The Lamp April 2005 by NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association

volume 62 no.3 April 2005

Print Post Approved: PP241437/00033

We do incredible work

We’re worth

a fair deal

N IG PA M CA R Y KE PA STIC UR D YO N R DA FO AR DE TC SI S IN PO

magazine of the NSW Nurses’ Association

E SE

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2 THE LAMP M A PARRI CL H2 020050 5

ABOUT THE LAMP

C O N T E N T S

Contacts NSW NURSES’ ASSOCIATION For all membership enquiries and assistance, including Lamp subscriptions and change of address, contact our Sydney office. SYDNEY OFFICE 43 Australia Street Camperdown NSW 2050 PO Box 40 Camperdown NSW 1450 (all correspondence) T 8595 1234 (metro) 1300 367 962 (non-metro) F 9550 4524 E gensec@nswnurses.asn.au W www.nswnurses.asn.au HUNTER OFFICE 120 Tudor Street Hamilton NSW 2303 ILLAWARRA OFFICE L1, 63 Market Street Wollongong NSW 2500

Cover story

‘We do incredible work, we’re worth a fair deal’ 14 Cover Claire Milne, RN at Manly Hospital

News in brief

OHS

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35 Stressful workplaces need a strong union

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AINs beware: don’t be pushed to reclassify ANF acceptance provides recognition for AINs Coraki hospital closure threatens local community Historic win for New Zealand nurses $200m increase in private health insurance Happy 1st birthday, Ryde midwives New aged care precinct seeks staff Spot a royal Clinical news bites Nurses overpaid, says Senator Minchin NSW gets public home birth service HSC students study nursing

Nurses who dare 36 ‘Natural’ healing goes mainstream

Tips from members who know 38 Wanna lose 80kg? Ask Sam how

Special people 41 Karen ‘surprised and humbled’ by Women’s Day Award

Agenda

Regular columns

20 Big business and Coalition target minimum wage 22 The death of nursing 25 No place for the young 26 Nurses’ humanity prevails over mental health storm

Industrial issues 29 Big questions answered on the AHS third tier restructure

Knowing your super 32 Women unprepared for super change 33 How ethical is your super?

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Editorial by Brett Holmes Your letters to The Lamp Ask Judith Book me Our nursing crossword Diary dates

Special Offer 31 NSWNA save $30 to see The Producers – the New Mel Brooks Musical

Competition! 39 Win a show-stopping night to The Producers – the New Mel Brooks Musical

The Lamp COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR Noel Hester T 8595 2153 EDITORIAL For all editorial enquiries, letters and diary dates: Claire Buckis, Editorial Coordinator T 8595 2199 E cbuckis@nswnurses.asn.au M PO Box 40 Camperdown NSW 1450 PRODUCED BY Lodestar Communications T 9698 4511 PRESS RELEASES Send your press releases to: F 9550 4524 E gensec@nswnurses.asn.au THE LAMP EDITORIAL COMMITTEE Brett Holmes, NSWNA General Secretary Judith Kiejda, NSWNA Assistant General Secretary Coral Levett, NSWNA President Therese Riley, St George Hospital Mark Kearin, Wyong Hospital John Lyons, Coonabarabran District Hospital Jonathan Farry, RPA Hospital Roz Norman, Tamworth Base Hospital Stephen Metcalfe, Lismore Base Hospital ADVERTISING Patricia Purcell T 8595 2139 or 0416 259 845 F 9550 4524 E ppurcell@nswnurses.asn.au RECORDS AND INFORMATION CENTRE - LIBRARY To find old articles in The Lamp, or to borrow from the NSWNA library’s nursing and health collection, contact: Jeannette Bromfield, RIC Coordinator T 8595 2175 E gensec@nswnurses.asn.au General disclaimer The Lamp is the official magazine of the NSW Nurses’ Association. Views expressed in articles are contributors’ own and not necessarily those of the NSW Nurses’ Association. 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 NSW Nurses’ Association takes no responsibility for the advertising appearing herein and it does not necessarily endorse any products advertised. Privacy Privacy statement: The NSWNA collects personal information from members in order to perform our role of representing their industrial and professional interests. We place great emphasis on maintaining and enhancing the privacy and security of your personal information. Personal information is protected under law and can only be released to someone else where the law requires or where you give permission. If you have concerns about your personal information please contact the NSWNA office. If you are still not satisfied that your privacy is being maintained you can contact the Privacy Commission. Subscriptions Free to all Association members. Ex-members can subscribe to the magazine at a reduced rate of $44. Individuals $60, Institutions $90, Overseas $100.

THE NEW AND EASY WAY TO FIND THE BEST HEALTHCARE JOB.

A good job is one thing. Finding a job you really love is another thing altogether. For the largest choice of healthcare jobs, simply log on to the Internet and go to seek.com.au to our healthcare section. Then SEEK and you shall find. 4 THE LAMP APRIL 2005

E D I T O R I A L BY BRETT HOLMES GENERAL SECRETARY

The nurse shortage, workloads and pay g Better pay for nurses is part of the solution to the nurse shortage and crippling nurse workloads

he Carr Government’s offer of a 3% per year wage increase for nurses in NSW public hospitals is very disappointing. It is disappointing not only because it fails to match the pay increases of other public sector employees but also because it also suggests that the government really doesn’t understand why there continues to be a shortage of nurses in our hospitals. There have been several advances in recent years to ameliorate this problem, including pay increases through our work value case and the introduction of a workloads tool and clause. It is deeply mystifying why the government would want to claw back these advances when there is ample evidence that more needs to be done. An obsession with the bottom line seems to have clouded their judgements. There is a clear and undeniable link between the nurse shortage, workloads and pay. The Association has launched our campaign: ‘Public Health. There’s no fix without nurses’ with the goal of garnering public support and to put pressure on the government to recognise this link and the centrality of nurses to solving the problems of public health. It is now our challenge and responsibility to convince the government that retaining nurses and attracting new nurses is the key to fixing the problems in our health system. Better pay for nurses is part of the solution to the nurse shortage and the crippling workloads that nurses holding the system together face on a daily basis.

‘It is now our challenge and responsibility to convince the government that retaining nurses and attracting new nurses is the key to fixing the problems in our health system.’

Howard turns on ‘his’ battlers Another serious challenge facing us at this moment is the radical IR agenda being put forward by the Howard government.

In the past month, the Federal government has flagged new laws to restrict union access to worksites, to promote individual contracts, reduce the powers of the Industrial Relations Commission, gut the minimum wage and matters covered in awards and scrap the state IR systems. This federal government agenda is identical to that put forward by the big business groups. Both the Business Council of Australia and Federal Minister for Workplace Relations, Kevin Andrews, have come out and said fairness should not be a criterion in workplace law. This agenda has grave implications for NSW nurses. We would never have achieved the pay rises of the last few years in Howard’s harsh new world of work. And the workloads tool and clause – important resources for us to measure and regulate our daily workloads – would perish in the stripping of awards.

Our destiny remains in our own hands While this new environment for employees looks bleak, the truth is our destiny remains in our own hands. In this minimum wage, minimum protection, minimum workplace rights environment, only strong unions will survive. It will be vital to be a strong union with an active membership. I am determined that the NSWNA will continue to be such a union: a union that represents a growing number of active members who see this union as the vehicle for their own empowerment. The challenges I have outlined above are linked. It is important we get a good pay increase to protect our conditions and ourselves from the negative impact of the federal government’s attacks. And we need to put pressure on the state government not to abandon the state IR system which has provided a workplace environment that is relatively fair. I urge you to join in our campaign (see page 14) for a fair pay rise and for a more attractive nursing profession. THE LAMP APRIL 2005 5

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L E T T E R S

LETTER of the month Nicole Davis (futher right) with Ulladulla Community Health nurses

Anne O’Connor

Greg Mitchell

Mother nature knows best

We deserve 4%

Support for police nurses

We, the community nurses of Ulladulla Community Health, would love to share with our fellow nurses this wonderful poem written for us by an elderly gentleman client, Jim. The poem reflects on the contribution of Mother Nature (bees and honey) in wound care, and this lovely gentleman’s appreciation for the service we provide. Jim was thrilled and very proud at the prospect of publication. In appreciation of our wound care, Jim had the poem typed and framed for us, and it now hangs proudly in our office… all who read it do so with a smile

As a clinical nurse specialist I work along side many other allied health professionals, and I find it insulting that they would be offered a 4% pay rise over four years, while nurses would be offered 3%. The nursing profession has worked very hard on recruitment and retention over the last few years, and without the 4% pay rise, it’s quite likely all the good work will be undone. Nurses also have huge workloads and we need this pay rise to attract and retain nurses to the profession. On the issue of public support – we had the public’s support when we went to the Industrial Relations Commission a few years ago. The government will undo the gains we made if they don’t give us the 4% over four years. It’s insulting to the nursing profession.

On behalf of the Air Ambulance branch of the NSWNA, I would like to state our support for our nursing colleagues in the MSU Police Service as they continue their long-running campaign to get parity with public hospital nurses (News in Brief, February issue). We at Air Ambulance were in a similar situation not too long ago, but with dogged persistence and active support from the NSWNA we were successful in getting parity with the Public Hospital Award. Being a small branch (16 members), some thought we would not have the clout to push home our issues with the ‘big boys and girls’, but as we’ve previously said to The Lamp, ‘If you have an issue and you believe in it, its size does not always matter!’ I believe that because there are only six police nurses in the state, they are ineligible to form a branch of the NSWNA (minimum requirement is ten). I can’t help feeling that in their particular situation this is unfair and puts them at a disadvantage, not being represented at the Committee of Delegates or Annual Conference, and also not being able to state that they exist as a formal branch of the NSWNA. Perhaps they could be considered as a special case to allow them into the fold. After all, isn’t that one of the basic concepts of unionism, standing up for the little guy? Keep up the pressure and stay focused police nurses – we’ve been there and know the effort it can require to get what you deserve, and what is fair.You have our full support.

Nicole Davis, on behalf of the nurses from Ulladulla Community Health

Thank God for Nurses and Bees By Jim Goffin For years I’ve had me honey In me tea and on me bread Now I’ve had it on my arm As an ointment, to heal instead But now I have a nurse to tend to this blasted sore I should’ve had their service months and months before The pain it could have saved me And many a restless night But I’ll put that behind me now Each time I say goodnight

Anne O’Connor, CNS St George Hospital

LETTER of the month The letter judged the best each month will be awarded a $50 Myer voucher, courtesy Medicraft, Australia’s largest manufacturer of hospital beds and furtniture. For more information on Medicraft products, visit www.medicraft.com.au or call 9569 0255.

Every letter published receives a copy of the Australian Nurse Diary 2005. The diary includes weekly shift planners, reference materials, foreign language translations, and is available from hospital newsagents.

Got something to say?

Send your letters to: Claire Buckis email cbuckis@nswnurses.asn.au fax 9550 4524 mail PO Box 40 Camperdown NSW 1450 Please include a photograph along with your name, address, phone and membership number. Letters may be edited for clarity and space.

Greg Mitchell NSW Air Ambulance Greg Mitchell wins the prize for letter of the month, a $50 Myer voucher. THE LAMP APRIL 2005 7

N E W S

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AINS BEWARE: DON’T BE PUSHED

ANF ACCEPTANCE

PROVIDES NATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR AINS he ANF recently voted to include AINs as members of the national nurses’ union. AINs now have a national voice with the acceptance by the ANF of AINs to its membership, according to NSWNA Assistant General Secretary Judith Kiejda. As members of the ANF, AINs now have a union vote at a national level and are able to run for election to the ANF Council.

8 THE LAMP APRIL 2005

Coraki hospital closure threatens local community Photo courtesy of Northern Star

hile we wait continues for the aged care pay case to be passed down by the NSW Industrial Relations Commission, AINs are strongly advised to resist pressure from employers to reclassify to non-nursing awards. ‘Many AINs have been approached by their employer asking them to reclassify to Care Services Employees (CSE). But CSEs will not be eligible for a pay rise or other gains achieved in the paycase that AINs will receive,’ said Assistant General Secretary Judith Kiejda. Under the CSE classification, duties are not limited to nursing and care duties. CSEs can be asked to do a large range of non-nursing work such as laundry and kitchen duties, even garden maintenance. ‘It’s in your employer’s favour to push you to reclassify. There may seem to be some benefits to the CSE classification such as paid parental leave but you have a hardwon pay rise and conditions to lose,’ said Judith.

Photo courtesy of Northern Star

TO RECLASSIFY

Sandy Weeks with fellow NSWNA representative Keith Dorrell,.

he North Coast AHS has threatened to close Coraki’s 100-year-old Campbell Hospital as part its plan to redirect health funds across the area. More than 150 nurses, doctors and members of the local community rallied outside the hospital protesting against the plans announced by the North Coast AHS to close the 14 acute care beds. Instead, the hospital would be replaced by a GP clinic with a daytime emergency service, and an Aboriginal health clinic would be set up in Box Ridge. The plans would save the North Coast

Area Health Service $2.3 million, which would be redistributed across the Area. The proposed plans depend on the outcome of a 12-week consultation process. RN and NSWNA branch delegate Sandy Weeks told The Lamp Campbell Hospital is an important cornerstone of the Coraki community. ‘Coraki is relatively small town of 1159 people but it has a huge catchment area. People travel to the hospital on dirt roads from the bush. If they had to travel to Lismore Base Hospital, that’s an extra 30 minutes away – perhaps the difference between life and death. They can’t rely on ambulances because they may never find them out there. ‘The Aboriginal population also relies on the hospital and won’t be able to access Lismore Base because they don’t have access to petrol and many don’t have licences,’ said Sandy. ‘We’re going to make clear our opposition to these money-grabbing plans. The AHS has promised a consultation process but no meetings have been announced and we’re already weeks into the consultation period.’

NZ nurses, like these Hawkes Bay regional hospital employees, fought for fair pay – and won it.

Historic win for NZ nurses

‘The public have shown their appreciation for the hard work New Zealand nurses and midwives do.’

g 20% pay rise with no more individual bargaining ew Zealand nurses will get an average 20% pay rise in an historic deal that puts an end to a system of fragmented wage bargaining based on individual districts. Members of the New Zealand Nurses Organisation working in the public sector voted by an 81.7% majority to accept their first national agreement for 15 years. It will deliver pay rises of $10,000 a year and more for some nursing classifications. In 1991 a right-wing NZ government used its Employment Contracts Act to do away with the nurses’ national agreement – exactly the outcome Australia’s Liberal government is now pursuing with its own changes to industrial legislation. The NZ national agreement was replaced with a fragmented system which forced nurses at each of the country’s 21 district health boards to negotiate a separate pay agreement. This led to different rates of pay around the country and forced down nurses’ wages across the board. Now under a Labour government the NZ nurses have regained a national agreement covering more than 20,000 nurses, midwives and health care assistants. ‘After a decade and half of divide and

rule industrial relations in the health sector, this agreement will put a fragmented nursing workforce back together and go a long way to addressing the undervaluing of the work our members do,’ said NZNO spokesperson Laila Harré. At the centre of the NZ nurses’ claim was a demand for fair pay in comparison to other state sector employees such as teachers and police, and nurses and midwives overseas. Over the next 15 months, nurses will catch up through a series of pay increases. Registered nurses will earn between NZ$40,000 (up NZ$7,000 on the current rate) to NZ$54,000 (up NZ$10,000) with the opportunity to receive a professional development allowance of NZ$2,500 or NZ$4,000. Laila Harré said the priority now for NZNO would be to extend the benefits of the agreement to nurses and caregivers employed in primary health care and residential aged care facilities. The pay deal is also historic because it includes an agreement that nurses who are not union members will have to pay a bargaining fee to the union (deducted from their pay by the employer) to get the benefits of the agreement.

NZNO Bargaining Coordinator, Glenda Alexander, said all nurses – members and non-members – will be balloted about whether there should be a bargaining fee or not. ‘If the measure is agreed by a majority of employees, there will be a two-week opportunity for individual nonmembers to opt out in writing before deductions commence,’ Glenda said. ‘The bargaining fee will only give non-members access to the benefits of the agreement and not to any other NZNO support, service or participation. For that, non-members need to join up.’ Laila Harré thanked the public for supporting the nurses’ campaign. ‘We asked the public to support us and they have. In doing so they have shown their appreciation for the hard work nurses and midwives do,’ she said. The agreement contains other important wins for NZNO members: c An independently-chaired inquiry will be established to investigate nurse staffing levels and make recommendations on safe staffing levels and the process for ensuring they are met. c The NZNO will be represented on a government working party to work out how to extend the state sector superannuation scheme to health employees. THE LAMP APRIL 2005 9

N E W S

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$200M INCREASE IN PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE rivate health insurance will cost an extra $80 per year on average after an acrossthe-board increase in premiums kicks in from this month. The main beneficiaries of the rises will be doctors and prosthetics manufacturers, according to the Australian Private Hospitals Association and the Australian Consumers Association. Gap payments to doctors increased by 19.2% and benefits for prosthetics by 18.7% in 2003/2004. The premium increase will cost taxpayers around $200 million over the next year because of the Commonwealth’s 30% rebate on private health insurance in addition to the extra premiums paid by people with private insurance, according to researchers at the Australia Institute. The latest increase of 7.96% follows rises of an average 7.58% last year and 7.4% in 2003.

HAPPY 1ST BIRTHDAY,

RYDE MIDWIVES idwives, mums, babies, and even a politician or two turned up for the first birthday celebration of Ryde Hospital Midwifery Practice, an innovative service where new mums are linked with a midwife throughout pregnancy. Health Minister Morris Iemma competed for attention with 70 babbling babies as he cut the cake and new mums reunited with the midwives that had seen them through their pregnancy. So far the service has delivered more than 220 babies without any major complications.

The Lamp gives advertisers the opportunity to promote your product or services to over 50,000 nurses in NSW.

HOW CAN YOU REACH THIS

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lamp the

magazine of the NSW Nurses’ Association

volume 62 no.2 March 2005

rint Post Approved: PP241437/00033

Public health

THERE’S NO FIX WITHOUT NURSES

Contact Patricia Purcell on (02) 8595 2139 or mobile 0416 259 845 Email: ppurcell@nswnurses.asn.au The advertising rates are available on the website: www.nswnurses.asn.au

10 THE LAMP APRIL 2005

NEW AGED CARE

PRECINCT SEEKS STAFF

Spot a Royal MARY SPREADS CHEER AT WESTMEAD

Matthew Lamey

t George Hospital is recruiting nurses to staff a new aged care precinct designed to provide a better model of care for elderly patients. The precinct will serve patients currently located in the emergency department and other wards. ‘One of our aims is to get elderly patients out of the ED faster and into the more settled and appropriate environment of the precinct,’ said NUM Matthew Lamey. ‘On admission to the precinct they will enter a rapid assessment area where we will establish an individual multidisciplinary management plan for each patient,’ he said. ‘The precinct will provide the elderly with a superior model of care and a more suitable staffing mix compared to other wards.’ Matthew added that the precinct will have 58 beds – almost double the existing number of aged care beds – with an approximate increase of 28 full-time equivalent staff. The precinct will have eight rapid assessment beds, two highdependency beds, two delirium rooms, eight transitional beds and 38 acute beds. ‘So far we have opened eight beds and will gradually open more as staff are recruited and the precinct is refurbished,’ Matthew said.

Patients and staff at the Children's Hospital, Westmead, were treated to a visit from Princess Mary of Denmark.

AND NOT TO BE OUTDONE ...

PRINCE CHARLES VISITS RPA oyal Prince Alfred Hospital’s reputation for cancer treatment and research attracted a royal visit from the Prince of Wales last month. Prince Charles, who has developed an interest in holistic approaches to cancer patient care, visited the hospital’s Sydney Cancer Centre where he spoke to staff and patients. He also visited palliative care patients and their families in the medical oncology ward and patients in the chemotherapy outpatients department. Prince Charles focused on three main areas of patient care: the integrated cancer centre, palliative care and complementary medicine. A number of research studies at the Sydney Cancer Centre are investigating the interaction between herbal medicines, dietary supplements and conventional anti-cancer therapies.

THE LAMP APRIL 2005 11

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CLINICAL NEWS

BITES c

says Senator Minchin ‘Senator Minchin may not have noticed but there is an acute nursing shortage in Australia, and to recruit and retain nurses there needs to be appropriate levels of remuneration.’

Wealth divide blamed for 7,000 deaths a year

Around 7,000 people die every year because they are too poor to afford appropriate health care, says a report from the Royal Australasian College of Physicians. Inequity and Health – A Call to Action found that many poor people died prematurely of cancer and circulatory diseases, while well-off people had much better access to medical services and specialists. The report said that Australia had failed to address the inequalities in the health system, and Australia’s situation is getting worse compared to other developed nations. The report calls on federal and state governments to work together to improve health services for Australia’s poorest and most disadvantaged people.

Nurses overpaid,

Nurse-led telephone service for kids given thumbs up

A children’s health advice line run by nurses has been given the thumbs up by parents, a survey has found. Kids Kare Line is a telephone service that parents can ring for professional nursing advice on their children. Specialist nurses advise parents on their child’s condition and whether they need to see a GP or go to hospital. The survey found that 96% of parents were satisfied with the advice they received, and 50% didn’t require further medical help. NSW nurses Diana Keatinge and Kate Rawlings conducted the survey, and published the results in the International Journal of Nursing Practice. ‘Parents really valued the advice the nurses gave,’ said Diana. 12 THE LAMP APRIL 2005

ANF Federal Secretary Jill Iliffe

g A senior federal minister has unfairly attacked nurses for being overpaid. inance Minister Senator Nick Minchin told The Age that ‘GST revenue had been wasted on wage claims by state government employees such as teachers and nurses’. ‘This is an offensive statement to nurses. Nurses provide a valuable and essential service to the Australian community,’ ANF Federal Secretary Jill Iliffe said. ‘Senator Minchin should talk to his Education colleague, Minister Brendan Nelson, who in a press statement on 4 February said: ‘The 2002 National Review of Nursing Education found that no amount of extra nursing places will be sufficient if the state and territory governments, which actually employ nurses, do not stem the flow of nurses leaving the profession due to issues of pay and working conditions.’

‘Here we have Senator Minchin suggesting that states should pay nurses less, and Minister Nelson suggesting states should pay nurses more,’ Ms Iliffe said. ‘Senator Minchin may not have noticed but there is an acute nursing shortage in Australia, and to recruit and retain nurses there needs to be appropriate levels of remuneration. ‘Perhaps Senator Minchin doesn’t appreciate what nurses do, but the Australian community does, rating them as the most honest and ethical of occupational groups in the Morgan Poll 11 years in a row (nurses have only been included in the poll for 11 years). Senator Minchin should check and see how politicians score. ‘While Senator Minchin is busy with the useless activity of political point scoring which benefits no one, nurses are busy getting on with the job of saving lives. Nurses have a physically and emotionally demanding job and they work long and hard for what they are paid. ‘For the record Senator Minchin, starting salaries for nurses are $37,000 per annum [GradStats], which hardly qualifies as “featherbedding”,’ Ms Iliffe said.

NSW GETS FIRST

PUBLIC HOME BIRTH SERVICE

or the first time in NSW, some women will soon have the option of a publicly funded home birth. St George hospital in South Pat Brodie, birthing Eastern Sydney will services coordinator be the first NSW at St George Hospital hospital to provide a home births service. The hospital will start taking bookings for the new service in May. If the St George service proves successful, it is expected home birthing will be offered from other South Eastern area hospitals and be extended to other areas. The birthing services coordinator at St George hospital, Pat Brodie, said that the service will initially employ a small number of midwives to meet a small but consistent demand for home births through the public health service. ‘We we will respond to demand as it grows,’ Pat said. ‘The service will offer a new option for women and a career choice for midwives.’ Pat said home birthing would be fully integrated into the hospital’s mainstream maternity services, with full backup care available at the hospital. ‘The midwives will be responsible for providing all prenatal care through pregnancy, labour and birth and into the postnatal period,’ she said. Until now, women have had to pay for home births out of their own pockets. Even if they are in a health fund they get only a very small remuneration from some funds and nothing at all from others. ‘And because of the insurance indemnity crisis a lot of independent midwives have lost access to affordable professional indemnity. With our service they will be fully employed by the hospital,’ said Pat. Pat added that the service has been designed over the past 18 months in collaboration with a working party including consumers, doctors and midwives.

HSC students study nursing

Year 11 students: (back row from left) Ashely May, Melissa Gorman, Rebecca Hodges, (front row from left) Rebecca Brewer and Kristina Crkavska, with nurse educator Yvonne Brugmans.

igh school students are getting an early start in nursing at St George Hospital, studying nursing subjects as part of their HSC. Year 11 students from ten high schools across Sydney are now attending classes one day a week at St George, learning basics like communication, infection control and patient movement. The St George program is unique because if the students continue the program in Year 12, they can count the subjects towards a degree at the Australian Catholic University (ACU). Yvonne Brugmans, the nurse educator who coordinates the program, says the students will get a window into the nursing profession and a realistic idea about what to expect.Yvonne helped set up the program with help from ACU, the Department of Education and Training and the NSWNA. The students will also be able to start work as AiNs as soon as they begin university. ‘They get to start putting into practice what they learn in their degree

‘They get to start putting into practice what they learn in their degree straight away.’ straight away,’Yvonne said. ‘It’s better than having to work at McDonalds!’ So far, all of the students are keen to follow the program into Year 12 and then into university. Year 11 student Rebecca Hodges says she hopes to continue nursing. ‘The fact that you’re caring for people, it’s good to know you can do something for them,’ she said. Yvonne hopes the program will eventually roll out in other hospitals and go some way towards improving retention. ‘They are less likely to drop out in the first year of uni if they’ve studied it before and have a good understanding of nursing,’ she said. THE LAMP APRIL 2005 13

C O V E R

S T O RY

Nurses reject unacceptable 3% pay offer he NSWNA has rejected a pay offer from the NSW government of 3% per year. The offer falls far short of the 4% per annum already paid to many public sector employees – including other health professionals, rail workers and public servants. The government’s offer also excludes several other important changes sought by NSWNA negotiators. NSWNA General Secretary Brett Holmes said that nurses had no option but to reject the offer. ‘The government’s offer is unfair to nurses and fails to meet the pressing needs of our public health system,’ said Brett. An RN would earn $10,783 less over four years under the government’s current offer than if nurses were offered the same pay rise as other health workers. The government has also refused to backpay the pay rise to July 2004 – the expiry date of nurses’ last pay agreement – despite such backpayment being standard procedure. ‘This offer is not just unacceptable to nurses, it is unacceptable to our health system,’ said Brett Holmes. ‘The number one concern for most nurses is ever increasing workloads. Maintaining pay levels is critical to alleviating workloads and addressing the shortage of nurses.’ Brett said that recruitment and retention of nurses was the key to improving workloads. ‘People need to see the nursing profession as attractive and respected – and that won’t happen unless pay rises match those offered to hospital cleaners, therapists and other health workers,’ said Brett. The state government was well aware that nurses would reject an offer of 3% per year, said Brett. ‘We now need to get active so they will improve their offer.’

14 THE LAMP APRIL 2005

CAMPAIGN MATERIALS To help members get the message across, the NSWNA has produced a range of campaign materials.

CAMPAIGN LEAFLET The leaflet, for distribution to the public, covers our key arguments and background to the campaign. Ask your delegate for copies.

CAMPAIGN POSTCARD Look inside this edition of The Lamp for your campaign postcard. Please complete, attach a stamp and return the card to the NSWNA, or give it to your workplace delegate. The NSWNA will collect and present the postcards to Premier Carr along with postcards sent by other supporters.

CAMPAIGN STICKER Perfect for your car or locker – look inside The Lamp for your campaign sticker.

WHAT DELEGATES SAY ‘A KICK IN THE STOMACH’ The government’s offer is a kick in the stomach. It will cause disharmony within the hospitals when other health workers are getting conditions that we aren’t. We worked hard for the Work Value Case. They are just devaluing that case by offering us less. The last increase acknowledged how badly paid we were. Now they are saying we aren’t worth more. Workloads remain a big issue. There has been some headway but we’re not there yet. I’ve been nursing for 20 years and now there is much more abuse because people have to wait so long. There’s no acknowledgement from the government of that. Sven Nilssen, Bankstown Emergency Department.

‘WORKLOADS ARE TOO MUCH’ The workloads at times are too much. I’m often having to leave my managerial job to do clinical work. I’m on the wards all the time. It’s often made worse by the way nursing agencies impact on us. I often get to work and the agencies have cancelled their shifts. They ask us to do a lot more than our routine role as a NUM. The pay rise is important but other conditions are important as well, especially staffing. Pele Lutui-Palmer, NUM, Sydney Hospital.

‘DIFFICULT IN THE COUNTRY’ We want parity of 4% with other workers. It will encourage people back to work. But working conditions need to improve too. We’re short staffed because of the budget constraints. Many of the part timers do not want to pick up extra shifts. We don’t have the same access to agency nurses and we have a limited casual pool. At the moment we have three off sick for the month and we have only one casual. We often replace RNs with ENs. We have a good health service manager who tries hard to deal with the workload problem but it is just difficult attracting people to the country.

PAY CLAIM SNAPSHOT OUR CLAIM: WHAT NURSES DESERVE PAY Four-year agreement 4% pay rise per annum backdated to July 2004

• • •

OTHER CLAIMS INCLUDE 14 weeks paid maternity leave 1 week paid paternity leave Award rights for union delegates Improved long service leave arrangements

• • • •

AND THE RIGHT TO PURSUE OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS: Improved shift work conditions Further salary increases for CNEs, CNSs and NEs Increased salaries for ENs administering medication Guaranteed study leave New classification of AIN/undergraduate student.

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Full details at www.nswnurses.asn.au

UNACCEPTABLE: THE NSW GOVT OFFER

• • •

A 3% per annum pay rise over four years No backpay No right to pursue any other improvements during the next four years in the Industrial Commission

IMPACT ON RNs RN salary in 2008 with 3% offer: $1,209 per week RN salary in 2008 if 4% offer: $1,257 per week Under current offer, RN8 would lose: $10,783 IMPACT ON ENs EN salary in 2008 with 3% offer: $826 per week EN salary in 2008 if 4% offer: $859 per week Under current offer, EN would lose: $7,360

Roseann Slattery-Quinn, RN, Cowra Hospital.

THE LAMP APRIL 2005 15

C O V E R

S T O RY

It’s time to get active

g The unacceptable offer from the NSW government means it is time for nurses to move into campaign mode.

1MON 4 APRIL LIVERPOOL HOSPITAL

f we do nothing – or wait for someone else to make it happen – then the government will feel under no pressure to improve its offer. Nurse cannot accept a lower percentage increase than other government employees. But if the 38,000 public sector nurses across the state get active, then we can achieve a fair pay increase and take a significant step to addressing workloads and nurse shortage issues. This is a once-in-four-years chance to achieve a fair pay rise – and show nurses it’s worth coming back to work in the public system. So what does getting active mean? It means taking action at a local and personal level to get our message across to the public and to the government.

HERE ARE SOME IDEAS: g Lunchtime rallies and sausage sizzles g Wear the campaign badge everywhere you go g Return the postcard inserted into The Lamp g Spread the word by distributing the public leaflet. g Talk to your family and friends about the issues g Call talkback radio and write letters to newspapers.

LUNCHTIME

CAMPAIGN

RALLIES

2TUES 5 APRIL SYDNEY HOSPITAL/ SYDNEY EYE HOSPITAL 3THURS 7 APRIL ST GEORGE HOSPITAL 4FRIDAY 8 APRIL ROYAL PRINCE ALFRED HOSPITAL FOR DETAILS RING THE NSWNA

1300 367 962 CHECK THE WEBSITE www.nswnurses.asn.au

FINDING A SOLUTION TO WORKLOADS AND THE NURSE SHORTAGE IS AT THE HEART OF OUR PAY CLAIM. BRANCHES ARE ENCOURAGED TO TAKE ACTION TO STOP AWARD BREACHES, INCLUDING UNREASONABLE AMOUNTS OF OVERTIME WORKED DUE TO NURSE SHORTAGES OR THE INABILITY TO FILL SHIFTS WITH AGENCY NURSES.

MUM-TO-BE KATHY VISITS MINISTER

Maternity leave is an important issue for Kathy Brennan, who is due to give birth in July.

She went all the way to the Minister for Health, Morris Iemma, to personally discuss her concerns with him about nurses’ right to paid maternity leave. Mr Iemma is Kathy’s local member and so she was able to arrange an appointment to see him. ‘I’ve never been any kind of activist but it’s amazing how eager you become when there’s an issue so relevant to you, especially when it concerns inequity,’ she said.

16 THE LAMP APRIL 2005

For Kathy, the extra weeks’ maternity leave would mean a great deal to her family. ‘I care for my elderly father, so 14 weeks paid leave would be very significant to me – I would be much better able to look after my family.’ The extra weeks leave is part of the claim that the NSWNA is pursuing with NSW Health. Kathy spoke with Mr Iemma about her concerns, and also talked about qualifications allowances and recruitment and retention of nurses. She said that the Minister was very interested in hearing her story. ‘I felt like I aired my view, and he took the time to listen to me. He was very interested in listening to a frontline clinician.’ You can also visit your local MP and raise issues.

‘We do incredible work, we deserve a decent pay rise’ g The relentless pace and demands of a typical shift in the acute care medical ward at Hornsby Hospital would put the toughest to the test. et the nurses on 1A battle on, delivering care with a smile and the utmost professionalism. Why shouldn’t they get a decent pay rise? The scene in this acute care medical ward is pretty much like that many other wards in public hospitals across NSW. The patients have high or round-the-clock care needs. Nurse workloads are excessive as they try to keep up with duties that overflow from one shift to the next. The nurses on this ward say a decent pay rise is an important mark of respect for the hard work they do, and is a crucial step to attracting and retaining nurses in public hospitals. Claire Milne, RN, is not surprised that there are vacancies on her ward. ‘Our workloads are incredibly heavy and our pay doesn’t measure what we do. Why would you want to take up nursing as a career when you can get better paid doing a less stressful job that doesn’t leave you exhausted each shift?’ Nicole Wood, RN, agrees: ‘I love my job but I don’t do it for the money. Every shift we’re flat out. The patients on this ward are elderly and very sick so their demands are high.’ The staffing on a day shift in Ward 1A comprises four RN positions and two ENs. NUM Emma Coyle explained that one

RNs Nicole Wood, Peg Hibbert and Claire Milne do an incredible job at Hornsby Hospital.

extra EN on every shift is desirable to enable nurses on this ward to have a reasonable workload.

catch up, and so on. Nurses battle on because we care about our patients and don’t want to let them down. ‘At the end of a shift, I often think thank goodness I got through that. Then I start worrying later whether I did everything. We’re just too busy to think straight,’ said Claire. ‘I don’t understand why we shouldn’t be given a fair pay rise when we work so hard. I think we do our best and do incredible work.’ ‘We can’t fill the vacancies because people look and say, “why would we put ourselves through that for such poor pay”,’ said Nicole. ‘Where did the idea come from that we have to put in the hard yards without any reward? A 4% pay rise would make a real difference to me.’ ■

‘I don’t understand why we shouldn’t be given a fair pay rise when we work so hard. I think we do our best and do incredible work.’ Peg Hibbert, NSWNA Councillor and Clinical Nurse Specialist in the ward says the impact of excessive workloads doesn’t stop at the end of a shift. ‘Work overload just flows on from shift to shift. If things start to bank up during the night, day shift struggles to

THE LAMP APRIL 2005 17

C O V E R

S T O RY

Are these nurses w The Lamp takes a snap Claire Milne, Peg Hibber through in a typical shif

3.30

c hand c obser c medications c patient feeds c blood sugar le transfer c liftin IVs c answe c paper

2 1

18 THE LAMP APRIL 2005

worth an extra 4%? pshot of the duties RNs ert and Nicole Wood get ift at Hornsby Hospital.

7 8 d over rvations s c showering ds c dressings evels c patient ing patients c ering phones r work ...

12 1

THE LAMP APRIL 2005 19

A G E N D A

Big business and Coalition target minimum wage g The Minimum Wage, which has underpinned the job security and living standards of working Australians for nearly 100 years, is a prime target of the Coalition’s radical new workplace agenda. usiness groups such as the Business Council of Australia and the Chamber of Commerce are urging the Howard government to abolish the independent role of the Australian Industrial Relations Commission in setting the minimum wage and to pass the responsibility to Treasury or a panel of economists. Workplace Relations Minister Kevin Andrews told parliament that the business groups’ proposals were a ‘good summary of the government’s intentions.’ ACTU Secretary Greg Combet has blasted the business and Coalition plans as just another attack on basic protections for working people. ‘It’s a vicious, nasty attack on working people by big business who have no other interest than their own.’ The ACTU believes this move to a US-style system in Australia will lead to large numbers of working people being forced to live in poverty. Minimum wages in the US, which are set by the government, are just $5.15 an hour and have been increased only once – by 40c – since 1996.

B ACTU Secretary, Greg Combet

NSWNA General Secretary, Brett Holmes

‘Minimum Wages are not a gift from the government and never have been.They are not welfare. Strong campaigns by unions representing Australian workers have delivered decent minimum wage rises.’ 20 THE LAMP APRIL 2005

It’s the union movement that delivers for the low paid History suggests the federal government and business groups are not to be trusted in light of their track record in past minimum wage cases. Since 1996, the ACTU’s annual cases have boosted the Federal Minimum Wage by $119 per week. The Howard government opposed every increase. So did employers, with some arguing lowpaid workers should never get a wage rise. The mean-spiritedness of employer groups has often been extraordinary. In one Minimum Wages’ case a low-paid worker told the industrial relations commission that she hadn’t been able to afford to fix her TV for 18 months. One employer group responded that TV is an entertainment device, not a necessity! NSWNA General Secretary Brett Holmes says the Federal government goal is to blunt the effectiveness of the union movement in fighting for the rights of the low-paid. ‘Minimum wages are not a gift from the government and never have been.They are not welfare. Strong campaigns by unions representing Australian workers have delivered decent minimum wage rises.’

Andrew McCullum, president of Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS)

Don’t politicise minimum wage,

ANDREA JOINS UP FOR HERSELF AND FOR OTHERS

says low-pay expert ndrew McCullum, president of Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS), is an independent voice who has concerns about the federal government’s new plans for determining minimum wages. ‘A fair and effective wage fixing process is one that gives the parties, governments and other interests a fair public hearing. The Australian Industrial Relations Commission is well placed to play this role. To leave the ultimate decision to government could politicise the process,’ he said. He is also sceptical about government and business group arguments that minimum wages impact greatly on employment.

‘There is no evidence to suggest that recent minimum wage increases have substantially weakened employment growth. The level of minimum wages is not, in ACOSS’ view, a major impediment to reducing unemployment further,’ he said. According to ACOSS, one argument that has been absent from the public debate is the impact on women of reducing the minimum wage. ‘The majority of low-paid workers are women, many of whom rely totally on award wage increases. Australia will not make significant progress in reducing the gap between male and female wages without increasing the relative level of minimum wages,’ says Andrew McCallum.

MINIMUM WAGES: MYTHS AND FACTS MYTH g the Howard government supports low-paid workers FACT g since 1996, the Howard Government has sought to cut every Minimum Wages increase won by the union movement. Low-paid workers would have been paid $44 per week or $2290 a year less if the Government’s arguments had held sway. MYTH g higher minimum wages cost jobs FACT g the government’s own modelling over many years shows that a decent increase in Minimum Wages would have no impact on employment. MYTH g higher Minimum Wages are bad for the economy FACT g the economy is now in its 14th year of consecutive economic growth. Minimum wages rises in recent years have had no negative impact on economic growth. MYTH g Minimum Wages are high enough to live on FACT g a typical minimum wage worker earns $467.40 per week but according to ACOSS the amount needed to live modestly and pay the weekly rent, bills, food and school expenses is $550.

ndrea Kirchner carried a completed NSWNA membership form in her bag for a year before she made the step to sign up.

‘I wasn’t ready to do it. I didn’t see a reason. But I still believed in the good things about unions. If you need help they’ll be there to help you,’ she said. Andrea comes from the former East Germany and has been working as an AiN in a nursing home for over three years. It was when a NSWNA organiser told her about the wider benefits of being in a union she finally felt ready to join. ‘I’m a permanent resident but I can’t vote. At least the union gives me a voice,’ she said. She was also persuaded that just by being in a union you make some contribution to help the low-paid. ‘If I get a pay rise I would like others to get a pay rise too.’

MYTH g employers should be left to decide minimum wages FACT g company profits are at record levels and CEO salaries are often obscene. Yet some employer groups oppose any pay rise ever.

THE LAMP APRIL 2005 21

A G E N D A

t h e

d e at h

Canadian union sounds warning bell ooking at Canadian nurses’ conditions is like looking into a mirror. They are all too familiar with nursing shortages, overwork, burnout, health service restructures, privatisation, and governmental erosion of their rights. Visiting BCNU officials Jude Morrison and Frank Morgan told The Lamp how the Canadian government interfered in an Award-style agreement between nurses and their employers, and forced some health facilities to cut their nursing staff. ‘People were shell-shocked,’ said Jude. The Canadian experience echoes what’s about to happen in Australia, where the Howard government intends to abolish state awards, including the nurses’ award, after it gains control of the Senate in July. The Sydney Morning Herald recently reported that once state awards are abolished, the government plans to reduce federal award provisions such as sick pay, long service leave, bonuses, overtime, superannuation and public holidays; and also plans to prevent nurses, teachers, academics and youth workers from striking. But the Canadians have shown how the community can fight back. They have used community campaigns, strategic organising and legal challenges to retain their entitlements. Canadian nurses linked up with senior citizens’ groups and other health

L g It’s almost spooky how much Canadian and Australian nurses have in common – including governments that want to abolish Award conditions and take away nurses’ rights.Two officials from the British Columbia Nurses’ Union (BCNU) recently visited the NSWNA and sounded a warning bell.

22 THE LAMP APRIL 2005

professional organisations to lobby the government and inform the community. Nurses also used the documentation processes to fight cuts to their staffing levels. So why are Canadian and NSW nurses seeing the same sorts of challenges? Rationalisation of health systems has now become a worldwide phenomenon, as governments try to pass their health care responsibilities into private hands, but lose universal care as a result. Canada, like Australia, has seen the erosion of its once-renowned Medicare program. ‘Everyone knows that Medicare has problems, but somehow we’ve all been led to believe that the natural way to fix it is with privatisation,’ said Jude. ‘The natural way to fix it is through the public system. By engaging with the people who know it best, nurses and doctors and patients… they are the ones who know how to fix it.’ As the Australian federal government forges ahead with its plan to abolish state awards, there’s still time for NSW nurses to stand up and take action. ‘While you’re facing something potentially very damaging and negative, there’s still hope,’ Jude said. ‘Resistance is the way, collective action is the way, not just within the union, but in nurses’ facilities, in their regions, throughout the state. That is the way.’

o f

n u r s i n g ? SENIORS BRUTALISED BY LONG-TERM CARE CRISIS

‘The art of nursing as we knew it does not exist anymore.’

Canadian Liberal government cutbacks have thrown the long-term care situation in British Columbia into disarray, reports the BC Nurses’ Union. Since the Liberals won government two years ago, more than 3,300 extended care beds have been closed or are in the process of closing.

Canadian nurse, Renee Kennedy

g A Canadian nurse describes nightmarish hospital conditions under an anti-union Liberal government. cannot adequately describe the moral devastation, incredible workloads, and physical and emotional stresses this government has put on nurses,’ wrote Canadian nurse Renee Kennedy from Peace Arch hospital near Vancouver. She was referring to the Liberal government of the province of British Columbia, which has been hacking away at the health system for the past two years. ‘At my hospital alone, we have lost 40 RNs through displacements, vacancies not being filled and replacement by licensed practical nurses (LPNs),’ wrote Renee in an email to The Lamp. ‘One nurse who is a 40-year veteran told me: “We are working against the odds. Everyone is overworked. It’s like a bad dream that never goes away. We’re not even nursing…the art of nursing as we knew it does not exist anymore”.’ Renee said the government has introduced laws to abolish nurses’ job security, allow hospitals to contract out nurses’ work and give employers the right to transfer nurses involuntarily.

‘I

‘The working environment is truly sick, which goes against everything a nurse stands for – which is wellness,’ she said. ‘With displacements, I have seen nurses shuffled from units where they have been loyal, highly-skilled employees to other facilities in districts they are both unfamiliar with and emotionally unprepared to go. ‘I have seen many nurses cry over the loss of their jobs and loss of friendships they had established. It is gut-wrenching.’ Renee said more than 1000 nurses in British Columbia had been displaced, with the union having to argue for individual nurses to be placed elsewhere. ‘I see many nurses being injured, sick time escalating and nurses who are close to retirement leaving sooner than they have to. I see new graduates unable to get full-time work and looking to the United States for employment. ‘The ratio of nurses to patients on the day and evening shifts is one RN for 25 patients. At night there is one RN for 50 patients. And now they want to take more nurses away and replace them

This despite the fact that the population of seniors – 75 years and older – is forecast to increase by 68% over the next 20 years. This will leave BC with the lowest number of beds for people aged 75 years and older in any province in Canada. The shortage of extended care beds is aggravated by overcrowded emergency wards being forced to release patients prematurely. At Peace Arch hospital, nurse Renee Kennedy cited a patient sent from emergency to extended care who sustained broken bones and brain haemorrhaging after a fall. ‘We are now getting 60-year-olds admitted post-stroke, more violent patients with psych histories and fresh post-operative patients,’ she reported. ‘For example, we had an elderly patient sent back to ECU (extended care unit ) four hours post operation, still drowsy and speech slurred who had a cystoscopy, urethral dilation, lithotripsy of stones, bladder irrigation and a suprapubic catheter inserted into their bladder. ‘This elderly patient was on an IV with medications and required ongoing monitoring and pain medication. The nurse had another 24 patients to care for, one of whom was also fresh postop – a patient with Alzheimer’s who had bilateral cataract surgery. ‘Then there was the patient who had both his legs amputated. He was sent back to the ECU within a day of the surgery, had no pain medications ordered and died within a day of returning to ECU. ‘It makes you wonder if they have any sense of morality.’ THE LAMP APRIL 2005 23

A G E N D A

the

death

nursing?

How a Canadian cartoonist views the state of hospitals under the Canadian Liberals.

Continued from page 25 with LPNs – because of their “deficit recovery initiative”. ‘The Liberal government has removed the “care” from health care. It has ripped up hard-earned collective agreements, legislated devastating bills in the dead of night and rolled the workers back decades in terms of progress.’ Renee said all health workers had been targeted. Her hospital’s linen is coming back soiled and mouldy because laundry workers have been sacked and replaced by inexperienced, cheaper workers receiving “McDonald’s-level” wages. ‘Violent attacks on hospital staff have increased because security staff numbers have been cut – There is only one security guard to cover four buildings plus parking lots. Our local shopping mall, which is empty at night, has better security.’

24 THE LAMP APRIL 2005

Overworked staff unable to provide care What happens when skilled RNs are replaced by Licensed Practical Nurses brought into British Columbia hospitals as a cost-cutting measure? LPNs are each responsible for up to 25 patients at Renee Kennedy’s Vancouver hospital. Renee says the LPNs barely have time to distribute medication. ‘Wound dressings are not getting done, charting is not being done, there is an increase in medication errors, the LPNs do not have the required assessment skills, there is increased patient acuity and the sole RN remaining has double or triple the workload,’ she reports. ‘The ER nurses are so run off their feet that the only way one nurse was able

to assess the status of her patient was to kick the bed as she went by to see if they would rouse. ‘This nurse told me: “That was all I had time to do. Isn’t that horrible? That’s how low it’s sunk. I am constantly apologising to patients for my inability to provide adequate care.” Patients are now being fed worse than prisoners, according to complaints filed by their families. Renee says: ‘The food we are now serving is frozen, shipped from out of province, rethermed on the units and not fit for human consumption…a steady diet of gray beans, cold, hard boiled eggs, scrambled eggs that are indescribable. One piece of food will be half-frozen and the other half-hot.’

A G E N D A

No place for the young g Young people who live in aged care facilities need the support of nurses to help find alternatives. he Red Hot Chili Peppers are playing on Todd McRae’s stereo and there’s a mounted, signed rugby jumper on the wall – a typical setting for a 31-year-old man, but he can’t help looking out of place in his room at Queen Victoria Memorial Aged Care Home. Todd is one of an estimated 7,000 young people with a disability who lives in an aged care facility because there is simply nowhere else for him to go. While the staff at Queen Victoria do their best for Todd, they simply do not have the time or training to provide the age-appropriate rehabilitation that he needs. Todd had been married to his partner, Jackie, for 18 months when he suffered a severe asthma attack at the local supermarket in Picton. While the ambulance arrived within minutes, Todd was left with a hypoxic brain injury requiring 24-hour care. After a few weeks in ICU and rehabilitation, he was admitted

to the nursing home with no further access to rehabilitation. ‘Todd reacted badly to coming here,’ recalls Jackie. ‘He was quite heavily medicated and was on anti-depressants. But for the first two weeks he balled his eyes out for two hours every morning. It was a heart-wrenching cry.’ As Todd lives in a nursing home and not in the community, he is not eligible for more rehabilitation. However, his wife Jackie has dedicated herself to providing as much help as she can – she brings him home most days, takes him swimming twice a week and has even taken him to the football. She has recruited a small army of volunteers from the local community to help her manage Todd when he’s not at the Queen Victoria. Helen Hennessey is a nurse who has worked with Todd since he arrived at the home. ‘The choices for Todd here are quite limited. Jackie wants to take him home – and that’s where he should be. They’re a young married couple, and they should be at home together,’ she said. ‘Having young people living in nursing homes is a tragic situation.’ Jackie can’t take Todd home without ongoing professional support. At the very least, she would like to see him living in a home with people his own age. ‘He doesn’t like going to social events

for the older residents where they play old music or games. He just screams his head off. He’s not old, so he must think, what’s he doing here with old people?’ Jackie’s hopes for Todd are modest. ‘I want him to be able to have some choices small choices, like being able to communicate if he wants to go to bed, or to change the channel on TV. A little bit of independence,’ she said. Jackie and Todd are members of a group called the National Alliance of Young People in Nursing Homes (YPINH). The alliance aims to bring the plight of young people in nursing homes to the public’s attention, and to help lobby for alternative accommodation for them. YPINH is calling for nurses’ support to strengthen the alliance. ‘There have got to be other options than nursing homes, which is all there is at the moment,’ said Jackie.

WHAT YOU CAN DO If you would like to join the National Alliance of Young People in Nursing Homes (YPINH), or know a young person in a nursing home who would like to join, call 03 9482 5655 or email ypinh@headwayvictoria.org.au. THE LAMP APRIL 2005 25

A G E N D A

Nurses’ humanity prevails over mental health storm g When a 29-year-old woman with a mental illness was found mistakenly detained in the Baxter Immigration Detention Centre in South Australia, the nation’s mental health system received a public caning. Despite the deficiencies of the mental health system, The Lamp discovered mental health nurses are committed and passionate about promoting a system that delivers more appropriate care and humane treatment to those affected by mental illness. t was hard miss the furore when it was publicly revealed that Cornelia Rau, a 29-year-old permanent resident, had been detained in the Baxter Detention Centre for three months as a suspected illegal immigrant. Ms Rau, a former air hostess with a clinical history of schizophrenia, disappeared from a Manly psychiatric clinic last March and could not be traced by her family for 10 months. After discharging herself from the Manly clinic, Ms Rau made her way to Queensland where she was incarcerated for six months in a Queensland prison when authorities were unable to identify her.Then

26 THE LAMP APRIL 2005

she was transferred to the Baxter Immigration Detention Centre in South Australia. Medical notes from the Baxter detention centre report that her disturbed behaviour – such as screaming and removing her clothes – pointed strongly to ‘a psychotic condition such as schizophrenia’.Yet she was put in solitary confinement because of her behaviour rather than admitted to hospital.

Mental health services sadly lacking If some good can come out of the debacle, the case highlights the issue of the inappropriate imprisonment of people

affected by a mental illness and the shortcomings of the mental health system in Australia. Professor Ian Hickie, Board member of the Mental Health Council, said: ‘The Rau case is not an isolated case of inappropriate incarceration and failure to provide basic clinical care. Sadly, the criminal justice system, rather than the health system, has now become a major service provider for those with mental illness.’ According to Council Chair Keith Wilson, the case represents a breakdown of the mental health system across four jurisdictions – NSW, Queensland, South Australia and the Commonwealth. ‘Mental health services failed Cornelia Rau,’ he said.

‘The Rau case is not an isolated case of inappropriate incarceration and failure to provide basic clinical care. Sadly, the criminal justice system, rather than the health system, has now become a major service provider for those with mental illness.’

SHORTAGES PUSH MENTALLY ILL INTO GENERAL WARDS he shortage of mental health beds in public hospitals across NSW has led to mental health patients being Scott Brunero, CNC diverted to general at Prince of Wales Hospital wards. The overflow has created a role in liaison mental health nursing for Scott Brunero, CNC at Prince of Wales Hospital. When patients with mental illness or exhibiting socio-psycho distress are admitted to general wards at the POW, Scott provides nursing staff with support and advice on how to interact with these patients. ‘When no mental health beds are available, mental health patients have to stay in emergency until one becomes

Cornelia Rau

‘While the Rau case focuses the public on treatment of detainees, the abuse of human rights of the mentally ill is a much broader and ongoing national issue, said Keith Wilson. The shortcomings of the mental health system is documented in a report by the Mental Health Council, ‘Out of Hospital, Out of Mind’. The 2003 report detailing mental health services in Australia found that community-based systems failed to provide adequate services for patients affected by a mental illness. Drawing on input from service providers and those using mental health services, the report described the mental health system across the states and Commonwealth as ‘characterised by restricted access, variable quality, poor continuity of care, lack of support for recovery from illness and overt and covert human rights abuses’. Principles of health care such as access, equity, quality, choice and participation seen in other health areas were found lacking in the mental health sector. The report described ongoing human rights abuses and neglect of patients affected by mental illness within hospitals and the wider community.

available or they are moved to general wards when the ED is full. ‘We have a situation where general nurses have to act as mental health nurses. The impact of mental health bed shortages is falling back onto general nursing staff, who are not specially trained in dealing with patients with mental health issues. General nurses have limited expertise in dealing with someone who has a mental illness, it’s like putting a cardiac patient in a psychiatric ward,’ said Scott. According to Scott, a positive implication of the increased incidence of mental health patients being admitted to general wards is that general nurses have the opportunity to broaden their skills base. ‘We have a new frontline awareness of mental health issues. General nurses are becoming more aware of mental illness and their ability to detect mental illness has increased significantly,’ said Scott.

HOSPITAL NOT PRISON FOR MENTALLY ILL, SAYS BILL ill Law, CNC with the Court Liaison Service of NSW Justice Health, has the challenging job of trying to divert the mentally ill from the criminal justice system to more appropriate community based mental health services. ‘Court liaison is a fairly new area in NSW. Our guiding principle is that the mentally ill should be treated by community mental health services rather than in correctional centres. ‘My main role is to assess people coming before courts who have mental health issues. Once charged, I see them prior to an appearance before a magistrate. The idea is to catch people before they get too far into system,’ said Bill. Since the introduction of the Court Liaison Service in the late 1990s there has been increased numbers of acutely unwell people being diverted into community mental health care. ‘If there’s some indication of mental health issues when they’re charged, I do a mental health assessment. I’ll make a recommendation to the court on options for treatment and management of the person’s mental health issues both in custody and in the community. They may still receive a custodial sentence but they will be referred to mental health services within the correctional system and can then be referred to community mental health services on release. ‘Ideally, If the defendant is acutely

mentally ill, they will be referred to hospital. Those not acutely ill but affected by mental health issues, would be referred to mental health community services.’ Bill says that the outcomes he can achieve is limited by lack of resources for mental health beds, crisis accomodation and community mental health services. ‘For the acutely ill, a lack of mental health beds means that the length of stay in hospital is often inadequate, as is follow up with community services after discharge.’ ‘The implications of overstretched mental health services is that a person’s mental health problems may recurr earlier and more frequently. People suffer relapse, people get unwell more quickly,’ he said. According to Bill, improvements are needed on a number of fronts before we’ll see more appropriate and humane treatment of people with a mental illness. ‘We need greater public awareness to break down the stigma associated with having a mental illness. ‘We undoubtedly need more funding for mental health beds and services. We need to provide greater options and avenues for treatment by the mental health system rather than criminalising mental illness. ‘Once these gains have been made we can reduce the chance that people with a mental illness end up diverted to a toxic environment like corrective services instead of getting appropriate mental health care.’ THE LAMP APRIL 2005 27

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Disclaimer: FSS Trustee Corporation (FTC) ABN 53 226 460 365 has taken reasonable care in producing the general information contained in this article and nothing in it is to be regarded as professional or personal advice. Members should seek their own independent, professional advice before making any decisions which may affect their future. 8 TH E guarantee L A M P A Pthe R I Lrepayment 2005 FTC 2does not of capital or any particular rate of return for investment and past performance is not a reliable guide to future performance. CHECKLIST CC07-04 LAMP.indd 1

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I N D U S T R I A L

I S S U E S

Questions still unanswered on the AHS restructure g Anna Claude, NSWNA Industrial Manager, looks at some of the big questions about the AHS restructure

NSWNA has told the Health Department that any attempt to delete or downgrade DON/HSM positions, as has been rumoured in some rural Area Health Services, will be completely opposed. Once firm information is provided to NSWNA, the union office will report to members straight away.

NSWNA fights to protect salary maintenance entitlements

Consultation with NSWNA kicks off s The Lamp went to print, NSW Health has finally called a meeting with health unions for 24 March to discuss the proposed ‘third tier’ management structures. This meeting will be the first time unions have been consulted about this stage of the restructure. NSWNA says that the new 3rd and 4th tiers of management must be finalised and published together, before the advertising and selection process begins. Affected employees must have full details of the new jobs that will be available and where those jobs sit in the new AHS structure – without this the process would be unfair and incomplete. If further ‘clustering’ and clinical streaming is to occur there must be certainty about how these management jobs in the 3rd and 4th tier interrelate.

NSWNA and HSU have been strongly opposing any watering down of members’ rights to salary maintenance constantly since the former Treasurer (Michael Egan) announced the government wanted to unilaterally reduce salary maintenance to a maximum 12 months in May 2004. NSWNA took the issue to the Industrial Relations Commission and has lobbied to have members’ entitlements protected. The government has not followed through on their 2004 announcement – the foreshadowed plan to override your entitlements by passing legislation that would override the Health Department circular that contains the right to salary maintenance has not yet seen the light of day. NSW Health has given the NSWNA and the HSU a written commitment that it will not seek to change the existing salary maintenance entitlements without agreement from unions. The Health Department has not put forward any proposal to change the amount of salary maintenance nurses are entitled to.

If my position goes – what are my rights? If your position disappears in a restructure, your rights and the process that must be followed to find you redeployment to another job are currently contained in NSW Health Department Circular no. 2000/78. You can download this from the NSW Health website. The Department has approached the three health unions and advised it wants to rewrite the circular in ‘plain English’ – with agreement of the unions. The Department has stated its intention is to clarify, but not substantively change any entitlements. NSWNA industrial staff, along with industrial staff from HSU and ASMOF, are negotiating with NSW Health about what changes may be appropriate. No changes will be agreed to that would downgrade nurses’ current rights.

AHS structures Members in rural AHS in particular have contacted the Association with concerns that proposed AHS structures will delete or downgrade vital nursing management positions. The Association called a high-level meeting with the Department to voice members’ concerns. The Department has been made aware nurses will not accept restructures that remove positions often held by the most senior and experienced clinical practitioner working in a small town. THE LAMP APRIL 2005 29

Make the

➔ right

move

NURSECOVER a legal plan for members of the NSWNA

Members now get relevant legal advice and representation for all sorts of workplace issues such as having to appear before the Coroner’s Court, the Health Care Complaints Commission or the Nurses’ Registration Board and of course the all-too-common problem for nurses work injuries and the tangled web that is called the ‘workers’ compensation system’. You are also entitled to have one free standard will drawn up and one free consultation in relation to other legal problems. But what happens when you need a solicitor for anything else? Legal costs can be crippling and it’s virtually impossible to get legal aid these days. For $2.50 a week, you will get access to a whole range of discounted legal services.

For more information on NURSECOVER, ring the NSWNA on 1300 367 962 or go to www.nswnurses.asn.au

30 THE LAMP APRIL 2005

Q & A

ASK

JUDITH

WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR RIGHTS AND ENTITLEMENTS AT WORK, NSWNA ASSISTANT GENERAL SECRETARY JUDITH KIEJDA HAS THE ANSWERS. THIS MONTH JUDITH LOOKS AT THE IMPACT OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT’S PROPOSED INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS CHANGES

State vs federal Awards

Hard-won rights under threat

I’m a bit confused by this debate about workers being on state awards or having everyone together on a national system. Does it really make a difference?

If the federal government did succeed in moving NSW nurses on to federal awards would this have any impact on our pay and on conditions such as overtime?

The state system allows many more benefits and conditions to be contained in an award or Enterprise Agreement. The state system is also far more accessible. For example, if a casual worker is dismissed, they can seek compensation after six months’ work rather than a minimum of 12 months in the federal system. And employees in rural and regional areas are better serviced as the federal tribunals are located only in the big metropolitan areas.

The full impact is not yet clear. What we do know is that matters contained in our state awards not allowable in federal awards now include the reasonable workloads tool, provision of amenities such as staff tearoom areas, payroll deduction of union membership fees, right of entry to hospitals and workplaces for union officials and limits on the proportion of part-time to full-time employees among others. Even now, federal awards can only contain 20 allowable matters. This is likely to be stripped back from July this year to between 10 and 16 matters – or even less if business groups get their way.

No right to a reasonable workload under Federal Award The workloads clause in the Public Hospital Nurses’ Award is an important resource for us to measure and regulate our daily workloads. Is there anything in the Coalition’s proposed changes that would put this hard-won gain by nurses in jeopardy?

Why it is important to pay by direct debit?

This clause would not be enforceable in a federal award. It is exactly the sort of condition that the federal government says imposes ‘work practices that restrict or hinder the efficient performance of work’ and that ‘are more appropriately dealt with by agreement at the workplace or enterprise level as opposed to in a legally enforceable Award’.

A union office requires a lot of resources to organise, service and communicate with 50,000 members.The revenue required to do this comes almost entirely from your union fees. If payment of union fees was blocked – which is likely to happen – it would have serious consequences for the way the Association could function. Payroll deductions are a convenient

I’ve noticed that the Association often asks us in The Lamp to change from payroll deductions to direct debit. Why is this such a big deal?

way of paying union fees but they do depend on the goodwill of the employer and the neutrality of the law. Moving to direct debit minimises the risk that a hostile employer or anti-union laws would be able to interfere with the way members pay their fees.

Get organised, stay protected! In a past issue of The Lamp, it was said that the Howard government was planning to drastically restrict access by union officials to our workplaces. Is there any way of getting around this?

The best protection we can have against these draconian measures is to have well-organised and active workplaces with impeccable internal and external ways of communication. If we are organised, no number of unfair and restrictive laws can deny us our rights.

Howard wants to destroy unions These changes that the Howard government is going to bring in will destroy unions. What will be the point of being in a union if you can’t do anything?

Employees always have and always will be able to stick together. Unions have existed for more than 100 years before the Howard government, often through seriously difficult times and will continue to exist in the future. Whether we as a union continue to survive and prosper is in our members’ hands – irrespective of who is in government or what the nature of the laws are.

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NSWNA MEMBERS SAVE $30! Save $30 on a ticket to the critically acclaimed, award-winning show The Producers – the New Mel Brooks Musical. Exclusive to NSWNA members, don’t miss this fabulous opportunity to see the Broadway hit The Producers – the

New Mel Brooks Musical for the special discount price of $59.90 (regular price $89.90) at a special preview session on Wednesday 18 May. To book, phone 8512 9933 and quote the NSW Nurses’ Association special offer.

THE LAMP APRIL 2005 31

KNOWING YOUR SUPER

Women unprepared for super change g Research shows most women lack confidence about choosing the right fund.

orking women risk losing thousands of dollars because they are unprepared for superannuation changes coming into

force on 1 July. That’s the warning from the health workers’ super fund, HESTA – one of Australia’s largest providers of super for women. Research commissioned by HESTA shows 64% of women feel they do not know enough about superannuation to choose a fund when ‘choice’ legislation comes into force in July. The figure was as high as 80% for women aged 15-29 years. The survey of 800 people found most women were unaware of the Federal government’s new ‘choice’ legislation, lacked

32 THE LAMP APRIL 2005

confidence about making the right choice of fund, and were more worried than men about their super.

‘The challenge for women especially will be to concentrate on the essentials.’ ‘With the 1 July deadline just months away, it’s alarming so many women are saying they don’t know how to make the right decision,’ said the CEO of HESTA, Anne-Marie Corboy. Under ‘Choice’ legislation, millions of workers will have 28 days from 1 July to choose a superannuation fund. The changes may not affect workers on state awards, including nurses, in the first instance. ‘If people don’t educate themselves

and make an active choice, they could find themselves in a default fund that doesn’t suit their needs,’ Corboy said. ‘Our survey found 55% of men and 58% of women turn to financial planners or accountants for superannuation advice. Consumers need to realise that some of these planners receive commissions for sending members to certain funds. ‘It is important that consumers learn how to compare funds independently and start preparing now to avoid making hurried investment decisions that will have a major effect on their retirement incomes’. The survey found women were: s More likely to believe they will not have enough money when they retire (54% compared to 40% of men). s More worried about having to rely on their partner for support (33% compared to 26%). s Less sure what to do with a payout than their male counterparts (30% unsure compared to 25% of men). s Three times more likely to consult their partner before making super decisions (12% compared to 4%). Corby said that in the coming months people will be bombarded by marketing material from the retail super funds trying to woo members away from the industry funds like HESTA. ‘The challenge for women especially will be to concentrate on the essentials: the security of their money, low fees and charges, returns, and a fund that understands a woman’s life circumstances,’ she said. ‘Now is the time to do some research and prepare for what could be the most important financial decision in their lives.’

How ethical is your Super?

eciding where your superannuation money gets invested is just as important as its financial performance, believes Lismore nurse Rose Pitman. Rose is among a growing number of Australians who are putting their superannuation into ‘ethical investment’ super funds. ‘Big companies and banks have a responsibility to make a profit for their shareholders above all else, and I’ve never been very comfortable with that,’ said Rose, an RN at Lismore Base hospital. ‘Super investments should be judged

‘Superannuation should be judged on environmental and social performance, as well as financial performance.’ Rose Pitman … opting for socially responsible investment.

on environmental and social performance, as well as their financial performance. ‘That’s why I chose a small community-based fund – Foresters ANA Friendly Society fund – which follows a charter of social responsibility while producing excellent returns.’ Thirty eight years of nursing has convinced Rose that health care needs to be looked at in a social and environmental context. ‘If you’re investing your money in something that’s destroying human communities or the environment it will eventually come back as a health problem in one form or another,’ she said. As well as looking at the profitmaking potential of an investment, Rose’s fund considers how the business treats its employees and its effect on the local community. It also favours investments in environmentally sustainable forestry and farming and energy conservation. A list of ethnical investment funds can be found on the website of the Ethical Investment Association at www.eia.org.au.

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OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY

Stressful workplaces need a strong union g Individual remedies are no solution to job-related stress. urses who suffer jobrelated stress should get together to try to change unsatisfactory working conditions rather than rely on individual solutions. That’s the advice from a panel of experts brought together by WorkCover to develop guidelines for preventing and managing stress in the workplace. The panel, which included representatives of the Nurses’ Association, said effective union representation at the workplace was a key factor in preventing stress. ‘A strong local union presence is needed to ensure a reasonable workload, which is essential to reduce and manage stress,’ said NSWNA Assistant General Secretary Judith Kiejda. ‘All public sector nurses have a legal right to a reasonable workload. Hospital nurses can make use of the workloads committee to calculate and manage reasonable workloads in their ward or unit. ‘Nurses who are under stress because of workloads should approach the local branch of the Association or one of the workforce representatives on the workloads committee.’ Judith said public and private sector nurses with no access to a local union branch should contact the Association directly for help from an organiser. ‘Stress at work can lead to serious health problems, and stressed workers are more likely to have accidents,’ she said. ‘We encourage nurses to raise questions about the sources of stress in their workplaces, and to work together to overcome them. ‘Nurses should feel they have the right to speak up about stress, because the

‘We encourage nurses to raise questions about the sources of stress in their workplaces.’ source of the problem is usually workplace conditions, not the individual. ‘Stress can only be tackled successfully if it is treated as a work organisation and people management issue, rather than a medical and workers compensation issue.’

Did you know? Stress can result from risk factors such as exposure to violence and abuse, workloads, critical incidents, poor staffing and skill mix, long hours, mismatch between the job and skill level, bullying, workplace restructuring and job uncertainty, and lack of communication and consultation by management. As with any occupational risk, the causes of stress need to be identified, assessed and eliminated or controlled at their source in consultation with employees. A stressful workplace can result in

fatigue, anxiety, headaches, insomnia, dizziness, panic attacks, depression, cardiac disorders and backache. There is growing confirmation of the role of stress in heart disease, hypertension, skin diseases, gastrointestinal and muscular disorders, and weakening of the immune system. All workplaces should have an EAP program or peer support that nurses can use to help them deal with stress. But in the end, like OHS hazards generally, specific sources of risk should be reported so that they can be dealt with. This could mean any one of a number of actions including reporting a hazard using the OHS incident reporting system, using the formal grievance procedure, using the workloads committee at your workplace, or approaching your local NSWNA branch for support. THE LAMP APRIL 2005 35

NURSES WHO DARE

‘Natural’ healing goes mainstream

YOGA FOR PEOPLE WITH CANCER AND NEW MUMS

g From aged care to chemo patients and new mums, many nurses are embracing complementary therapies in their practice and getting the thumbs up from patients. illions of people now use complementary or ‘natural’ therapies each year, reflecting patients’ desire to have more control over their treatment and, in some cases, reflecting their disenchantment with orthodox medicine. Letitia Quirk, DoN of Matthew John Nursing Home and Maxine Louise Care Facility has been using complementary

therapies for ten years, and says these treatments should be used side-by-side with conventional medicine. She advocates evidence-based therapies such as aromatherapy and dementia mapping to help create a more holistic, personalised environment for her residents. Like many nurses, she was wary of these therapies at first, until she saw that they worked. ‘Scepticism is healthy,’ she says. ‘It makes us validate what we’re doing.’

Enid Guthrie

THE GOOD OIL romatherapy is a lot more complicated than many people give it credit it for. ‘It’s not just a matter of putting a nice smelling oil in a burner,’ says Letitia. Aromatherapy uses essential oils extracted from plants for therapeutic healing. Chemicals in the oils invoke different responses in the body. Letitia does not allow ‘blanket burning’ – burning an oil throughout a room – in her facilities. She says residents can react in different ways to the oils and their individual preferences must be respected. ‘You need medical and family consent,’ she says. ‘You look at all the issues involved in a resident and draw up an aromatherapy care plan for them, whether it be for pain, insomnia, or anxiety. From there you develop a blend for the resident.’ Once a specific blend is developed for a resident, it is applied in a cream base directly to their skin so only they can smell it.

36 THE LAMP APRIL 2005

Letitia Quirk uses aromatherapy to help aged care residents

‘It works on the olfactory system, which is the limbic brain area. These are chemical constituents within each essential oil that are actually proven to have different effects.’ Letitia has seen many of her residents benefit from aromatherapy. ‘One lady would wander 23 hours a day. She wouldn’t see people, she would walk straight through people. Her behaviours were problematic. She was put on medication and that bombed her right out. So we put her on the essential oils, her own special blend. It took a while to work, but

after a while she calmed right down. She slowly started to join conversations, she would sit long enough to join an activity. We kept her on the essential oils for five years before she died.’ Aromatherapy can also be used to relieve infections, in wound healing and other physical problems. Letitia says it is important to use good quality oils and specific types of oils proven to have effects – for example, Lavender Augustifolia is the only type of lavender that has any effect.

nid Guthrie is a nurse who teaches yoga to people with cancer and to pregnant and new mums. She’s the Coordinator of Supportive Holistic Health at RPA, and draws on her knowledge of hatha yoga in her work. Yoga takes a holistic approach to the body. ‘We talk about dis-ease in yoga,’ says Enid. ‘Literally, your body is not at ease. By becoming aware of yourself, you can see where an imbalance has occurred.’ There are five elements to hatha yoga: breathing, preparation, postures, diet and meditation. ‘We practice yoga to heighten awareness of the self, physically emotionally and mentally,’ says Enid. ‘We want to give clients tools to empower themselves.’

lungs is when you are active or at work, while breathing in the lower part signals deep relaxation.

Breathing ‘Breathing can tell you a lot about how you are,’ says Enid. For example, Hatha yoga teaches that breathing in the upper part of the lungs can indicate anxiety, breathing in the middle of your

Most yoga teachers are strict vegetarians, but you don’t have to be vegetarian to practice yoga. Enid uses specific dietary advice for different groups. For example, she teaches women with breast cancer the impor-

Preparation Preparation can involve affirmations and self-awareness. Enid finds this especially useful for pregnant and new mums. ‘Women often forget to nurture themselves when they have a baby,’ she says. Postures The postures that most people associate with yoga are more than just exercise. ‘Yoga is mindful. It teaches people how to tune into their body. The gentle stretches help you to send energy to whatever parts of your body need it. Diet

tance of avoiding hidden sugars and fats in food. She teaches prenatal women to take omega three, six and nine to avoid postnatal depression, and advises them to eat acidophilus yoghurt to prevent allergies in their baby. Meditation ‘Meditation is bringing your mind to one point,’ says Enid. ‘We like to say that to meditate is to stop and rest in the all-knowing wisdom mind.’ Meditation has proven benefits for many physical conditions, as well as allowing people to feel less anxious and more in control when they face a serious illness or a life-changing event. Aside from sessions with patients, Enid also works with other nurses who work in stressful environments like the chemo ward. ‘Nurses are giving from themselves constantly. Nurses also have to learn to nurture themselves. As carers it’s vital nurses care for themselves, or there will be no energy left for others,’ she says.

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The theoretical component of the Courses is presented in a series of four two-week study blocks, integrated with three six-week periods of practical experience. The lecturers and clinical teachers are experts and recognised as leaders in their fields. Applications, closing date April 15, 2005. For further information, please contact: Course Co-ordinators. Tel: 02-9382 7404 or 7409 E-mail: fordm@sesahs.nsw.gov.au or moorec@sesahs.nsw.gov.au

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s TIPS FROM MEMBERS WHO KNOW

Wanna lose 8

ask Sam how A transformed Sam

Sam before her weight loss victory

g After losing an astonishing 80 kilograms, Sam is literally half the woman she was two years ago. Here’s some tried and tested tips from our slimmer-of-the-year fellow member. ike many nurses, a combination of shift work and long hours meant that Port Kembla rehab nurse Sam McSevney had trouble controlling her weight. ‘During shifts you go for such long periods of time without eating a meal. I’d skip meals, then I’d have larger meals before going to bed, and then because I didn’t have a lot of time I’d eat chocolate or takeaway,’ she explains. Aside from eating on the run, she was also diagnosed with arthritis and sought comfort in food. She tried a new diet every week

L 38 THE LAMP APRIL 2005

but would give up within a few days. ‘I was so depressed I told my mum I didn’t want to live anymore,’ she says. ‘Then I saw the look on my mum’s face, and I thought, I’ve got to do something about this.’ So Sam turned her life around and lost an astounding 80 kilos – half her original body weight. She was awarded the Weight Watchers Slimmer of the Year in 2004 and travelled to the US to meet Sarah Ferguson, The Duchess of York. Sam shed 79 kilos over two years after joining Weight Watchers, slimming down from a size 26 to a size 10. Her life has been totally transformed – after losing the weight she even took up theatre, and performed in a tap-dancing musical. ‘It was a dream for me,’ she says. Sam now has a new romance in her life, and shedding the weight has even reignited her passion for nursing. ‘I’m healthier, and I’m a lot happier too.’

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‘Sam shed 80 kilos over two years after joining Weight Watchers, slimming down from a size 26 to a size 10.’

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TIPS

1 2

My number one rule is – you’ve got to do it for yourself, and for no one else. Set realistic goals. I needed the discipline of weighing in every week at Weight Watchers. At first I couldn’t comprehend that I had to lose 80 kilos, so I would just think about losing the next five kilos. And I rewarded myself when I reached a new goal – I would buy myself new clothes.

Use the support of friends and family. I got my dad to join Weight Watchers with me because I was too embarrassed to go by myself. Walking through the door was the hardest thing but he kept encouraging me.

Eat smaller meals throughout the day. I used to skip meals during shifts, and then eat two huge meals, plus snacks. Now I eat six smaller meals and I still have a bit of a sweet tooth but only in moderation. It’s important to eat every couple of hours and drink plenty of water.

5 6

Pre-plan your meals, especially for shifts. Bring meals to work with you so you don’t end up getting take away.

The NSWNA is giving you the chance to win an exclusive package to see the critically acclaimed, awardwinning show The Producers – the New Mel Brooks Musical by comic legend Mel Brooks. The Producers – the New Mel Brooks Musical won an unprecedented 12 Tony awards for its comic story of two down-on-their-luck producers who hatch the ultimate scam – to raise money for a surefire Broadway flop and pocket the difference. NSWNA members can save $30 of the normal ticket price. Please refer to page 31 for details. You can win two tickets to The Producers – the New Mel Brooks Musical on Wednesday 18 May, including an overnight stay at a Superior Pyrmont View room at Star City with breakfast; pre-show and interval drinks; a merchandise pack and an exclusive backstage tour. To enter Write your name, address and membership number on the back of an envelope and send it to: The Lamp/ The Producers competition PO Box 40, Camperdown NSW 1450 Conditions: Open to NSWNA members only. Prize and discount tickets are valid for Wednesday 18 May only. Competition closes 1 May. Winner’s name is not published for privacy reasons.

Exercise. I never joined a gym; exercise doesn’t have to cost you money. At first it was painful to exercise, so I just started with small 10-minute walks because I was very unfit. But it got easier as I lost weight, and now I walk 45 minutes five days a week.

Have you got a special skill, talent or hobby you'd like to share with other nurses? Contact Claire Buckis, 8595 2199 or cbuckis@nswnurses.asn.au THE LAMP APRIL 2005 39

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S P E C I A L

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‘The proposed industrial relations changes are a big concern for women. It will have a huge impact for women starting out in careers.’ NUM Karen Draddy

Karen ‘surprised and humbled’ by Women’s Day award g International Women’s Day proved the perfect opportunity to reward NUM Karen Draddy for her years of working to help women.

hether it’s new mums or her staff of midwives, NUM of Mona Vale Maternity Unit Karen Draddy is passionate about supporting women. She was recognised for her efforts last month when she was named Pittwater Woman of the Year on International Women’s Day.

Karen was given the award on her doorstep when her local MP John Brogden knocked on her door with the local paper, The Manly Daily, and presented her with a silver goblet and flowers. ‘I was so surprised I couldn’t stop crying. It was very humbling,’ she says. Aside from helping countless women through pregnancy and child birth, Karen is also involved in Soroptimists International, an organisation that advocates for women at the United Nations. While women’s right to equal pay and status are now enshrined in Australian law, Karen says occasions like International Women’s Day are important to acknowledge the hardwon gains women have made. ‘It’s a chance for us to stand up and say, yes, we have some wonderful women in our community,’ she says. Karen has concerns that some of the gains women have made may be eroded by the federal government’s proposed changes to industrial relations. ‘The proposed

industrial relations changes are a big concern for women. It will have a huge impact for women starting out in careers – what is going to happen to long service leave and maternity leave?’ After winning the award, Karen was invited to attend an International Women’s Day reception at Government House with Bob Carr. Unfortunately, Karen already had a prior appointment – to meet with the NUM Society and NSWNA General Secretary Brett Holmes which she couldn’t turn down. ‘I’m a great believer in the NSW Nurses’ Association!’ she says. Karen intends to continue her work at Mona Vale Maternity Unit – a unit which has a waiting list of nurses who want to work there in the midst of a nursing shortage, and has a 97% satisfaction rating from patients. ’I love being able to help women in their birthing and making it easier so they have more choices. We want to help women get the experience they want,’ she says. THE LAMP APRIL 2005 41

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L I F E S T Y L E

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Ethics and law for the health professions by Ian Kerridge, Michael Lowe and John McPhee,The Federation Press, RRP $49.95 How do you work out the care needs of a mentally ill patient who can’t speak? What happens when a patient who wants to die is given CPR regardless? Small and large ethical dilemmas confront nurses almost every day, and Ethics and law for the health professions is a thorough guide on ethics with realistic case studies. Written specially for an Australian audience, the book has clear breakdowns of ethics and the law, and covers a wide range of issues including Aboriginal health, nurses’ ethics, confidentiality, and euthanasia.

Real World Nursing Survival Guide: Critical Care and Emergency Nursing by Lori Schumacher and Cynthia Chernecky, Elsevier, $56.65 The Real World Nursing Survival Guide series cover many of the fundamentals of nursing for students or those who want a refresher. Critical Care and Emergency Nursing covers the fundamentals of each different system of the body, and each chapter is organised from the most immediate, life-threatening conditions to the less serious.

God Under Howard: The Rise of the Religious Right in Australian Politics by Marion Maddox, Allen and Unwin, RRP $29.95 Was God backing the Liberals in the last election? It’s an absurd idea, and yet in the 2004 election John Howard successfully harnessed right-wing religious ideology to win votes. While separation of church and state is one of the fundamental building blocks of democracy, election outcomes in both Australia and the US illustrate that religion still has a big part to play in our political landscape. God Under Howard:The Rise of the Religious Right in Australian Politics tracks the rise of American-style evangelism, looks at Howard’s personal stake in the issue and examines the consequences of inviting religion into parliament.

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APRIL NEW RELEASES Measuring Quality of Life in Health by Rod O’Connor, Churchill Livingstone, RRP $77 Quality of life is a difficult thing to measure but with increasingly patientcentred approaches, it’s become one of the most important factors in care. Measuring Quality of Life in Health provides a framework to measure quality of life using tests and questionnaires.

Real World Nursing Survival Guide: Hemodynamic Monitoring by Rebecca Hidges, Kitty Garrett, Cynthia Chernecky and Lori Schumacher, Elsevier, $56.65 Another book from the Real World Nursing Survival Guide series, Hemodynamic Monitoring covers heart and lung function and monitoring. Like all the Real World series it contains illustrations and memory-reinforcing interactive tests and puzzles.

These books are all available on order through the publisher or your local bookshop. Members of the NSWNA can borrow any of these books and more from our Records and Information Centre. For borrowing information, contact Jeannette Bromfield, 8595 2175, jbromfield@nswnurses.asn.au or Cathy Matias, 8595 2121, cmatias@nswnurses.asn.au

THE LAMP APRIL 2005 43

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Test your knowledge with The Lampâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nursing crossword 1

15 16 18

23 25

24 25

22 30

31 32

s 1. 10. 11. 12. 13. 16. 18. 20. 22. 25. 29. 31. 33. 34.

ACROSS Feeling, mood (7) Wellbeing, safety (7) Stitches used to close a wound (6) Scratch, superficial skin injury (8) To restore life or consciousness (13) Digit of the lower extremity (3) End-stage renal disease, abbrev (1.1.1.1) Back of the neck (4) Final amount; mesh (3) Bleeding profusely (13) One of the 33 bones in the spine (8) Non-malignant; not serious (6) Operate, employ (7) Best and most favourable condition (7)

s DOWN 1. A muscle that stretches a body part (6) 2. A developing baby before birth (6) 3. Tough tissue formation that can precede emphysema (8)

4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 12. 14. 15. 17. 19. 21. 22. 23. 24. 26. 27. 28. 30. 32.

A specialist nurse (1.1.1) A piece of cotton or gauze (4) The opposite of acid (6) Someone to nurse (7) A newborn baby (7) Conditions where body develops antibodies against itself, â&#x20AC;Ś.immune disease (4) Alleviate, relieve (4) A much needed cuppa (3) Ajar; exposed (4) Dream state (1.1.1) Afterbirth (8) Anxious (7) A hormonal gland at the front of the throat (7) A diuretic substance naturally found in urine (4) Protective covering fringed by eyelashes (6) Upper part of the hip bone (5) Complete set of genes of a cell (6) Spool, cylinder (4) Solution page 46 Shortness of breath, abbrev (1.1.1) THE LAMP APRIL 2005 45

D I A RY D AT E S

Conferences, seminars, meetings SYDNEY, HUNTER & ILLAWARRA Holistic Nurses Association of NSW Date: First Tuesday each month, 7pm Venue: Macquarie Hospital, North Ryde Details: Kate Belfield 9634 3924 Infection Control Association NSW Southern Metro Interest Group Date: First Wednesday each month, 2pm Venue: Rozelle Hospital Details: Jan O’Hara, 9556 9179, jan.ohara@email.cs.nsw.gov.au Sydney Hospital Graduate Nurses’ Assoc. Date: 3rd Wednesday each month, 10.30am, commencing Feb 05 Venue: Nightingale Wing of Sydney Hospital Details: Karys (Hall) Fearon 4323 1849; Jeanette Fox, 4751 4829 The Cardiac Nurses’ Network of Australia and New Zealand education evening Date: 6 April Venue: Concord Hospital Details: Theme is heart failure. Contact Julie Chalmers, 9542 3765, education@cnnanz.com Nurses’ Christian Fellowship Autumn dinner Date: 9 April Venue: Ryde Anglican Centre Details: Jane Cooper 9449 4868 Cancer nursing Dates: 14&15 April Venue: Sydney University Details: Nada Dunda, 9351 0677 Northern Sydney Health Haematology Series Dates: 13&27 April Venue: RNSH Details: 9926 7459 ACAT meeting Date: 19 April, 1pm Venue: Bankstown Hospital, L4 Details: Wendy Oliver, 9722 7300 Hope Healthcare Palliative Care Evening Seminar ‘Puzzles in Palliative Care’ Date: 27th April Venue: Neringah Hospital Education Centre, Wahroonga Details: Angela Harris 9488 2200 Wound Management Workshop Date: 29 April Venue: L7, Fairfax Building, Broadway Details: Cost $250. Contact Aileen Wyllie, UTS, 9514 5204 46 THE LAMP APRIL 2005

Gosford Hospital Midwifery Conference ‘Midwifery: New Life, New Challenges’ Date: 6 May Venue: Apollo Resort, Wamberal Details: Penny McCulloch, 4320 2111, pager 18292, pmucculloch@doh.health.nsw.gov.au

Navigating Neuro Neuroscience Conference Date: 13 August Venue: Wollongong Hospital Details: Terri Penkis, 4222 5390, Narelle Walton 4253 4400

Neuroscience Nursing Dates: 5&6 May Venue: Sydney University Details: Nada Dunda, 9351 0677, ndunda@nursing.usyd.edu.au

Westmead Midwifery Dinner ‘A Professional Evening for Midwives – Celebrating Midwifery’ Date: 2 September Venue: Crowne Plaza Hotel, Parramatta Details: Sadie Dugdale, 9845 5555, page 01793, or lesleyepotter@bigpond.com

International Nurses’ Day Masquerade Ball Date: 13 May Venue: City Beach Function Centre, Wollongong Details: Glen Barrington, 0402 000 841, Nevia Kusa, 4222 5214 HIV Nursing Practice workshop Dates: 16-19 May Venue: Surry Hills Details: Applications close 9 April. Ph 9332 9720, albeducation@sesahs.nsw.gov.au Wound management Dates: 26&27 May Venue: Sydney University Details: Nada Dunda, 9351 0677, ndunda@nursing.usyd.edu.au Nurses’ Christian Fellowship Professional Evening Date: 3 June Venue: NCF, 5 Byfield Street, Macquarie Details: Diana Marshall, 9476 4440 ACAT meeting Date: 21 June Venue: Bankstown Hospital, L4 Details: Wendy Oliver, 9722 7300 Nursing and Allied Health Stroke conference ‘Smart Strokes’ Dates: 7&8 July Venue: Sofitel Wentworth, Sydney Details: Louise Pitney, 9437 9333, Louise@conferenceaction.com.au

5th Australian Update on HIV and Hepatitis C in Children and Families Dates: 22-24 September Venue: Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick Details: Kidest Nadew, 9382 1654, or NadewK@sesahs.nsw.gov.au Wound Care Association of NSW conf. Dates: 11&12 November Venue: Luna Park Conference Centre Details: Debbie Blanchfield, 4295 8203, or wcansw@lists.health.nsw.gov.au

INTERSTATE Drug and Alcohol Nurses of Australasia conf. ‘Moving Forward, Looking Back’ Dates: 23&24 June Venue: Rydges Capital Hill, Canberra

Desperately Seeking Margaret Geoffrey Margaret was born around 1946 in Newcastle and attended St Theresa’s School and new Lambton School. She trained as a nurse in Newcastle. If anyone knows Margaret, contact Jan Kilmurray, jan.kilmurray@mater.health.nsw.gov.au.

From page 45 Crossword solution

HIV, Sexual Health and Viral Hepatitis course Dates: 11-15 July Venue: RNSH Details: Carol Martin, 9926 6508, cmartin@doh.health.nsw.gov.au Infection Control Association of NSW 28th Annual Conference Dates: 21 & 22 July Venue: Hilton Hotel, Sydney Details: Jan O’Hara, 9556 9179, jan.ohara@email.cs.nsw.gov.au

Send us your snaps If you’re having a reunion, send us some photos and any information from the night, and we’ll publish the results in The Lamp.

Diary Dates

3rd Australasian Conference on Safety and Quality in Health Care ‘Evolution or Revolution!’ Dates: 11-13 July Venue: Adelaide Convention Centre Details: www.aaqhc.org.au/resources.asp, or aaqhc05@sapmea.asn.au

Reunions Prince of Wales Hospital and Eastern Suburbs Randwick reunion April 1975 graduates Date: 24 April Venue: Randwick Golf Club Details: 1975 graduates contact Robyn Flowers, 9960 7370 Lewisham Hospital 30-year reunion PTS April 1975 Date and venue: TBA Details: Wendy Janick, 6925 0578, or Julie MacQueen (Conlan) 6686 7727 Prince Henry Trained Nurses’ Association International Nurses’ Day afternoon tea – all welcome Date: 12 May, 2pm

Venue: Nursing museum, Prince Henry, Little Bay Details: RSVP 6 May, Lyn Smith 9387 4412 St Joseph’s Hospital Auburn Graduate Nurses’ Association and Associates reunion Date: 21 May Venue: St Joseph’s Hospital Details: Mary Rigby (Cameron) 4733 3862, rigbyfamily@ozemail.com.au Western Suburbs Hospital Trained Nurses Association luncheon and reunion Date: 28 May Venue: Burwood RSL Details: Lesley Potter, 9349 8387, lesleyepotter@bigpond.com RPAH 30-year reunion, PTS September 1972 Date: TBA September Venue: Vanuatu for 5 nights!!! Details: ‘Don’ Stibbard, Stephen or Martha, 6629 5742, debraelfes@hotmail.com Orange Base Hospital PTS Feb and March 1981 Date and venue: TBA Details: Joyce Kennedy (Biggs), 6361 0408, jkenne14@postoffice.csu.edu.au

Diary Dates is a free service for members. Please send information at least two months before the event, in the same format used here – event, date, venue, contact details. Send information to: Ms Glen Ginty Email: gginty@nswnurses.asn.au Fax: 9550 3667 Mail: PO Box 40 Camperdown NSW 1450 Please double-check all information sent is correct. The Lamp cannot guarantee that the issue will always be mailed in time for the listed event. Due to high demands on the page, some dates too close to publication or too far in the future may be cut.

Special Interest Groups Special Interest Groups is now part of Diary Dates. If you are a special interest group, you now must send information about your event as above.

Mental Health Nursing Forum –

CALL FOR ABSTRACTS Interested in mental health? The 2005 Mental Health Nursing Forum will be held at NSWNA Head Office, 43 Australia Street, Camperdown on 27 May. Nurses are invited to submit an abstract for a 20 minute presentation and 10 minute discussion on mental health related topics. The forum is an ideal opportunity for nurses to present matters of interest to your peers in a relaxed format. The deadline for abstracts is 8 April. Please contact Angela Garvey, agarvey@nswnurses.asn.au or call the NSWNA for more information.

THE LAMP APRIL 2005 47

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