Lamp February 2018

MENTAL HEALTH

UNION AID ABROAD

PRIVATISATION

REGULARS

“Scary” for new nurses

Work visas ‘fuel exploitation’

A tale of two healthcare systems

page 12

page 16

page 24

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

THE MAGAZINE OF THE NSW NURSES AND MIDWIVES’ ASSOCIATION VOLUME 75 NO. 1 FEBRUARY 2018

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STOP PRESS

Maitland hospital to remain public!

p.31 p.36 p.37 p.39

COVER STORY

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

Sydney Office 50 O’Dea Avenue, Waterloo NSW 2017 (all correspondence) T 8595 1234 (metro) 1300 367 962 (non-metro) F 9662 1414 E gensec@nswnma.asn.au W www.nswnma.asn.au

VOLUME 75 NO. 1 FEB 2018

Hunter Office 8-14 Telford Street, Newcastle East NSW 2300 NSWNMA Communications Manager Janaki Chellam-Rajendra T 1300 367 962 For all editorial enquiries letters and diary dates T 8595 1234 E lamp@nswnma.asn.au 50 O’Dea Avenue, Waterloo NSW 2017

8

Produced by Hester Communications T 9568 3148 Press Releases Send your press releases to: F 9662 1414 E gensec@nswnma.asn.au Editorial Committee Brett Holmes, NSWNMA General Secretary Judith Kiejda, NSWNMA Assistant General Secretary Coral Levett, NSWNMA President Peg Hibbert, Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Hospital Michelle Cashman, Long Jetty Continuing Care Richard Noort, Justice Health Advertising Danielle Nicholson T 8595 2139 or 0429 269 750 F 9662 1414 E dnicholson@nswnma.asn.au Information & Records Management Centre To find archived articles from The Lamp, or to borrow from the NSWNMA nursing and health collection, contact: Jeannette Bromfield, Coordinator.

T 8595 2175 E gensec@nswnma.asn.au The Lamp ISSN: 0047-3936 General Disclaimer The Lamp is the official magazine of the NSWNMA. Views expressed in articles are contributors’ own and not necessarily those of the NSWNMA. Statements of fact are believed to be true, but no legal responsibility is accepted for them. All material appearing in The Lamp is covered by copyright and may not be reproduced without prior written permission. The NSWNMA takes no responsibility for the advertising appearing herein and it does not necessarily endorse any products advertised.

Privacy Statement The NSWNMA collects personal information from members in order to perform our role of representing their industrial and professional interests. We place great emphasis on maintaining and enhancing the privacy and security of your personal information.

Personal information is protected under law and can only be released to someone else where the law requires or where you give permission. If you have concerns about your personal information, please contact the NSWNMA office. If you are still not satisfied that your privacy is being maintained, you can contact the Privacy Commission.

Subscriptions for 2018 Free to all Association members. Professional members can subscribe to the magazine at a reduced rate of $30.

Individuals $84, Institutions $140, Overseas $150.

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Average Net Distribution per issue. The Lamp is independently under the AMAA's CAB Total Distribution Audit.

Publisher's Statement for the period: 01/04/2016 - 30/09/2016

COVER STORY

Beds thrown overboard Mass closure prompts concern and confusion at St Vincent’s Hospital.

10

COVER STORY Treatment delay saddens nurses

Closures hit drug and alcohol patients at St Vincent’s.

12

MENTAL HEALTH Mental health ‘scary’ for new nurses

Understaffed mental health units are deterring junior nurses from choosing a career in mental health nursing.

14

MENTAL HEALTH Nolan house battles to keep CCTV

16

Cameras are essential in a high-risk mental health unit, nurses say.

UNION AID ABROAD Work visas ‘fuel exploitation’

REGULARS

5 6 6 28 31 32 36 37 39 41 43 45 46

Editorial Your letters Competition Education Calendar 2018 Ask Judith News in brief Nurse Uncut Facebook Nursing Research Online Crossword Book Club At the Movies Diary Dates

Australian government policy is creating a workforce divided by immigration status, says the union movement’s overseas aid arm.

18

SUPERANNUATION PM’s Christmas gift to the banks

21

INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS Obey the award, commissioner tells LHD

Despite public support for a bank royal commission, Malcolm Turnbull wants to focus on not-for-profit superannuation funds.

23

Industrial Relations Commission says Hornsby Ku-ring-Gai Hospital must be staffed according to the nurses’ Award.

MENTAL HEALTH

UNION AID ABROAD

PRIVATISATION

REGULARS

“Scary” for new nurses

Work visas ‘fuel exploitation’

A tale of two healthcare systems

page 12

page 16

page 24

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

p.31 p.36 p.37 p.39

THE MAGAZINE OF THE NSW NURSES AND MIDWIVES’ ASSOCIATION VOLUME 75 NO. 1 FEBRUARY 2018

AGED CARE No vote brings Allity to the bargaining table

24

After refusing to negotiate for nine months, and trying to force a low-pay offer onto nurses, aged care provider Allity finally entered into talks about a new enterprise agreement.

PRIVATISATION A tale of two healthcare systems

Corporate fraudsters regularly pillage the US healthcare system. Now Britain’s NHS is in their sights.

MASS CLOSURE PROMPTS CONCERN Print Post Approved: PP100007890

OUR COVER: Kristel Alken and Leana Payne Photographed by Gerrit Fokkema THE LAMP FEBRUARY 2018 | 3

Lippincott Procedures

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4 | THE LAMP FEBRUARY 2018

EDITORIAL

Judith

KIEJDA ACTING GENERAL SECRETARY

Not-for-profits are not the answer The Berejiklian government wants to give over the operation of the new Maitland hospital to a not-for-profit organisation. Recent experiences at St Vincent’s, among others, should make us wonder why.

Just before Christmas, with next to zero warning or consultation with staff, management at St Vincent’s Hospital in Darlinghurst closed down half of the hospital’s beds in response to financial difficulties (see pp 8-11).

Fairfax media revealed that St Vincent’s was $18 million in the red although the hospital was allocated more than $362 million in state government funding in the 2016-17 financial year, according to its service agreement with NSW Health.

The Sydney Morning Herald found that at least two executives at St Vincent’s “were rewarded with $25,000 bonuses for making budget at the end of the 2016-17 year, despite the hospital being over budget less than one month later”.

Of course, when any private involvement in health fails, the burden falls on staff and the community. At St Vincent’s there was an expectation from management that staff take leave at their whim. Many nurses were deployed into areas where they had little or no expertise. Stress levels are bound to increase when nurses are thrust into unfamiliar wards and units without adequate support. As always, this has consequences for the quality and safety of patient care.

St Vincent’s travails highlight a common misconception about notfor-profit hospitals. Not-for-profit suggests they don’t care about making money – which they do.

In fact, which they must. They are subject to the same economic laws as other entities running complex organisations like a hospital.

The Berejiklian government has

been clear in its wish to involve the not-for-profit sector in operations in the pubic health system, notably at the new hospital at Maitland to which the Association remains resolutely opposed.

US NOT-FOR-PROFITS ARE MAJOR CORPORATIONS The United States also provides us with insightful experiences about the ambiguous role of so called notfor–profits in healthcare.

A 2016 study by health economists at John Hopkins University found that 7 of the 10 most profitable hospitals in the United States are not-for-profit hospitals (Health Affairs, May 2016).

Each of these hospitals made more than $US163 million in profits from patient care services prompting the researchers to say: “Some (notfor-profit) hospitals are obtaining outrageous profits”.

The study found that the most profitable hospitals “have monopolies or near monopolies in their communities”, an observation which should sound the alarm for the people of Maitland.

Some of the American nor-for-profit hospitals are massive businesses.

The famous Cleveland Clinic has annual revenue of $7.2 billion and has over 50,000 employees. Its 2016 profits were $514 million. Over four

years it made $2.7 billion in profits.

It’s CEO, Toby Cosgrove, an adviser to Donald Trump, earned a tick under $US5 million a year.

Despite these massive figures the Cleveland Clinic is still classified as a not-for-profit hospital. The key to its profitability, like other US not-for-profit hospitals, is its tax-exempt status which, theoretically, comes with community responsibilities.

But an investigation by the online magazine Politico last year found that the Cleveland Clinic “campus” comes with luxury hotels, boutiques and chic organic markets for its well-heeled overseas patients – mainly from the Middle East. At the same time it is surrounded by poverty-stricken local communities that see very little of the profits or health benefits of the hospital.

Of course the American context is different but their experiences with not-for-profit hospitals along with our own should alert us to any complacency about handing over public health services to the notfor-profit sector.

We see such a move as privatisation under another guise and remain convinced that the best and most economic delivery of health services comes through a wellfunded, well-resourced public health system. ■

‘ US experiences with not-for-profit hospitals along with our own should alert us to any complacency about handing over public health services to the not-for-profit sector.’

THE LAMP FEBRUARY 2018 | 5

YOUR LETTERS

Sp

h s la

ummer S o t at in

Wet‘n’Wild Sydney is the biggest and best water theme park and has cemented its place as an iconic and exciting attraction in Sydney. With over 40 slides and attractions and a smart new queuing system, Tap’n’Play, Wet’n’Wild Sydney is the best place to spend time with your friends and family this summer.

W

in!

The Lamp is offering NSWNMA members the chance to win one of eight double passes to Wet’n’Wild Sydney.

To enter the competition, simply provide your name, address and membership number and email your entry with the subject: Wet’n’Wild to lamp@nswnma.asn.au *Conditions apply. Offer only valid for Season 5 which commences 23 September 2017 until 29 April 2018.Tickets are valid for one single day use per ticket only. Unless otherwise stated, fees for food, merchandise, locker rentals, pay-per-ride attractions (Sydney SkyCoaster), special concerts or events are not included in the admission prices. Prices and product offerings are subject to change without notice. Children 3 years and under free. Competition entries from NSWNMA members only and limited to one entry per member. Competition opens 1 February and closes 28 February 2018. The prize is drawn on 6 2018. | THE LAMP 2018 1 March If a redraw is requiredFEBRUARY for an unclaimed prize it must be held up to 3 months from the original draw date. NSW Permit no: LTPM/17/01625

Have your

Say Doubly proud

I’m Claire. I’m a 23-yearold Emergency nurse who identifies as a queer cis female. I marched with the first NSWNMA Mardi Gras float last year in 2017 and I loved it. It was the first time that I met openly queer nurses and midwives who were not only proud about their profession, but also about the fact that they identified as part of the LGBTQIA+ community. The parade was a great way to show how proud we are to be queer-identifying health care professionals and it felt great to be a part of a union that supports us and our patients. I remember people in the street yelling out that they love nurses and the big wide smile on my face as we marched down. I also made new friends in a queer female older couple who I got to hang out with afterwards, who were such an inspiration to me as a younger queer female nurse. I can’t wait to march again this year and I hope you will join me.

Claire

Lover or taker?

A teacher at my kids’ school recounted a conversation they’d initiated with a notoriously anti-union colleague about some upcoming industrial action: “Will you be going on strike with us?”

“No. I’m a lover, not a fighter.”

“No”, this awesome teacher replied, “You’re choosing to be a taker, not a giver.”

Eddie Barry

Advertise in The Lamp and reach more than 66,000 nurses and midwives.

To advertise, contact: Danielle Nicholson 02 8595 2139 / 0429 269 750 dnicholson@nswnma.asn.au

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

SEND YOUR LETTERS TO: Editorial Enquiries EMAIL lamp@nswnma.asn.au fax 9662 1414 MAIL 50 O’Dea Avenue, Waterloo NSW 2017.

Please include a high-resolution photo along with your name, address, phone and membership number. Letters may be edited for clarity and space. Anonymous letters will not be published.

Letter of the month A chance to remember It’s important that we all acknowledge the great sacrifices many nurses and midwives make throughout their lives, especially those who have served during war time or with the services during peacetime. During the fall of Singapore by the Japanese forces in 1942, a merchant ship, SS Vyner Brooke, fled the Japanese Army advance. She was carrying 181 passengers of various nationalities, most of them women and children; Australian and British soldiers, and the last 65 Australian nurses in Singapore.

Shortly after 2pm on 13 February, the Vyner Brooke was attacked by Japanese aircraft.

She was hit by several bombs and sank within half-an-hour.

Of the 65 Australian nurses, 12 drowned, some floated away on life boats or debris never to be seen again, or were killed during the air attack. Of the survivors, 21 were murdered on Radji Beach, and 32 became prisoners-ofwar, eight of whom died before liberation of the PoW camps at the end of the war.

To honour all nurses, both military and civilian, a service will be held at 4.30pm on 18 February 2018, at All Saints’ Anglican Cathedral in Bathurst, NSW. This service will be held in the presence of His Excellency General the Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove AK MC (Retd),

Falling into a language trap No, he/she did not ‘have a fall’; he/she fell.

I wonder if others have pondered alternative meaning when a verb becomes a noun? To ‘fall’ is a verb, yet by changing the emphasis to ‘he/ she had a fall’ implies that the person has ownership of the action.

Letter of the month The letter judged the best each month will win a $50 Coles Group & Myer gift card!

Union Shopper offers members BIG savings on a wide range of products! unionshopper.com.au 1300 368 117

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Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia.

The Governor-General will deliver the formal address and his Excellency will lay a wreath.

This is an opportunity we, as nurses and midwives, don’t often get where we can pause and reflect on the many military and civilian nurses who have died in service.

All are welcome to attend, and wreaths may be laid. Uniforms, medals and academic dress may be worn.

For further information please contact: lshields@csu.edu.au Professor Linda Shields, Charles Sturt University, Bathurst

Having a ‘fall’ has become common parlance associated with ageing.

Many factors contribute to such incidents including trip hazards, vision, unsteady gait, substances. In the context of health care facilities, staffing levels may be a factor, also beyond the control of the person who has fallen. Lynne Saville, Chatswood

While you look after those who need it most, we’re looking out for you.

Contact us to register today.

02 9965 9456

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

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THE LAMP FEBRUARY 2018 | 7

13/07/2017 09:27

COVER STORY

Beds thrown overboard Mass closure prompts concern and confusion at St Vincent’s Hospital.

Kristel Alken and Leana Payne

N

urses were left stunned and confused when cash-strapped St Vincent’s Hospital announced a sudden widespread closure of beds and services in December.

The closures across 10 wards and units started on 18 December and were scheduled to apply for at least six weeks.

They prompted an angry protest by about 130 nurses outside the hospital in Darlinghurst, Sydney.

Management announced that 167 beds would close – about half of all St Vincent’s beds. However, the number of actual bed closures has fluctuated since then.

Management’s shock announcement followed news of an $18 million budget blowout (see page 11).

8 | THE LAMP FEBRUARY 2018

The hospital had already announced its intention to close a total of 58 beds. The haematology ward is being refurbished and due to the construction noise, the ward below (general, head and neck and colorectal surgical ward) will be closed until the end of February.

The NSWNMA supported the temporary closure of these two wards due to the refurbishment program.

However, the December announcement added a further 75 beds in another six wards and units.

NSWNM A General Secretar y Brett Holmes told the nurses’ rally that hospital management had planned the closures in secret.

“Slashing this hospital’s entire bed-base by more than half is a serious restructure

COVER STORY

‘Nurses are angry about the secrecy surrounding the bed closures.’

— Kristel Alken – temporary or not – and it warrants a thorough consultation process for both staff and the community,” Brett said.

“It is extremely disingenuous for hospital management to cut its bed capacity and services to this scale and pretend that it is part of a ‘normal summer shutdown’ protocol.

“These restructure arrangements will have implications for drug and alcohol services, palliative care, rehabilitation, medical and numerous surgical wards.

“Not to mention the impact on the surrounding hospitals that will be forced to cope with extra patients; those who have to be turned away from St Vincent’s Hospital.

“St Vincent’s Hospital is operated by a not-for-profit health organisation under a special affiliated health agreement with the NSW government.

“Therefore, the health minister should step in and ensure the community is provided access to the public health services it deserves.”

FORCED TO TAKE LEAVE NSWNMA branch secretary at St Vincent’s, Kristel Alken said nurses affected by bed closures had been required to take annual leave.

“Others who did not have enough leave have been redeployed while some have been redeployed without the option of taking leave,” she said.

“For example, management closed four ICU beds out of 20 and redeployed staff without giving them the option of taking leave.

“Hospital downtime is nothing new, but the announcement of 167 bed closures was unheard of.

“It has created a lot of anxiety, especially among nurses who are being redeployed to areas they have never worked in before.

“Our educators and NUMs were all on leave so there has been hardly any orientation and support for redeployed staff.

“That includes after-hours support because the after-hours educators who cover seven days a week were asked to take leave as well.”

Casual staff faced a complete loss of income during the closures.

“Casual staff have loyally worked here for a very long time and we wouldn’t be able to cope without

them. Yet they are not being given any shifts because vacancies are being filled by redeployed staff.”

Kristel said that in the past the branch sometimes had trouble getting members to come to meetings.

“However, since November every meeting has been jam packed, with people having to stand or sit on the floor.

“That shows you how concerned nurses are with the deteriorating situation at the hospital.”

MANAGEMENT LOSING RESPECT She said the announced closures followed a number of adverse changes that had left staff feeling discouraged.

“Nurses feel overwhelmed at having to do more work with less staff. Nurses have resigned and have not been replaced – even at the top level.

“Nurses feel that their efforts and hard work are not being recognised. For the first time, there was no free Christmas lunch offered this year and the free afterhours car park was changed to a fee-paying car park.

“Nurses are angry about the secrecy surrounding the bed closures.

“A lot of nurses, including me, have lost a bit of respect for management as a result.

“The hospital presents itself as a place where it is okay to ask questions. But top management have failed to create an environment where people feel it’s safe to escalate their concerns.

Hospital policy and procedure documents carry the tag “You said – we did. Speak up, you’ll see the difference”. But as Kristel points out, “In an environment where there is so much secrecy, who are you going to ask?”

At its first meeting for 2018, the NSWNMA branch carried a resolution protesting at the behaviour of members of the senior executive team.

The resolution referred to an incident that happened when the emergency department was full and nurses were unable to offload a patient.

“Members of the executive offloaded the patient from the ambulance stretcher into a bay with no nurse allocated to the patient, who was left unsupervised,” Kristel said.

“The executive should let nurses do their job and give them adequate resources to do it properly.” ■ THE LAMP FEBRUARY 2018 | 9

COVER STORY

Treatment delay saddens nurses Closures hit drug and alcohol patients at St Vincent’s.

B

ed closures at St Vincent’s Hospital have forced nurses to delay treatment of drug and alcohol patients seeking urgent care.

Gorman House, the hospital’s acute drug and alcohol unit, takes emergency department presentations and elective admissions.

Management cut its bed numbers from 20 to 12 in November, with nurses redeployed to other wards.

NSWNMA branch member Leana Payne says the unit operates an intake line for elective admissions.

“People who want to detox can phone and do an intake interview. Since the bed closures we’ve had to manage numbers by delaying elective admissions,” she says.

“There have been multiple days when we’ve had to call people who are in a really bad way and need to come in to detox, and tell them we have had to postpone their treatment, even though there are beds sitting there empty.

“It’s really sad, especially when people are begging us to help them.

“We report the situation to management and discuss it at every meeting, with no obvious changes as a result.

“We put in daily ‘riskmans’ to report hazards and risks that could lead to incidents, but management often doesn’t pass on feedback or responses to them.”

Since November bed numbers have fluctuated depending on executive decisions.

“We were told that if numbers were going to be pushed to 13 or more it had to be cleared by the executive. The maximum has been 14 patients but when bed numbers go up staffing levels haven’t been increased.”

Leana and the Gorman House team feel the staff are being used as a casual pool.

“All 20 nurses apart from the CNS2 and NUM have

10 | THE LAMP FEBRUARY 2018

‘The mood among staff is awful.’ — Leana Payne been affected. In the last 24 hours we have had someone redeployed on every shift.

“I’ve worked on three other wards as well as Gorman House in the last two months.

“I have been sent to work on wards that are outside my clinical specialty and where I have limited experience. When I have brought this to the attention of management I am told there is an educator available.

“Sometimes there is an educator available for support during the day shift but we are deployed on afternoon and nights as well.”

“The stress is horrific because you’re worried you are going to miss something or do something wrong that could be life threatening.”

Leana says Gorman House is not being staffed to what nurses consider to be a safe level.

“The mood among staff is awful. On every shift you’re working short, or the acuity is going up and nothing is done about it.

“No matter what we say, someone senior overrules us.” ■

COVER STORY

Management blamed the budget blowout on several factors, including ‘activity-based changes to heart/lung funding arrangements, the rising cost of major goods and services like electricity, and tightening of the revenue from privately insured patients’.

Nurses from St Vincent’s Hospital voiced their anger at the closure of almost half the hospital’s beds, without consultation, a week out from the Christmas holiday period.

Budget woes drive closures The national body governing St Vincent’s Hospital, St Vincent’s Health Australia Group, directed the hospital to find $18 million in savings to overcome a budget blowout, The Sydney Morning Herald reported.

The Herald said the hospital’s total budget for 2017/2018 was just under $400 million.

The hospital had contracted external consultants to oversee savings measures.

Management blamed the budget blowout on several factors, including “activity-based changes to heart/lung

funding arrangements, the rising cost of major goods and services like electricity, and tightening of the revenue from privately insured patients,” the Herald reported.

“One service already affected is the hospital’s H2M service, which provides dedicated psychological and psychiatric care for people with HIV and hepatitis C. “GPs with patients referred to the service were informed via email that H2M was being ‘wound down and closed because of severe budgetary constraints’ and could not take new referrals effective immediately.

“Current patients will be referred to other mental health services, according to the email.”

FIND OUT MORE For more information and updates visit the NSWNMA St Vincent’s Hospital Facebook page at: https://www. facebook.com/ StVincentsPublic Darlinghurst NSWNMA/

THE LAMP FEBRUARY 2018 | 11

MENTAL HEALTH

Mental health ‘scary’ for new nurses Understaffed mental health units are deterring junior nurses from choosing a career in mental health nursing.

N

SWNMA General Secretary Brett Holmes has warned a parliamentary inquiry of a “looming staffing crisis” in mental health units.

He was giving evidence to an inquiry into management of health care delivery in NSW. “How do you encourage someone to take up mental health nursing if their experience is to walk into an acute mental health unit that is understaffed?” Brett asked.

“You have one or more psychotic patients bouncing around the walls, threatening people, being highly dangerous, and everyone is saying, ‘Our KPIs say we cannot use seclusion here and going near them for restraint requires six people and we only have five, so we have to wait for security to come from the other side of the hospital to help us.’

“That sort of experience is not impressive for a person who ha s not ex perienced menta l health nursing nor has a mental health background.”

He said the nurse education program had to cover ever y speciality including mental health nursing and was inadequate preparation for a nurse assigned to a mental health unit.

“My own experience is that I had 18 months to undertake a mental health certificate in those days and even at the end I was just a beginning practitioner.

“This is a volatile workplace to 12 | THE LAMP FEBRUARY 2018

He said the Ministry of Health recently produced – without any consultation with nurses – a new state-wide policy directive requiring “very high levels of observation and recording of those observations” in mental health units.

‘ Seclusion must remain an option and necessary last resort to ensure optimum safety.’ — Brett Holmes walk into and your first impression can be a fairly stinging one if you get into a situation where you are seeing a person who is affected by methamphetamine and is not controllable by normal means. That is a pretty scary thing.”

SUPPORT AND RESOURCES VITAL IF SECLUSION IS REDUCED Brett told the MPs that the use of seclusion and restraint in NSW can be reduced but only with the right support and resources.

“Seclusion must remain an option and necessary last resort to ensure optimum safety in NSW mental health facilities.”

T h is wou ld have “severe consequences” for staff because current nursing hours per patient day were insufficient to implement the policy, he warned.

A ny nurse who t r ied to implement the policy in an understaffed unit was “setting themselves up for failure” because of the additional time it would take.

“We truly wish to see a better outcome for mental health patients, but we also fear that the profession of mental health nursing is at a critical point where it becomes more and more difficult to stay in the profession.

“Those of us who were among the last to be trained in a psychiatric nursing certificate are now at the point of leaving as early as possible to access their superannuation, because of the level of risk and ... inability to recognise the skills and advice of people with many decades of experience.

“I have not practised at the bedside for more than 27 years, but I know that ... it is tougher for my members now than it ever was when I trained in 1984 to 1987.” ■

MENTAL HEALTH

Staff exposed to high risk Surveys reveal extent of understaffing in mental health facilities.

A

survey of NSWNMA members employed in mental health shows the safety of patients and staff is at “critical levels”, said NSWNMA General Secretary Brett Holmes.

Reasons include inadequate budgets, a non-specialised and inexperienced menta l hea lth workforce and failure to retain senior mental health nurses, Brett told the parliamentary inquiry into management of health care delivery in NSW. He said 340 members completed the survey in September and October 2017.

It produced similar results to a survey done around the same time by the Australian College of Mental Health Nurses in conjunction with Flinders University.

HI DEPENDENCY BEDS UNDERFUNDED Brett urged inquiry members to read “ brutally frank and honest” survey comments from nurses.

“I quote one ver y telling comment: ‘There is only so long that people can put up with endless abuse, violence, physical assaults, working understaffed, being made to work overtime, being bullied by management, working with wards over census. It is not an attractive place to work.

‘Over census means they admit more patients into the ward than

they have beds for them, and then at night, if they are able, they sleep them out in some other wards or beds or find other arrangements to try and fit them into wards, which just adds to danger and risk.’”

Brett told the inquiry that NSW had only 62 mental health ICU beds properly funded as intensive care beds and patients could wait many weeks to be allocated such a bed.

Therefore, high dependency unit beds or observation beds, which get lower funding, had to serve as mental health ICU beds.

As a result, staffing was inadequate for these types of patients.

“We were informed in 2015 by Mr Peter Carter, Acting Director, Mental Health and Drug and Alcohol Office, that mental health intensive care beds catered for the most disturbed mental health patients who are unable to be cared for safely with local health districts’ acute care options.

“In order to look after those patients, more nurses are allocated to the high dependency unit and that means fewer nurses are available in the acute care parts of that particular unit.”

NSW mental health services had 270 high dependency or observation beds that were underfunded and under-resourced to cope with highly aggressive patients who needed a higher use of seclusion. ■

IN THE NSWNMA SURVEY...

68.93%

said a lack of nursing staff to care for high acuity patients prevented a reduction in the use of seclusion and restraint.

18.05%

Only 18.05 per cent often, and 4.14 per cent always, had appropriate nursing staff numbers for acuity of patients that allowed reduced seclusion and restraint.

68.93%

of respondents were left in the position of high exposure to a foreseeable risk.

81%

of respondents said their workplace had unfilled nursing positions.

5.9%

said they were staffed to full capacity.

‘ There is only so long that people can put up with endless abuse, violence, physical assaults, working understaffed, being made to work overtime, being bullied by management, working with wards over census. It is not an attractive place to work.’

THE LAMP FEBRUARY 2018 | 13

MENTAL HEALTH

Nolan House battles to keep CCTV Cameras are essential in a high-risk mental health unit, nurses say.

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urses are resisting an attempt to remove security cameras from a high dependency mental health unit (HDU) on the Albury Wodonga Health campus.

Nurses say the cameras at Nolan House HDU are an essential safety measure.

The unit was upgraded with state of the art CCTV to eliminate blind spots, after a critical incident resulted in a ‘root cause analysis’ (RCA) and coroner’s recommendations in 2014.

Albury Wodonga Health campus is on the border of NSW and Victoria. Nurses are employed

by NSW Health and seconded to Victorian health authorities who manage the campus.

Nolan House is a 24-bed acute unit including a seclusion room and the three-bed HDU, with bedrooms, lounge and a courtyard. As a nongazetted unit the HDU receives lower funding and staffing numbers.

The HDU was shut down in July 2017 and reconfigured to make it more secure after nurses refused on safety grounds to be permanently stationed inside the unit (see The Lamp November 2017).

During renovations, Victoria’s chief mental health nurse Anna Love visited the unit and said CCTV did not have a role in Victorian or NSW mental health services.

She said cameras would be removed in the interests of “patient privacy and therapeutic engagement”. Ms. Love reassured nursing staff that workplace health and safety education would be provided as a matter of priority.

CCTV ENSURES SAFETY Branch secretary Gillian Rhodes said CCTV allows one staff member to see patients and other staff in all parts of the HDU other than bathrooms at all times – not only at the 15-minute intervals required under NSW Health engagement and observation policy.

“CCTV allows staff to monitor, evaluate, and 14 | THE LAMP FEBRUARY 2018

provide escalation or de-escalation and early intervention,” she said.

“This ensures the safety of patients and staff and is also a great comfort to patients’ families.

“It does not replace the required physical, therapeutic engagement with staff members every 15 minutes.

“Since the introduction of CCTV our unit has had a low incidence of self-harm, disinhibited sexual behaviour, assaults and reportable incidents – and there have been no more RCAs or critical incidents.”

Gillian said branch members believe 15-minute visual observations are “inadequate to maintain the safety of our highest-risk and most vulnerable patients.”

“Members strongly believe that therapeutic relationships are not impaired by the use of CCTV, which has enhanced safety for both staff and patients.

“The CCTV does not record footage as a measure to protect patient confidentiality and privacy.”

DIFFICULT TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN IN RURAL AREAS She said the unit’s location in a rural catchment area created difficulties in recruiting and retaining staff.

“CCTV helps to maintain the safety of patients, staff and visitors when we have such limited staff resources.

“CCTV is increasingly used to improve safety in public places such as squares, airports and shopping centres; it’s just been installed in Albury CBD, for example.

“It is therefore a backward step for CCTV to be excluded from a high-aggression and high-risk work area.”

Gillian said it was unrealistic to expect staff to view every patient every minute.

MENTAL HEALTH

‘ Members strongly believe that therapeutic relationships are not impaired by the use of CCTV, which has enhanced safety for both staff and patients.’

— Gillian Rhodes, NSWNMA branch secretary, Nolan House

“Howe ve r, technolog y advances such as CCTV have made this possible, making it safer for both patients and staff.

Why take away an invaluable tool used to enhance visual observation and safety for both patients and staff?

“Members appreciate previous WHS and violence de-escalation training, but this does not replace the 14 minutes of visual obser vations, as the nurses can only be in one area at any given time.

“We are expected to accept the most dangerous patients, some of whom have forensic histories and most patients are under the influence of illicit substances.

“In the past staff have accepted this position, but only because of the added security that CCTV provided.

Gillian Rhodes

“If asked to do the same job without such security advances and less funding than gazetted mental health units, the members say ‘No’.”

Until recently, Nolan House staff were not permanently stat ioned inside t he HDU because it had only a single entrance/exit door that needed a key to be opened from the inside.

Earlier this year the chief mental health nurse visited the facility and without consultation with nurses, directed that staff should stay inside the HDU at all times. If not, they were to record every episode as a seclusion.

That led to nurses deciding to close beds and refuse to admit patients on safety grounds.

The NSWNMA branch passed resolutions criticising the lack of consultation with nurses and attempts to intimidate staff to comply with the directive.

An occupational health and safety review by the NSWNMA resulted in an agreement to reconfigure the HDU to make it safer. ■

THE LAMP FEBRUARY 2018 | 15

UNION AID ABROAD

Work visas ‘fuel exploitation’ Australian government policy is creating a workforce divided by immigration status, says the union movement’s overseas aid arm.

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empora r y migration schemes are fostering a highly exploitative “second tier” labour system in Australia, Union Aid Abroad – APHEDA has warned.

In a submission to a federal gover n ment for ei g n p ol ic y review, the union movement’s overseas aid arm argued for reform of “exploitative” immigration visa categories.

“Current policies set Australia on a trajectory of entrenched division according to immigration status, preventing migrant workers from exercising basic rights that other workers can access,” it said.

“We risk returning to a society characterised by exploitation of migrant workers, not universal labour rights.”

At any one time, more than one million non-residents are in Australia on visas that provide temporary work rights.

They include foreign students, “skilled” migrants on 457 visas, working holidayma kers, New Zea landers and ref ugees on temporary protection visas.

The growing use of such workers represents a big change from the 16 | THE LAMP FEBRUARY 2018

permanent settler model that characterised Australian migration in the 20th century.

In recent years, media and union investigations have uncovered many examples of gross exploitation of temporary workers.

A 2013 Fairfax Media report revealed hundreds of foreign workers and students were being forced into “debt bondage” after paying up to $40,000 for skilled worker visas.

Some of them signed contracts stating they would be sacked if they engaged in “trade union activities”.

LABOUR RIGHTS OF ALL WORKERS UNDERMINED APHEDA said the employment of immigrants on a variety of temporary visas undermines the labour rights of all workers in Australia.

“Pro-business gains at the expense of workers in Australia have coincided with expansion of temporary labour migration schemes,” it said.

“Restrictions on the full exercise of labour rights are present across a number of visa categories, including international student, 416 (seasonal worker), 417 (working holiday) and 457 (skilled temporary work) visas.

“Temporary migration schemes

are structured in a manner that often forces many migrant workers into precarious and unfair employment contracts.

“This includes ‘bonded’ arrangements where visas are dependent on the goodwill of an employer and workers face restrictions and barriers in changing employers.

“Working for as little as $6 per hour, temporary migrants are also pushed into the informal economy where real rates of pay are dramatically below legal minimum rates.”

A PHEDA said exploitation through cash-in-hand work is “alarmingly common” in hospitality, retail, cleaning, agriculture and construction.

“The Australian Taxation Office has identified the informal economy as a major tax integrity risk, and has estimated it to account for between $2 and $3 billion in lost tax revenue annually.”

APHEDA said it supports a “welldesigned labour mobility program” that would “enable decent work and development for communities, especially for our Pacific neighbours who are some of the most aiddependent nations in the world”. ■

UNION AID ABROAD

‘Pro-business gains at the expense of workers in Australia have coincided with expansion of temporary labour migration schemes.’

Fewer unionists = more inequality A decline in the level of union membership correlates strongly with increased income inequality, according to recent research by the International Monetary Fund, cited in the APHEDA submission.

“Trade unions help their members achieve living wages and in this way, improve their living standards, end poverty and decrease inequality,” APHEDA said.

“One way for workers in developing countries to win their fair share of global economic growth and enable their families to lead lives of dignity, free from want, is to strengthen their ability to organise and bargain collectively.”

APHEDA called on the government to recognise trade union development in its official overseas aid program.

“Trade unions are needed to defend and enhance labour rights, especially in a globalised world economy where child labour, bonded labour, forced or slave labour, discrimination on race or gender, health and safety conditions in workplaces and poverty through low wages remain commonplace.”

Make a difference to the lives of workers around the world If you join, or donate, to Union Aid AbroadAPHEDA your help will contribute to educational and training projects for workers and their organisations in 15 different countries.

Union Aid Abroad-APHEDA’s work is not charity – it helps to build self-reliance through its aid program.

It has over 40 training projects in 15 countries, including Southeast Asia, the Pacific, the Middle East, Southern Africa and the Caribbean. Many of these projects aim to improve the health of local communities.

Support for these projects comes from many individual union members throughout Australia, the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU), unions and workplaces, as well as from the Australian government aid agency, DFAT. To join or donate go to: https://apheda.org.au/ THE LAMP FEBRUARY 2018 | 17

SUPERANNUATION

PM’s Christmas gift to the banks Despite public support for a bank royal commission, Malcolm Turnbull wants to focus on not-for-profit superannuation funds.

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rime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Australia’s four big banks changed their minds about the need for a royal commission into the banks at the end of 2017.

After two years of ruling it out, Turnbull back-flipped and ordered a royal commission. And after two years of strongly denying the need for one, the banks welcomed the PM’s announcement. Why? Turnbull’s hand was forced by rebel National Party MPs who joined moves by Labor, the Greens and others to set up a royal commission through parliament.

Turnbull moved first in order to prevent this group from writing the commission’s terms of reference.

Turnbull and his treasurer, Scott Morrison, put together the terms of reference after consulting the banks, but not the banks’ “many victims of bad advice, bad investments, customer rip-offs and facilitating money laundering” as ACT U president Ged Kearney put it.

The Australian Financial Review 18 | THE LAMP FEBRUARY 2018

‘ Industry super is hugely successful. That’s why the government has legislation before the parliament to give big banks access to workers’ retirement savings.’ — Ged Kearney (AFR) reported the banks’ reaction: “Although the banks had vehemently resisted calls for a royal commission ... a feeling of relief washed over the sector as senior bankers welcomed the government taking control of the inquiry.”

The reason for this relief soon became clear: the government wants to use the royal commission as part of its agenda to help the banks get more control over workers’ retirement savings.

The royal commission terms of reference require it to investigate notfor-profit industry superannuation

funds, which are run by boards made up of employer, union and independent representatives.

Ged Kearney called the move “a shameless, breathtaking and nakedly political act”.

“Industr y super is hugely succe s sf u l. T hat ’s why t he gover n ment h a s le g i slat ion before the parliament to give big banks access to workers’ retirement savings.

“Industry super isn’t broken and doesn’t need fixing. It’s the big banks that are broken that’s why we needed a real banking royal commission.”

SUPERANNUATION

‘ Of the 50 largest superannuation funds, not-for-profit industry funds have on average outperformed the forprofit sector by 1.5 to 2 per cent a year.’

— David Elia

ANOTHER ATTACK ON UNIONS Industry superannuation funds agreed the government was using the royal commission to extend its ideological war on the sector.

The Australian Institute of Superannuation Trustees (AIST) said banks had “abused their social licence and betrayed community trust ... resulting in a deluge of complaints from their own customers”.

But AIST chief executive Eva Scheerlinck rejected the need for the inquiry to be extended to super, suggesting it was part of an agenda to weaken the unions.

“We think this is ideological. It is an extension of the royal commission into the unions, where the government probably didn’t get the results it wanted. It is another attempt at getting at the unions through the super model,” Ms Scheerlinck said.

“Australia’s super system is world class, and there is no evidence of gouging, fraud or unethical behaviour to warrant a royal commission into the industry.”

Former Victorian premier and chairman of the Cbus industry super fund Steve Bracks accused the government of embarking on an ideological battle to reduce the influence of unions in Australia’s retirement savings industry.

“Clearly, there is an ideological agenda there ... to break the model so they can get at the equal representation and trade union involvement in superannuation funds,” he said.

David Elia, chief executive of the hospitality workers super fund Hostplus, said the commission should look at the structure and relative performances of Super schemes run by the not-for-profit industry funds, forprofit retail funds controlled by the banks, and public sector retirement schemes.

“Of the 50 largest superannuation funds, not-for-profit industry funds have on average outperformed the forprofit sector by 1.5 to 2 per cent a year,” he said. ■

‘ We think this is ideological. It is an extension of the royal commission into the unions, where the government probably didn’t get the results it wanted.’ — Eva Scheerlinck THE LAMP FEBRUARY 2018 | 19

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INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS

Obey the award, commissioner tells LHD Industrial Relations Commission says Hornsby Ku-ring-Gai Hospital must be staffed according to the nurses’ Award.

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he NSW Indust r ia l Relations Commission has recommended measures to ensure that Hornsby Ku-ring-Gai Hospital complies with the staffing provisions of the nurses and midwives’ Award.

The NSWNMA and nurses at the hospital have welcomed the recommendations which follow legal action by the union in the commission.

T he un ion went to t he commission after it obtained d a t a t h a t showe d s e ver a l wards were understaffed below the legal minimums.

Commissioner John Stanton recommended that: • Northern Sydney Local Health District write to all nursing unit managers, nurse managers and hospital management indicating that they must comply with the staffing provisions of clause 53 of the award.

• T he LHD get the NSWNMA’s agreement on the wording of the correspondence before it is sent to managers.

• N SLHD instruct all nursing unit managers, nurse managers and hospital management that budgetary concerns should never override the legal requirement for award compliance.

• No manager shall make a direction that breaches the nursing hours per patient day (NHPPD).

NSWNMA General Secretary Brett Holmes said Commissioner Stanton issued 15 recommendations which were accepted by both the

‘ The LHD resisted our attempts to get complete roster data for these wards.’

— Peg Hibbert union and the LHD. “We are pleased that NSLHD has agreed in a constructive way to rectify significant workload problems at the hospital,” Brett said.

“The NSWNMA believes most NUMs/NMs want the best staffing levels they can get for their staff and patients.

“Unfortunately, policies and procedures issued by NSLHD were not consistent with the Award, which placed significant pressure on nursing management to operate below award staffing requirements.”

LIKE MUST REPLACE LIKE Commissioner Stanton recommended that an absent nurse only be replaced with a nurse of a lower classification when “all avenues to backfill the absence with a nurse of the same classification are exhausted (including overtime and agency staff)”.

He allowed management a threemonth transition period to give it time to employ more nurses in order to comply with the Award.

He also recommended that spot checks of hospital rosters take place

for three months.

NSWNMA councillor and retiring vice president of the hospital’s NSWNMA branch, Peg Hibbert, said nurses were “relieved to see that at last something is being done”.

“It has been a very stressful time made more difficult by lack of recruitment and poor skill mixes on most shifts.

“While it’s a shame that members and the union had to engage in protest and seek the assistance of the commission, we hope this will now provide a fresh start.”

Peg said the union and LHD were due to report back to the commission on 1 February when the staffing situation at two medical wards would be discussed.

“The LHD resisted our attempts to get complete roster data for these wards.

“However, after the union went to the commission the LHD agreed to supply complete rostering information which should show us the real staffing picture for those wards.” ■

THE LAMP FEBRUARY 2018 | 21

The Edith Cavell Trust is now able to receive non-tax deductable donations/ bequests.

The Trust – named in honour of Edith Cavell assists in the advancement of NSW nurses, midwives and assistants in nursing/midwifery through further studies and research, made available through scholarship. The knowledge and expertise gained by nurses, midwives and assistants in nursing/midwifery, supported by the Edith Cavell Scholarships, is an asset to the care of their patients and clients. Bequests to the trust would continue to support this important work.

Edith, a British nurse serving in Belgium in WW1, is a hero to most nurses and midwives.

She helped some 200 Allied soldiers escape from German-occupied Belgium. Her actions saw her arrested, accused of treason, found guilty by a court-martial and sentenced to death. Despite international pressure for mercy, she was shot by a German firing squad.

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AGED CARE

No vote brings Allity to the bargaining table After refusing to negotiate for nine months, and trying to force a low-pay offer onto nurses, aged care provider Allity finally entered into talks about a new enterprise agreement.

A

llity operates in four states with 15 nursing homes in NSW. It is owned by Archer Capital, which bought Lend Lease’s aged care business for $270 million in 2013.

The NSWNMA tried repeatedly to negotiate with Allity starting in February 2017.

When the company’s enterprise agreement expired in June and negotiations still had not started, NSWNMA members at all 15 facilities signed a petition calling on the company to enter talks.

However, instead of talking to nurses, Allity told the NSWNMA it wanted to extend the existing enterprise agreement with two wage increases of 1.8 per cent in 2017 and 2018, and that they would put this offer to their staff.

In response, NSWNMA members ran a successful ‘NO’ vote campaign within Allity facilities. They talked to their workmates, they put up posters and handed out flyers, and they stood up when Allity tried to say that their offer was a good deal. As a result, a majority of nurses voted to reject the offer in October.

Following the vote, NSWNMA General Secretary Brett Holmes w rote to A llit y CEO Dav id Armstrong seeking an immediate start to negotiations.

“Allity employees have clearly rejected your ‘no negotiation, low pay offer variation’ by voting no,” Brett wrote.

“This result reflects our advice to you that nurses want Allity to respect their right to have a say in negotiations for their new

‘ The petition resulted in the company having to listen to their employees and bargain for a new agreement.’ enterprise agreement.

“Allity’s refusal to listen left nurses with no choice but to vote no for the proposed variation.

“It should now be very clear to Allity that it is time to respect nurses and immediately agree to commence negotiations for a new agreement.

“If Allity does not do this, we will apply to the Fair Work Commission for a majority support determination to legally require you to negotiate.”

A majority support determination is a ruling by the commission that a majority of employees who will be covered by an agreement wish to bargain with their employer.

The company finally agreed to negotiate late last year after the NSWNMA took a clear majority of petitions signed by staff to the commission.

Brett said it was significant that, in the first meeting between the members’ NSWNMA bargaining team and Allity, the company said it recognised that staff had clearly rejected the offer of a 1.8 per cent pay rise and no negotiations.

“This is a tribute to NSWNMA members who banded together and signed the petition that resulted in the company having to listen to their employees and bargain for a new agreement,” he said.

“In particular, it is a tribute to those workplace leaders who stepped up and did a great job to promote

the petition and serve as the link between their fellow nurses and the union staff.”

In December and January, the NSWNMA negotiating team met again with Allity, who made a new pay offer of two per cent, but with no back pay.

There is no offer yet on members’ staffing and conditions claims, but Allity has agreed to provide a response in February. ■

What Allity nurses want SAFE STAFFING

All facilities must have safe staffing and enough support staff to ensure nursing care needs are met for every resident, on every shift, every day.

A FAIR PAY RISE A fair pay rise backdated to October 2017 that ensures that overtime and penalty rates in the current enterprise agreement are protected and expanded.

CAREER ADVANCEMENT There must be genuine opportunities for nurses to share their nursing expertise and improve their careers with higher pay points for medication-competent AiNs, more rights for casuals, and improved study leave.

THE LAMP FEBRUARY 2018 | 23

PRIVATISATION

A tale of two healthcare systems Corporate fraudsters regularly pillage the US healthcare system.

Now Britain’s NHS is in their sights.

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raud accounts for up to 10 per cent of total US healthcare expenditure, or about US$350 billion, of the annual US$3.54 trillion that Americans spend on healthcare, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

In recent months, AmerisourceBergen, one of the world’s biggest pharmaceutical distribution companies, and UnitedHealth Group, the largest provider of subsidised private medical insurance for the elderly, have featured in fraud scandals in the United States.

A merisourceBergen wa s f ined US$260 million by the US Food and Drug Administration for emptying pre-filled glass syringes of expensive ca ncer dr ugs a nd reloading t he drugs, in slightly smaller doses, into cheap plastic syringes before distributing them to oncology centres.

For years, the company allegedly pocketed the profits obtained by creating and selling 10 per cent more pre-dosed syringes in this manner.

Prosecutors claimed that because the refilling process was not conducted under sterile conditions, it led to ‘floaters’ and bacterial contamination, putting at risk the health of thousands of cancer patients with compromised immune systems.

24 | THE LAMP FEBRUARY 2018

UnitedHealth Group is accused of overcharging the US government more than US$1 billion, by claiming patients were sicker than they actually were.

The Just ice Depa r t ment ha s filed a lawsuit against UnitedHealth Group ba sed on ev idence f rom a whistleblower.

Meanwhile, Britain’s Conservative government is pushing to privatise and outsource parts of the National Health Service (NHS).

The scale of medical fraud in Britain is still small by comparison, but some of the companies that have paid huge fraud fines in the US – including UnitedHealth, McKesson, Celgene and the Hospital Corporation of America – are becoming increasingly involved in NHS privatisation schemes, writes journalist Dave Lindorff in the London Review of Books.

FRAUD GROWS APACE WITH PRIVATISATION Lindorff quotes Mark Button at the University of Portsmouth as saying that fraud in the NHS is growing apace with privatisation.

“If you give organisations and individuals a situation where there are opportunities to increase fees and revenues

PRIVATISATION

‘ A government that has an interest in promoting marketisation isn’t interested in exposing that fraud.’ through fraud, you’ll get more fraud,” Button says.

“The other problem is that a government that has an interest in promoting marketisation isn’t interested in exposing that fraud.”

Lindorff, an American, found himself increasingly short of breath while holidaying in the British city of Oxford.

A GP found he had a blood oxygen reading of only 91 per cent, fluid in one lung and swelling in his ankles and referred him to the ambulatory assessment unit of a public hospital.

“After years of negative articles in the US media about overworked doctors, cursory exams and brusque support staff, I wasn’t expecting wonders from the NHS. But my experience was quite the opposite,” Lindorff wrote.

CARE BEFORE PROFIT He received prompt, careful treatment from doctors, nurses and other staff who treated him with courtesy and patience.

After five days, the hospital brought Lindorff’s blood oxygen level back up to 98 per cent so he could safely fly home to Philadelphia to be seen by specialists there.

“The only mention of payment came when an administrator arrived in the waiting room on the second day and politely asked for my passport number and insurance card, ‘if you have insurance’.”

Lindorff was covered by a US insurance policy that did not accept NHS billing codes but nevertheless he did not receive a bill.

“I shudder to think what would happen to a British tourist without excellent travel insurance suffering a similar health crisis in the US.” Even in a US public hospital, he says, someone with no insurance might only be stabilised and sent away.

“The cost of my NHS care, if provided in the US, would easily have topped £10,000, I’m told, assuming it could have even been provided on an outpatient basis as in Oxford.

“For inpatient treatment the bill could easily be treble that.” ■

THE LAMP FEBRUARY 2018 | 25

US HEALTH

Deaths of despair Life expectancy in the United States has dropped for the second year in a row with the opioid crisis ‘the key driver’.

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n 2017 life expectancy in the US dropped for the second consecutive year for the first time since the AIDS crisis of the 1980s and experts say an “accelerating” upsurge in overdoses from opioids is a key factor.

“I’m not prone to dramatic statements,” Robert Anderson, chief of the mortality statistics branch at the US National Center for Health Statistics told National Public Radio.

“But I think we should be really alarmed. The drug overdose problem is a public health problem, and it needs to be addressed.”

Anderson said the trend is especially concerning because life expectancy is considered an important indicator of the general well-being of a nation.

“It gives you sort of an overall sense of what’s going on,” he said.

A recent report found drug overdoses jumped significantly in 2016 to more than 63,600, and more than 42,200 of them were attributed to opioids. In 2015, more than 52,400 deaths were attributed to overdoses, and 33,000 of them involved opioids.

The rate of drug overdose deaths

‘ We think of this as people, either quickly with a gun or slowly with drugs and alcohol are killing themselves.’ — Angus Deaton involving synthetic opioids also jumped significantly, from 3.1 per 100,000 in 2015 to 6.2 per 100,000 in 2016.

“It’s just really dramatically increased,” Anderson said.

PART OF A LARGER PROBLEM Some researchers studying mortality trends say the opioid epidemic is part of a larger problem.

“It’s also a crisis in which people are killing themselves in much larger numbers — whites especially,” says Anne Case, an economist at Princeton University.

“Deaths from alcohol have been rising as well. So we think of it all being signs that something is really wrong and whatever it is that’s really wrong is happening nationwide,” she said.

The decline of well-paying jobs, job security and good benefits may be fuelling a sense of frustration and

‘Deaths of Despair’ rates across countries Deaths per 100,000 by drugs, alcohol and suicide among men and women ages 50-54

hopelessness, Case says.

Her colleague and husband, Angus Deaton, a Nobel prize winner for economics says “many more men are finding themselves in a much more hostile labour market with lower wages, lower quality and less permanent jobs”.

“That’s made it harder for them to get married. They don’t get to know their own kids. There’s a lot of social dysfunction building up over time. There’s a sense that these people have lost their sense of status and belonging. And these are classic preconditions for suicide.

“We think of this as people, either quickly with a gun or slowly with drugs and alcohol are killing themselves. Under that body count there’s a lot of social dysfunction that we think ultimately we may be able to pin to poor job prospects over the life course.” ■

The US Opioid Epidemic 78 Americans die every day from an opioid overdose • At least half of all opioid overdoses involved a prescribed medicine • Sales of prescription opioids in the U.S. nearly quadrupled from 1999 to 2014, but the overall amount of pain Americans report has not changed • Heroin-related overdose deaths have more than tripled since 2010

Source: Anne Case and Angus Deaton, Brookings Papers on Economic Activity Credit: Katie Park/NPR

26 | THE LAMP FEBRUARY 2018

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$95 / $190

7 May 4 June 2 July 6 Aug

Practical, Positive Leadership Series – Day 1 Practical, Positive Leadership Series – Day 2 Practical, Positive Leadership Series – Day 3 Practical, Positive Leadership Series – Day 4

24

RN EN MW

Waterloo

$340 / $600

18 May

CPD Made Easy

4

RN EN MW

Waterloo

$50 / $100

24 May

Prepping for Interviews

6

All

Waterloo

$20 / $40

25 May

Enrolled Nurses’ Forum

6

EN

Waterloo

$60 / $120

31 May

Tools in Managing Conflict and Confrontation

6

All

Waterloo

$95 / $190

Metro education is listed to 31 May 2018, the full 2018 program is available on the education section of our website and subsequent issues of the Lamp will feature upcoming courses. Further courses may be added to the calendar throughout the year.

CENTRAL COAST 23 Feb

Medication Safety, Professional Obligations, Documentation and the Decision Making Framework

6

All

Ourimbah

$95 / $190

29 June

Wound Care: Understanding Products

6

RN EN AiN

Ourimbah

$95 / $190

12 Oct

Increasing Resilience in Stressful and Changing Times

6

All

Ourimbah

$95 / $190

HUNTER NEW ENGLAND 14 Feb

Aged Care Focus Day: Elder Abuse

6

All

Tamworth

$60 / $120

26 April

Prepping for Interviews

4

All

Newcastle

$20 / $40

1 May

Bullying – Let’s put an end to it

6

All

Newcastle

$95 / $190

2 May

Legal, Ethical and Professional Issues for nurses and midwives

5

All

Newcastle

$95 / $190

3 May

CPD Made Easy

4

RN EN MW

Newcastle

$50 / $100

11 May

Enrolled Nurses’ Forum

6

EN

Newcastle

$60 / $120

22 May

Bullying – Let’s put an end to it

6

All

Taree

$95 / $190

23 May

Legal, Ethical and Professional Issues for nurses and midwives

5

All

Taree

$95 / $190

24 May

CPD Made Easy

4

RN EN MW

Taree

$50 / $100

27 June

Legal, Ethical and Professional Issues for nurses and midwives

6

All

Tamworth

$95 / $190

28 June

Medication Safety, Professional Obligations, Documentation and the Decision Making FFramework

6

All

Tamworth

$95 / $190

28 June

In-Charge Team Leader Skills “Lead by Example”

3

All

Tamworth

$30 / $60

29 June

CPD Made Easy

4

RN EN MW

Tamworth

$50 / $100

2-3 Aug

Foot Care for Nurses

12

RN EN AiN

Glen Innes

$203 / $350

19 Oct

Medicinal Cannabis Forum

6

All

Newcastle

$60 / $120

For full information regarding each course and to register, please go to the Education section of the Association website bit.ly/NSWNMAeducation 28 | THE LAMP FEBRUARY 2018

CPD

Attendance at NSWNMA education sessions may count towards your Continuing Professional Development (CPD) hours. You will be provided with a certificate of completion at the end of each course. The number of hours noted beside each course is the maximum amount of claimable CPD hours assuming that as an attendee you remain for the entirety of the course and complete any extra activities as may be required.

FAR WEST

PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION

CPD HOURS

$

5 Sept

Legal, Ethical and Professional Issues for nurses and midwives

6

All

Broken Hill

$95 / $190

6 Sept

Medication Safety, Professional Obligations, Documentation and the Decision Making Framework

6

All

Broken Hill

$95 / $190

6 Sept

In-Charge Team Leader Skills “Lead by Example”

3

All

Broken Hill

$30 / $60

7 Sept

CPD Made Easy

4

RN EN MW

Broken Hill

$50 / $100

12

RN EN AiN

Wollongong $190 / $380

ILLAWARRA SHOALHAVEN 8&29 May Wound Care: Leg Ulcers and Compression Dressing 12 June

Wound Care: Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT)

6

RN EN AiN

Shoalhaven

$95 / $190

20 June

Medicinal Cannabis: Debunking the Myths

6

All

Wollongong

$60 / $120

23 Aug

Legal, Ethical and Professional Issues for nurses and midwives

5

All

Ulladulla

$95 / $190

24 Aug

CPD Made Easy

4

RN EN MW

Ulladulla

$50 / $100

3 Sept

Policy and Guideline Writing for nurses and midwives

6

All

Wollongong

$95 / $190

9 Nov

Enrolled Nurses’ Forum

6

EN

Wollongong

$60 / $120

30 Nov

Finding Evidence and Implementing into Practice

6

All

Wollongong

$95 / $190

MID NORTH COAST 9 March

Medicinal Cannabis: Debunking the Myths

6

All

19 April

Medication Safety, Professional Obligations, Documentation and the Decision Making Framework

6

All

Coffs Harbour $60 / $120 Kempsey

$95 / $190

MURRUMBIDGEE 15 Aug

Legal, Ethical and Professional Issues for nurses and midwives

5

All

Albury

$95 / $190

16 Aug

CPD Made Easy

4

RN EN MW

Albury

$50 / $100

15 Nov

Medication Safety, Professional Obligations, Documentation and the Decision Making Framework

6

All

Griffith

$95 / $190

NORTHERN NSW 17 Oct

Medication Safety, Professional Obligations, Documentation and the Decision Making Framework

6

All

Lismore

$95 / $190

24 Oct

Bullying – Let’s put an end to it

6

All

Grafton

$95 / $190

25 Oct

Legal, Ethical and Professional Issues for nurses and midwives

5

All

Grafton

$95 / $190

26 Oct

CPD Made Easy

4

RN EN MW

Grafton

$50 / $100

SOUTHERN NSW 29 Aug

Aged Care Focus Day: Elder Abuse

6

All

1 Nov

Legal, Ethical and Professional Issues for nurses and midwives

5

All

Batemans Bay $60 / $120 Goulburn

$95 / $190

2 Nov

CPD Made Easy

4

RN EN MW

Goulburn

$50 / $100

Dubbo

$95 / $190

WESTERN NSW 5 June

Legal, Ethical and Professional Issues for nurses and midwives

5

All

6 June

CPD Made Easy

4

RN EN MW

Dubbo

$50 / $100

26 Oct

Medication Safety, Professional Obligations, Documentation and the Decision Making Framework

6

All

Bathurst

$95 / $190

REGISTER ONLINE bit.ly/NSWNMAeducation 8595 1234 (METRO) • 1300 367 962 (RURAL)

All

All nurses, midwives & assistants in nursing

Grad RN

New grad RN

Grad EN

New grad EN

Grad MW

New grad midwives

RN

RN

EN

EN

AiN

AiN

MW

Midwives

PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION

Me

bis

Canna l a n i c di

CPD 6

DEBUNKING THE MYTHS

MEDICINAL CANNABIS: Debunking the Myths

COFFS HARBO U 1 DA R SEMINY AR

All

Friday 9 March Coffs Harbour

$

C.ex, Blue Room, 1 Vernon St 9.00am to 4.00pm

Members $60 Non-members $120 Lunch & refreshments provided

Following on from our hugely successful Medicinal Cannabis Forum held in Sydney in September 2017, we are now bringing the forum to Coffs Harbour.

PROGRAM:

• “Dan’s Story”, Lucy Haslam, United in Compassion Director and former nurse • “What is Medicinal Cannabis? The facts and the fiction”, Justin Sinclair, Research Fellow, NICM (Western Sydney University); • “A GPs Perspective and the Opioid Crisis”, Dr Teresa Towpik; • “The Epilepsy Journey”, Carol Ireland, CEO and Managing Director, Epilepsy Action Australia.

Medicinal Cannabis forums are also being held in Wollongong on 20 June and Newcastle on 19 October

CPD 5.5

ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH FORUM

REGIST E NOW R & SAVE THE DA TE

All

Friday 6 April NSWNMA

$

50 O’Dea Avenue, Waterloo 9.00am to 3.30pm

Members $60 Non-members $120 Lunch & refreshments provided

This years’ forum will focus on a range of topics, including the impact of environmental events on healthcare.

There will be presentations around waste and recycling in ICU and Theatres, as well as disaster scenario training from 3rd year student nurses at Sydney University. Disaster planning is highly relevant to Climate Change now and in the future. We’ll also hear from green health activists who were on the frontline of the Adani Mining Confrontation Event in December 2017.

REGISTER ONLINE bit.ly/NSWNMAeducation 8595 1234 (METRO) • 1300 367 962 (RURAL)

CPD

Attendance at NSWNMA education sessions may count towards your Continuing Professional Development (CPD) hours. You will be provided with a certificate of completion at the end of each course. The number of hours noted beside each course is the maximum amount of claimable CPD hours assuming that as an attendee you remain for the entirety of the course and complete any extra activities as may be required.

All

All nurses, midwives & assistants in nursing

RN

RN

EN

EN

AiN

AiN

MW

Midwives

YOUR RIGHTS

Ask

Judith Breaking News Consultation on a new ‘Managing Complaints and Concerns about Clinicians’ Policy Directive The Ministry of Health recently consulted public health unions about a proposed new Managing Complaints and Concerns about Clinicians policy directive, along with some ancillary changes to related policies and information sheets. The Ministry’s approach will result in any new PD superseding both the current policy (PD2006_007) and the associated Guidelines (GL2006_002).

It would appear that one of the key ‘drivers’ of these changes, apart from developing a more robust and consistent approach across NSW Health organisations, is that such processes should be reserved for the more serious issues requiring a formal approach, as opposed to those that should be dealt with at a local level between a staff member and their supervisor/manager. The Association endorses this general method. It is essential that such a framework is consistently applied and any approach adopted is proportionate to the issue(s) involved.

The Association has provided the Ministry with some initial thoughts and feedback on the drafts provided and approach to be adopted.

Discussions continue.

Breaks between shifts I am a registered nurse working in a public hospital. I was recently approached to have eight-hour breaks between shifts to help with rostering. Where does the Award sit with this?

Clause 4(iv)(a) of the Public Health System Nurses’ and Midwives’ (State) Award 2017 makes clear that there will be “… not less than 10 hours break between each rostered shift, unless agreed otherwise between an employee and local nursing management.” Accordingly, the minimum break of ten hours

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

between rostered shifts can only be waived by mutual agreement, and a nurse or midwife cannot be compelled to do so.

In-service training at Opal I work as an assistant in nursing at a nursing home operated by Opal. I have been asked to attend mandatory training. What am I paid if this happens on a day off?

Clause 48 (In-Service Education and Training) in the Opal Aged Care (NSW) Enterprise Agreement 2016 provides the answer. If an employee is directed to attend training to meet minimum requirements (e.g. fire and emergency, manual handling, infection control, and food handling), and it occurs outside a rostered shift, the employee shall be entitled to be paid their ordinary rate, with a minimum payment of two hours’ pay. This attendance and payment is not viewed as overtime for the purpose of the agreement.

‘Affected’ status following a restructure I work at a public hospital and a restructure is occurring. I have been told I will receive an ‘affected’ letter shortly. I don’t understand what that means.

Section 4 of PD2012_021 (Managing Excess Staff of the NSW Health Service) permits employees whose position has/will be deleted to be notified that they are “affected”.

This provides the employee with priority access to suitable vacancies across NSW Health. In short, it affords a ‘head start’ to assist in continuing employment in NSW Health, albeit in another like-job.

The formal notification you receive should set out your rights in some detail, along with the obligations upon the health organisation.

Rights of union delegates I am a Branch delegate at a public hospital. What access to resources or facilities am I entitled to in the workplace?

Under Clause 54F (Trade Union

Activities) of the Public Health System Nurses’ and Midwives’ (State) Award 2017, the workplace will make available to accredited delegates reasonable access to telephone, facsimile and email. A notice board will also be made available for use by the Association. Conference and meeting rooms are also to be made available as negotiated between local management and the Association for the purposes of holding meetings with members.

Time in lieu of overtime at Estia While working as a registered nurse at a nursing home operated

by Estia Health, I would on occasion like to take time off in lieu of overtime. How does that work?

Clause 20.3 of the Estia Health NSW Enterprise Agreement 2016 sets out the framework for time in lieu. In short, it must be by mutual agreement, and the time off instead of payment for overtime must be taken within three months of it occurring. If this proves impossible it is to be paid out at the appropriate overtime rate based on the rates of pay applying at the time payment is made. Note, when accessing the time off you will be paid ordinary rates.

Probationary period in a public hospital I work at a public hospital but have obtained work at another Local Health District. There was some mention of a probationary period. Is that necessary?

In short, no. The use of an up-tothree-month probationary period in NSW Health is set out in PD2017_040 (Recruitment and Selection of Staff to the NSW Health Service). It expressly states that “Probation periods must not be applied to existing NSW Health Service staff regardless of whether their new role is in the same Health organisation or elsewhere in NSW Health.”

THE LAMP FEBRUARY 2018 | 31

NEWS IN BRIEF

AUSTRALIA

Penalty cuts fail to create jobs Cutting penalty rates has contributed to a reduction in consumer spending while failing to create any extra jobs or give workers more hours, according to recent research.

AUSTRALIA

These outcomes are the opposite of what the Turnbull government and employers claimed would happen when the Fair Work Commission cut penalty rates in the retail, hospitality, fast food and pharmacy sectors last year.

Profits soar while taxes plummet

Fair Work justified its decision in March by arguing a gradual reduction in penalty rates would result in “more trading hours, an expansion in the level of services offered and an increase in overall hours worked,” Fairfax Media reported.

Australia’s big companies are enjoying the strongest boom in revenue and profits in history, but their tax payments are at historic lows.

However, a survey of 1351 workers by the University of Wollongong and Macquarie University found there has been no short-term increase in average weekly hours worked by employees.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics reported that gross operating profits for the September quarter were $79.2 billion –the highest for any September quarter ever and beaten only by the previous two quarters this calendar year.

Gross profits in the 12 months to September reached a new record of $318.7 billion – up 27.1 per cent on the same period a year ago.

Alan Austin, economics writer for crikey.com.au, says total-operating profits for the 12 months to the end of September reached all-time records in several industry sectors including finance and insurance, and mining.

However, some sectors, such as accommodation and food and retail, are doing poorly.

“As is inevitable when jobs, wages, salaries and pensions are depressed, food and accommodation companies are struggling, with profits down an alarming 19.2 per cent to just $5.4 billion,” Austin says.

Despite profits at all-time highs, corporate taxes are at historic lows and “most citizens are missing out badly on their fair share of the economic pie.”

“Wage rises have been at record lows; more than 700,000 people have been unemployed for 49 months straight and the share of the nation’s wealth owned by the bottom half of Australians has declined over the last four years.”

Austin says it is critical that the government collects more tax from big companies.

“If collections were anywhere near the nominal rate payable under Australian law, or the rates historically collected, there would be funds aplenty for all current fiscal and social challenges.”

‘ Gross profits in the 12 months to September reached a new record of $318.7 billion — up 27.1 per cent on the same period a year ago.’

32 | THE LAMP FEBRUARY 2018

University of Wollongong lecturer Martin O’Brien said some workers actually experienced a drop in the number of penalty rate hours they worked in the first two months after they were reduced.

Dr O’Brien concluded that up to 15 per cent of all retail workers who were employed on Sundays worked 9 per cent fewer hours between June and July, while hospitality workers experienced no change to their hours.

“This finding is in stark contrast to the hypothesised outcome,” he said.

Meanwhile, reductions in Sunday and public holiday penalty rates have been linked to the lowest increase in consumer spending since the global financial crisis.

Analysis by the McKell Institute found “some correlation” between the reduction in consumer spending in the September quarter and the penalty rate cuts that began to be implemented from July 1.

The 0.1 per cent rise in consumer spending in the September quarter was the lowest increase since the global financial crisis, The Australian reported.

“While strong business investment is evident, there is clear evidence that household consumption is weakening,’’ the discussion paper by the institute said.

“Most evident is a reduction in consumer spending in Quarter 3, 2017 – the first quarter since penalty rate reductions have been in place, suggesting the reduction in take-home pay for workers has reduced their capacity to spend.”

Opposition workplace relations spokesman Brendan O’Connor said Malcolm Turnbull should retract his claim that cuts to penalty rates will create “hundreds of thousands of jobs”.

“The only impact reducing penalty rates will have is a pay cut for some of the lowest paid,’’ he said.

“The only impact reducing penalty rates will have is a pay cut for some of the lowest paid.’ — Brendan O’Connor

NEWS IN BRIEF

UNITED STATES

The US is exporting obesity The United States is forcing its food culture on countries like Mexico and Canada via free trade agreements leading to an increase in obesity.

The power and influence of the US food industry through advertising and trade lobbying has pushed processed and fast food on the rest of the world according to a former chief economist at the International Monetary Fund, Kenneth Rogoff.

“It is hard to ignore the fact that Mexico’s adult obesity rate has soared since the adoption in 1993 of the North American Free Trade Agreement. While there are many causes, post-Nafta direct foreign investment in the processed food industry and a surge in advertising are important contributors,” he wrote on the Project Syndicate website (https://www.project-syndicate.org/).

“Mexican consumption of sugary beverages nearly tripled between 1993 and 2014, and a new tax on sugary drinks has muted demand only slightly since then. The other Nafta partner, Canada, has similarly experienced a rise in obesity, partly because US imports have led to a sharp decline in the price of fructose.”

Recently, the US Centers for Disease Control estimated that a stunning 40 per cent of all Americans are obese (defined as having a body mass index of 30 or higher), a figure that includes 20.6 per cent of adolescents (12-19 years old).

‘ It is hard to ignore the fact that Mexico’s adult obesity rate has soared since the adoption in 1993 of the North American Free Trade Agreement.’

BRITAIN

Bogus drugs killing tens of thousands says WHO Ten per cent of drugs sold in developing countries – costing $30 billion – are counterfeit according to the World Health Organization.

The fake drugs are responsible for the deaths of tens of thousands of children from diseases such as malaria and pneumonia every year, the United Nations body says.

WHO commissioned scientists at the University of Edinburgh and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine to review 100 studies involving more than 48,000 medicines.

Drugs for treating malaria and bacterial infections accounted for nearly 65 per cent of fake medicines, it found.

The study found that between 72,000 and 169,000 children may be dying from pneumonia every year after receiving bad drugs.

Counterfeit medications might be responsible for an additional 116,000 deaths from malaria, mostly in subSaharan Africa.

The WHO’s director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said the problem mostly affects poor countries.

“Imagine a mother who gives up food or other basic needs to pay for her child’s treatment, unaware that the medicines are substandard or falsified, and then that treatment causes her child to die,” he said. “This is unacceptable.”

WHO said the cases of fake medicines it found are only “a small fraction” and that problems may be going unreported.

The agency estimated countries are spending about $30 billion on counterfeit drugs.

‘ Imagine a mother who gives up food or other basic needs to pay for her child’s treatment, unaware that the medicines are substandard or falsified, and then that treatment causes her child to die. This is unacceptable.’

— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO THE LAMP FEBRUARY 2018 | 33

NEWS IN BRIEF

AUSTRALIA

Millenials confused about antibiotics Many young Australians are asking for antibiotics when they don’t need them, according to new research.

AUSTRALIA

Nurses blanked from aged care workforce taskforce The Turnbull government has set up an “expert taskforce to develop a wide-ranging workforce strategy” for aged care – and excluded frontline nurses and carers.

ANMF Federal Secretary Annie Butler labelled the decision to exclude workforce representatives from the taskforce as a major insult for hard-working nurses and carers in the aged care sector.

“It’s inconceivable that the government has set up a taskforce to investigate workforce issues and plan a future workforce strategy without nurses and carers,” she said.

“A wide range of stakeholders, from providers, consumer and interest groups, through to academics, have been invited to sit on the taskforce, but the ANMF or other representatives of the aged care workforce have been ignored.

“Nurses and carers working on the frontline in aged care are best placed to advise on what is required to ensure proper, safe care is provided to elderly nursing home residents.

“They are the ones that fully understand the complex conditions of the frail aged, the skills that are required to attend to these conditions and how many staff that takes.”

The taskforce will be led by Professor John Pollaers and also includes the chief executives of two large aged care providers – Dr Stephen Judd of Hammondcare and Allan Lilly from Blue Cross.

The taskforce has been assigned to “oversee and sponsor a combination of working summits, public submission processes, technical and specialist groups to inform its work”.

It is scheduled to report to the federal Minister for Aged Care, Ken Wyatt, by 30 June 2018.

‘ It’s inconceivable that the government has set up a taskforce to investigate workforce issues and plan a future workforce strategy without nurses and carers.’ — Annie Butler, Secretary ANMF 34 | THE LAMP FEBRUARY 2018

The national survey by NPS MedicineWise of more than 2,500 people revealed that over one-third (35 per cent) of 16- to 24-year-olds ask their health professionals for antibiotics when they have colds or flu.

The researchers say the results indicate that younger Australians may be unaware that antibiotics are ineffective for these common viral infections.

Respondents over the age of 75 are the least likely Australians to ask for antibiotics when they’re not needed, with just 13 per cent saying they’d ask for these medicines to treat a cold or flu.

NPS MedicineWise Medical Adviser, Dr Andrew Boyden said the research showed many young people appear to lack knowledge about antibiotics and their purpose.

“Unless the excessive use of antibiotics in our community can be dramatically curbed, unfortunately it will be the younger generations who will be more exposed to antibiotic resistance as time goes on,” he said.

“We need to raise awareness, particularly in younger people, that antibiotics are a precious resource which are ineffective for the treatment of viruses, and should be reserved for the treatment of bacterial infections.

The World Health Organization has warned antibiotic resistance is one of the greatest threats to human health today, and is making it increasingly difficult to treat bacterial infections.

‘ We need to raise awareness, particularly in younger people, that antibiotics are a precious resource which are ineffective for the treatment of viruses.’

NEWS IN BRIEF

AUSTRALIA

AUSTRALIA

Medicinal marijuana exports get green light

Good riddance

The federal Health Minister Greg Hunt has given the go ahead for the export of medicinal cannabis.

ACTU Secretary Sally McManus gave a withering send off to Senator Cash after Malcolm Turnbull removed her as Minister of Employment in a cabinet reshuffle prior to Christmas.

“Under Cash, working people’s wage growth was the lowest on record. 40 per cent of the workforce is insecure work. Working people have fewer rights, and are struggling to pay the bills. Yet she oversaw the cuts to penalty rates for our lowest paid workers, opposed increases to the minimum wage, allowed wage theft and the abuse of people on work visas to become business models.

“As Minister, Cash mislead the parliament about her role in a raid on union offices on no fewer than five occasions. She thought nothing of going to the media with made up stories about working people to suit her agenda. Under her tenure, life for working people has got harder, but her attention was always on making the work of unions harder.

“Cash opposed Family and Domestic Violence leave and removed it from her own workers whilst withholding pay increases.”

“She appointed Nigel Hadgkiss to head the anti-worker ABCC despite knowing that he had broken the laws he would be responsible for enforcing, and then used tax payers’ money to pay his fines.

“In the end, everyone saw she had no credibility. She was driven by ideological obsession to hurt working people and their unions, and it is that obsession which has ended her role as Minister.”

The federal government only legalised the use of medicinal cannabis in Australia in 2016 but federal government Health Minister Greg Hunt has now authorised the export of medicinal cannabis products.

He says he hopes Australia can be the world’s top supplier of medicinal cannabis.

The minister said helping domestic manufacturers to expand would “ensure an ongoing supply of medical cannabis products here is Australia”.

“It will be a condition of any licence authorising export that medicinal cannabis products be made available, when and if required, to Australian patients first,” he said.

The federal health department says 350 patients have accessed Australian-grown medicinal cannabis products since the access rules were established.

The move to approve export received rare bipartisan support from the ALP with opposition frontbencher Anthony Albanese describing it as “a sensible move forward”.

“We know that medicinal use of cannabis can alleviate people’s health issues and, therefore, it Australia’s in a position to provide support it should do so,” he said.

Conditions that can be treated with medical cannabis include pain reduction or appetite stimulation for AIDS/HIV sufferers, improvement in mood scale for anxiety patients, joint destruction suppression for arthritis suffers and reduction in seizure frequency for those with epilepsy.

‘ We know that medicinal use of cannabis can alleviate people’s health issues.’ — Anthony Albanese

The ACTU welcomed the end of Michaelia Cash’s dismal reign as employment minister.

‘ In the end, everyone saw she had no credibility.’

— Sally McManus

THE LAMP FEBRUARY 2018 | 35

SOCIAL MEDIA

Do you have a story to tell? An opinion to share?

Nurse Uncut is a blog written by everyday nurses and midwives.

We welcome your ideas at nurseuncut@nswnma.asn.au

New on our Support Nurses YouTube channel Should I start nursing studies at age 59? Yes!

BED CUTS AT ST VINCENT’S HOSPITAL With 167 beds set to be closed at St Vincent’s Hospital, nurses and midwives gathered outside the hospital demanding the NSW Health Minister intervene in the situation. bit.ly/stvincentsbeds HOW SHELLHARBOUR AND PORT KEMBLA KEPT THEIR HOSPITALS PUBLIC Nurses and midwives discuss how they kept Shellharbour and Port Kembla hospitals from being privatised. bit.ly/shellharbourpk Connect with us on Facebook Nurse Uncut www.facebook. com/NurseUncutAustralia New South Wales Nurses and Midwives’ Association www.facebook.com/nswnma Ratios put patient safety first www.facebook.com/ safepatientcare Aged Care Nurses www.facebook.com/ agedcarenurses Look for your local branch on our Facebook page www.facebook.com/nswnma Follow us on twitter @nswnma / @nurseuncut Share on Instagram by tagging @nswnma and don’t forget to use the hashtag #nswnma!

36 | THE LAMP FEBRUARY 2018

Earlier this year we posted a story from Paul who was considering studying nursing at the age of 59. Your responses were very encouraging. https://www.nurseuncut. com.au/should-i-start-nursingstudies-at-age-59-yes/

‘At what point can I say the patient is too heavy for two people to roll?’

A nurse is concerned they might sustain an injury if they continue to lift patients too heavy for them. We offer some advice. https://www.nurseuncut.com.au/ at-what-point-can-i-say-the-patientis-too-heavy-for-two-people-to-roll/

‘Nurses do eat their young’ – bullying still rife among nurses Reducing the burden of mental illness in the bush: psychs on bikes In 2011, Dr Joseph Dunn, a psychiatrist from Sydney, just wanted to ride a motorbike across the Nullarbor Plain, but ended up starting a national mental health charity. https://www.nurseuncut.com.au/ reducing-the-burden-of-mentalillness-in-the-bush-psychs-on-bikes/

James* has been a nurse for a few years now and although he’s witnessed workplace bullying before, never has he experienced it so badly that he’s no longer at work. https://www.nurseuncut.com.au/ nurses-do-eat-their-young-bullyingstill-rife-among-nurses/

7 things you never say to a nurse or midwife ‘One of the most disgusting places I’ve ever worked at’ – aged care AiN Sometimes we hear experiences from nurses who have had to endure some atrocious problems in the workplace and aged care is certainly no exception. https://www.nurseuncut.com.au/oneof-the-most-disgusting-places-iveever-worked-at-aged-care-ain/

Ever hear nonsense from patients, friends or families about what they think it must like to be a nurse or midwife? Or what they think you do? https://www.nurseuncut.com. au/7-things-you-never-say-to-a-nurseor-midwife/

Listen to our podcast CLEANING WITHOUT CHEMICALS bit.ly/cleanwithoutchem

SOCIAL MEDIA

your

Say Violence is never OK Nurses shared their experiences in response to a video reminding patients that violence is never okay.

Thank you to all nurses, midwives, doctors, police, ambulance, fire fighters working over Xmas break.

Stay safe.

I never understood the complete raging about it, the frustration of waiting.

I get that I’m in a small town and wait times in emergency can easily be 5 hours+, but seriously isn’t it comforting to know you’re not being rushed in?

It means your condition is less critical and you’re unlikely to die or lose limbs.

A&E stands for Accident and Emergency, not All and Everyone.

It is sad when the ones that help us the most are treated the worst.

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

best care possible with limited resources.

This breaks my heart; these amazing people who work there are the best in the world. I know because they saved the life of someone very close to me and my family. This hospital is the best.

This seems to be statewide, with our EDs still at full capacity? It sucks; so many of the nurses we work with are really struggling. The health system needs to start at the top cutting jobs, not the hard workers doing patient care.

Anatomy of a nurse Presented with a tongue-incheek image of what makes up the ‘anatomy’ of a nurse (including tired feet and a warped sense of humour!), these were your additions: And a sore neck Just being kind to people Hopefully, personcentred care!

Shouldn’t superwoman be there too?

Caffeine addiction Yes, all of that but still the best job in the world.

Poor morale at St Vincent’s 167 beds at St Vincent’s hospital have been closed with staff morale deteriorating and patients’ safety being put at risk. This is what you said: What is happening in health, this is disgraceful.

Nurses and midwives work very hard to provide the

Twisted priorities We asked you whether you’d prefer 23,000 more nurses or for two stadiums to be rebuilt.

I can’t understand why they are rebuilding perfectly good stadiums Totally a waste of taxpayers’ money.

Definitely should be going to the hospital system.

Unjustifiable.

We as nurses have a duty of care for our residents/ patients. I believe the government should also have a duty of care and be held accountable.

Shame on all forms of government.

So angry. Just spent a period of time in hospital with my dad. The nurses were wonderful but overworked and the physical condition of the hospital had a lot to be desired. Every time I thought of these two new stadiums my blood boiled!

Start with better pay for them first.

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Support for Victoria’s assisted dying Victoria became the first state to legalise assisted dying and may pave the way for similar legislation in other states.

Well done! Finally some common sense prevails.

About time! It’s a person’s right to decide. Their body, their choice!

Great news. Let them go with dignity.

This is an enormous step in the right direction at last.

1/ J ohn Hunter Hospital Nurses dress up for their shift on Christmas Day 2/ Nurses at Lake Macquarie Private Hospital stand together for safe staffing 3/ Blacktown Hospital Nurses support our campaign for 10 days’ domestic violence leave 4/ Nurses support EN students in their fight against cuts to TAFE 5/ Maitland Hospital nurses celebrate Christmas Day

THE LAMP FEBRUARY 2018 | 37

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

LEGIAN, B ALI!

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

.

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

. . .

.

nights’ accommodation (for two guests) at the Astagina Resort Villa & Spa in a deluxe room Daily breakfast for two 2 x dinners for each guest 1 x 60 minute massage each Return airport transfers.

The NSWNMA will arrange and pay for return f lights for two to Denpasar.

You will experience a traditional Balinese escape in Legian - a short stroll to the beaches and restaurants of Seminyak. Astagina Resort Villa & Spa is perfectly situated close to the famous Cocoon Beach Club and Double Six Beach, trendy boutiques and cafes and bars Seminyak has to offer. Or choose to relax by the pool and be pampered at the Anjali Spa, where you will be left feeling relaxed and rejuvenated.

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

PRIZE DRAWN 1 APRIL 2018 38 | THE LAMP FEBRUARY 2018

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

NURSING RESEARCH ONLINE The Australian Journal of Advanced Nursing aims to provide a vehicle for nurses to publish original research and scholarly papers about all areas of nursing. Papers will develop, enhance, or critique nursing knowledge. This excellent resource is available at www.ajan.com.au.

Profiling Australian school students’ interest in a nursing career: insights for ensuring the future workforce

Is it time to re-examine the doctor–nurse relationship since the introduction of the independent nurse prescriber?

Jennifer Gore, Bernadette Rickards, Leanne Fray, Kathryn Holmes & Maxwell Smith

Michael John Pritchard

As the nursing workforce deficit adversely impacts health care systems around the world, nursing recruitment and retention are now top priorities for both healthcare services and the nursing profession (McLaughlin et al 2010). In Australia, where a shortfall of 85,000 nurses is projected by 2025 and 123,000 nurses by 2030 (Health Workforce Australia 2014), researchers have also sought to understand why individuals enter nursing (Hickey and Harrison 2013; Eley et al 2012; Eley et al 2010). Dockery and Barnes (2005) reported ‘registered nurse’ as the seventh most popular occupation for Year 10 females, and altruism, flexibility, and the influence of a parent in the occupation as factors shaping Year 12 female students’ decision to undertake nursing studies. Our study contributes to this growing body of research by taking an ‘upstream’ focus to explore the perspectives of primary and high school students.

We argue that research on younger students is needed because: (i) nursing aspirations often form early in life (Hoke 2006) and (ii) fewer school leavers, traditionally the core of pre-registration nursing programs, are choosing nursing as a career (Drury et al 2009). http://www.ajan.com.au/Vol35/Issue2/2Gore.pdf

Improving diabetes control in the community: a nurse-managed intervention model in a multidisciplinary clinic Tatyana Ginzburg, Robert Hoffman, Joseph Azuri The treatment of chronic disease such as Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is not a simple task for the staff in the primary care clinic. A number of models have been created to improve quality of care and counselling chronic patients utilising either physicians only, or in a physician–nurse combination. Studies that compared nurse care manager to primary care physicians showed equivalent or even better results in diabetes control (Watts and Lucatorto 2014). Studies have also shown that telephone follow-up by a nurse leads to metabolic parameters improvement and better adherence to treatment recommendations in people with diabetes.

Changes in the management of chronic diseases have opened up the opportunity for significant professional development for nurses working with chronic patients (Brown et al 2016; Chamberlain Webber 2004).

Like all other developed countries, chronic illness is now the main focus of Australia’s health care system (OECD 2015a). What made doctors unique from other health professionals was the authority to prescribe medication and as a result the medical profession opposed granting prescribing rights to non-medical professionals. They had used similar tactics during the introduction of the National Health Service (NHS) to maintain a position of privilege and power. However, by the 1990`s, the political as well as medical landscape had changed. Politically the UK government faced numerous challenges on the public purse but cutting funding to the NHS would be seen as a vote loser. However, making the resources already available to the NHS more accessible was something the public could understand while acknowledging that health care had become more technical and multifaceted requiring a much more co-ordinated approach. As a result, according to McCartney et al (1999), the UK government shifted its policy to reflect these views. A key component of this new policy was to extend prescribing rights to nurses and then use these nurses to make up the shortfall in doctors within the NHS. The government pushed through these plans despite the objections of the medical profession as a step too far and an attack on their authority (BBC 2005; Day 2005; Horton 2002). http://www.ajan.com.au/Vol35/Issue2/4Pritchard.pdf

Nurses plastering and splinting in the emergency department: an integrative review Leahanna Stevens, Susie Thompson, Emma Stoddart, Nerolie Bost, Amy N.B. Johnston Various policy initiatives have been introduced to help manage ED crowding, including the development and implementation of governmental key performance indicators that measure individual institution’s performance against designated minimum Australian standards (Hudson and Marshall 2008). It has been suggested that nurses, working in minor injury and fast track units, be trained in plaster application and aftercare as part of quality delivery of patient services (Combs et al 2006; Rogers et al 2004; Cooke et al 2002).

Thus, the aim of this integrative review is to evaluate existing evidence to support the plastering and splinting application practices performed by ED nurses. http://www.ajan.com.au/Vol35/Issue2/5Stevens.pdf

http://www.ajan.com.au/Vol35/Issue2/3Ginzburg.pdf

THE LAMP FEBRUARY 2018 | 39

REGULARS

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

r! fe oo

Be A TRI sw P ep t

TW

AL B O OT

WI N

CHANGED YOUR EMAIL? CLASSIFICATION CHANGED?

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

5 nights in your very own one-bedroom pool villa at the luxurious Villa Kayu Raja.

YOU AND A FRIEND WILL ENJOY:

• 5 nights’ accommodation in a 1-bedroom pool villa for two • Return airport transfers for two • Return flights for two to Denpasar • Breakfast daily for two • 2 x dinners for two • 2 x 60-minute massages.

Spend your time relaxing and recharging at the resort, a tropical oasis surrounded by palms, or take the complimentary shuttle into Seminyak and experience all the region has to offer – boutique shopping, cafes and chic bars.

Fu

l

lt er

40 | THE LAMP MARCH 2017

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

m sa nd co nd it

ion s

are

avai lable

at www .nswnma.asn.au/nswnm

st s nte o c / bers amem

ns /

online.nswnma.asn.au

ot m ro p d- an

io

CROSSWORD

test your

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ACROSS 1. A cardiac arrhythmia in which the beats are grouped in trios, usually composed of a sinus beat followed by two extrasystoles (10.6) 9. A goal (9) 12. A natural yellow dye used as a fluorochrome for detection of metals (5) 14. Compensation for a wrong (9) 15. With one’s identity disguised or concealed (9) 17. A curved line or

segment of a circle (3) 18. Salted fish roe (6) 21. Treatment technique of osteoarthritis (1.1.1) 22. Networks; plexus of nerves or blood vessels (5) 23. A belief in the superiority of a particular race (6) 24. Having two bellies (9) 27. Bowel movement (1.1) 28. Symbol for calcium (2) 29. Perception of objects as smaller than they are (9) 32. A feeling of having no

confidence or certainty about something; distrust (9) 35. Marijuana (3) 36. No (3) 37. Referring to or having a hollow sound (10) 39. A layer of tissue beneath a mucous membrane (9) 42. A winglike process (3) 43. A branch of the lingual artery that supplies blood to the sublingual gland (10.6) DOWN 1. Infectious and parasitic

diseases endemic to tropical and subtropical zones (8.8) 2. Introducing into a body part, especially by means of a syringe (9) 3. Emergency cardiac care (1.1.1) 4. A cocarcinogenic factor that causes a genetic mutation in a normal cell (9) 5. A malignant tumour originating in glandular tissue (16) 6. Bones of the upper arm (6) 7. Dental calculus (6) 8. The property of light as a single colour (16) 10. To brown by exposure to the sun (3) 11. Verification of Treatment (1.1.1) 13. In use (2) 16. A long curved structure on the medial surface of the cerebral hemispheres (5.7) 19. A regimen of vincristine, dactinomycin, and cyclophosphamide, used in cancer therapy (1.1.1) 20. Automated Endoscopic System for Optimal Positioning (1.1.1.1.1) 25. Mexican food (4) 26. Immune Modulatory Oligonucleotides (1.1.1) 27. Living organism (3) 30. A chronic rose-coloured eruption of the face (7) 31. Saliva (7) 33. A crust discharged from and covering a healing wound (4) 34. To the inside of (4) 38. Yield strength (1.1) 40. Disease (3) 41. Cardiac autonomic neuropathy (1.1.1) THE LAMP FEBRUARY 2018 | 41

Do you have a story to tell?

INTERNATIONAL MIDWIVES’ DAY & INTERNATIONAL NURSES’ DAY

2018 Short Story & Poetry Competition Nurses and midwives have always talked about the amazing, uplifting and special moments they experience in their work. These stories inspire the nurses and midwives who hear them, as well as some who, after hearing such poignant stories, decide to take up the profession.

So without breaching confidentiality, let’s celebrate International Midwives’ and International Nurses’ Days 2018 by sharing our stories in prose or poetry.

First State Super is once again proud to help celebrate this short story and poetry competition by sponsoring the FIRST PRIZE OF $2000, and the 2 RUNNER-UP PRIZES OF $500. These prizes will be awarded to members or associate members of the NSWNMA who can tell an entertaining and inspiring story that promotes the wonderful work of nurses and midwives.

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

e z i r st p

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

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

42 | THE LAMP MARCH 2017

W

www.nswnma.asn.au

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

T ES

S PE

Maggie Groff Corgi Books Publishers, https://www.fishpond.com.au RRP $22.93 ISBN 9780552174145

INTE IAL

ST RE

Not Your Average Nurse

SPE C

book club

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

Nursing Drug Handbook 2018 (38Th Edition) Lippincott Williams & Wilkins (available through Lippincott Williams & Wilkins) https://www.shop.lww.com RRP $44.99. ISBN 9781496353597

Fully updated with more than 4,300 clinical changes to nearly 3,500 generic, brand, and combination drugs. There is a “New Drugs” section featuring nearly 29 new FDA-approved generics and their corresponding brand-name drugs and new information on the National Cancer Institute’s “Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events” classification system.

Perioperative Nursing: An Introduction Elsevier

(available through Elsevier) https://www.elsevierhealth.com.au RRP $83.95 ISBN 9780729542333

Perioperative Nursing 2e has been written by local leaders in perioperative nursing and continues to deliver a contemporary, practical text for Australian and New Zealand perioperative nurses. This

unique text will also be of value to those undertaking postgraduate perioperative studies, as well as to more experienced perioperative nurses seeking to refresh their knowledge or expand their nursing practice. Endorsed by ACORN, this edition aligns with the 2016 ACORN and PNC NZNO Standards.

Activists Handbook: A Step-By-Step Guide To Participatory Democracy Aidan Ricketts

Zed Books Ltd: (available from The Book Depository) https://www.bookdepository.com RRP $51.99 ISBN 9781848135932

A priceless resource for everyone ready to make a difference. Environmental activist Aidan Ricketts offers a stepby-step handbook for citizens eager to start or get involved in grassroots movements and beyond.

It provides essential practical tools, methods and strategies needed for a successful campaign and discusses legal and ethical issues.

This is the ultimate guidebook to participatory democracy.

R

CI AL ‘Over time, I nursed victims of war, the posh, the poor, IN T E the famous and the infamous... Oh, the stories I can tell!’

Maggie Groff shares warm and witty stories of mistakes and mayhem, tea and sympathy, and the life-affirming moments that make it all worthwhile. Played out against the march of feminism and fashion, IRA bombings and the iconic music and movies of almost half a century ago, Not Your Average Nurse is a delightful romp through time.

Labor Of Love Terri Butler Melbourne University Press (available from Melbourne University Press} http://www.mup.com.au RRP $ 27.99.

ISBN 9780522872255

Why would you get involved in politics when you could be spending time drinking cocktails, going to the beach, or hanging out with family and friends? Most of us just rock up for a sausage and a moment at the ballot box every few years.

But in that way the decisions that affect all of us become the preserve of those few who care enough, those who have vested interests, motivated extremists and insiders.

However, the decisions made in our parliaments affect everyday life. They also affect our future. So, politics matters. Deciding whether to get involved or leaving it to other people, matters too. After almost two decades as a Labor party member, Terri Butler remembers the cocktails foregone and kids’ school concerts missed and argues that yes, it is worth it.

All books can be ordered through the publisher or your local bookshop. NSWNMA members can borrow the books featured here via the Library’s Online Catalogue: visit http://www.nswnma. asn.au/library-services. Call 8595 1234 or 1300 367 962, or email gensec@nswnma.asn.au for assistance with loans or research. Some books are reviewed using information supplied and have not been independently reviewed.

THE LAMP FEBRUARY 2018 | 43

Registered Nurses working in NSW Public Mental Health Services

BOB FENWICK MENTORING GRANTS PROGRAM Can help towards your CPD hours

OPPORTUNITY FOR CAREER DEVELOPMENT What is it?

The Program aims to encourage less experienced mental health nurses to take the opportunity to be mentored by a more experienced colleague, assisting them to achieve their mental health professional practice goals.

Who can apply?

Any registered nurse currently working in NSW public mental health services is eligible to apply. Mental health nurses with less than 2 years’ experience or working in NSW rural and remote areas as well as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander nurses currently working in mental health are all strongly encouraged to apply.

What will each mentoring grant include? n Matching with a mentor in a Local Health District (LHD) other than their own for up to 5 consecutive days to pursue their mental health areas of interest. n Being provided with travel, accommodation and meal allowance, while remaining a fully paid employee of their regular mental health service during their placement.

Seeking Mentors for the Program

APPLICATIONS OPEN 1 FEBRUARY 2018 CLOSE 11 MARCH 2018

Applications are now open to registered nurses who want a unique opportunity to further their mental health nursing career by participating in this innovative Program.

If you are a senior mental health nurse, you can help build the specialty of mental health nursing by nominating yourself to become a mentor. Simply use the Mentor Details Form or contact the Program Manager for more information.

How do I apply?

Expressions of Interest forms and more detailed information about the Program (including a video interview of past participants) can be found on the NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association website www.nswnma.asn.au You can contact the Program Manager by email: mhmgrant@nswnma.asn.au or contact Matt West on 1300 367 962. Completed applications must be in the hands of the Program Manager no later than 11 March 2018.

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44 |enurse.com.au THE LAMP FEBRUARY 2018

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REVIEWS

at the movies

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If you would like to be a movie reviewer, email lamp@nswnma.asn.au

GIV E

A

Finding Your Feet

M

When ‘Lady’ Sandra Abbott (Imelda Staunton) discovers that her husband of forty years is having an affair with her best friend, she seeks refuge with her estranged, bohemian, older sister Bif (Celia Imrie). Sandra couldn’t be more different to her outspoken, serial dating, free spirited sibling. But it turns out different is just what Sandra needs and she reluctantly lets Bif drag her along to her community dance class, where gradually she starts finding her feet... and romance.

AW

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THE WINDSORS MEMBE O

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Featuring a star-studded cast including Imelda Staunton, Celia Imrie, Timothy Spall, Joanna Lumley and David Hayman, Finding Your Feet is a hilarious and heart-warming modern comedy proving that it’s never too late to start again.

Email The Lamp by the 12th of the month to be in the draw to win a double pass to Finding Your Feet thanks to Entertainment One. Email your name, membership number, address and telephone number to lamp@nswnma. asn.au for a chance to win!

The Windsors are a royal family divided: Prince Charles (Harry Enfield) dreams of ruling Britain but Wills (Hugh Skinner) just wants to be ordinary, to fly helicopters and mingle with the people. Kate (Louise Ford) is proud of her humble origins and wants to find her role, but Camilla (Haydn Gwynne) is plotting to destroy Wills and Kate to get power for herself.

Meanwhile, Harry (Richard Goulding) might be in love with Pippa (Morgana Robinson) but has a new girlfriend, Meghan Markle (Kathryn Drysdale).

Beatrice (Ellie White) and Eugenie (Celeste Dring) want to make it as women in business, Fergie (Katy Wix) is partying like it’s 1982, and all of them are being terrorised by their joyless puritanical aunt, Anne (Vicki Pepperdine).

Email The Lamp by the 15th of the month to be in the draw to win a DVD of The Windsors, Series 1 & 2 thanks to Acorn Media. Email your name, membership number, address and telephone number to lamp@nswnma.asn. au for a chance to win!

THE LAMP FEBRUARY 2018 | 45

DIARY DATES

make a date

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

EVENTS: NSW Loud Shirt Fairy Floss Friday 2 February 2018 Central Coast https://www.fairyflossfriday.com/ 5th National Elder Abuse Conference 19–20 February 2018 Sofitel Sydney Wentworth togethermakingchange.org.au The RHW Midwifery Conference: Good Intentions – celebrating 10 years of raising awareness 23 February 2018 Royal Hospital for Women, Randwick www.royalwomen.org.au/rhwmidwifery Professional breakfast 24 February 2018 – 9.00am St Anne’s Church, Ryde http://www.ncfansw.org/ Mobile: 0412 862 776 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade 3 March 2018, Sydney http://www.mardigras.org.au/ International Women’s Day Breakfast 9 March, 2018 International Convention Centre Sydney https://unwomen.org.au/campaign/ international-womens-day-2018/ Australian Diabetes Educators Association NSW/ACT Branch Conference 10 March 2018 8.30am–4.30pm Sydney Olympic Park https://www.adea.com.au/ Sleepless in Sydney Study Day 16 March 2018 The Children’s Hospital at Westmead Carol.wood@health.nsw.gov.au 0477763935 NSW Seniors Festival 4–15 April 2018, Sydney http://www.nswseniorsfestival.com.au/ Workshop – Living with Anxiety 28 April 2018 9.00–11.00am Macquarie Park, Sydney (followed by) 46 | THE LAMP FEBRUARY 2018

Please send event details in the format used here: event name, date and location, contact details – by the 5th of each preceding month.

Send your event details to: lamp@nswnma.asn.au Fax 02 9662 1414 Post 50 O’Dea Ave, Waterloo NSW 2017. All listings are edited for the purposes of style and space.

Priority is given to non-profit professional events.

NCFA AGM 11.30am–1.00pm www.ncfansw.org Mobile: 0412 862 776 The Wellness Show 25–26 June 2018 International Convention Centre Sydney www.wellnessshow.com.au EVENTS: INTERSTATE 17th National Nurse Education Conference 1–4 May 2018 Crown Promenade, Melbourne www.dcconferences.com.au/nnec2018 NCFA professional meeting 5 May 2018 – 9.00am Melbourne, Victoria www.ncfansw.org Mobile: 0412 862 776 EVENTS: INTERNATIONAL 4th Commonwealth Nurses and Midwives’ Conference 12 March 2018 London, UK http://www.commonwealthnurses.org/ conference2018 3rd Asian Conference in Nursing Education 18–20 April 2018 Yogyakarta, Indonesia. http://acine2018.fk.ugm.ac.id/ 12th PACEA CONFERENCE: Pre conference training courses 4–6 June 2018 Taipei, Taiwan http://ncfi.org/conference/ ncfi-pacea-regional-conference/ NCFI PACEA Conference: ‘Christian nursing in a troubled world’ 7–11 June 2018 Chientan Youth Activity Center, Taipei, Taiwan ncfi.org/conference/ ncfi-pacea-regional-conference EVENTS: REUNIONS Prince of Wales, Prince Henry Hospitals and Eastern Suburbs NSW of UNSW 1973 PTS class 17 February 2018 6 pm

Malabar (Randwick) Golf Club Roslyn Kerr: gert2@optusnet.com.au Patricia Marshall (Purdy): tapric135@ bigpond.com West Metropolitan Group School of Nursing, Westmead – all years 24 March 2018 Castle Hill RSL Luxe Room alison.zecchin@health.nsw.gov.au St. Vincent’s Hospital March 1975 PTS Group Reunion 24 March 2018, Sydney Anne Roth anne.roth@health.nsw.gov.au Crown Street Women’s Hospital Graduates March 1968, 50-year Reunion Lunch June 1 2018 Wendy Wooler kwooler@tpg.com.au RNSH Hospital July 1977 Intake 40-year Reunion Ann Fincher (Wyllie-Olson) afincher0@gmail.com Lynda Tebbutt lyndagtebbutt@gmail.com Tamworth Base Hospital February 1976 Intake 40-year Reunion Sandra Cox: sandra.cox@hnehealth. nsw Sean O’Connor: 0408 349 126 Gerard Jeffery: 0417 664 993 Camden District Hospital PTS February 1978 Reunion Gay Woodhouse 0438 422 069 Gay.woodhouse@health.nsw.gov.au

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Before making a decision about HESTA products you should read the relevant Product Disclosure Statement (call 1800 813 327 or visit hesta.com.au for a copy), and consider any relevant risks (hesta.com.au/understandingrisk). Issued by H.E.S.T. Australia Ltd ABN 66 006 818 695 AFSL 235249, the Trustee of Health Employees Superannuation Trust Australia (HESTA) ABN 64 971 749 321.

Bali?

REGULARS

Do you want to escape to

Re

c

li! er and go into the draw b a m e m B , w ne nggu a a C n i t n i a w y 5 a o n i i d g i t l h o t h ru

The 2017–2018 NSWNMA Member Recruitment scheme prize The winner will experience their very own private oasis in two luxurious villas, with the following inclusions (for two): g Five nights’ accommodation at two super luxe properties located in Canggu, Bali (three nights at Sandhya Villa and two nights at Lalasa Villas) g Return airport transfers and transfers from Sandhya Villa to Lalasa Villas g Breakfast daily g One dinner for two guests at Lalasa Villas g One 60-minute massage for two guests at Unagi Spa g The NSWNMA will arrange return flights for two to Denpasar.

You will experience a serene and peaceful holiday away from the hustle and bustle, with Seminyak’s fabulous restaurants and shopping just a stone’s throw away. Relax by your private pool, take a free shuttle service to Berawa Beach or explore the village of Canggu.

Recruiters note: Join online at www.nswnma.asn.au. If you refer a member to join online, make sure you ask them to put your name and workplace on the online application form. You will then be entered in to the NSWNMA Member Recruitment scheme draw.

Every member you sign up over the year gives you an entry in the draw!

Conditions apply. Prize must be redeemed by 30 June 2019 and is subject to room availability. Block out dates 1–30 August 2018 and 24 December 2018–5 January 2019. Competition opens on 1 August 2017 and closes 30 June 2018. The prize will be drawn on 30 June 2018. If a redraw is required for an unclaimed 48it |must THE prize be LAMP held up toMARCH 3 months2017 from the original draw date. NSW Permit no: LTPM/17/01625

Prize drawn 30 June 2018