) prevented it from introducing other changes, including a 30 | THE LAMP NOVEMBER 2013

national salaried medical service and medical benefit and pharmaceutical benefit schemes.

In the 1950s the Menzies Coalition government forced states to reintroduce hospital fees or forego federal assistance. Only Queensland refused and received no federal money from 1951 to 1975 when Medibank began operating. The Coalition also introduced the AMA-supported policy of subsidised private health insurance with one third each paid by the government, the private insurer and the patient. “As far as I know, Australia is the only place in the OECD where we’ve had direct public subsidies of private health insurance,” Dr Gray said.

In the 1960s, amid intense criticism of the Menzies scheme, on access and equity grounds, a South Australian study showed that unpaid hospital bills were the largest cause for imprisonment for debt in the state.

“The patient share of medical costs rose as doctors raised their fees. Because, when the government increased its benefit, the doctors increased their fees. So the gap for the patient remained exactly the same.”

In the early 1970s the Whitlam Labor government restored free hospitals and removed subsidies for private health insurance.

In 1976, despite vociferous criticism from the medical profession and the Liberal National Party Opposition, it introduced a publicly funded universal health care system, operated by the government authority Medicare Australia to extend health care coverage to all.

In 1976 with the Coalition back in power,Australia become the first government anywhere in the world to abolish a major national health system and replace it with an old one.

“This is typical Australian politics where in the past, and I won’t say that this exists so much now, there were major ethical and

philosophical differences between the parties.

They aren’t so strong now, but the basis of the two party outlooks are still those social liberal and market liberal views that I outlined to you,” Gwendolyn said.

She said there was a huge imbalance of political power around health policy.

“The groups on the producer side are strong, the medical unions, the private health insurance industry, the private hospitals, the big manufacturers, they’re strong.

“But where are the consumer coalitions, the consumer groups? They’re very weak.

“It’s said that behind the two [Labor] governments that introduced national health insurance, against great political odds, was a coalition of groups consisting of unions, of women, of people who wanted less racism in society – a coalition of left-leaning groups.”

The time for further change may come again, Gwendolyn told the audience, and if it does these same forces will need to come together to balance the influence of the dominant players; the medical unions, the pharmaceutical manufacturers, the technological manufacturers, the private health insurance industry and private hospitals.

“We’d have to ensure public control of the system as opposed to private marketbased control. We’d have to ensure universal access to hospital, medical and allied services including geographical access and removal of financial barriers. We’d have to establish a network of primary health care centres, and in regional, rural and remote areas they’d have to be staffed by salaried or contract based personnel because if they had fee-forservice people working in them, the charges would prevent the sickest people, those in most need, from using the services.

“Nurses could play a very strong balancing role in moving toward the kind of health system that would be more just and more equitable.”

“We’d have to ensure public control of the system as opposed to private market-based control.”

— Dr Gwendolyn Gray,

THE LAMP NOVEMBER 2013 | 31

ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2013 PROFESSIONAL DAY

Ethical blindness Have you read your code of ethics?

Probably not, says psychotherapist Philip Wright, codes usually aren’t read until something goes wrong.

AN ANOREXIC PATIENT IS REFUSING TO EAT. She has made it clear to hospital staff she does not want them to intervene. She wants to die.

Do you respect the patient’s wishes? Do you check your code of ethics? Philip Wright, a psychotherapist in private practice and a volunteer counsellor at the St James Ethics Centre* spoke to members at the 2013 NSWNMA Professional Day about moral decision-making.Why do we act one way in one case and not in another?

Phillip says the elevation of science and evidence-based practice in health decisionmaking can be a source of what he calls “ethical blindness” “Ethical blindness is where you just do not see things or you refuse to recognise things. It is extremely dangerous.

“We can’t do anything these days if there isn’t evidence for it. A few years ago the Salvation Army commissioned a report on the economic impact of child abuse. Perhaps we could say ‘Child abuse is wrong. Full stop.’

But no, we need now to have an economic rationale as to why governments should act on child abuse.

“The kind of values most of us would agree with – fairness, working together and flexibility – are fairly standard principles designed to enable us to make decisions,” Philip said.“The question I have is how many times can we actually use these for our decision making. Most of the time the language that’s around values and principles is not used.We use management speak, we use

scientific language, rarely do we use values and principles.

“If you create something where everything is dictated for us we lose our capacity to make responsible decisions, we become dependent on rules and regulations and codes and we lose our ability to make good decisions.

“Rules and regulations are not going to be the answer.We have to figure out what is the right thing to do, to think about and work through an issue and then do something about it.”

Phillip outlined to the audience two scenarios that show how people deal with moral dilemmas, where consequences will be similar through a person taking a particular action.

In the first case you see that the driver of a train has collapsed and died. On that track there are five people and on a secondary track there is one. By switching a lever you can cause one death but save five lives. Eighty per cent of people asked said it was morally permissible to pull the lever killing one to save five.

In the second scenario you are standing on a bridge and you see below a driverless train heading for five people on the track.

The only way to stop them being killed is to throw over the bridge, and onto the track, the very large stranger standing next to you.

Eighty per cent said it was not morally permissible, despite having the same outcome.

According to prominent psychologist and Harvard University professor Joshua Greene: “In the first case you are running in what

we call manual mode and five from one is okay in that mode,” Philip said.“In the second case our manual mode is overridden by our emotions, in particular the emotion disgust and that says ‘no’ and that’s the critical point.

“If you think about the decisions you have to make, how many times are you going to move from a manual mode that gets emotionally overridden? It happens to all of us.

It’s how we handle complex moral issues and we have to be aware of that.”

Philip was once asked to assist in dealing with the complex question of an anorexic refusing treatment.

“This is a person who had said ‘I do not want you to intervene, I’m going to refuse to eat, I’m going to die.’The complex question was what to do now?’

“It was in hospital, surrounded by the full gamut of the health system. We had in the room psychiatrists, social workers, psychologists, nurses, and her guardian and also outside her parents and the patient. As we worked through the afternoon almost everyone was saying this is informed consent, we need to respect the patient’s wishes.

“As we walked out of the room, I thought we’d made a decision, someone said ‘yep, I get all that, we’re going to intervene’. That’s a classic case where the manual mode is over ridden by emotion.”

Philip’s role was done. It was not to make a decision, but to provide a space to fully explore the situation, to help those involved to make the best decision for the patient in line with their own values and principles.

*Nurses and midwives can get free counselling on ethical issues by calling the St James Ethics Centre’s Ethi-call 1800 672 303.

32 | THE LAMP NOVEMBER 2013

Making the most of our empathy New South Wales’ Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer Susan Pearce says she had a “light bulb moment” while being a patient in ICU.

SUSAN PEARCE, CHIEF NURSING AND Midwifery Officer for New South Wales, knows just how important it is for nurses and midwives, with their most precious assets of empathy, communication and patient advocacy, to play a leading role in health care reform.

“I was in ICU following cardiac surgery and a nurse put all the blankets on me and simply put his hand on my arms and reassured me I would be okay,” she told delegates to the 2013 NSWNMA Professional Day. “I actually felt, for the very first time, in what had been a pretty traumatic time in arriving in the ICU, that I would be.”

She said the experience led her to think in a very different way about what nurses and midwives do. She realised that often even nurses and midwives are unaware of the many ways they instinctively make a difference to the wellbeing of patients.

“Something we have always done very well is intuitively understand our patients and the other factors that contribute to their general health and wellbeing that aren’t always

obvious. For all of us there’s something happening behind the scenes that others may not be aware of.”

She says she is not trying to over simplify the work of nurses and midwives in complex and challenging environments.

“The delivery of compassionate care is more than the execution of competent clinical skills. It involves a doing role and a caring role; when our patients consider they are cared for and cared about, they are not just being considered as a disease or a condition.

“I want you to think about how we always stay focused on translating this into our practice and what opportunities we can create for nurses and midwives on what they are doing and how it impacts on their patients.”

An example of this is the Essentials of Care program, a major feature of the work of the office of the NSW Chief Nurse. Susan has been asked: “why spend money on assisting people to get the basics of care?”

“The reality is we do need to invest in that. I’m not suggesting it’s a panacea but one of the things [the program] has done, where

it’s worked well, is create a culture of shared responsibility and accountability, of creativity and ownership of solutions and opportunities and to always have our patients at the centre of what we do.”

Susan said Essentials of Care, operating in a large number of wards in NSW, has had sustainable impacts on improving patients’ experiences and staff satisfaction.

At Coffs Harbour Health campus there was an effort to really understand, from patients’ perspectives, what was leading to falls and that led to a significant reduction in the at-risk group.

At Wollongong Hospital the paediatrics ward and emergency department built a more collaborative approach.

“A paediatric nurse-in-charge now attends a clinical handover in the ED to enable early identification of issues impacting on the transfer of paediatric patients.

“All of this stuff sounds pretty simple and a lot is, but it takes time and critical reflection to get there and we’re committed to doing this to support staff.”

THE LAMP NOVEMBER 2013 | 33

NURSES AND MIDWIVES IT’S IMPORT IMPORTANT ORT TANT A TO TO NOTE NOTE You Y ou o must be a

FINANCIAL MEMBER of the NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association to ensure your entitlement to

2 2 2

ALL ASSOCIATION ASSOCIAATTION SERV SERVICES ACCIDENT JOURNEY INSURANCE PROFESSIONAL INDEMNITY INSURANCE

All these services are only available to members who are financial members.

Make sure your membership remains financial by switching from payroll deductions to Direct Debit.

UNSURE IF YOU ARE FINANCIAL? It’s It’s easy! Ring and check today on 8595 1234 (metro) or 1300 367 962 (rural).

Download, complete and return your Direct Debit form to the Association.

www.nswnma.asn.au www ww w.nswnma.asn.au .nswnma.a .

Authorised by B.Holmes, General Secretary, NSWNMA SW

NSWNMA ONLINE

New website delivers more The Association has revamped its website, members now have access to more information and more services, available in a more accessible format.

“We are committed to improving the experience members have with their union by adding to and improving our online resources.”

— Brett Holmes

AN ONLINE FLIPBOOK OF EVERY ISSUE OF The Lamp since 2005 is a key addition to the Association’s new website (www.nswnma.asn.au). Editorials by General Secretary Brett Holmes, providing analysis of the issues and challenges facing the Association, are also available separately.

There is plenty of other news that is immediate and relevant, some written specifically for the web as well as all the Association’s media releases, our Twitter feed and links to our social media.

For those who prefer their news and information broadcast rather than in print there is a multimedia section that covers all the key issues and NSWNMA events.

There is a new industrial section where you will find all the relevant awards for nurses and midwives working in the public health system, private hospitals and aged care. Previously housed on the members’ only section, they are now available on our public site. Members can still obtain expert advice by speaking to a union representative at their workplace or by calling the Association on 1300 367 962 (non metro) or 8595 1234 (metro).

The website’s industrial section also contains comprehensive information about Occupational Health and Safety and workers’ compensation and you can now ask Assistant General Secretary Judith Kiejda online about your rights at work.

Our education and library services are easily accessible through the site and you can get a good feel for the breadth of journals, books and courses that are available to members.

Nurses and midwives who wish to join the Association, or current members who wish to pay their fees online, can still do so via the new site.

Brett Holmes says the new website is part of the Association’s commitment to keeping members well informed and up to date about the issues and actions that impact their workplaces.

“We are committed to improving the experience members have with their union by adding to and improving our online resources. Members frequently tell us that communication is important and that they value the information we provide. So we have put effort into developing our online and social media channels and complementing our print publications with more multimedia,” he said.

THE LAMP NOVEMBER 2013 | 35

Summer essentials NSWNMA merchandise is not only stylish and comfortable, it is affordable and sold at cost to members.

NSWNMA Navy Canvas Canvas Duffle Bag

To orderr, fax the or o der form to Glen Ginty, (02) 9662 1414 or post to: NSWNMA, 50 O’Dea Avenue, v Waterloo a NSW 2017

$25

Large main zippered compartment; cotton webbing web bing heavy heavy duty double carr carryy handles, removable removable adjustable adjustable shoulder stra strap, p, 1 side end slip pocket.

Merchandise order forms also available on

www.nswnma.asn.au www.nswnma.asn.au

ORDER FORM NSWNMA Navy Polo Shirt with embroidered logo

NSWNMA Navy Polo Shirt with embroidered logo $20. Quantity: Size: Ladies Size 14 (to fit sizes 8-10) Ladies Size 16 (to fit sizes 12-14) Unisex M Unisex L Unisex S Unisex XXL Unisex XL

$20

Available in Ladies size 14 (to fit sizes 8-10) and 16 (to fit sizes 12-14); and Unisex sizes S, M, L, XL, XXL

NSWNMA Navy Canvas Duffle Bag $25.

Quantity: Navy Hoodies $30. Quantity: 12 14 Size: 10 M L S XL XXL XL

Red Hoodies – also av available ailable in Navy

$30

Red Hoodies $30. Quantity: Size: 10 12 14 S M L XL XL XXL

aavailable vailable in Ladies 10, 12, 14, 16 and Unisex S, M, L, XL, XXL & XXXL (na (navy only). vy onl y).

16 XXXL 16

Total o cost of order $ Please include postage and handling of $5 per order.

Name Address

Postcode Phone (h)

Going overseas into colder weather?

(w) (mob) METHOD OF PAYYMENT Cheque Visa Bankcard Money Order Name of card holder Expiry date

Get your NSWNMA hoodies!

You’ve probably seen your colleagues who attended our Annual Conference wearing these out and about. Show you are a proud NSWNMA member and order your hoodie. These hoodies are snug and warm and only $30. Available in red or navy. 89% cotton.

Card number

Signature

Mastercard /

ASK JUDITH Flexible working for parents I am an RN working in a public hospital and have two children who I can only obtain childcare for on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. I have asked my NUM not to roster me on those days but he has advised he cannot guarantee my roster. I have no family to help me out. What can I do?

You should apply for Flexible Working Practice as outlined in PD2005_087 Flexible Working Practice – Policy. You will need to submit an application outlining your request and the reasons that you need to apply for a Flexible Working Practice.

Under anti-discrimination legislation your employer cannot discriminate against you because of your carers’ responsibilities and your employer should approve your Flexible Working Practice, unless they can demonstrate it would cause them unjustifiable hardship to do so.

Trade union leave I am a NSWNMA delegate at a public hospital. I usually attend Committee of Delegates meetings (CoD) and have not had an issue with trade union leave being approved. We have a new manager who has refused to grant this request in future. Am I able to claim my attendance at CoD as trade union leave?

No you cannot claim trade union leave for attendance at CoD. Clause 54B of the Public Health System Nurses and Midwives’ (State) Award 2011 lists which Association activities can be claimed as trade union leave and CoD is not one of them. The principal activities covered by this leave, applicable to most delegates, are Annual Conference, meetings of the Association’s Executive or Council,

Annual Conference of Unions NSW and the Congress of the ACTU if you are an elected delegate to either of those bodies.

The main intention of the trade union leave in the award is to ensure branch representatives are freed up to attend local committees requiring employee representation and input, and to enable branch delegates to be released to attend the Associations’ Annual Conference.

Paid for experience I am an RN working in a private hospital and am being paid as an RN Year 1, yet I have more than eight years’ experience. Am I entitled to be paid as an RN Year 8?

Yes.Your previous nursing service can be recognised but you will need to provide evidence of your previous service in order to receive the higher rate. This should have been provided on termination from your previous job and is called a “statement of service”. The statement of service should indicate what your employment status was, such as permanent part time or full time or casual, as well as the period you were employed. If employment was part time or casual then it should show the number of hours you worked during that period of employment.

Under the Modern Award, you need to work a total of 1786 hours to equal the number of hours of a full time employee. Under employer agreements, you need to work a total of 1976 hours (the public sector is different again; it is 1982 hours). So, for your eight years of experience, if you have a total of 13,832 hours or above, you should thereafter be graded as an eighth year and paid accordingly,

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

provided you have given proof of this service to your current employer. It is important to note that you can only have an increment once in any 12-month period, i.e. anniversary date to anniversary date, and overtime hours are not counted for the purpose of incremental progression.

Roster change day of shift I am an AiN working in a public hospital. Recently, I attended work for a rostered morning shift and on arrival was informed that the shift had been changed to an afternoon shift. Can my employer do this?

The Public Health System Nurses and Midwives’ (State) Award 2011 provides that a roster must be posted two weeks prior to the commencement of the roster. This roster can only be changed in certain circumstances, including where an employee is absent from work on short notice due to illness or an emergency. However, all employees should be notified either verbally or in writing of the change to the roster before the date of the changed shift.

Maternity leave second time I am an RN employed in the public sector and will soon be applying for maternity leave. Following my return to work after a previous period of maternity leave, I have been working reduced hours for more than 12 months. What are my entitlements for my upcoming maternity leave?

As you are currently working reduced hours and have done so for more than 12 months, clause 34 (xv) of the Public Health System Nurses and Midwives’ (State) Award 2011 provides that you be paid maternity leave at the rate of your reduced hours.

THE LAMP NOVEMBER 2013 | 37

It’s time Order your NSWNMA campaign scrub uniforms for conference and rally times, and make an impression!

Over the past few months, NSWNMA 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 NSWNMA image.

SCRUB TOP

The new range consists of a Unisex Scrub Top and Unisex Classic Pant. Both made from 65% polyester,

With With every purchase purchase op, you of a Scrub TTop, o y rreceive e eceive this campaign cam TT-Shirt --Shirt for

FREE!

35% cotton. This fabric blend is durable and of superior quality. The scrub campaign uniform also has number of functional features, including jet pockets, pen partition, drawstring front on pants and brushed fabric coating for added comfort.

Sizes range from XS-5XL to ensure various body shapes and sizes are catered. Most importantly,

Size (cm)

XS

S

M

L

XL

2XL

3XL

4XL

5XL

Half Chest Circumference

53

56

59

62

66

69

73

77

81

Half Hem Circumference

54

74

78

82

General Guide for Female 8/10 SCRUB PPANTS ANTS A

to scrub up for 2013!

57

60

63

67

70

10/12

12/14

14/16

16/18

18/20

20/22 22/24 24/26

Half Waist (Relaxed)

29

33

37

40.5

43.5

46.5

50.5

54.5

58.5

Half Waist (Stretched)

47

51

55

58.5

61.5

64.5

68.5

72.5

76.5

Half Hip

55

59

63

66

69

72

76

80

84

Out Seam Length

103

105

107

109

111

112

113

114

115

the range has been designed to ensure a comfortable fit every time.

Scrub top and pant are $20 each incl GST. You can place your order by the following methods: 2

Shop online, online, by registering as a user on www.totalimagegrouponline.com/nswnurses on our tailored NSWNMA online store. catalogue, 2 Browse through the customised catalogue complete the order form and send back to Total Image by: email sales@totalimagegroup.com.au Fax: 9569 6200 or Post PO Box 199, Westgate NSW 2048 Total Image accepts credit card payment

by Visa, MasterCard, and AMEX (3.5% surcharge on AMEX) or cheque/money order.

Delivery by Australia Post within 10-14 working days and charged at $5 incl GST.

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

WHAT’S

SOCIAL MEDIA

HOT

NURSE UNCUT

THIS MONTH

A BLOG FOR AUSTRALIAN NURSES AND MIDWIVES www.nurseuncut.com.au

@nurseuncut

Sign up for the weekly email that alerts you to new posts.

Nurse Uncut is also on Facebook: www.facebook.com/NurseUncutAustralia. And on Twitter @nurseuncut

Nurses lead the way on refugee health www.nurseuncut.com.au/nurses-lead-sydney-refugee-health-program/

Nurse Uncut talks to Sandy Eagar RN, manager of 15 nurses who work in the Nurse-Led Refugee Health Program.

Nurse selfies – naughty or not? www.nurseuncut.com.au/nurse-selfies-naughty-or-not/

Is it harmless fun to take your own photo while at work? Or should “selfies” be off-limits for nurses?

Exercise, fitness and nursing www.nurseuncut.com.au/exercise-fitness-and-nursing/

Jen Smith thought walking at work was enough to keep her fit. Then she discovered “gentle exercise” and her energy levels soared.

Poem to a nurse from a radiotherapy patient www.nurseuncut.com.au/poem-from-a-breast-cancer-patient/

“As you chatter to your co-worker about what you did last night, are you thinking about me as I lie upon this cold steel slab?”

The Human Cost of Power www.nurseuncut.com.au/the-human-cost-of-power/

A new short video looks at the impact of the massive expansion of coal mining and fracking on the health of Australians.

The helpful selfie www.nurseuncut.com.au/the-harmful-not-helpful-photo-challenge/

Submit a selfie to support the Cancer Council’s campaign to have tobacco retailers licensed.

NEW ON SUPPORT NURSES CHANNEL Global Day of Action highlights September 17 was the first Global Day of Action organised by Global Nurses United. In Sydney we took to the harbour to deliver our message against a stunning backdrop. > youtu.be/TUuJifLJzjI Regional ratios campaign events Tenpin bowling in Wagga, turning the Big Banana red in Coffs and a street march in Nowra. > youtu.be/CWmZGqmyE_4 Follow us on Twitter >> NSWNurses & Midwives @nswnma Watch us on YouTube >> SupportNurses Connect with us on Facebook New South Wales Nurses and Midwives’ Association >> www.facebook.com/nswnma Aged Care Nurses >> www.facebook.com/agedcarenurses Ratios put patient safety first >> www.facebook.com/safepatientcare

NEW! Share photos with us on Instagram @nswnma THE LAMP NOVEMBER 2013 | 39

LIONS NURSES’ SCHOLARSHIP Looking for funding to further your studies in 2014?

TThe he tr trustees ustees es of the Lions Nurses’ Scholarship F Foundation cations for scholarships for 2014. invite applications Enrolled and registered red nurses eligible el for these scholarships must be resident and employed loyed within the State of NSW or ACT You must currently bee registered with w the Nursing and Mid Board of Australia and the nursing profession nd working within w in NSW or the ACTT, annd must have experience in the nursing rsing profession profess in NSW or the ACT Applicants must alsoo be able to produce evidence that p your employer will grant ant leave for the required period of the scholarship.

Details of eligibility and the scholarships available scho (which include study projects either eith within Australia or overseas), and application cation forms are available from: The Honourary Secretary Lions Nurses’ Scholarship arship Foundation Found 50 O’Dea AAvenue, venue, Waterloo aterloo NSW 2017 or contact Ms Glen Ginty on 1300 130 367 962 or gginty@nswnma.asn.au www www.nswnma.asn.au .nswnma.asn.au Completed applications must be in the hands of the secretary no later than 29 November 2013.

ADVERTISE IN

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Contact Patricia Purcell on 02 8595 2139 or 0416 259 845 or email ppurcell@nswnurses.asn.au for more information. *Circulation Audit Board actual figures 58,846. 30/09/2012.

Online solution for flu vaccine supplies Sanofi Pasteur is introducing an innovative solution for nurses to secure their supply of influenza vaccines with the launch of their easy to use online platform, flushop.com.au.

Using this platform, nurses can now simply book their flu vaccines at their convenience.

For more information visit www.flushop.com.au

40 | THE LAMP NOVEMBER 2013

WESTMEAD HOSPITAL

Due to the expansion of services Midwifery positions have become available in all areas of the Maternity service. We offer: • Caseload and Outreach • Breech Service • Low risk and tertiary service • CME’s & CMC’s in all areas • Advanced skills programs • Intensive education & Support • State of the art facilities All enquiries welcome.

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Phone: 98457954

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Selfish selfies

What is the obsession with people taking photos of themselves!

Taking “selfies” at work blew up in the faces of some young nurses. We asked: have you ever taken a selfie at work?

What harm does it cause as long as patient confidentiality is maintained?

I don’t really care as long as it does not demean the profession.

Disagree for the fact she must have the phone on her. Nurses have been known to answer phones in patients’ rooms. Your family know where you are in an emergency – put the phone away!

You’re paid to work, not take selfies!

Just like people are paid to work and not stand around talking – no one ever does that [sarcasm!]

On the Apple Isle Tasmanian nurses rejected an attempt to cut their conditions, including cutting annual leave, reducing the length of shifts and cutting public holidays.

After 44 years of nursing this has got to be the most disgraceful attack on nurses yet.

We have had to fight so hard for every single condition year after year and the thought that they are now being eroded is an absolute nightmare. Hang your heads in shame bureaucrats.

How dare the government remove some of their hard fought conditions. The nurses aren’t asking for much, just the safety of the hospital consumer.

That is seriously disgraceful. :( How dare they treat you like this – patients are sick for 24 hours a day – we need more nurses, not less.

Tasmanian nurses must stand firm and not take a backward step. Reject mandatory annual leave rostering, the removal of 11.5 public holidays and reducing 8-hour shifts to 6 hours.

This government is absurd and insulting.

Bad day at the office South Australian Families First senator-elect, Bob Day, called for changes to unfair dismissal laws and the minimum wage (scrapping them, in other words).

Understaffing Chronic understaffing forced Dubbo nurses to threaten bed closures.

I hope he is willing to fight to bring down the cost of living before he makes people live on wages far below the average. I would think this political group, which was funded out of the goodwill of hardworking Christian people, would consider the poverty and the burden such a decision would place on the community.

Typical – this man is saying that younger people want to work for below average wages!

It’s sad that frontline nurses have to advocate for patient safety against their own hospital management. We are at a stage where health areas are refusing to follow the directive from the Health Minister that no frontline nurses are to be affected. Maybe it’s time for the Health Minister to start removing managers for not following her orders.

I am really sorry that you have to pay for the government’s mismanagement but we certainly appreciate your efforts.

I was so proud to see the NSWNMA strongly represented at the weekend’s refugee rights rally. Thank you!

Refugees rights We advertised a rally for refugee rights – but not everyone thought we should.

How can you fight so hard for other countries’ people when we have our own to fight for?

I don’t read too much about people rallying for Aboriginal children living in squalor. Nurses’ Association: when will you rally for the people who the nurses in this country care for?

It’s not an either/or proposition. There are many nurses who have refugees as patients.

I didn’t become a member to fight for justice for refugees. I believe in caring for the community I belong to and we are not doing justice by giving them sub-standard care.

The NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association constantly advocates for Australians. The current campaign re ratios is particularly relevant to country hospitals and community nurses where Aboriginal people will benefit from more nurses.

THE LAMP NOVEMBER 2013 | 41

NURSING RESEARCH ONLINE

The Croakey blog (@croakyblog) is a forum for debate and discussion about health issues and policy. It is moderated by Melissa Sweet, a freelance journalist with a personal and professional bent towards public health perspectives. It is a critical resource for any nurse or midwife who wants to be informed about big picture debates in the Australian health sector.

Where are Australia’s public health leaders?

Lesley Russell The importance of public health leadership in government is readily demonstrated in the work being undertaken in American cities like New York, Boston and Chicago. What can Australia learn from the roles played by municipal politicians such as Michael Bloomberg, Tom Menino and Rahm Emanuel?

New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg has emerged as one of America’s leading public health advocates and has used his role to improve the health of New Yorkers through the implementation of a variety of creative, groundbreaking policies to increase access to healthy foods, provide opportunities and safe places for physical activity, and expand smoking bans.

Under his administration New York has imposed strict limits on artificial trans fats and required fast food and chain restaurants to label their menus with calorie information. Much of the focus has been in low-income areas with the creation of the Healthy Bodega initiative, expansion of farmers’ markets that use the city’s Healthy Bucks coupons, and construction and improvement of playgrounds under the Schoolyards to Playgrounds initiative.

Australia is not without public health champions, but they are not in the political sphere where they can really make things happen. http://blogs.crikey.com.au/croakey/2013/09/24/ where-are-our-public-health-leaders-likemichael-bloomberg-et-al/

The challenges of sustainable, universal healthcare Daniel Holloway and Sam Osborne In light of the recent debate surrounding the sustainability of universal healthcare in Australia, the Deeble Institute held its inaugural symposium at Old Parliament House.

The symposium provided a forum for expert speakers from both sides of the political spectrum to debate the problems with Australia’s health care system, and discuss some possible solutions.

In his presentation the Grattan Institute’s Health Program Director, Professor Stephen Duckett, argued that contrary to popular belief, the rising cost of health care in Australia was not caused primarily by population growth, population ageing and excessive health care inflation.

42 | THE LAMP NOVEMBER 2013

He argued that policymakers need to address causes in the “other” category, such as waste and inefficiency, which are driving up expenditure.

Vivian Lin of the World Health Organisation (WHO) outlined a three-dimensional view of universal health care, explaining that its essential elements are: access to good quality health services, with financial protection, and overall equity and universality in its application.

She pointed out that universal healthcare is central to WHO’s objectives and remains relevant to all countries, including developed nations like Australia. http://blogs.crikey.com.au/croakey/2013/10/09/e xperts-investigate-the-challenges-facing-ourhealth-system/

How the system works against effective public health action and leadership Todd Harper Despite some laudable gains in areas like the plain packaging of tobacco products, public health in Australia continues to struggle for the attention that it deserves.

Public health fails to attract the investment it should partly because of a lack of leadership, but also because it battles to sustain the interest of governments beyond the next crisis in the health care. Our federal system divides responsibility between state, federal and even local governments; emancipating any of them from taking the leadership needed.

Stuck on a stubbornly low share of health spending, what can be done to boost the resources that public health needs to make long-lasting gains? http://blogs.crikey.com.au/croakey/2013/10/09/ a-call-for-governments-at-all-levels-to-gettheir-public-health-acts-together/

The Impact of the US Government Shutdown on Croakey Blog Readers Michelle Hughes The failure of the US Congress to agree on a federal budget, because a small band of conservative Republicans insisted that budget legislation be linked to efforts to repeal sections of the Affordable Health Act, known as Obamacare, almost led to a shutdown of the US government.

Some 800,000 federal workers were furloughed [leave without pay] and more than a million others were working without pay. The shenanigans gave the Obama Administration more publicity than

they could have otherwise acquired for the launch of state-based insurance exchanges on October 1. The publicity drove people to the websites for information and enrolment in unanticipated numbers, causing many systems to crash.

Senator Ted Cruz and his Tea Party confederates are right to be worried that once Obamacare is fully implemented, Americans are going to like it and will ensure it is never repealed.

However, if the government shutdown continued for much beyond a week then the consequences would really start to bite, not just in the US but even here in Australia.

Here are some of the ways that Croakey blog readers might be impacted. Government data and library websites were already in various stages of operation and none was being updated.

Pew Research compiled a list of some of the data sites affected. These included: The Bureau of Statistics, The Census Bureau, The Bureau of Economic Analysis, the Centers for Disease Control, and the National Center for Health Statistics.

Library sites including the Library of Congress, The National Library of Medicine and PubMed were affected. http://blogs.crikey.com.au/croakey/2013/10/03/ the-impact-of-the-us-government-shutdown-oncroakey-blog-readers/

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Across 1. Auditory aphasia (4.8) 7. Magnetic resonance imaging (1.1.1) 9. Inflammation of the mucosa of the nose and eustachian tube (16) 11. Incapable of being seen or noticed (12) 13. Any device used to explore an opening such as a sinus or wound (5) 14. The egg of a louse (3) 15. A protruding part; an outward curve or swelling (5) 16. An interval, space, or gap in a tissue or structure (10)

18. Novel plasminogen activator (1.1.1) 19. Total (3) 21. Producing an amount or quantity in return for an effort or investment (8) 25. Below the epidermis (12) 27. To retch (3) 28. Worthy of notice (10) 29. Shin bone (5) 31. An infectious disease that is transmitted through sexual activity (1.1.1) 32. A test used to determine such strength or activity (8) 33. To cut (5)

Down 1. Sutural bones (7.5) 2. A disorder of the hips and shoulders (10) 3. Semiconsciousness; grogginess, sleepiness (10) 4. Peculiarity of the pulse wave (10) 5. An alternative treatment that focuses on the neuromusculoskeletal conditions (10) 6. To settle from pressure or weight (3) 7. Undergoing the chemical changes of metabolism (12)

8. An inner or interior part (6) 10. Nothing; zero (3) 12. Inflammation of the episclera and adjacent tissues (12) 17. An instrument for measuring work done in muscular action (9) 20. Absorptions of a substance (7) 22. Disease (7) 23. A genus of the baneberry (6) 24. Covered with scabs (6) 26. Metra, womb (5) 30. A womanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s undergarment (3)

THE LAMP NOVEMBER 2013 | 43

Being a member of the NSWNMA suddenly got easier!

Introducing the do-it-yourself membership online portal Now you can change your personal details, pay your fees and even join online using membership online.

It’s easy. Simply register with your membership number, name and email address and create your own password.

From then on, use your member number and password to log in directly to the Members login area on the website.

You can now change your details at any time – address, workplace, credit card number, mobile number, etc.

You can pay fees online, print a tax statement or request a reprint of your membership card – it’s simple.

There are dedicated areas for branch officials.

Membership online via www.nswnma.asn.au

BOOKS

BOOK ME A Man’s Guide to a Nursing Career Chad E. O’Lynn Springer Publishing Company www.springerpub.com RRP $39.95 j ISBN 9780826106858

A Man’s Guide to a Nursing Career is a practical guide to a career in nursing from its earliest consideration through education and clinical practice, designed specifically for men. It discusses strategies for dealing with a rigorous nursing curriculum, compounded by the challenge of anti-male sentiment that is sometimes present. The reader is taken from day one of nursing school, through the licensing exam and addresses the specific needs of second-degree and accelerated program students. Also covered are professional development and leadership concerns in light of criticism from some women that men advance for self-serving reasons or “on the backs” of female colleagues.

Contexts of Nursing: Preparing for professional practice (4th ed.)

John Daly, Sandra Speedy and Debra Jackson Churchill Livingstone Australia (available through Elsevier Health Australia) www.elsevierhealth.com.au RRP $84.09 j ISBN 9780729541527 As with previous editions, Contexts of Nursing: Preparing for professional practice continues to challenge and extend nursing students by exploring the key concepts underpinning contemporary nursing practice. This text features abundant new and updated content and reflects the dynamic nature of nursing scholarship.

From Silence to Voice: What Nurses Know and Must Communicate to the Public (3rd ed.)

Bernice Buresh and Suzanne Gordon Cornell University Press www.cornellpress.cornell.edu RRP $19.95 j ISBN 9780801478734

The comprehensively revised and updated third edition of From Silence to Voice will help nurses to construct messages that accurately describe the true nature of their work. Because nurses are busy, the communication techniques in this book are designed to integrate naturally into their everyday lives and to complement their work with patients and families. The book deals with communication via a range of traditional methods as well as social media.

SPECIAL INTEREST

The Pain Book: Finding Hope When it Hurts Philip Siddall, Rebecca McCabe and Robin Murray Hammond Press www.hammond.com.au RRP $29.95 j ISBN 9780987189271

The skill and techniques described in this book provide a basis for the successful pain management program that is run by the authors at Greenwich Hospital, Sydney. The book aims to help the many people who face pain on a daily basis by providing an overview of the latest understanding of how pain works, as well as a summary of what is currently available for the treatment of pain. The book may also help people to find hope through practical steps to reduce pain and address the physical, psychological and spiritual impact of pain.

Evidence-Based Practice Across the Health Professions (2nd ed.)

Tammy Hoffman, Sally Bennett and Chris Del Mar Churchill Livingstone Australia (available through Elsevier Health Australia) www.elsevierhealth.com.au RRP $ 95.41 j ISBN 9780729541350 Evidence-based Practice Across the Health Professions provides the reader with an excellent foundation in the knowledge and skills necessary to perform and understand the implications of evidence-based practice, within a healthcare environment. It discusses the critical role of clinical reasoning and includes a range of practical strategies to facilitate shared decision-making and effective communication with clients, for improved client outcomes. Evidence-based decision making is common to all professions and provides an ideal platform for multidisciplinary work.

All books can be ordered through the publisher or your local bookshop. NSWNMA members can borrow the books featured here, and many more, from our Records and Information Centre (RIC).

Contact Jeannette Bromfield gensec@nswnma.asn.au or Cathy Matias 8595 2121 cmatias@nswnma.asn.au. All reviews by NSWNMA RIC Coordinator/Librarian Jeannette Bromfield. Some books are reviewed using information supplied and have not been independently reviewed.

THE LAMP NOVEMBER 2013 | 45

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MOVIES

movies of the month Set in Paris, this evocative film explores the life of a high school student drawn to left wing activism, writes Lynne Dive.

The title of the film, Apres Mai, refers to the chaos of May 1968, when a student strike spread to become a general strike in which two thirds, or nearly 10 million, French workers went on strike.

The response from authorities was violent and oppressive and three years later, in 1971 when the film is set, Paris was still volatile.

The film’s lead character, Gilles (Clément Métayer), participates in this turmoil by distributing leaflets and drawing messages on public walls. However, when a protest he and his friends are involved in leads to the injury of a bystander, the group flees to Italy to escape the eyes of the law.

It is the end of school and despite being on the run the group spends an idyllic summer. Gilles and a fellow protester, Christine (Lola Creton), become lovers and fun, parties and the bohemian lifestyle become an attractive distraction from the serious life of a revolutionary.

This film depicts the desire of youth for change, and the battle between a desire for radicalism and the need to conform to society’s idea of success.

Lynne Dive RN is a phone triage nurse for Medibank, working from home.

IN CINEMAS NOVEMBER 21

MEMBER GIVEAWAY The Lamp has 15 in-season double passes to give away to After May thanks to Palace Films.

The first 15 members to email their name, membership number, address and telephone number to lamp@nswnma.asn.au will win.

NIGHT TRAIN TO LISBON The life of high school Latin teacher Raimund Gregorius, (Jeremy Irons), is transformed after he saves the life of a young Portuguese woman, intent on jumping to her death from a bridge in the Swiss city of Bern.

The woman disappears, leaving behind her coat. Inside it Raimund finds a book containing a train ticket, scheduled to leave in 15 minutes.

On an impulse he decides to use the ticket, setting off on an adventurous journey to Lisbon.

Based on the best selling novel by Pierre Mercier (the pen name of Swiss-born author Peter Bieri, a retired professor of philosophy), Night Train to Lisbon also stars Tom Courtenay, Christopher Lee and Charlotte Rampling. The novel by Mercier, has been translated into 15 languages and is one of the most successful German-language novels of the decade.

IN CINEMAS DECEMBER 5

MEMBER GIVEAWAY The Lamp has 15 in-season double passes to give away to Night Train to Lisbon thanks to Pinnacle Films.

The first 15 members to email their name, membership number, address and telephone number to lamp@nswnma.asn.au will win.

THE LAMP NOVEMBER 2013 | 47

POSTGRADUATE GRADUATE C COURSES OURSES IN MENTAL NTAL HEALTH HEALTH NURSING* NURSING* Developed specifically pecifically ffor or cli clinicians nicians entering entering ialist aarea rea o Mental H ealth into the specialist off Mental Health Contact information: mation: Ro Rose se M McMaster cMaster E: Rose.McMaster@acu.edu.au ster@acu.edu.au | T: T: (02) (02) 9739 9739 2369 2369

* SSubject ubject tto o fi final nal aapproval pproval

www.acu.edu.au/mental-health www.acu.edu.au/mental-health

Graduate Certificates Commence C ommence iin nF February ebruar y 2 2014 014 – a accepting ccep pting enrolments now en rolments n ow N Newly ew l y a accredited c c r e d i te d g graduate r a d u a te c certificates e r t i fi c a te s c commencing o m m e n c in g iin nF February: ebruar y: a acute cute care, care, aged aged care, care, cancer, cancer, child child and a nd ffamily amily h health, ealth, c critical ritical c care, are, lleadership eadership and and management, management, n neonatal, eonatal, p paediatric aediatric and a nd p perioperative. erioperative.

www www.acn.edu.au .acn.edu.au 1800 COLLEGE (265 534) (charges may apply)

studentservices@acn.edu.au

Applications Applications close: close: 31 31 January Januar y 2014 2014 CALL CALL U US S AND AND BOOK BOOK YOUR YOUR PLACE PL ACE NOW NOW

48 | THE LAMP NOVEMBER 2013

Australian College of Nursing

2014 NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association Election of Branch Delegates and Alternate Delegates Pursuant to the Industrial Relations Act, 1996, Robert Leslie Whyburn will be the Returning Officer for the election of branch delegates and alternate delegates to the Annual Conference and the Committee of Delegates of the NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association.

Nominations Nominations in writing are hereby invited on and from 1 January 2014 for the following positions: Branch delegates and alternate delegates to the Annual Conference and the Committee of Delegates.

Each branch shall be entitled to elect such delegates according to the number of financial members in that branch as at 31 December 2013, as follows: (information as to the number of financial members in each branch is available from each branch secretary, or the NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association, (telephone 1300 367 962) 50 financial members or less 51-130 (inclusive) financial members 131-300 (inclusive) financial members 301-500 (inclusive) financial members 501-750 (inclusive) financial members 751-1000 (inclusive) financial members 1001-1250 (inclusive) financial members 1251-1500 (inclusive) financial members 1501 financial members or more

1 delegate 2 delegates 3 delegates 4 delegates 5 delegates 6 delegates 7 delegates 8 delegates 9 delegates

Each branch shall be entitled to elect alternate delegates equal to the delegate entitlement of that branch, provided that a branch shall be entitled to elect at least 2 alternate delegates.

Note: A person may nominate for one of these positions only.

Candidates for election to the position of branch delegate or alternate delegate are required to be financial members of the Association at the date of opening of nominations 1 January 2014.

A person is not eligible to nominate for, be elected to, or hold any office in the Association, Committee of Delegates or branch thereof if (i) such person holds any office in any other registered trade union or a like or kindred nature or having objects similar to the objects of the NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association other than the Australian Nursing Midwifery Federation, (ii) such person has been, within the period of 2 years immediately preceding the date of nomination or election, dismissed from any office or position in accordance with rule 14 of the Association’s Rules.

Pro forma nomination forms may be obtained from the returning officer, Robert Leslie Whyburn, c/- NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association, 50 O’Dea Avenue, Waterloo 2017 or from NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association (telephone 1300 367 962) or from the member only section of the Association’s website (www.nswnma.asn.au).

Close of nominations Nominations must be received by the returning officer, Robert Leslie Whyburn, not later than 5pm on Thursday 20 February 2014. They may be hand delivered to Returning Officer, Mr Robert Leslie Whyburn, NEW Law, 50 O’Dea Avenue, Waterloo 2017; posted to Returning Officer, Mr Robert Leslie Whyburn, PO Box 6373, Alexandria 2015 or faxed to (02) 9662 1463.

Nominations received after the time and date specified will not be accepted. Nominations cannot be lodged with the NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association.

Any defect in a nomination must be rectified by the candidate prior to the close of nominations. A candidate may only withdraw his/her nomination in writing so as to be received by the returning officer prior to the close of nominations.

Should more than the required number of nominations be received a draw will be conducted to determine the order of candidates’ names on the ballot paper at 50 O’Dea Avenue, Waterloo at 12.00 noon, Friday 28 February 2014. Candidates or their representatives are invited to witness the draw.

Voting If the election is contested a postal ballot will be conducted. All members of the relevant branch of the New South Wales Nurses and Midwives’ Association financial as at noon, Friday 28 February 2014 and entitled to vote will be sent a ballot paper on Monday 10 March The ballot will close at 5.00pm, Monday 24 March 2014. The method of voting to be observed for this election will be first past the post. Any candidate in a contested election may nominate another person to act as their scrutineer at the counting of the ballot.

Candidates should ring the Association to ascertain the date and time of counting.

Members should ensure that the NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association has been advised of their current residential address as voting material will be posted to each member’s residential address.

Any enquiries concerning this election should be in writing or by fax and be addressed to the Returning Officer Mr R L Whyburn.

Robert Leslie Whyburn, Returning Officer for the 2014 NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association Election

DIARY DATES

conferences, seminars, meetings NSW NSW/ACT Branch Renal Society of Australasia Workshop 1 November Liverpool Imelda De Guzman (02) 8738 7114 Imelda.DeGuzman@sswahs.nsw.gov.au NSW Urological Nurses Society Professional Development Day 1 November Burwood www.anzuns.org/nsw urological_nurses@hotmail.com 80s Dance with Jellybean Jam and DJ Gary Fundraising for National Breast Cancer Foundation November 1 Sydney www.ticketdirect.com.au 16th NSW Rural Mental Health Conference 11-13 November Albury nswrural@astmanagement.com.au; (07) 5502 2068 conventionhouse.com.au/nswrural/ Stalking: Assessment, Treatment and Management One-day training by Dr Karl Roberts 12 November Sydney enquiry@crimesolutionsinternational.com Rehabilitation nursing for RNs & ENs Australian College of Nursing 11-12 November Wollongong www.acn.edu.au X-ray interpretation for RNs & ENs Australian College of Nursing

15 November Burwood www.acn.edu.au Pain management for RNs & ENs Australian College of Nursing 18 November Alstonville www.acn.edu.au Short Course in Sexual Health Nursing 22-23 November Sydney www.ashm.org.au/courses kate.ross@ashm.org.au 8204 0777 Birthing Kit packing day – Amnesty 23 November Cronulla Amnesty.sutherlandshire@gmail.com www.mycause.com.au/page/birthingkitp ackingdaysutherlandshire Master Class in Clinical Psychogeriatrics St Vincent’s Psychogeriatric Mental Health Service 23 November Garvan Institute www.stvincents.com.au/conferences Neuroscience Conference: Navigating Neuro 1 March 2014 Wollongong Jo McLoughlin 0422 418 255 Joanne.mcloughlin@sesiahs.health.nsw. gov.au

INTERSTATE Indigenous Allied Health Conference 26-27 November Adelaide iaha.com.au/events/2013-conference No 2 Bullying 2014 conference 7-8 April 2014 www.no2bullying.org.au

National Eating Disorders and Obesity Conference March 2014 Gold Coast eatingdisordersaustralia.org.au

OVERSEAS Epidemiology and Social Psychiatry Meeting 2014 May 21-24 2014 Germany www.epa2014ulm.eu International Conference on Infectious & Tropical Diseases 16 -18 January 2015 Cambodia ictid.webs.com/

REUNIONS Gladesville Hospital/Riverglades reunion BBQ 16 February, 2014 Gladesville Hospital $15 per person includes food Colin Campbell or Warren Martin (02) 9489 5907 0428 727 384 warrenjmartin@hotmail.com NEC Prince Henry/POW Hospitals Oct 1972-75 Group 25-26 October, 2014 Margret Brignall (née Samuel) 0418 646 959 Sonia Keeling (née Graf) 0407 221 407 Marcia Jarvis (née Fitch) 0438 415 647 Dianne Walkden (née Edwards) 0400 621 470 Gill Gillon (née Horton) 0401 048 205

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@nswnma.asn.au • Fax: 9550 3667 • Post: 50 O’Dea Ave, Waterloo NSW 2017.

Crossword solution

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50 | THE LAMP NOVEMBER 2013

F N A L P R V A P A N T H Y S C U A B L B Y

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EDUCATION

WHAT’S ON NOVEMBER 2013 ——— • ——— Appropriate Workplace Behaviour – 1 day 7 November Newcastle Topics include why bullying occurs; antidiscrimination law and NSW Health policies; appropriate behaviour in the workplace; identifying unlawful harassment and bullying; what to do if subjected to unlawful harassment and bullying; how to use workplace grievance procedures; identifying, preventing and resolving bullying.

Members $85 Non-members $170 ——— • ——— Review and Implementation of Guidelines and Policies – 1 day 29 November Penrith Suitable for all nurses and midwives.

Members $85 Non-members $170 ——— • ——— To register or for more information go to www.nswnma.asn.au/education

or phone Matt West on 1300 367 962

Our look has changed but our commitment to our members hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t First State Super is committed to the ongoing support of nurses and midwives. What makes us different is that we exist to grow our membersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; wealth, not our own. We work with our members to help them build and secure their financial future.

If you would like to be a member of the super fund that puts its members first, call 1300 650 873 today.

This is general information only. Consider our product disclosure statement before making a decision

FSS Trustee Corporation ABN 11 118 202 672 ASFL 293340 is the trustee of the First State Superannuation Scheme ABN 53 226 460 365