SAFE STAFFING
AGED CARE
WORKPLACE SAFETY
REGULARS
Concord wins “Nurse Bank”
Elderly dumped in scandal
Health sector safety under examination
Your rights and entitlements at work Nurse Uncut – your stories What nurses and midwives said Nursing research online
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page 14
page18
THE MAGAZINE OF THE NSW NURSES AND MIDWIVES’ ASSOCIATION VOLUME 76 NO. 9 OCTOBER 2019
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CONTENTS Contacts NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association For all membership enquiries and assistance, including The 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 76 NO. 9 OCTOBER 2019
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 Produced by Hester Communications T 9568 3148 Press Releases Send your press releases to: F 9662 1414 E gensec@nswnma.asn.au
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Editorial Committee Brett Holmes, NSWNMA General Secretary Judith Kiejda, NSWNMA Assistant General Secretary O’Bray Smith, NSWNMA President Michelle Cashman, Long Jetty Continuing Care Richard Noort, Justice Health
Printed by Ovato Print Pty Ltd 37-49 Browns Road, Clayton VIC 3168 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 2019 Free to all Association members. Professional members can subscribe to the magazine at a reduced rate of $30. Individuals $84, Institutions $140, Overseas $150.
10 12
A big public rally over unsafe staffing has helped to persuade management to fill vacant nursing positions.
COVER STORY Rural and Remote Branch block move
to cut RN ambulance role Wilcannia’s ambulance service will continue to carry a registered nurse after intervention by the NSWNMA.
AGED CARE
18
Elderly dumped in aged care scandal A Queensland nursing home left residents homeless and staff unpaid when it abruptly shut down.
WORKPLACE SAFETY Health sector safety under examination
A new government safety plan aims to dramatically reduce the number of health care employees who suffer workplace-related illnesses and injuries.
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SAFE STAFFING
Concord wins “Nurse Bank” page 12
AGED CARE
WORKPLACE SAFETY
REGULARS
Elderly dumped in scandal
Health sector safety under examination
Your rights and entitlements at work Nurse Uncut – your stories What nurses and midwives said Nursing research online
page 14
page18
p.35 p.36 p.37 p.39
THE MAGAZINE OF THE NSW NURSES AND MIDWIVES’ ASSOCIATION VOLUME 76 NO. 9 OCTOBER 2019
CLIMATE CHANGE
As the temperatures rise, so will we The connection between climate change and health fires up student nurses and midwives.
24
PROFESSIONAL DAY 2019
The Lamp is independently audited under the AMAA's CAB Total Distribution Audit. Audit Period: 01/04/2017 - 31/03/2018
Blacktown wins extra ICU staff Workplace actions have led to a staff increase for Blacktown Hospital’s ICU despite ‘corporate negligence’.
COVER STORY Concord members win ‘Nurse Bank’
14
COVER STORY
Time to detox from online People are increasingly addicted to online distractions so we need to reboot our human connections says Kamal Sarma.
BLACKTOWN WINS EXTRA ICU STAFF Print Post Approved: PP100007890
On the cover Angelina John Xavier, Angel Prasad, Paul Topalovic and Sarah Layfield Image by Sharon Hickey THE LAMP OCTOBER 2019 | 3
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4 | THE LAMP OCTOBER 2019
EDITORIAL
Brett
Holmes GENERAL SECRETARY
Safer work, safer care October has been nominated as Australian Safework Month. In this month’s Lamp, as in many previous ones, we highlight the tremendous work and the resolute action taken by many nurses and midwives throughout the state to make their health environments safer for their patients. At Blacktown and Concord, Gosford and Wilcannia and in many other hospitals and health services throughout the state our members have taken strong action to ensure that adequate resources are being deployed to provide safe and high quality care. Having the right number of qualified staff remains the bane of our public health system. It is an issue the state government has very publicly promised to address with an increase in nursing and midwifery staff. These extra staff are needed now and our members should be commended for their actions which keep local managements honest and have led to the recruitment of extra nurses and midwives. The safety of patients, which is the driving force of these actions, is paramount but so too is the safety of staff. Australian Safework Month provides us with a focal point to highlight the issues which impact on workplace safety in healthcare. SafeWork Australia has published a safety plan for the healthcare sector which provides a refreshingly broad analysis of the issues that contribute to the risk of injuries and illness and that undermine the safety of healthcare environments (see pp 18). It recognises muscular stress, falls, harassment and bullying and work pressure as the top causes of
‘ Australian Worksafe Month is an opportunity for nurses and midwives to highlight the safety issues that blight our professions and to put forward our solutions to improve safety in healthcare.’ injury among healthcare workers. Commendably, it acknowledges the importance of psychosocial risk factors such as high job demands, low job control, poor support, poor environmental conditions and violent or traumatic events. It nominates work-related violence as a key priority area for improving workplace health and safety.
STAFFING IS AT THE HEART OF SAFETY These are themes which nurses and midwives are intimately aware of. They are recurring themes which, unfortunately but by necessity, often dominate the pages of The Lamp. The causes and context of these issues is obviously complex. But in the health setting the common denominator is inevitably safe staffing. Unsafe staffing leads to safety risks for both staff and patients. Pschosocial hazards – or the risk of work-related stress which arises from the design or management of work – is obviously exacerbated by understaffing. Likewise, understaffing is a risk factor for work-related violence. Australian Worksafe Month is an opportunity for nurses and midwives to highlight the safety issues that blight our professions
and to put forward our solutions to improve safety in healthcare. On October 30 there will be a day of action which I would urge all members to participate in. There are numerous ways you will be able to show your support: you can wear a badge or armband, hold or attend a branch meeting, organize a lunchtime rally, take a selfie and post it on social media using hastag #keepmesafe or email it here to us at the Association (photos@nswnma.asn.au). There is a dedicated area on the NSWNMA website (https://www. nswnma.asn.au/safer-worksafer-care/) where you will find resources to help you organise for the day as well as updates on activities. NSWNMA members have always been brave, determined and effective in standing up for these safety issues, in the interests of our patients and our colleagues. Every month we report on individual branches fighting resolutely for safer staffing, for safe patient care and against workplace violence. This month let’s take this stand together and educate the community about the safety issues in healthcare and present the public with our remedies to make things better. n THE LAMP OCTOBER 2019 | 5
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Working within mental health is a humbling experience. I get to help people who are at their most vulnerable, to fight one of the hardest fights of their lives. I work with their loved ones, who feel scared and helpless, and I motivate them to find strength and patience to help. I work within teams of people from different disciplines who give perspective to how we work and give an insight into another person’s life. Working within mental health means I get to empower my patients and give them a voice; I watch them rise and fall, and help them to get back up again as they find a way to live their life the way they want. Every day I admire my patients because I do not think I would have the strength to fight the battles they do. I am inspired by my patients to do better as a nurse, to fight the battles of society and the stigma that surrounds “mental health”. My patients motivate me to collectively work together to improve our service and achieve mental health as a human right.
Monica Singh, Assistant Branch Secretary, Nepean Mental Health Branch 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.
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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.
Glowing with pride in the union Thank you so much for your excellent coverage of the climate strike! I know many nurses here in Newcastle are concerned about the issue and are planning to strike. Hopefully with the help of your articles we’ll be able to build an even bigger contingent to participate. Well done for highlighting the issue, I’m glowing with pride in my union right now! Erin Killion
Deirdre finds joy I have just received the surprise package in the mail. Thank you. I am now looking forward to watching the DVD, Finding Joy. Deidre Swan
Why nurses do what they do ED is an antidote to boredom
AUSTRALIAN NURSING & MIDWIFERY FEDERATION FEDERAL OFFICE
Financial Report
The ANMF Federal Office Financial Report for the year ended 30 June 2019 is now available at www.anmf.org.au. Members without internet access may obtain a hard copy of the report by applying in writing to: Australian Nursing & Midwifery Federation Finance Officer Level 1, 365 Queen Street Melbourne VIC 3000
I love working in ED because of the variety. I get bored easily so every day I see and learn something new. Melissa Vowell
Patched-up patients Working in theatres gives me a sense of accomplishment by seeing things become whole! Seeing patients come in sick and repairing them! Grace Garretty
WANT TO GET MORE INVOLVED? Join NSWNMA Activist Facebook page: https:// www.facebook.com/ groups/ 105774916 1039258/
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
Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation NSW Branch
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS & DISCLOSURES From 7 October 2019, the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation New South Wales Branch will make available to members the following reports and disclosures for the year ended 30 June 2019: • Audited Financial Statements • Officer & Related Party Disclosures They will be available on the Members Only page at online.nswnma.asn.au. Members without internet access may obtain a hard copy of the statements by applying in writing to: Brett Holmes, Branch Secretary ANMF NSW Branch 50 O’Dea Avenue, Waterloo NSW 2017 THE LAMP OCTOBER 2019 | 7
COVER STORY
Blacktown wins extra ICU staff Workplace actions have led to a staff increase for Blacktown Hospital’s ICU despite ‘corporate negligence’.
M
anagement of Western Sydney Local Health District has agreed to give Blacktown Hospital’s 18-bed intensive care unit an extra 15.8 FTE (full-time equivalent) nursing positions. In return, t he hospita l’s NSWNMA branch agreed to lift bans on overtime and cooperation in moving to a new facility. The bans were imposed by unanimous votes of branch members. Branch member Paul Topalovic said all additional positions would be mostly supernumerary, as requested by ICU nurses and the branch. Positions will include ACCESS nu r s e s ( pr ov id i n g on-f lo or Assistance, Coordination, Contingency, Education, Supervision and Support), additional team leaders, a Clinical Nurse Educator (CNE) and nurses to backfill core staffing deficiencies. “We badly need more support for nurses who are allocated a patient load, but management always insisted there was no budget for unencumbered positions,” Paul said. “Action to achieve these new positions really united the unit; everyone was invigorated and determined to carry on the industrial campaign until we succeeded.” Staffing of Blacktown ICU has
8 | THE LAMP OCTOBER 2019
‘ Since providing a safe environment for patient care is a corporate responsibility, understaffing is corporate negligence.’ failed to keep pace with a growth in bed numbers. ICU members said the unit needed supernumerary ACCESS nurses, team leaders and extra CNEs to ensure patient safety and quality of care, and reduce excessive overtime.
EXTRA 15.8 FTE WON In July 2019, a new ICU was built as part of the Stage 2 Blacktown Hospital development. Pau l sa id loca l hospit a l executives acknowledged the need for the proposed ICU staff profile enhancements but could only offer sympathy after negotiations lasting more than a year failed to secure the necessary funding. In August, the Blacktown Branch voted to not cooperate with the move to the new building until the ICU received supernumerary staff. In their first action, ICU members refused to take part in an education program relating to the move. They took leave without pay or worked on the floor instead. When further meetings with
management failed to win extra staff, ICU members, backed by the branch, initiated a ban on overtime. They refused to work overtime from 26–28 August when the dispute went to the Industrial Relations Commission (IRC). At the IRC, management and the union agreed that negotiations should be given one last chance. In September, a deal was struck to employ 15.8 FTE of staff in three phases, with recruitment to be completed before moving into the new facility. Paul said members were very pleased with the outcome, adding: “We are still waiting for the general ma na ger to u na mbig uou sly formalise in writing the timeline associated with the phases of recruitment.” “We have endured working in an understaffed environment for such a long time,” he said. “The unit has relied heavily on overtime and there is a high level of sick leave, partly due to constantly being overworked.
COVER STORY
From left to right: Sarah Layfield, Paul Topalovic, Angelina John Xavier and Angel Prasad
“If the overtime ban had stayed it would have affected surgery, admissions from emergency and overall patient flow.”
MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBLE FOR UNSAFE STAFFING A posit ion statement adopted by Blacktown ICU nurses said the Level 5 ICU was badly understaffed by the standards of the Australian College of Critical Care Nurses (ACCCN) and the College of Intensive Care Medicine. More than 55 per cent of Blacktown ICU nurses do not hold postgraduate qualifications, meaning the unit should have minimum staffing of one team leader and at least 2.5 ACCESS nurses per pod. “P resent ly, t he un it is dysfunctional with one team leader covering two pods and one ACCESS nurse, if available, permitted only in the after-hours,” the statement said. “What we have presently been staffed for could equate, in our opinion, a s being adequate only for a close observation unit.” The statement said the unit had only one FTE CNE to service about 100 nurses. The ACCCN recommends one CNE per 50 staff.
“We are continually faced with the challenges of justifying our demands for adequate staffing and manageable workloads on a shiftto-shift basis every day,” it said.
Good nursing ‘not appreciated’
“The organisation habitually fails to provide the necessary support and lacks the capacity to influence the allocation of resources to improve what is affecting the safety and quality of care delivered.
Hospital and health care administrators and the state government view nurses as a cost and fail to appreciate the benefits that result from good nursing practices, a statement by Blacktown ICU nurses said. The statement said evidence showed that: • risks to mortality, morbidity and the occurrence of adverse events are all greatly increased when too few nurses are available for the delivery of safe, quality care • patient outcomes are significantly affected by nurse education levels, staffing, workloads, work environment and skill mix • adequate nursing care can avoid many preventable adverse patient outcomes • there is a significant relationship between nurse staffing, workload, and work environment and the wellbeing of nurses themselves.
“All employers must be held accountable for their actions when, through unsafe systems of work and unrealistic work expectations of nurses, they put not only patients at risk but also risk their licence to practice and the livelihood of nurses. “Since providing a safe e nv i r o n m e n t fo r pat ient care is a corporate responsi b i l i t y, understa ff ing is corporate negligence. “Nursing and medical profe s siona l b o d ie s, ho spit a l administrators and governments a ll have a role in understanding and addressing this inadequacy in staffing, with a particular focus on requested additional supports and resources.” n
THE LAMP OCTOBER 2019 | 9
COVER STORY
Concord members win ‘Nurse Bank’ A big public rally over unsafe staffing has helped to persuade management to fill vacant nursing positions.
C
oncord Hospital will get more nurses to help ease a severe staff shortage, thanks to a campaign by the hospital’s NSWNMA branch. The branch has been campaigning for about a year to get longstanding vacancies filled. Sydney Local Health District has agreed to employ another 10 FTE (full-time equivalent) registered nurses and five FTE enrolled nurses at Concord Hospital. The recruits will form a pool of permanently employed nurses that will operate as a “Nurse Bank” to help fill gaps in rosters across all wards. Adver t isement s for positions have been posted.
t he se
LHD management finally agreed to employ more nurses after the branch organised a big lunchtime rally outside the hospital. In July, the branch carried a resolution that ca lled on management to stop the unsafe practice of opening extra beds without extra staff. “The branch does not support surging of wards when there is insufficient skilled staff to safely 10 | THE LAMP OCTOBER 2019
‘ Members want to provide the best care possible but they feel management has not supported them.’ — Brett Holmes cover the shift and subsequent shifts,” the resolution said. The following month, a branch meeting attended by 95 members called for: • surge beds not to be opened without sufficient staff numbers, or correct skill mix • no more replacement of RN shifts with AiNs (assistants in nursing) • permanent and temporary vacancies to be filled urgently. The meeting unanimously voted to hold a lunchtime rally to inform the community about inadequate staffing.
155 NURSES ATTEND RALLY The resolution said the branch would escalate a community awareness campaign until staffing levels were made safe. About 155 nurses attended the rally, which was addressed
by NSWNMA General Secretary Brett Holmes, Branch President Katina Skylas, Branch Secretary Rebecca Phair, other staff members and patients. Brett Holmes said an increase in presentations had led the hospital to regularly open extra beds without employing additional staff. As a result, the hospital was relying heavily on RNs being replaced by AiNs, overtime and casual staff. An increase in the number of patients needing one-to-one care, known as specialling, had added to pressure on nurses. These patients were often being specialled within staffing numbers and often resulted in other patients getting less care. Brett said nurses felt let down by the LHD, which had failed to adequately address their concerns or
COVER STORY
CONCORD NURSES AND MIDWIVES RALLY FOR SAFE STAFFING. REBECCA PHAIR IS ON THE LEFT.
‘ Fifteen extra nurses won’t be enough to solve all the problems related to understaffing, but it is a good starting point.’ — Rebecca Phair offer any long-term solutions. “With increasing workloads and little relief, our members are experiencing fatigue and burn-out. They want to provide the best care possible, but they feel management has not supported them,” he said. After the rally, the branch voted to ask for a meeting with senior LHD management. The branch resolution said that if that meeting did not result in suitable solutions, members would vote on industrial action including a stopwork meeting.
MANAGEMENT AGREE TO 15 EXTRA PERMANENT STAFF At negotiations following the rally, branch members told management that understaffing had led to an increase in the number of falls, medication errors, pressure injuries and complaints from patients’ families about delays in providing care.
Members said senior nursing staff such as NUMs, CNCs and CNEs regularly worked on the floor to support their colleagues due to poor staffing and skill mix, with wards dangerously over-reliant on AiNs. They said that supplying staff with the wrong skills was not assisting nurses to maintain safe patient care and reasonable workloads. At the negotiations, management agreed to employ another 15 permanent staff, boost the casual pool of RNs and fill roster vacancies earlier. Branch Secretary Rebecca Phair said the well-attended branch meetings and rally showed nurses felt strongly about staffing issues and were determined to act to win improvements. Rebecca said members hoped that the creation of a “Nurse Bank” would reduce reliance on over-
time and use of AiNs to fill vacant RN positions. “We hope the Nurse Bank RNs and ENs can be allocated to fill vacancies before rosters are posted. Fifteen extra nurses won’t be enough to solve all the problems related to understaffing, but it is a good starting point and they will certainly help,” she said. “Only two wards have AiNs in their staffing profile, yet most of the staff replacements we have been getting are AiNs. “A shift that is supposed to have seven RNs might end up with four RNs and three AiNs. “This has been very stressful for the RNs who effectively have to look after two lots of patients.” Rebecca said CNEs and other senior clinicians had to work on the floor partly because they were needed to manage the work of AiNs. n THE LAMP OCTOBER 2019 | 11
COVER STORY
Rural and Remote Branch block move to cut RN ambulance role Wilcannia’s ambulance service will continue to carry a registered nurse after intervention by the NSWNMA.
M
anagement of Far West Local Health District has abandoned a proposal to remove registered nurses from the Wilcannia ambulance crew following representations from the NSWNMA’s Rural and Remote Branch. Wi lca n n ia’s Mu lt i-P u r pose Service provides 24-hour emergency and inpatient care and its ambulance has long been crewed by an RN and a driver.
‘ We may not have achieved such a result without the input and support of the NSWNMA’ — Greg Cleary with NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard during NSWNMA Annual Conference in July.
U-TURN ON POLICY
Wilcannia is halfway between Cobar and Broken Hill. Its large Aboriginal population is the most socioeconomically disadvantaged in the LHD.
Greg told The Lamp the LHD’s outgoing chief executive and new general manager met Wilcannia MPS staff to hear their concerns last month.
Under a proposed new model of care (MOC), the ambulance was to be crewed by an endorsed enrolled nurse (EEN) with volunteer ambulance officer (VAO) training and an Aboriginal health worker (AHW).
“Fortunately the CEO and new GM agreed with staff that this was not a safe or workable system,” Greg said.
While the ambulance was dispatched, the hospital was to be staffed by an RN assisted by a health and security assistant (HASA). Wilcannia MPS staff believed the proposal represented a downgrading of services, with the potential to expose staff to ambulance cases outside their scope of practice. Staff believed that substituting nursing staff with HASAs was an ill-considered attempt to make budgetary savings. Branch delegate and president, Greg Cleary, raised staff concerns 12 | THE LAMP OCTOBER 2019
The senior managers “agreed in principle” that the new MOC “would no longer be pursued as an ongoing policy,” he said. “Also, I have received a reply from the Health Minister stating that he understood that the CEO and GM would meet with staff to hear our concerns.” Greg said staff appreciated management’s “new level of interest and consultation”. “We may not have achieved such a result without the input and support of the NSWNMA.” He said the Wilcannia ambulance regularly attends complex call-outs
that demand training, skills and experience above VAO level. Recent case examples have included major traumas such as multiple-victim vehicle accidents, two young children involved in a motorcycle accident, domestic violence and alcohol-related violence resulting in a range of injuries. Most of these incidents resulted in flyouts by the Flying Doctor, with some classed as urgent. “The staff felt that the EEN and AHW would be placed in compromising situations outside their skill sets and their scope of practice,” Greg said. “It would also have left only one RN in the hospital with a nonnursing trained HASA, which is a direct breach of policy stating that there should be at least two RNs on duty at all times. “Management’s attempt to reduce the number of nursing staff on call and on shift brought the NSWNMA’s attention to the fact that the award was already not being met and the new MOC would be a further breach.” ■
COVER STORY
Unfunded beds add to staffing woes Gosford hospital staff say they “have been stretched so thin and for so long” they are at breaking point.
“
How many more nurses need to injure themselves, burn out or leave the profession completely before they listen?” asked RN Lauren Kirby when she spoke at a rally outside Gosford Hospital. About 60 nurses attended the rally organised by the hospital’s NSWNMA branch. Speakers called for urgent action to end understaffing of wards across the hospital that threatens patient safety. “It’s becoming normal for the wards to work short,” Lauren said. “We are under so much pressure and it’s exhausting.” “Unplanned leave is on the rise, we are getting injured more than before and it affects the quality of care that we can give to our patients. “We have stretched ourselves so thin and for so long that we are at breaking point and we will not stand for it.” The state MP for Gosford, Leisl Tesch, told the rally the issue of hospital understaffing needed wider publicity that would prompt the NSW government to act. Federal Labor MP Emma McBride said nurses must be properly supported to be able to do their jobs. “Your safety should be the government’s number one priority. so that you can provide quality care to the people in our community,” she told the crowd.
‘ It’s becoming normal for the wards to work short.’ — Lauren Kirby NO RESOURCES TO STAFF BEDS PROPERLY Branch secretary Kiri Wilton told The Lamp the hospital had a long-standing problem of unfilled vacancies and a low staff retention rate. On top of this, a severe winter flu season caused the hospital to open “unfunded” beds without additional staffing. “We did not have the resources to staff wards properly even before they opened unfunded beds,” she said. “Opening unfunded beds takes nurses away from the casual pool and nursing support roster, which means those nurses are not available to be used where we actually need them. “When nurses call in sick they are often not replaced and the hospital relies heavily on overtime. “At a minimum we are always down at least one nurse per shift. “Severe understaffing makes it very hard for nurses to maintain safe patient care for the community, which includes high proportions of elderly people, mental illness, drug abuse/addiction and domestic violence.”
K ir i sa id member s have repeatedly raised concerns about understaffing with management – with no result. NSWNMA General Secretary, Brett Holmes, said Gosford nurses and midwives felt let down by the Central Coast Local Health District, which had failed to adequately address t heir concerns a nd implement long-term solutions to uphold patient safety. “Our members have raised these concerns repeatedly yet the widespread issues still remain, including the opening of additional beds without additional staffing, an increased use of part-time and casual staff, as well as vacancies not being recruited,” Brett told local media. Following the rally, branch members voted to continue their campaign against the short-staffing crisis to raise awareness that the people of the Central Coast deserve better. The branch said it would continue discussions between the branch/ union and LHD management. ■
THE LAMP OCTOBER 2019 | 13
AGED CARE
Elderly dumped in aged care scandal A Queensland nursing home left residents homeless and staff unpaid when it abruptly shut down. The incident highlighted the federal Coalition government’s shameful refusal to act to fix our continuing aged care disgrace.
A
lmost 70 elderly residents were abandoned and staff were left unpaid when Earle Haven Retirement Village on Queensland’s Gold Coast shut down without warning.
the home, with furniture and boxes being removed.
The sudden closure was the result of a contract dispute between the owner of Earle Haven and HelpStreet, the subcontractor running the facility.
Strong also had to comfort a 92-year-old woman with dementia.
According to evidence before the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, about 1 pm on 11 July, staff were told they would not be paid because a financial dispute between HelpStreet and owner Arthur Miller had not been resolved. HelpStreet removed computer servers with vital patient records and organised removalists to take away beds as residents ate their lunch, the commission heard. Only then, after some staff had left, did HelpStreet call triple zero asking for ambulances to evacuate residents, including many with complex and lifethreatening conditions. Ambulance supervisor Cary Strong told the commission he arrived to find a removalist truck at 14 | THE LAMP OCTOBER 2019
He saw a man in a wheelchair trying to push himself to the foyer with his urinary bag dragging behind him.
“She was very distressed, very disorientated, crying. Her daughter was there; she was crying as well,” he said.
RESIDENTS STILL PAYING AS SHUTDOWN PROCEEDS Relatives said HelpStreet was still withdrawing money from residents’ accounts as the shutdown proceeded. Elizabeth Brown’s mother, who has dementia, was one of those evacuated from Earle Haven. Ms Brown told the ABC that on the day of the shutdown, $2,500 was withdrawn from their account early to pay for the following month’s services. Lorraine Cook, whose husband only arrived at Earle Haven a week before the shutdown, also said payment was taken out of her account early.
“It’s not their money. They won’t be there to do the care so they shouldn’t have taken it,” Ms Cook said. HelpStreet has since gone into liquidation and the Queensland Nurses and Midwives’ Union (QNMU) is seeking to recover money owed to members. More than 90 people including about 40 QNMU members worked at the facility and some are still owed wages and other entitlements.
QNMU CALLS FOR CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION QNMU Secretary Beth Mohle said closing an entire aged care facility without an appropriate plan for staff and residents was “an unprecedented and disgraceful situation that should never have been allowed to occur”. Beth said off-duty nurses and other staff rushed to the facility to help residents as news of the shutdown spread. She commended the actions of nurses and other staff who helped despite losing their jobs. At the QNMU’s annual conference, more than 350 delegates voted to call for a Queensland police
AGED CARE
‘He saw a man in a wheelchair trying to push himself to the foyer with his urinary bag dragging behind him.’
investigation of any possible offences related to the Earle Haven closure.
(see box), init iated a parliamentary inquiry into Earle Haven.
However, police said there was no evidence of criminal offences and therefore no charges to lay unless new information came to light.
Chair of parliament’s Health Committee, Labor MP Aaron Harper, said: “People are deeply shocked by what has happened there, and angry at the apparent failure of the federal agencies that are supposed to protect the safety and wellbeing of the elderly in nursing homes.”
More than 32 paramedics, nu r s e s , doctors a nd Queensland Health staff, as well as the state Health Minister, Labor’s Steven Miles, attended the village to organise transfers to about a dozen other nursing homes and to hospital. QNMU delegates congratulated the Queensland Labor government for its “swift action to address this disastrous system failure, in particular the efforts of Queensland Health and the Queensla nd A mbula nce Service to swiftly relocate affected residents”. The state government, which had already moved to improve nursing home staff ing in Queensland
The federal Coalition government’s Minister for Aged Care, Richard Colbeck, also announced an inquiry. He thanked Queensland Hea lt h a nd emergency services as well as staff who stayed behind to help residents. However, Mr Colbeck did not agree to a QNMU request for emergency federal government payments for unpaid Earle Haven staff. n
Queensland Labor legislates for ratios Minimum staff-to-resident ratios will apply at Queensland’s 16 state-run nursing homes under legislation pushed by the state Labor government. A Labor bill currently before parliament mandates 3.65 hours of nursing per resident per day, with a required skill mix of 50 per cent AiNs, 30 per cent RNs, and 20 per cent ENs. If passed, the legislation will also require all Queensland aged care facilities and private hospitals to report their staffing levels on a public register. Labor drew up the legislation after months of consultation with the Queensland Nurses and Midwives’ Union. Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the government wants facilities to publicise their staffing levels “for the sake of transparency”. “If they choose not to, we won’t be afraid to reveal the identity of those unwilling to do the right thing by elderly Queenslanders,” Ms Palaszczuk said. THE LAMP OCTOBER 2019 | 15
AGED CARE
Scandalous, but not illegal The Earle Haven nursing home scandal is outrageous even by the low standards set by Australia’s aged care providers. However, it reflects the sad state of many aged care facilities.
O
n the day the Earle Haven nursing home on Queensland’s Gold Coast suddenly shut down, one registered nurse was rostered on to care for 68 residents. This is not illegal or abnormal in Australian aged care. Australia has no federal laws that determine how a non-government aged care facility should be staffed, or that even that one RN be on site at all times. The Queensland Nurses and Midwives’ Union came out strongly after the Earle Haven closure. At t he QNM U ’s a n nu a l conference, about 300 delegates unanimously called on the federal government to act immediately to address issues arising from the scandal (see box). “Tens of thousands of elderly Australians reside in private aged care facilities. It is currently not illegal to leave elderly residents without an RN overnight or during the day,” said QNMU Secretary Beth Mohle. “If issues in Australia’s private aged care industry aren’t addressed now, elderly Australians will continue to die prematurely,” Beth said. “They will continue to experience unnecessary pain and suffering due to chronic understaffing. 16 | THE LAMP OCTOBER 2019
‘ Once again, vulnerable residents and hardworking staff bore the brunt of critical flaws in the regulation of aged care.’ — QNMU Secretary Beth Mohle “The federal government needs to act now to protect elderly Australians everywhere.” Led by the national Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation, nurse unions have repeatedly called on the federal government to put in place safe staffing ratios in Australia’s estimated 2000 nongovernment aged care facilities.
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS POWER TO MAKE CHANGES Unions also want to see public reporting of how taxpayers’ funds are spent, staff numbers and skill mix at individual facilities and any adverse incidents that result in resident injuries, illness or deaths. “The federal government has the power to make these changes but has repeatedly refused to do so,” Beth said. “The public need to be aware this (Earle Haven’s sole RN) is not a shocking number; this is business as usual for Australian private aged care.” She said the Earle Haven crisis
smashed the notion that Australia’s private aged care facilities were staffed like public hospitals or managed by health experts. “At Earle Haven we saw offduty nurses and other staff rush to the facility to be with their elderly residents when this crisis occurred. “This was a crisis not of their making, but once again vulnerable residents and hardworking staff bore the brunt of critical flaws in the regulation of aged care. “Earle Haven nurses, and aged care nurses and staff throughout Queensland and Australia, should be commended for their efforts. “Not only do they receive up to $300 less each week than their colleagues in the public hospital system, but they return to work day in and day out in a system that overloads them to breaking point and then blames them when something goes wrong.” Beth said there would be public outcry if Australian child care centres operated the same way. n
AGED CARE
‘At Earle Haven we saw off-duty nurses and other staff rush to the facility to be with their elderly residents when this crisis occurred.’
Secrecy over taxpayer subsidies
Residents ‘treated as commodities’
There is no public reporting of how private aged care providers spend the massive taxpayer funds they get. Private aged care providers often cry poor, said QNMU Secretary Beth Mohle. She said the nation’s approximately 900 aged care providers receive around $18 billion in federal taxpayer funds every year. They also receive a deposit of up to $500,000 per resident and up to 80 per cent of each resident’s pension, or up to $800 per resident, per fortnight. “They do not have to publicly report how a single cent of taxpayer or resident funds are spent or ensure that funding is spent on direct care for residents,” Beth said. “In the 2015/16 financial year, Australian aged care providers received more than $16.2 billion in federal funding. “In the same financial year, they reported profits of more than $1.1 billion.”
The QNMU’s annual conference condemned the management of Earle Haven nursing home for its “abandonment of residents and staff and the significant failure of their duty of care”. A conference resolution said the incident showed the “woefully inadequate” aged care regulatory framework in Australia. “Opaque contractual arrangements present significant additional risks and fundamentally fail to meet community expectations around transparency and accountability,” it said. At Earle Haven, frail elderly residents had been “treated as commodities, rather than with the dignity they deserve”. “Action is required now to address the flaws in the regulation of aged care in Australia highlighted by the Earle Haven closure and we cannot wait until the current Royal Commission into Aged Care provides its final report in April 2020 to take action to prevent future such disasters.”
THE LAMP OCTOBER 2019 | 17
WORKPLACE SAFETY
Health sector safety under examination A new government safety plan aims to dramatically reduce the number of health care employees who suffer workplace-related illnesses and injuries.
P
utting patient needs above the wellbeing of health care workers has contributed to an alarming rate of serious work injuries, the NSW government has conceded. The government also admits other contributing factors include greater reliance on casuals and outsourced labour and lack of awareness of workplace rights. Failure to report violence and aggression, working long hours and double shifts also contribute to high injury rates, it says. And workers may not report injuries or hazards because they fear losing their job or work visa. These admissions are contained in the government’s ‘Work Health and Safety Roadmap’ for the health care and social assistance sector. The plan aims to cut serious illnesses and injuries in half by 2022. It defines ’serious’ as resulting in one week or more time lost excluding fatalities and journey claims. According to the Minister for Better Regulation and Innovation, Kevin Anderson, workers in the sector suffer more than 13,000 injuries every year. “Alarmingly, nearly half (43 per cent) of all these injuries are serious, resulting in five or more days off 18 | THE LAMP OCTOBER 2019
‘ Underreporting and feelings that violence and aggression are part of the job are commonly held views across the sector.’ work,” he says in his introduction to the plan. He says work can be physically and emotionally demanding and “workers are often putting the needs of patients before their own”. “It is important that we look after workers and ensure they too are healthy and safe.” Nursing support and personal care workers, registered nurses and aged and disabled carers have the highest number of claims in the sector.
MORE DIFFICULT TO CONTROL WORK ENVIRONMENT The most common major injuries are trauma to muscles, joints and ligaments, soft tissue injuries and anxiety/stress disorders. The top causes of injury are muscular stress, falls, harassment and bullying and work pressure. Major injuries result in an average of 19 weeks off work.
The plan identifies several contributing factors to the high injury rate. T he sh if t to home a nd community-based care has made it more difficult to control the work environment. Greater ca sua lisation a nd outsourcing of the workforce mean that “workers have less control and certainty over their working hours and conditions”. The wellbeing of clients, patients and residents “is often prioritised over the wellbeing of the workers”. “Underreporting and feelings that violence and aggression is ‘part of the job’ are commonly held views across the sector. “Acknowledging that the work and care of patients or clients can’t stop, working long hours or double shifts is common practice across the sector.” The health care sector employs a high proportion of migrant workers
WORKPLACE SAFETY
including those on work visas, young people, labour hire workers and inexperienced workers. They may not be aware of their occupational health and safety rights and responsibilities, the plan says.
APPROACH Everyone has a role to play in driving change and supporting the development and implementation of this plan. SafeWork NSW and sector stakeholders will work together to develop an annual action plan using the below approach.
They may not report injuries or hazards due to “fear of actual or perceived repercussions such as losing their job or visa”.
RAISE AWARENESS
Promote the importance that safer work leads to safer care.
FOUR PRIORITY AREAS The government has four main priority areas where injury rates are to be reduced. They are ’psychosocial hazards’, work-related violence, musculoskeletal disorders and exposure to hazardous chemicals.
ENABLE BUSINESS
RECOVERY AT WORK
Work with State Insurance Regulatory Authority (SIRA) to engage with employers to improve their return to work practices and outcomes.
Psychosocial hazards are defined as anything in the design or management of work that increases the risk of stress. They include high job demands, low job control, poor support and poor workplace relationships. Work-related violence covers any incident in which a worker is abused, threatened or assaulted. Examples include spitting, verbal aggression and threats, physical intimidation, threats with weapons, physical and sexual assault. Musculoskeletal disorders – sprains and strains of muscles, ligaments, tendons and joints – are the most common work-related injuries, the plan says.
Develop programs and resources to equip the sector to eliminate or reduce exposure to the risk factors that may lead to injury and illness.
HEALTH CARE AND SOCIAL ASSISTANCE SECTOR WORKERS ARE AT THE CENTRE OF EVERYTHING WE DO
ENSURE COMPLIANCE
CONDUCT RESEARCH
Raise the standard of work health and safety in the sector.
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
Work with our Centre for Work Health and Safety to research and explore emerging and current issues in the sector.
Consult and engage to increase the understanding of the risk factors and support the dissemination of messaging.
They can result from gradual wear and tear and/or sudden damage. Exposure to hazardous chemicals is the fourth priority area. Health care workers may be regularly exposed to formaldehyde, asthmagens and cytotoxic drugs. The plan aims to increase awareness of workplace health and safety risks (WHS) and get workplaces to consult with staff on “all WHS matters”. In the longer term, it wants to see workplaces make system and design changes to reduce risk. “A safe culture and environment so workers feel they can speak up” is a long-term goal. ■
HEALTH CARE AND SOCIAL ASSISTANCE WORK HEALTH AND SAFETY SECTOR PLAN 9/12
Read the report
HEALTH CARE AND SOCIAL ASSISTANCE
WORK HEALTH AND SAFETY SECTOR PLAN TO 2022
You can download the report Health care and social assistance: work health and safety sector plan to 2022 at: https://www.nswnma.asn.au/ wp-content/uploads/2019/09/ SW09276-Health-Care-andSocial-Assistance.pdf
THE LAMP OCTOBER 2019 | 19
WORKPLACE SAFETY
Safer Work Safer Care October is Australian Safework Month and the NSWNMA will be ramping up our anti-violence campaign to ensure every nurse and midwife in the state is safe at work. During Safework month, the NSWNMA will be visiting hospitals across NSW and we could be heading to a site near you! Keep an eye on your email inbox for updates.
Resources for Members The NSWNMA has produced a number of resources that will be useful to members during Australian Safework Month.
VIOLENCE ISSUES
Aged care incident reporting Raise concern with RN in charge Use site-specific reporting
Download the NSWNMA violence app The NSWNMA has launched an app for smart phones. The NSWNMA Toolkit is available in the App store on for iPhones and Google Play for your Androids. The star of this Toolkit is the spot check calculator, which many in the public health system will be familiar with. It’s designed to help you keep track of your nursing hours on your ratios ward.
20 | THE LAMP OCTOBER 2019
How to fill out an IIMS
1 Clinical Form 2 Incident Date and Time 3 Incident Type(s):
Resolution
Raise concern at staff meeting with management
Organisation Management/ Service Drop down rule: Insufficient staff for workload 4 Principal Incident Type:
Organisation Management/ Service 5 Incident Descriptor
No resolution
Resolution
Contact your Union 8595 1234 (metro) or 1300 367 962 (rural)
State issue eg: sick leave not replaced likefor-like, 6-hour AIN to replace RN 8-hours.
Keep unique identifier and send to Reasonable Workload Committee rep TEL: 1300 367 962
www.nswnma.asn.au
VIOLENCE ISSUES
How to fill out an IIMS PATIENT IS THE AGGRESSOR Complete 1 x IIMS: Staff, Visitor, Contractor 1 Incident Date and Time 2 Incident Type(s): Aggression – Victim This is about staff
VISITOR IS THE AGGRESSOR Complete 2 x IIMS: Staff, Visitor, Contractor 1 Incident Date and Time 2 Incident Type(s): 1 Aggression – Victim
+
This is about staff 2 Aggression – Aggressor
This is about the visitor
WORK HEALTH AND SAFETY
Become a Health and Safety Rep
Find more information here https://www. nswnma.asn.au/ safer-work-safer-care/
STAFFING ISSUES
HEALTH CARE AND SOCIAL ASSISTANCE
Resolving a WHS issue
WORK HEALTH AND SAFETY SECTOR PLAN TO 2022
Report the issue through your normal channels
e.g. incident report, maintenance log, staff meeting etc depending on the issue and your internal processes.
Issue resolved
Formally raise the issue and request a meeting to discuss it (under s 82 of the WHS Act). Ask for the outcomes of the meeting in writing
Issue resolved
You can be represented at this meeting, which could include your Health & Safety rep (HSR) if you have on, a branch official, or a NSWNMA official
If you have an HSR
HSR can issue a PIN or HSR can direct unsafe work cease HSR can request Safework assistance
Create change in your workplace. www.nswnma.asn.au
No HSR
Request that a SafeWork NSW Inspector be appointed under s82 of WHS Act to assist (call 131050)
If the WHS issue poses a serious risk to your health and safety emanating from an immediate or imminent exposure to a hazard you have a right to refuse unsafe work under s84 of the WHS Act.
Please contact the NSWNMA for advice and support at any stage of this process
TEL: 1300 367 962
www.nswnma.asn.au
WORK SAFETY
October 2019 October 2019 is Australian Safework Month and the NSWNMA is heading to a site near you!
Get ready!
3 Education sessions with FREE CPD 3 Safety resources and tools 3 News about a statewide action For resources & upcoming events go to:
bit.ly/saferwork
Spread the word! Tell your colleagues! THE LAMP OCTOBER 2019 | 21
CLIMATE CHANGE
‘As the temperatures rise, so will we’ The connection between climate change and health fires up student nurses and midwives.
T
wo Sydney-based nursing students, Natalie Murray and Sarah Cheer, organised a contingent from the University of Notre Dame to attend School Strike 4 Climate and won the backing of the university in the process. “We have been going class to class and passing motions in support of the strike,” Sarah told The Lamp. “We started off tr ying to campaign mainly in the Nursing and Midwifery School. Right from the get go we had support from the school and the dean, and we were told all of the students would be able to go [to the Climate Strike] and not be penalised.” Sarah said they also circulated a petition on campus, collecting hundreds of signatures supporting the strike action. “That gave us a bit of confidence… and when we showed that there is student support for this movement [the university agreed] that all students will be able to attend the rally without penalty.” “We really wanted to organise nursing and medicine students because climate change is such a threat to health, and if we don’t take action it will affect us in both our professional and personal lives.” Natalie became involved in the climate movement after the federal election in May. “I realised that each person had 22 | THE LAMP OCTOBER 2019
‘I always knew generally about how climate change will affect us, but I never put two and two together about how it will affect health.’ — Natalie Murray to step up and actually start to make some real change. I’ve always cared about sustainability but like many other people I was very passive in the way that I was acting on that, so I would not use plastic straws and I bought myself a keep cup.”
CLIMATE CHANGE ALREADY IMPACTING ON HEALTH Sarah invited her to a climate and health workshop earlier this year. It was an “eye opener”, says Natalie. “I always knew generally about how climate change will affect us, but I never put two and two together about how it will affect health. It really blew my mind that we are already seeing the impacts of this.” “I think what really astonished me the most… at the workshop was hearing Dr Kim Loo, a general practitioner who spoke about how air pollution is already effecting health.” “Air pollution is affecting pregnant women, children, and people who already have respiratory illnesses and people with chronic illnesses. With pregnant women there is a direct correlation with
air pollution and low birth weight babies,” Natalie says. “I have a particular interest in midwifery and pediatrics. I hope to go on and study midwifery, and for me to know that patients that I am going to look after in the future are going to be seeing the effects of air pollution, and I am going to be the one to have to explain to my patients … I didn’t want to be the one to do that without knowing I had taken action.” Natalie also has a very personal reason to be concerned about climate change. “In high school I went to the doctors and found out I had a mild form of asthma. As a future health professional I didn’t even know that it was linked to my own illness. There is no family history of asthma in my family, and that asthma has just gotten worse to the extent that I have to carry around a puffer every day, and this is just becoming more common.” “Many other people, and probably future patients of mine, will probably have far worse effects from climate
CLIMATE CHANGE
change than I will. As a student nurse I feel like I can’t sit back and let it happen without doing as much as I can. Sarah also only recently became active in the climate change movement. “I’ve been quite engaged in politics and social movements since I left high school … but over the last year or so there has been a bit of a groundswell over climate change. When I understood more about the health effects I thought I might be able to get more involved.” “As future health professionals, you are told to advocate for your patients. I think for me the fact that
[climate change] will affect people with chronic illness was quite unsettling,” says Sarah. Sa ra h a nd Nata lie have organised more forums at the University where doctors and climate activists have spoken to students about how climate change is impacting health. Sarah says: “Most students are supportive too. They have heard about the climate strike because of the last two strikes. People generally know about climate change and they know it is an issue we have to get on top of.” ■
OVER 70,000 STUDENTS AND WORKERS TURNED OUT IN SYDNEY’S DOMAIN IN SUPPORT OF THE SCHOOL STRIKE 4 CLIMATE. “It was a great turnout! Everyone we spoke to along the way was filled with excitement and passion. Everyone was overwhelmed with the sheer number of people marching and impressed by the enthusiasm of the student strikers. The impressions throughout the day were of overwhelming support. When we passed the sydney eye hospital we had nurses come out onto the balconies cheering us on and waving down to us as we waved our nursing students banner.” Natalie murray told The Lamp.
‘ Most students are supportive. People generally know about climate change and they know it is an issue we have to get on top of.’ — Sarah Cheer THE LAMP OCTOBER 2019 | 23
PROFESSIONAL DAY 2019
Time to detox from online People are increasingly addicted to online distractions, so we need to reboot our human connections, says Kamal Sarma
W
hen the former monk and venture capitalist Kamal Sarma lost his prematurely born baby girl when she was three days old, he found himself taking a train to Redfern to buy drugs to help him cope with his depression. He eventually turned his life around thanks to support from nurses at RPA Hospital and by using techniques he had learned as a child when training to be a monk. Earlier this year he spoke to NSWNMA delegates at Annual Conference about resilience and addiction, and his work with executives, training them to build connections and find mental balance in their lives. We are now so overwhelmed by emails, texts and social media applications that our health is suffering, Sarma says. “These online distractions mean that 56 per cent of us don’t get enough sleep, 62 per cent don’t get enough exercise. “One in five people tick a box to
24 | THE LAMP OCTOBER 2019
‘ Most kids can swipe before they can walk and talk … my belief is that we’re about to see a tsunami of addiction.’ — Kamal Sarma say they’re depressed and 29 per cent of us, almost one in three, are obese. And 22 per cent of us are exhausted. “There is a huge industry out there that’s making you scroll. It knows what to do. It knows how you behave. There are really smart people trying to hack your brain.” While we might feel like we are making connections online, our addictive relationship to our screens is preventing us from making real connections and finding mental rest. In fact, Sarma says studies routinely find that “the people who have the best quality of life are monks and nuns”. “They don’t eat that much. They’re not online shopping. They’re not updating their Facebook, but they have the highest levels of joy, kindness and compassion, everything … that makes life worth living; not just existing but living.”
CONNECTION LEADS TO RESILIENCE Sarma outlined the four key levels of connection that he says are key to mental resilience. “The first thing we need is to connect with ourselves. A lot of the time we’re disconnected from ourselves. That’s when we eat too much. We drink too much, we watch too much Netflix.” The second kind of connection is with other people “We need to belong in a tribe and when we’re not in a tribe … it’s scary. We evolved in tribes and we need to have that tribe strong.” “We also need to connect with our purpose. A lot of people are disconnected from our purpose.” While Instagram messages suggest that our purpose is to own a Gucci bag or other commodities, purpose is about finding the kind of work that
PROFESSIONAL DAY 2019
KAMAL SARMA
gives our lives meaning. The fourth connection we need to foster is “with nature”. But rather than true connection, we are being trained to find false connection and rewards on our phones. The data, Sarma says, shows that “people check their phones 150 times a day”. Australian research conducted by Deloitte found that 80 per cent of people check their phones within an hour of waking and 35 per cent of people check within the first five minutes. “Most kids can swipe before they can walk and talk…my belief is that we’re about to see a tsunami of addiction. “We are the first generation of adults to go through our lives with mobile phones. We are raising the first generation of kids that are going through their childhood with mobile phones and we have no idea what that’s doing to their brains.”
THE BENEFITS OF A DIGITAL BLACKOUT Kamal says slot machine research shows that the addictive nature of our phones and social media applications is due to the intermittent rewards they give us. “When you get a like, when you get a hit, when you get all those kinds of things, they make your brain go ‘Bing’ and say ‘You’re still important’.” But this constant stream of input is making us stressed and contributing to heart disease, the leading cause of death. Nurses, Sarma noted, already face intense periods of mental load on long shifts working late at night, and our bodies aren’t designed for these frequent long periods of stress. So how do you thrive? “Use it, but don’t let it use you.” Ask yourself if you are using the applications or if they are using you. We need to learn how to truly switch off, Sarma says: “Learn how to rest your mind, not just numb it. Your mind craves rest. When you numb your mind versus resting your mind, it can feel very
similar. But when you’re watching Game of Thrones, you’re not resting your mind.” Build connections and be present with people, he says: that means no phones on the dinner table, in the meeting room, or in your hand when talking to people. Use the phone’s ‘grayscale’ function. “Turn off all the [phone’s] colours and watch what happens to your addiction.” In his work training executives, Sarma says when he asks them to go on digital blackouts for about 14 to 15 hours a day, their “productivity is going up … they’re getting better sleeps at night and they are actually connecting with their partner and their kids”. “If you’re getting up at night, if you’re getting exhausted at night, three hours before you go to bed don’t look at a screen.” Finally, he urges us to “reclaim micro moments of calm and solitude. When you’re at the lift you don’t need to check your phone … when you’re at the stop sign, don’t walk across the road looking at your phone”. ■ THE LAMP OCTOBER 2019 | 25
PROFESSIONAL DAY 2019
Stress is driving women to drink While men and young people are drinking less alcohol, women in their 40s and 50s have upped their consumption.
H
istorically Australian men have drunk alcohol at up to double the rates of women, but while men’s alcohol consumption has decreased in recent years, women’s alcohol consumption is increasing and beginning to rival men’s consumption. “In Australia it is women in their fifties and women in their forties who have had increased incidents of hazardous drinking,” clinical psychologist Dr Sally Hunt told NSW NM A delegates at professional day.
The survey found that women in their fifties were increasing their rates of everyday habitual drinking, while for women in their forties, problematic drinking was more often associated with high-volume drinking on single occasions.
The findings come from a 2016 national drug survey, and the results “came as a shock” said Dr Hunt, particularly as the survey also found young people had reduced their hazardous drinking.
“Women have busy and stressful lives … for younger women and for new mothers, social media is a rife with messages around not just that women can drink, but that women in fact need to drink and that drinking is an appropriate way to deal with our problems when stressed out.”
While health messages around lockout laws and responsible service of alcohol seem to be having an impact on men, hazardous drinking messages – no more than two alcohol units a day, and at least one or two alcohol-free days per week – don’t seem to be having the same impact on women. 26 | THE LAMP OCTOBER 2019
Dr Hunt says there are a variety of factors that can account for the rapidly closing drinking gap between men and women, including women’s increased responsibilities in pa id work a nd delayed childbirth combined with greater responsibilities for older parents.
ENJOYING “ME TIME” WITH A DRINK Greater gender equality now means that women also have more spaces and occasions to drink alcohol, and they rightly feel that
‘ My theory was that perhaps [women] didn’t have a drinking problem, they had a stress problem.’ — Dr Sally Hunt
PROFESSIONAL DAY 2019
Want to change your drinking habits? RECOGNISE THAT CHANGE IS HARD Knowing that drinking is harmful is not enough. Most people know the risks associated with drinking, but that doesn’t mean they will change their habits. PEOPLE ARE OFTEN IN TWO MINDS We want to feel good in the morning by not having a drink, but at the same time we want to have a drink tonight as well. “Harnessing that ambivalence is how we can help people to start to look at their drinking and make a choice for health.”
they shouldn’t have “fewer rights and freedoms” than men. Drinking is a way of marking the end of a day or the end of a shift, Dr Hunt said. “It’s my ‘me time’ ... turning to a glass of wine while you prepare dinner, and another glass while you eat dinner, and another glass after the kids have gone to bed.” “Alcohol in small doses and in moderation is certainly part of a full lifestyle. Where that becomes problematic is if it becomes the main way of coping with stress.” The past fifty years of research has typically studied male drinking patterns and treatments for men, but in recent years Dr Hunt has tried to address this bias by researching women’s drinking patterns and motivations. “My theory was that perhaps [women] didn’t have a drinking problem, they had a stress problem.” Dr Hunt’s hunch was proven right. Her research found that when asked to freely respond with reasons why they drink, most women said they used alcohol as a way to relax after the day’s responsibilities had ended. Given the links between hazardous drinking and health effects such as breast cancer, liver disease and poor relationships, it’s important to find ways to help people make changes when drinking has become a problem. ■
PEOPLE ARE MORE PERSUADED BY WHAT THEY HEAR THEMSELVES SAY THAN BY WHAT OTHERS SAY “The trick is to lead people to their own good reasons for change. I’m not the expert in everybody’s lives, but I can help to hold up a mirror and help them to consider it for themselves.” MEASURE YOUR ALCOHOL USE FOR A WEEK WITHOUT MAKING ANY CHANGES TO IT Collect some data, and rather than looking at how much you drink, ask yourself: “What situations or triggers seem to be associated with drinking? Am I drinking to cope with a negative emotion? Am I drinking because of stress or am I drinking because it is just something that I just really enjoy?” SWAP ALCOHOL FOR ANOTHER ACTIVITY “If you want to start to make some changes, then the easy thing to try is swapping alcohol for another stress reliever and see what happens,” suggests Dr Hunt. If our default setting is to pour a glass of wine at 7 pm, go for a walk around the block or ring a friend for a chat at 7pm instead. “Try something else and see if that makes a difference to the urge to have a drink.” CONSIDER HAVING A HOLIDAY FROM ALCOHOL AND TREAT IT AS AN EXPERIMENT TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS “It’ll tell you what alcohol was doing for you, and it’ll also tell you what alcohol was doing to you.” If you want to make a change, talk to a GP or drug and alcohol counsellors, Dr Hunt said. THE LAMP OCTOBER 2019 | 27
NEWS IN BRIEF
AUSTRALIA
Discrimination a big factor in gender pay gap A new study by KMPG has found that discrimination is the most significant factor driving the gender pay gap in Australia.
UNITED STATES
Eat your greens: it could reduce the risk of diabetes Study finds eating more plant-based foods reduces the risk of type-2 diabetes. According to a study by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston, eating plenty of healthy fruits and vegetables could reduce the risk of developing type-2 diabetes by almost a quarter. The study of more than 300,000 people was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. It found that following a more plant-based diet was associated with a 23 per cent reduction in the risk of developing type-2 diabetes. The results suggested the more plant-based a diet was, the greater the reduction in risk. Following a healthier plant-based diet with more foods such as fruits, vegetables and wholegrains was associated with a slightly greater reduction (30 per cent) in the risk of developing type-2 diabetes. Researchers say the findings could be due to such foods being rich in antioxidants, which protect against diabetes, while many also improve sensitivity to insulin – the hormone that controls blood sugar – and reduce weight gain.
The report, She’s Price(d)less: The Economics of the Gender Pay Gap was commissioned by the Diversity Council of Australia and the Workplace Gender Equality Agency. It found that: • gender-based harassment and discrimination accounted for 39 per cent of the gender pay gap • years not working due to interruptions, part-time employment and unpaid care and work accounted for another 39 per cent • occupational and industrial segregation accounted for 17 per cent of the gap. The study said that “stubborn stereotypes about the roles women and men play in both paid and unpaid work and family and caring responsibilities are at the heart of Australia’s gender pay gap”. “Solving the challenge of Australia’s pay gap is not only fair and sensible, it’s an economically responsible endeavour,” said KPMG National Chairman, Alison Kitchen. “Taking action on Australia’s pay gap is the right thing to do and would produce lasting and significant benefits for individuals, families, businesses and communities.” Workplace Gender Equality Agency director Libby Lyons said closing the gender pay gap required changing the hearts and minds of all Australians. “We have to accept that real and lasting cultural change is required if we are going to achieve and sustain gender equality in our workplaces and in society more broadly.”
‘Solving the challenge of Australia’s pay gap is not only fair and sensible, it’s an economically responsible endeavour.’
The researchers defined plant-based diets as any diet where a person ate more plant-based foods and less or no animal-based foods (dairy, eggs, meat or fish). This would include vegetarian — KPMG National Chairman, Alison Kitchen. and vegan diets, as well as diets where people ate some animalbased foods, but not much.
‘ Following a more plant-based diet was associated with a 23 per cent reduction in the risk of developing type-2 diabetes.’ 28 | THE LAMP OCTOBER 2019
NEWS IN BRIEF
UNITED STATES
Polio “kicked out of Africa” Africa is on the verge of being declared polio free according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Nigeria, the continent’s last country to record a case of polio, has gone for three years without any further incidents, reported the BBC. Outside of Nigeria, the last case on the continent was in the Puntland region of Somalia in 2014. Insecurity in the north-east of Nigeria had hindered the polio vaccination program, but success in fighting the Boko Haram militant group has been cited as one of the reasons behind getting polio under control. Dr Matshidiso Moeti, the WHO regional director for Africa, said: “We are confident that soon we will be trumpeting the certification that countries have, once and for all, kicked polio out of Africa.”
UNITED KINGDOM
Brexit no-deal will leave NHS “gasping for breath” British health unions have called for a no-deal Brexit to be taken off the table for the wellbeing of the NHS. Health union leaders have warned the government in a joint letter that a no-deal Brexit would intensify the NHS staffing crisis and leave tens of thousands of nurses and other healthcare staff in limbo over their jobs, reports Nursing Times. The leaders of Royal College of Nursing, the Royal College of Midwives and Unison all signed the letter, which said a no-deal Brexit would “intensify the largest staffing crisis in the services’ history”. The letter also raised concerns about the “significant disruption” that a no-deal could cause to the supply of medicines. “Many medicines, including life-saving agents for cancer diagnosis and therapy, cannot be stockpiled and for those that can, those stockpiles could run out,” it warned. “These kinds of shortages and delays can be fatal. No responsible government should take that risk.” Unison general secretary, Dave Prentis, said: “Boris Johnson is setting a time bomb for the NHS. The promises of more cash for the health service made during the referendum were just empty words. “No-deal will instead leave the NHS gasping for breath, creating chaos for the hard-working staff and spelling potential disaster for patients.” The leaders of the Trade Union Council and the British Medical Association also signed the letter.
She added that stopping the disease has not been easy and praised the “monumental effort” of health workers “on an unprecedented scale”. She said exhaustive surveillance of people on the move was a significant factor in the progress. Nigeria and neighbouring countries have held multiple vaccination campaigns in locations from markets to border points, to boost the immunity of the local population and prevent the virus spreading. The polio virus is still endemic in Pakistan and Afghanistan, and will need to be eradicated there before the world can be declared polio free.
‘Success in fighting the Boko Haram militant group has been cited as one of the reasons behind getting polio under control.’
‘ Boris Johnson is setting a time bomb for the NHS.’ — UNISON THE LAMP OCTOBER 2019 | 29
NEWS IN BRIEF
AUSTRALIA
Scrap the cap says RBA State governments should lift their caps on public sector wages for the sake of the Australian economy, says the Reserve Bank of Australia governor.
AUSTRALIA
Junk food gets discount priority Supermarkets put junk food on special twice as often as healthy food. Despite their claims to be healthy places to shop, supermarkets are major culprits in pushing junk food upon us, according to new research. The study, conducted by the Global Obesity Centre at Deakin University, looked at supermarket specials over a year to see how healthy they were. Junk foods included chocolate, chips, confectionery, ice cream and high-sugar breakfast cereals. The study found these sorts of products were on special twice as often as healthy foods – 29 per cent versus 15 per cent of the time. The study also looked at how discounts varied according to the healthiness of the products. The “healthiness” of foods was assessed using the Health Star Rating system – an Australian Governmentendorsed scheme that gives each product a score out of five. The research revealed the more stars a food product had, the less often it was on special, and the smaller the discount when it was. Discounts applied to junk foods were, on average, almost twice as large as discounts on healthier options (26 per cent off versus 15 per cent off). Responsible supermarkets of the future would entice their customers with discounted fruit and vegetables instead of half-price chips, chocolate and soft drinks, the researchers said.
‘ Responsible supermarkets of the future would entice their customers with discounted fruit and vegetables instead of half price chips, chocolate and soft drinks.’ 30 | THE LAMP OCTOBER 2019
The RBA governor, Philip Lowe, said the Australian economy was vulnerable if the international situation, particularly the US–China trade war, “takes a turn for the worse”. Stronger wage growth was essential to stimulate the Australian economy, he told parliament’s economics committee. Lowe told the committee that increased demand for labour had been met by increased participation in the labour market by women and older workers, which had suppressed wages. “This means that the upward pressure on wages growth over the next couple of years is likely to be only quite modest. “Caps on wages growth in public sectors right across the country are another factor contributing to the subdued wage outcomes. My view is that a further pick-up in wages growth is both affordable and desirable.” Lowe said wage growth of 3 per cent in both the public and private sector was “reasonable” based on inflation of 2.5 per cent and 1 per cent in labour productivity growth. “I hope we can do better, but I think we should be able to do that. So I would like to see the system return to wage growth starting with a three.” He also recommended infrastructure and structural policies to expand investment, innovation and employment as other possible levers to improve the economy.
‘My view is that a further pick-up in wages growth is both affordable and desirable.’ — RBA governor, Philip Lowe
NEWS IN BRIEF
UNITED STATES
Optimistic nurses live longer There’s a good reason to be cheerful – you might live longer! A study using information collected from male war veterans and female nurses taking part in two long-running studies in the United States found that people who had the highest optimism scores had a lifespan about 9 per cent longer than those with the lowest scores. These relations were independent of socioeconomic status, health conditions, depression, social integration, and health behaviours (e.g. smoking, diet, and alcohol use). The researchers did find that people with higher optimism scores generally tended to have higher educational levels, were less likely to have long-term health conditions, less likely to drink alcohol and more likely to exercise. The researchers also reported an increased chance of surviving beyond 85 with the highest level of optimism: 50 per cent increased chance for nurses and 70 per cent increased chance for men. However, these results were from a model that did not take into account health behaviours are therefore not significant. The researchers say that the findings suggest optimism may be an important psychosocial resource for extending life span in older adults. The research was published in PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA – August 2019).
‘ The findings suggest optimism may be an important psychosocial resource for extending life span in older adults.’
AUSTRALIA
Four priorities in review of Fair Work Act The ACTU has told the Morrison government that any reform of Australia’s industrial relations laws must deal with the country’s low wage crisis. The federal government has announced a review of the Fair Work Act and the ACTU has voiced its concerns “that the government is only focused on the corporate agenda and not the issues of most concern to workers and their families”. In a letter to the Minister for Industrial Relations, Christian Porter, ACTU Secretary, Sally McManus, said that the union movement’s 1.6 million members, their families and communities, expect that “any necessary reform proposed by the government in critical areas of workplace policy will be unequivocally in the national interest”. “We are concerned that some in the business community have already proposed changes that would lead to workers receiving lower pay and having less job security,” she said. The ACTU nominated four areas that should be the focus of any reform. “We believe that the low wage growth crisis, wage theft and its causes, insecure work and inequality for working women are the four big issues that must be successfully addressed in any review of the Fair Work Act,” said Ms McManus.
The low wage growth crisis, wage theft and its causes, insecure work and inequality for working women are the four big issues that must be successfully addressed in any review of the Fair Work Act.’ — ACTU Secretary Sally McManus
THE LAMP OCTOBER 2019 | 31
PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION
SYDNEY METRO
Waterloo
Transitioning to the Workplace Thursday 12 December, $30 / $60, 6 CPD Hours, New Grad / Final Year Nursing and Midwifery Students
Clinical Communication and Documentation Thursday 7 November, $95 / $190, 6 CPD Hours
Blacktown
NSW REGIONAL
October to December 2019 Education
HUNTER NEW ENGLAND Newcastle
Aged Care Seminar Friday 25 October, $60 / $120, 6 CPD Hours
Know where you stand with Law, Ethics and Professional Standards in nursing and midwifery Wednesday 13 November, $95 / $190, 6 CPD Hours Your Annual CPD Obligations Thursday 21 November, $50 / $100, 4 CPD Hours, RN, MW, EN
Transitioning to the Workplace Wednesday 20 November, $30 / $60, 6 CPD Hours, New Grad / Final Year Nursing and Midwifery Students
ILLAWARRA SHOALHAVEN Shoalhaven Heads
Medications: How we do it better Wednesday 11 December, $95 / $190, 6 CPD Hours
Wollongong
Wound Care: Pathophysiology, Skin Tears and Pressure Injury Prevention Friday 18 October, $95 / $190, 6 CPD Hours
Know where you stand with Law, Ethics and Professional Standards in nursing and midwifery Wednesday 9 October, $95 / $190, 6 CPD Hours
Gymea
Clinical Communication and Documentation Thursday 10 October, $95 / $190, 6 CPD Hours Palliative Care Workshop – NEW Wednesday 6 November, $95 / $190, 6 CPD Hours
Hornsby
Campbelltown
Dementia Management Training Thursday 28 November, $95 / $190, 7 CPD Hours
MID NORTH COAST Port Macquarie
Your Annual CPD Obligations Thursday 28 November, $50 / $100, 4 CPD Hours, RN, MW, EN
Emotional Intelligence Training Thursday 17 October, $95 / $190, 6 CPD Hours
Dementia Management Training COURSE FULL Wednesday 16 October, $95 / $190, 7 CPD Hours
Macksville
Know where you stand with Law, Ethics and Professional Standards in nursing and midwifery Wednesday 4 December, $95 / $190, 6 CPD Hours
MURRUMBIDGEE Wagga Wagga
Aged Care Seminar Thursday 14 November, $60 / $120, 6 CPD Hours
Young
Know where you stand with Law, Ethics and Professional Standards in nursing and midwifery Wednesday 27 November, $95 / $190, 6 CPD Hours
NEPEAN BLUE MOUNTAINS Springwood
Wound Care: Understanding Wound Care Products Thursday 14 November, $95 / $190, 6 CPD Hours
WESTERN NSW Orange
Clinical Communication and Documentation Wednesday 23 October, $95 / $190, 6 CPD Hours Your Annual CPD Obligations Thursday 24 October, $50 / $100, 4 CPD Hours, RN, MW, EN
For full details of courses including course content, venue & times, please go to www.nswnma.asn.au
CPD
REGISTER ONLINE bit.ly/educationNSWNMA
Attendance at NSWNMA education sessions may count towards your Continuing Professional Development (CPD) hours. The number of hours noted beside each course is the maximum amount of claimable CPD hours. Unless otherwise noted, our courses are suitable for all Nurses, Midwives and Assistants in Nursing/Midwifery. 32 | THE LAMP OCTOBER 2019
PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION
2019
Aged Care Seminar Thursday 14 November Wagga Wagga RSL Dobbs St, Wagga Wagga 9am to 4pm
$
WAGGA WAGGA
All Members $60 Non-members $120 Lunch & refreshments provided
For RNs, ENs and AINs in residential, community and hospital aged care settings, across private and public sectors, or anyone with an interest, professional or personal, in the aged care sector in NSW. Hear from a range of speakers, network with colleagues and earn some valuable CPD hours.
CPD
6
The program for the day will cover the following topics*: • • • • •
Work Health and Safety in Aged Care; Dementia Management; Nutrition in the Elderly; Elder Abuse; The NMBA Decision Making Framework.
* We reserve the right to change the program without notice.
• Young Services Club, 42 Cloete Street •
EDUCATION@YOUNG
Know where you stand with Law, Ethics and Professional Standards in Nursing and Midwifery $
Wed 27 November 9am to 4.30pm CPD All 6 Members $95 Non-members $190 Lunch and refreshments provided
PROGRAM: • • • • • • • •
The Australian legal system and laws that can effect nurses and midwives Explore the co-regulatory system of nursing and midwifery within NSW Breakdown how complaints and notification processes work within NSW Unpack the confusion around consent A better understanding of where and how restraint can and cannot be used An understanding of ethics in our everyday practice A better understanding of how the Code of Conduct fits into your practice The importance of documentation and escalation within the health care environment.
Your Annual CPD Obligations $
Thu 28 November 9am to 1pm RN, Midwife, ENs Members $50 Non-members $100 Refreshments provided
½-DAY SEMINAR
PROGRAM: • How to develop a learning plan each year CPD
4
• How you identify your learning needs and objectives, linking them back to your current or future context of practice • How to record your CPD activities • Gain an understanding of reflective practice • What to do if you get audited.
For full details of courses including course content, venue & times, please go to www.nswnma.asn.au CPD
REGISTER ONLINE bit.ly/educationNSWNMA
Attendance at NSWNMA education sessions may count towards your Continuing Professional Development (CPD) hours. The number of hours noted beside each course is the maximum amount of claimable CPD hours. Unless otherwise noted, our courses are suitable for all Nurses, Midwives and Assistants in Nursing/Midwifery. THE LAMP OCTOBER 2019 | 33
COVER STORY OUR MISSION Ensuring optimal
THE VOICE FOR NSW CHILD AND FAMILY HEALTH NURSES
2019 SEMINAR
A
health outcomes for families caring for children up to five years of age by: Promoting Child and
AND AGM Saturday
26 October
CREATING BETTER FUTURES
Family Health Nursing as a nursing
Nick Hopwood
speciality
II
Policy advocacy and consultation Providing professional development opportunities
Nursing research
Child and Family Health Nurses Association NSW
UPGRADED WEBSITE
Supporting Child Family Health and
Teena Clerke
CAFHNA.ORG.AU
HARBOUR VIEW HOTEL 17 Blue St North Sydney CAFHNA Members $25:00 Non-Members $75:00 Join and Register
www.facebook.com/CAFHNA
LIONS NURSES’ SCHOLARSHIP Looking for funding to further your studies in 2020? THE LIONS NURSES’ SCHOLARSHIPS OPEN ON 1 AUGUST AND CLOSE ON 31 OCTOBER EACH YEAR The trustees of the Lions Nurses’ Scholarship Foundation invite applications for scholarships. Nurses eligible for these scholarships must be resident and employed within the State of NSW or ACT. You must currently be registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia
and working within the nursing profession in NSW or the ACT, and must have a minimum of three years’ experience in the nursing profession – the last twelve months of which must have been spent in NSW or the ACT. Details of eligibility and the scholarships available (which include study projects either within Australia or overseas), and
application forms are available from: www.nswnma.asn.au/education Administration Liaison Lions Nurses’ Scholarship Foundation 50 O’Dea Avenue Waterloo NSW 2017 or contact Matt West on 1300 367 962 or education@nswnma.asn.au
COMPLETED APPLICATIONS MUST BE IN THE HANDS OF THE SECRETARY NO LATER THAN 31 OCTOBER 34 | THE LAMP OCTOBER 2019
YOUR RIGHTS
Ask
Judith Breaking News It is noticeable that when disputes arise in public hospitals, rather than dealing with the nub of the issue, Local Health Districts (and their legal representatives) often seem more preoccupied in seeking to dispute the process or raise technical arguments or debating points. This is the antithesis of addressing issues quickly and efficiently, with minimal reliance on sparring lawyers. This only adds to the frustration of members (and their representatives!) who often seek to resolve longstanding issues of inadequate staffing or significant vacancies, and the onerous reliance on overtime or agency staff. No wonder branches and members are collectively taking up the challenge to hold hospital management to account, and ensure the community is aware of what is happening in their local hospital. We need, like never before, to stand together to ensure your rights and that of your patients are respected and shortcomings addressed. Times are changing. Old norms and approaches hold little weight. New rules of engagement are needed and in fact are beginning to blossom. Go to your next branch meeting and be part of something that is bigger than any one individual.
Overtime and 12-hour shifts I work in a public hospital and our department is about to start 12-hour shifts. I am worried that with so many vacant positions, we’ll just end up doing overtime on top of the shift. Clause 5(v)(j) of the Public Health System Nurses’ and Midwives’ (State) Award is quite clear, “no overtime shall be worked in conjunction with a 12-hour shift”. You may elect to work an overtime shift on a rostered day off but overtime by way of an extension to the 12-hour shift is a no-no.
First go at extra hours I work at a nursing home run by Opal. As a part-timer, do I get first go at any extra shifts going? Clause 11.3(f) of the Opal Aged Care (NSW) Enterprise Agreement 2016 sets out that offers of “… additional
When it comes to your rights and entitlements at work, NSWNMA Assistant General Secretary Judith Kiejda has the answers.
hours or shifts will be made to part-time employees in the first instance”.
Cashing out annual leave I am a registered nurse working in a public hospital. If I need to, can I get some annual leave paid out? Clause 30(xi)(b) of the Public Health System Nurses’ and Midwives’ (State) Award sets out the criteria for cashing out annual leave. In short, any annual leave accrued under the Award over and above four weeks per year can be paid out in lieu of taking the leave. This is solely at the employee’s election and can be done at any time.
Overtime for casual AiNs at Ramsay I am a casual assistant in nursing working at a private hospital run by Ramsay. What pay rate is used to calculate my overtime? Under the Ramsay Health Care Australia Pty Limited and NSW Nurses & Midwives’ Association and ANMF NSW Branch Enterprise Agreement 2018–2020, the overtime rates applicable to a casual employee will be the penalty rate applicable to a permanent employee holding the same position (i.e. no casual loading included in the calculation). However, Ramsay was required to provide an undertaking to the Fair Work Commission prior to the above agreement being approved that casual assistants in nursing entitled to overtime will be paid utilising their hourly rate with the casual loading included.
Posting rosters
I work in a public hospital. The roster in our ward seems perennially late. I thought it had to be out two weeks beforehand? In fact under Clause 8(ii) of the Public Health System Nurses’ and Midwives’ (State) Award the roster needs to be displayed four (4) weeks prior to its commencing date.
Higher grade duty at Healthe Care
I work in a hospital run by Healthe Care. How does the higher grade duty work? Clause 22 of the Healthe Care Pty Ltd (New South Wales Hospitals) and the NSWNMA/ANMF NSW Branch Enterprise Agreement 2017 sets out that, if acting up in a higher graded position, you should receive for the period of acting the minimum payment for the higher position. Note that if rostered in advance, the period of acting must be for more than three consecutive days to activate the payment unless you are required to be in charge of the hospital during the period.
Minimum hours at Bupa
I am employed casually in a Bupa nursing home. What is the minimum shift I can be rostered for? Clause 10.4(f) of the Bupa Aged Care Australia, NSWNMA, ANMF (NSW Branch) and HSU NSW Branch, New South Wales Enterprise Agreement 2018 sets out that a casual employee will be paid a minimum of two hours pay for each engagement.
Day or shift worker
I have applied for a full-time nursing position at a hospital run by Healthscope. Do they need to be upfront with me as to whether I will be rostered to work on weekends? Clause 6 of the Healthscope Group – NSWNMA/ANMF – NSW Nurses and Midwives’ – Enterprise Agreement 2015 –2019 requires a full time employee to be advised in writing (a letter of offer usually) whether you are to be engaged as a Mondayto-Friday worker, or alternatively required to be rostered over all seven days of the week.
Extra public holiday
Just wondering if the extra public holiday has been decided for NSW Health yet? Yes, the extra public holiday to be observed in public hospitals, as set out in 30(iv) of the Public Health System Nurses’ and Midwives’ (State) Award, will this year be Tuesday 31 December 2019. THE LAMP OCTOBER 2019 | 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 3 questions they will ask in nursing and midwifery interviews GOSFORD RALLY FOR SAFE STAFFING Central Coast nurses and midwives joined forces to rally against the widespread understaffing in their district. http://bit.ly/ gosford-rally
CAMPBELLTOWN RALLY FOR SAFE STAFFING Midwives at Campbelltown Hospital were joined by over 200 community members as they campaigned for safety for local mothers and babies. http://bit.ly/ ctown-rally 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 OCTOBER 2019
Want a heads up on what they’ll likely ask in your interviews? Here’s what Nurse Uncut reckons will be in there! https://www.nurseuncut.com.au/ the-3-questions-they-will-ask-innursing-and-midwifery-interviews/
RN launches disruptor to agency nurse model Registered nurse and NSWNMA member Zara Lord launches uPaged, a disruptor to the current agency nurse model. https://www.nurseuncut.com.au/ rn-launches-disruptor-to-agencynurse-model/
Mildura Base Hospital to be returned to public hands Privatised in 1998, Mildura Base Hospital will be bought back by the Victorian Labor government. https://www. nurseuncut.com.au/mildura-basehospital-to-be-returned-to-publichands/
11 tips to ACE that New Grad interview Going into interview season soon? We’ve got the tips to help you stand out! https://www.nurseuncut.com. au/11-tips-to-ace-that-new-gradinterview/
Bureaucracy shouldn’t come before patient outcomes Len Gainsford from Swinburne University and Joachim Sturmberg from the University of Newcastle argue that the bureaucracy around Aged Care funding models shouldn’t take primacy over resident care. https://www.nurseuncut.com.au/ red-tape-in-aged-care-shouldntforce-staff-to-prioritise-tickingboxes-over-residents-outcomes/
Listen to our podcast Supporting and Increasing the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Midwifery Workforce – Leona McGrath http://bit.ly/midwives-mcgrath
SOCIAL MEDIA
your
Say
What nurses and midwives said and liked on Facebook www.facebook.com/nswnma
War wounds from the wards
Advocating for the aged
We told Nurse Katie’s story about being assaulted while working at Blacktown Hospital. You shared your own experiences of violence at work. I was specialling a patient and was not told that he got aggressive. So, he got aggressive and punched me in the head in front of everyone. The hospital was very supportive but do nurses, doctors and paramedics deserve this kind of behaviour from the ones whom they are caring for? I’ve been spat at and threatened while at work. One of my physiotherapists got kicked in the chest last week while trying to assist a patient. I’ve had near misses but have dodged a couple of aggressive moments over my 28-year career. I received two fractured ribs myself. It is never acceptable. I’ve had a broken nose and thumb, a scalded neck and broken glasses over a few decades. This is so true – I’ve been punched in the jaw before. It’s just not acceptable.
The Daily Telegraph reported on the high fees that aged care residents pay, without receiving the care that they deserved. This is what you had to say about that. Having worked in aged care, I can confirm that it’s not the carers who don’t care – it’s the management. All the way to the top: cutbacks after cutbacks, never putting in enough staff to look after the residents, cutting back on the food which was (already) an appalling standard. At times they had run out of medical and toiletries, incontinence aids under lock and key. I could go on and on. I felt so sorry for the residents and advocated for them until I was bullied out of my job. I would encourage everyone to boycott for-profit aged care companies in general, as they are greedy corporations that have no interest in people, only profits. This is an absolute disgrace and shame on the government for not changing laws to protect the elderly in nursing homes immediately. When your profit for a year is equivalent to your funding for a year, there’s a problem, a
big, disgusting problem. I worked in a couple of nursing homes over 30 years ago and all I can see that’s changed is the people who own the nursing homes are greedier. Overpaid CEOs and board members need to be in jail. We’re paying a fortune, and for what? Underperforming Aged Care providers need to step up. Stop bringing a bad name into this field. If it’s not about the residents, shut down and let others do the right thing.
the gallery
/1
/2
/3
Night shift nutrition tips Clinical nutritionist Audra Stark shared her five foods to eat on night shift. Here were your do’s and don’ts. I don’t eat much but l do drink more water and cordial for that bit of sugar hit. Chocolate, coffee, chips. Repeat. If he says anything other than Haribo and Monster I don’t want to hear it. Double-cheese toasted sandwich. No choc lava cake or white bread cheese sandwiches?!?! I don’t understand why Retro Party Mix isn’t on this list. Coco Pops!
/4
/5 1/ Central Coast nurses and midwives fight for safer staffing at their local hospitals 2/ Nash, Spencer and Archer demand more midwives for their local hospital in Campbelltown 3/ Maitland nurses, midwives and community members fight for safer staffing 4/ Nurses and midwives join with community members to fight for reproductive rights to be treated as a health issue 5/ Campbelltown midwives are pushing for better local maternity services
THE LAMP OCTOBER 2019 | 37
INSURANCE BENEFITS
For NSWNMA Members
Insurance protection when you need it most The NSWNMA is committed to protecting the interests of nurses and midwives by purchasing a range of insurances to cover members.
Journey Accident Insurance provides cover for members who are injured as a result of an accident while travelling between their home and their regular place of employment.
Professional Indemnity Insurance provides legal representation and protection for members when required. Make sure your membership remains financial at all times in order to access the insurance and other benefits provided by the NSWNMA.
Unsure if you are financial?
It’s easy! Ring and check today on 8595 1234 (metro) or 1300 367 962 (rural) Change your payment information online at www.nswnma.asn.au
www.nswnma.asn.au 38 |
IMPORTANT NOTE From 1 December 2018 the insurance benefits have changed as follows: • Journey Accident Insurance: the waiting period for benefits is now 14 days • Professional Indemnity Insurance: the limit per claim is now $5 million THE LAMP OCTOBER 2019
NURSING RESEARCH AND PROFESSIONAL ISSUES This month, Nursing Research Online presents a range of relevant papers available online.
Medium- and long-term pressures on the system: the changing demographics and dynamics of aged care Background Paper 2, May 2019 Australians aged 85 years or more will increase to more than 1.5 million people or 3.7 per cent of the population by 2058. The increase, from just over 503,685 people today or 2 per cent of the population, is described in Background Paper 2 prepared for the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety. The paper describes the increase as being of a magnitude requiring “significant adjustments to the Australian economy and systems that support older people”, but tempers this with an assertion that these changes are unlikely to be any greater than those that have occurred over the last 40 years. The paper puts Australia’s ageing population under the microscope. It explores complex issues associated with the country’s changing demographic profile, including changes in patterns of disease and dependency, the rising incidence of dementia, changing expectations and the changing cultural profile of the Australian community. It also explores current arrangements, future pressures and a greater need for preventative and restorative health. https://agedcare. royalcommission.gov.au/ publications/Pages/default. aspx
Aged Care: A Quick Guide – June 2019 Alex Grove, Parliamentary Library The aged care system caters for older Australians who can no longer live without support in their own home. Care is provided in people’s homes, in the community and in residential aged care facilities (nursing homes) by a wide variety of providers. The Australian Government is the primary funder and regulator of the aged care system. Government expenditure on aged care services, largely by the Australian Government, was
$18.4 billion in 2017–18. This quick guide provides a brief overview of aged care in Australia. It describes the types of care provided, the people who use aged care, the process for accessing care, the organisations that provide care, and the regulatory arrangements for ensuring quality care. It does not describe care that is provided outside of the formal aged care system, such as care provided by family members or accommodation in retirement villages. https://www.aph.gov.au/About_ Parliament/Parliamentary_ Departments/Parliamentary_ Library/pubs/rp/rp1617/ Quick_Guides/Aged_Care_a_ quick_guide
2019 Public Hospital Report Card Australian Medical Association, April 2019 This 2019 Public Hospital Report Card shows a public hospital system under pressure. Although the annual rate of growth in Commonwealth and state hospital funding is tracking at 3-5 per cent per annum over the decade, the rate of growth in Commonwealth funding is in large part determined by the current National Health Reform Agreement. Under these arrangements, Commonwealth contributions to public hospital funding activity are indexed each year, but the efficiency gains from the previous period are built into it. This means that Commonwealth funding is indexed at a rate that reflects public hospital input cost increases, offset by efficiency gains. But of course, public hospitals are service organisations, and staff salaries account for a large proportion of total input costs. Nurses in particular are a large workforce cohort, comprising about 41 per cent of total hospital staff. As we all know, the talented doctors, nurses, and other staff in our hospitals are what make the system work. https://ama.com.au/amapublic-hospital-reportcard-2019
Allergy Clinic Catalyst, ABC IView With Australia in the grip of an allergy epidemic, Catalyst sets up a pop-up clinic to understand why so many of us are suffering from these conditions and reveal the latest science about what we can do to treat and prevent them. https://iview.abc.net.au/show/ catalyst
Can we tame Big Tech’s big influence on healthcare? Paul Tiffin, July 2019 At the start of the year, Juliet Bauer, chief digital officer for NHS England, announced that she was joining LIVI, an independent provider of remote primary care advice. Months earlier, Michael Macdonnell, NHS England’s national director of Transforming Health Systems, declared he was leaving his role to join DeepMind Health, a subsidiary of Google. When NHS leaders join the private sector they take with them valuable insights into how Big Tech can access Europe’s largest single health market. An article in The Guardian suggested that politicians had been seduced by the positive media coverage of artificial intelligence (AI), often largely based on the industry’s own press releases. The idea that AI will revolutionise the delivery of healthcare plays well into the “personal responsibility” agenda of the current government and nicely distracts from the ongoing workforce crisis. The (not so) latent narrative seems clear: you don’t need to worry about a shortage of mental health workers as you can always chat to “Woebot” about your troubles. We needn’t concern ourselves about cuts to public health as there will be a new, empowering app out soon to let you take control of your own wellbeing without interference from pesky “experts”. https://blogs.bmj.com/ bmj/2019/07/16/paul-tiffincan-we-tame-big-techs-biginfluence/ THE LAMP OCTOBER 2019 | 39
There are some things you shouldn’t handle alone. Contact the NSWNMA if you are: Asked to attend a disciplinary or fact finding interview with your employer Threatened with dismissal Instructed to provide a statement for any reason Contacted by the Health Care Complaints Commission or the Nursing and Midwifery Council of NSW Contacted by police or solicitors in relation to a Coronial Inquest
Call us on 8595 1234 (metro) or 1300 367 962 (non-metro) Email gensec@nswnma.asn.au www.nswnma.asn.au 40 | THE LAMP OCTOBER 2019
CROSSWORD
test your
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ACROSS 1. A broad-spectrum antibiotic, used as the hydrochloride salt 10. An anthelmintic drug used to get rid of worms 12. One of the two main proteins of muscle 13. An impurity 14. Characterised by unresponsive stupor or immobility 15. An apparatus for determining solubilities of various substances 18. An instrument for examining the ear 20. An agent that cause obstruction or blocking 21. Submission, give in 22. Hold, enclose, have
capacity for 23. Tickling, tingling 25. The inability to produce offspring 26. A condition of having fewer than the normal complement of teeth 27. An electrically neutral particle DOWN 1. To exploit for financial gain 2. Relating to the function of voluntary movement 3. Inflammation of the retina 4. Echo planar imaging (1.1.1) 5. A nucleoprotein that contains RNA 6. The most commonly used illicit drug
7. The bones of the head collectively 8. A line on a weather map connecting points of equal atmospheric pressure 9. Recording of mass electrical response of the retina when it is stimulated by light 11. Haemagglutinin neuraminidase (1.1) 13. Solidification into a firm dense mass 16. Tympanic membrane 17. Counsellors, healers 19. A person who is introspective, self-conscious and shy 22. Immature 24. Sick
THE LAMP OCTOBER 2019 | 41
Welcome to
Improved communication channels and engagement
MEMBER CENTRAL
Seamless access to membership details Functionality at your fingertips
THE NEW ONLINE SYSTEM FOR NSWNMA MEMBERS
Unique NSWNMA member login with email
Create your new member login account & you could win a trip to Bali! Log on to online.nswnma.asn.au and create your login to be automatically entered in the draw to win a 5 night holiday to
THE TRANS RESORT BALI, SEMINYAK
You and a friend will enjoy: • Five nights’ accommodation in a Premier Room • Return airport transfer • Breakfast daily for two • One x Friday night buffet or set dinner for two • One x Sunday Yum Cha for two • One x 30 minute massage for two • 20% off Food & Beverage.
The NSWNMA will arrange and pay for return flights for two to Denpasar, Bali.
online.nswnma.asn.au
log on and create your login from 1 Feb 2019 – 31 Jan 2020 and you will automatically be entered in the draw to win.
Prize drawn 1 Feb 2020
Full terms and conditions are available at www.nswnma.asn.au/nswnmamembers/contests-and-promotions Conditions apply. Prize must be redeemed by 31 January 2021 and is subject to room availability. Block out dates: 23 – 29 January 2020 , 21 – 31 May 2020, 1 June – 31 July 2020 and 23 December 2020 – 6 January 2021. Competition opens on 1 February 2019 and closes 31 January 2020. The prize will be drawn 42 | on THE LAMP OCTOBER 1 February 2020. If a2019 redraw is required for an unclaimed prize it must be held up to 3 months from the original draw date. NSW Permit no: LTPM/18/02955
REVIEWS
book club
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David Lagercrantz Hachette Australia: booktopia.com.au RRP $32.99 ISBN 9780857056375
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ST RE
The Girl Who Lived Twice
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All books can be ordered through the publisher or your local bookshop.
Nursing Adults with Long Term Conditions Jane Nicol and Lorna Hollowood
McGraw Hill Education: Sage bookdepository.com.au RRP $40.30 ISBN 9781473914322
Focusing on the relevant knowledge and skills essential for effective care for people living with long-term conditions, this book covers everything from the impact of long-term conditions across the lifespan and the therapeutic relationship to symptom management, case management and advance care planning. All activities, scenarios and case studies have been updated to reflect the contemporary landscape of care, and to bring in recommendations from the Francis Report. With integrated care and partnership working as themes within the book, it now includes more on the shift to community-based care and considers the complexity of mental health and how it may be affected by physical conditions.
Evidence-based Practice for Nurses and Healthcare Professionals Paul Linsley, Ros Kane and Janet Barker
Sage: bookdepository.com.au RRP $158.00 ISBN 9781473925021
In the current healthcare climate, it is more important than ever to be able to select and find the right evidence for your practice to ensure patients receive safe, high-quality care. The fully updated new edition of this comprehensive book helps nurses and healthcare professionals understand how to use evidence in all aspects of care, with plenty of examples and activities to help relate concepts to practice.
R
I A dead, Lisbeth Salander’s mentor and protector Holger PalmgrenCis L IN T E and she has been gone from Stockholm since his funeral. All summer, Mikael Blomkvist has been plagued by the fear that Salander's enemies will come after her. He should, perhaps, be more concerned for himself. The next episode in David Lagercrantz’s acclaimed continuation of Stieg Larsson’s Dragon Tattoo series is a thrilling ride that scales the heights of Everest and plunges the depths of Russia’s criminal underworld. In a climax of shattering violence, Lisbeth Salander will face her nemesis. For the girl with the dragon tattoo, the personal is always political – and ultimately deadly.
Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing Peter Ellis Sage: bookdepository.com.au RRP $51.99 ISBN 9781526459336
Delivering safe, high-quality, patient-centred care is dependent upon nurses having a good understanding of evidencebased practice, and how to apply this successfully. However, for many students engaging with this side of practice is a challenge. This book has been specifically designed to help guide students through the process of identifying, evaluating and applying evidence in nursing practice. Using a variety of learning features, this text will help students to see how the theory applies to their everyday practice and help them develop the skills they need to confidently use evidence in their clinical decision-making.
THE LAMP OCTOBER 2019 | 43
o l l He ing Spr
Stay cozy with NSWNMA spring favourites which are not only stylish and comfortable, but also affordable and sold at cost to members.
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1 Navy Aus Vests $40. Sizes: XS-3XL. Australian made and owned. Poly/cotton zip front and side zip pockets 2 Navy Hoodies and 3 Red Hoodies $45. Sizes:10-16 and S-3XL. 80% cotton/20% poly brushed fleece, kangaroo pocket with full lining hood 4 NSWNMA Water Bottle $10. Metallic water bottles with infuser. Stainless Steel inside. For keeping hot and cold beverages.
ORDER FORM
Name Address Postcode
1 Navy Aus Vests $40. Quantity:
Size:
XS
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XL
2XL
2 Navy Hoodies $45. Quantity:
Size:
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4 NSWNMA Water Bottle $10. Quantity:
Postage and handling $5 per item. 44 | THE LAMP OCTOBER 2019
MOB
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Method of Payment Cheque MasterCard
Visa
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10
Total cost of order $
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3 Red Hoodies $45. Quantity:
Size:
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Signature
TO ORDER » WWW.NSWNMA.ASN.AU
EMAIL gensec@nswnma.asn.au FAX (02) 9662 1414 POST NSWNMA, 50 O’Dea Ave. Waterloo NSW 2017
REVIEWS
at the movies
If you would like to be a movie reviewer, email lamp@nswnma.asn.au
Charlie’s Angels
MEM RO
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Email The Lamp by the end of October to be in the draw to win one of 10 double passes to Charlie’s Angels thanks to Sony Pictures. Email your name, membership number, address and telephone number to lamp@nswnma. asn.au for a chance to win!
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Director Elizabeth Banks takes the helm as the next generation of fearless Charlie’s Angels take flight. In Banks’s bold vision, Kristen Stewart, Naomi Scott, and Ella Balinska are working for the mysterious Charles Townsend, whose security and investigative agency has expanded internationally. With the world’s smartest, bravest, and most highly trained women all over the globe, there are now teams of Angels guided by multiple Bosleys, taking on the toughest jobs everywhere. In cinemas 14 November.
GIV E
A
Pavarotti From two-time Academy Awardwinning director Ron Howard comes a documentary celebrating the life of the beloved opera star Luciano Pavarotti. Pavarotti is an in-depth, no-holdsbarred look at the life, career and lasting legacy of the musical icon who sold over 100 million records in his lifetime. Dubbed “The People’s Tenor”, Pavarotti was the rare combination of personality, genius and celebrity. He used his prodigious gifts to spread the gospel of opera as entertainment, and something to be enjoyed by all music lovers. Through the sheer force of his talent, Pavarotti commanded the great stages of the world, and captured the hearts of audiences everywhere. In cinemas 24 October. Email The Lamp by 20 October to be in the draw to win one of 10 double passes to Pavarotti thanks to Madman Entertainment. Email your name, membership number, address and telephone number to lamp@nswnma. asn.au for a chance to win! THE LAMP OCTOBER 2019 | 45
DIARY DATES
make a date
Diary Dates for conferences, seminars, meetings and reunions is a free service for members. lamp@nswnma.asn.au
NEW SOUTH WALES 45th International Mental Health Nursing Conference: Integrated Care: People, Practice, Policy 8–10 October 2019 Sydney, NSW https://www.acmhn2019.com/ NSW Pain Interest Group – Nursing Issues Annual Professional Development Day – “Delving into Pain” 25 October 2019 SMC Conference and Function Centre, Sydney www.dcconferences.com.au/ pigni2019 CAFHNA 2019 Seminar and AGM – Creating better futures 26 October 2019 Harbour View Hotel 17 Blue St, Sydney www.cafhna.org.au ACCCN NSW Critical Care Seminar 29 November 2019 Colombo House Theatres, UNSW, Randwick https://www.acccn.com.au/events/ event/nsw-critical-care-seminar29-november-2019
EVENTS: INTERSTATE St George and Sutherland Hospital Annual Maternity and Breastfeeding Conference 24–25 October 2019 Contact kirstin.lock@health.nsw. gov.au The Australian and New Zealand Society of Occupational Medicine (ANZSOM) Annual Scientific Meeting 2019 Sunday 27 October to Wednesday 30 October 2019 The Playford Hotel, Adelaide www.anzsom.org.au/asm-2019 Asbestos Safety Conference 2019 11–13 November 2019 Perth, WA https://www.asbestossafety. gov.au/events/ asbestosconference2019/program Movement Disorder Chapter Conference 2019 14 November 2019 Adelaide, SA https://members.anna.asn.au/ iCore/Events/Event_Display.aspx? EventKey=19MDCNOV&WebsiteK ey=6788d953-9b77-483d-8a64fff21863280d
46 | THE LAMP OCTOBER 2019
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.
8th International Australasian College for Infection Prevention and Control Conference 17–20 November 2019 Perth, WA https://www.acipc.org.au/ The Alfred Pain Symposium 30 November Monash University, Melbourne, VIC https://painmedicine.org.au/
INTERNATIONAL Australasian Neuroscience Nurses’ Association 17–18 October 2019 Intercontinental Hotel, Wellington New Zealand www.anna.asn.au 2019 World Mental Health Congress 5–8 November 2019 Buenos Aires, Argentina wfmh.global/world-congress-2019 International Council of Nurses (ICN) Congress 2021 Abu Dhabi, UAE www.icn.ch/
EVENTS: REUNIONS 50-Year Anniversary Sydney Hospital Graduate Nurses 1969– 1972 Reunion Lunch Sunday 29 September 2019 Kathleen Wall (Allen) 0420305906 pkwall33@tpg.com.au Susan Crawford 0400723020 denis.p1@bigpond.com Hastings District Hospital (Port Macquarie) 25-Year Reunion Saturday 9 November 2019 Karen Slater 0408984864 k.c.slater@bigpond.com Marrickville District Hospital Reunion 19 October, 2–4 pm NSW Masonic Club/Boutique Hotel 169-171 Castlereagh St, Sydney Barbara Emslie: emslies1@bigpond. com Evelyn Kelly: gladesville@yahoo. com.au
CROSSWORD SOLUTION
TRAVEL
Fabulous holiday offers Paradise Taveuni – Taveuni, Fiji Paradise Taveuni is located north of Vuna village at the southern end of Taveuni, one of the island’s most beautiful areas. Set on 5 acres of elevated oceanfront land, Paradise offers impressive sea and sunset views and many strategically placed hammocks and sun lounges from which to enjoy them. Save up to 40%!
Can’t find what you’re looking for? Contact the Member Concierge desk to discuss the world on sale. To book email bookings@ubookdirect.com.au or call 1300 959 550. For all other packages, head to unionshopper.ubookdirect.com
Best Western Plus The Beachfront – Phuket, Thailand
Ocean view Bure – 5 nights $1399* (2 ADULTS)
• All meals – breakfast, 1 course lunch & 2 course dinner • Tropical fruit plate on arrival • Free paradise massage (30 min massage/ adult on day 1 or 2) • Free Vuna Reef snorkelling experience with divers • Return airport return road transfers on Taveuni • Complimentary internet (on resort tablet in the main bure) • Complimentary Salusalu (Fijian floral lei) on arrival • Complimentary welcome foot rub on arrival (15 mins) • Complimentary snorkelling gear hire (mask, fins & snorkel) • A large selection of complimentary resort activities.
Sudamala Suites & Villas – Sanur, Bali Located in the relaxed Sanur, known for nurturing the Balinese art and culture.
Deluxe Suite – 5 nights $799* (2 ADULTS) • Daily a la carte breakfast • Return airport transfers • One Indonesian lunch at Ares Restaurant • Free upgrade to the next highest room category • 15min welcome massage at Sudajiva Spa • Buy one get one free “Spa dinner cocktail” package • 15% discount of food and non-alcoholic beverages at Ares • 10% discount on sightseeing tour • Free access to a reserved Beach Club • Free access to yoga class every Friday • Free use of bicycle during stay within Sanur area • Additional benefits for minimum stay of 7 nights: a bottle of house wine valid for original booking of Studio Suites and Studio Pool Access room categories
R awa i B each, Phu ket Beachfront Grand Resort opening! Best Western Plus The Beachfront Rawai is located on the southeast coast of Phuket, with its own tranquil beach area.
Seaview Room – 7 Nights $599* (2 ADULTS)
• 7 nights’ accommodation at Best Western Plus The Beachfront Rawai • Free room upgrade to the Superior Seaview Room • Daily buffet breakfast • Complimentary 1 x set dinner for 2 persons • One free cocktail per person / stay • Free Wi-Fi • Extend stay to 10 nights or more and receive FREE UPGRADE to the One-Bedroom Suite
The Moso – Vanuatu An exclusive adults only boutique resort and dining destination located on stunning Moso Island, North Efate, Vanuatu. Largely untouched, Moso Island is an isolated sanctuary, surrounded by crystal-clear blue water and shaded by rustling coconut trees.
Premium Garden Villa – 7 nights 1799* (2 ADULTS) • 7 nights’ accommodation in a Premium Garden Villa for 2 guests • Daily continental breakfast
* All travel deals are subject to availability. Best Western Plus The Beachfront: valid until 31 October 2020. Rate is based on 2 adults. High Season rates available, go to unionshopper.ubookdirect.com. The Moso Vanuatu: valid for travel 1 October 2019 – 31 March 2020. Rate is based on 2 adults. For blackout dates go to unionshopper.ubookdirect.com. Paradise Taveuni: valid for travel 1 November – 20 December 2019 and 8 January – 30 April 2020. Rate is based on 2 adults. For blackout dates go to unionshopper.ubookdirect.com. Sudamala Suites & Villas: on sale until 31 October 2019 and valid for travel until 30 June 2020. Free upgrade is valid for travel period from 1 November to 22 December. “Spa dinner cocktail” USD 50 net per package. Rate is based on 2 adults. For blackout dates go to unionshopper.ubookdirect.com.
needed it. did it. loved it. Recruit a new member and go into the draw to win a 5 night Optimal Wellness Program for two at the Golden Door Wellness Retreat & Spa, Hunter Valley valued at over $6,000
THE 2019 – 2020
NSWNMA Member Recruitment scheme prize PRIZE DRAWN 30 JUNE 2020
The perfect place to reset your mind and body and gain a wealth of knowledge to create a healthier, happier and more motivated you. You and a friend will experience: • • • • • •
5 nights’ accommodation in a private villa Personal welcome consultation on arrival All nutritious meals and snacks Diverse selection of group fitness activities, relaxation and mind-body classes Daily program of health education seminars and workshops Use of all the facilities including a heated indoor pool, outdoor pool, tennis courts, gymnasium, indoor activity studios and outdoor relaxation areas • Two luxurious spa treatments including one Classic Facial and one Swedish massage • One wellness consultation with your choice of: wellness coaching, meditation, yoga or standard personal training session • Access to all the spa facilities including steam room, spa bath and relaxation lounges. Guided by a team of health professionals, this program will give you a complete understanding of the art of skilful living and homegrown wellness – a results driven concept the Golden Door team is highly trained in. Optimise your goals to reach new heights in all aspects of your life.
Every member you sign up over the year gives you an entry in the draw! 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, so you will be entered in the draw.
Conditions apply. Prize must be redeemed by 30 June 2021 and is subject to room availability. Block out dates include all Australian and NZ school holidays and Christmas / New Year period. The Optimal Wellness Program commences Sunday through Friday each week. The prize will be drawn on 30 June 2020. Authorised by unclaimed B. Holmes, General Secretary, Nurses and Midwives’ 50 O’Dea Ave,date. Waterloo NSWPermit 2017 If a redraw is required for an prize it mustNew beSouth heldWales up to 3 months fromAssociation, the original draw NSW no: LTPM/19/04224.