2017 ACN Nursing & Health Expo Perth eGuide by ACN Australian College of Nursing

ACN NURSING & HEALTH EXPO 2017

PERTH

eGuide Sunday 18 June 2017 8:30am – 1:30pm Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre

The ACN Nursing & Health Expo Perth is proudly supported by

Contents Welcome from the CEO ��3 Welcome from CNMO VIC ��4 About the Expo ��5 A look back at the previous Expo ��6 Expo information ��8 Seminar program ��9 Floor plan and exhibitors �� 10

The beginning of my nursing journey: turning a ripple into a wave ��

Article

The life of a travelling country nurse ��

Article

Meet an ACN Emerging Nurse Leader ��

Article

More than just weighing babies ��

Article

Breast cancer care for the community ��

Article

Clinical placement: transforming students into nurses ��

Article

It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to the Australian College of Nursing (ACN) Nursing & Health Expo eGuide for 2017.

Welcome from the CEO

As the preeminent and national leader of the nursing profession, ACN is here with you for your whole nursing journey. We encourage and support nurses in all settings and at every stage of their career to pursue their leadership and career goals. A career in nursing and health offers lifelong learning, critical thinking, a broad array of vocational opportunities and the chance to contribute to the health of our communities. Whether you are just starting out or looking to progress your career, ACN Nursing and Health Expo offers a broad scope of exciting opportunities to explore. There will be no shortage of information and advice on-hand with a range of exhibiting organisations and complimentary educational seminars lead by prominent industry professionals. This eGuide is designed to enhance your experience, so that you will be able to find your way around with ease, discover a wide range of education opportunities and further explore the world of nursing. It features the Expo floor plan and a collection of inspirational nursing profiles and stories. Enjoy your Expo experience and I hope that you make the most of this unique opportunity to progress your career in this dynamic and diverse profession. Adjunct Professor Kylie Ward Chief Executive Officer â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Australian College of Nursing RN, MMgt, Dip App Sci (Nursing), Acute Care Cert, FACN, Wharton Fellow, MAICD

Welcome Message from the WA Chief Nurse and Midwifery Officer

I am so pleased to be welcoming you to the Australian College of Nursingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Western Australian Nursing and Health Expo for 2017. Attending the Expo is an invaluable experience for anyone interested in nursing and midwifery careers. It especially helps high school students and their parents, or anyone who is wondering which career direction to take. Hospitals and health services from across WA will be there, with some of their nurses and midwives in attendance to answer any questions you may have. Come and find out from them what itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s really like to be a nurse or midwife. There will also be a range of education providers who will be able to talk about the many courses available to get your career started or progress in your profession. It is also a great place to come to discuss and find out about: graduate job opportunities; building your experience; working in rural and remote areas; career development opportunities; financial support to study; changing employers; or even returning to a career in nursing or midwifery after being away for a while. The decision to become a nurse or a midwife is a wonderful career choice for anyone who wants to be part of a diverse healthcare team and have a challenging, rewarding and exciting job, where you really can make a difference. I look forward to seeing you on Sunday 18 June 2017 at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre. Karen Bradley Chief Nurse and Midwifery Officer Department of Health

About the Expo What can I expect from the Expo?

How much does the Expo cost?

The ACN Nursing & Health Expo is the perfect place to discover and progress your career in the nursing and health professions. The Expo has a strong reputation for connecting visitors with a range of organisations including hospitals, health care services, educational institutions and specialty nursing groups. With over 40 exhibitors participating in Perth, there will be a wealth of products and services on show and visitors will gain practical take-home advice and skills in a series of complimentary educational seminars. If you are a nurse or health professional, currently studying or considering a career in nursing or health, then this Expo is for you.

Attendance at the Expo and educational seminars is free to all!

Who should attend? ACN encourages everyone who is interested in the nursing and health professions to attend the Expo. It is particularly beneficial to: • high school students • undergraduate nursing students • enrolled nurses

Who will be exhibiting? The Expo attracts over 40 exhibitors annually. You will have the opportunity to interact with: • education providers • hospital and health care services • recruitment agencies • specialty nursing groups • companies offering health products and services.

• registered nurses • health professionals.

To find out more about who will be exhibiting click here.

A look back at the 2016 ACN Nursing & Health Expo What I enjoyed most about the Expo... “It was informative and inspirational in discovering new ways and hints to making my dream of a nurse come true.” “Fantastic opportunity to speak about graduate programs with possible employers and make yourself known to them.” “A great way to add to my understanding of what’s expected to enter into a graduate program. The staff were very helpful and would most definitely recommend to others.” “It was a great experience, I have gained a lot of knowledge, regarding nursing and my career.” “The Expo has been extremely helpful in guiding me towards hospitals and graduate programs to consider.” “Very informative. It helped to ease a lot of fears I had going into the process of applications and computer match for my grad year.” “A fantastic and accessible way of gaining direct information about graduate nurse programs.”

FEE-HELP

STUDY WITH ACN GRADUATE CERTIFICATES

IMMUNISATION

A Graduate Certificate is the first step towards becoming an expert practitioner in your chosen clinical speciality and will help you work towards a higher grade position. ACN offers 14 Graduate Certificates from Acute Care through to Stomal Therapy Nursing.

ACN offers an online Immunisation course that is designed for registered nurses working in health areas where administration of immunisation is part of their role. It is also suitable for registered nurses who wish to enhance their career opportunities by becoming a Nurse Immuniser.

Advancing nurse leadership

is now available for all of our Gradu ate Certificate cour ses

PRINCIPLES OF EMERGENCY CARE ACN offers an online course in Principles of Emergency Care, designed for RNs and ENs working in any clinical setting in metropolitan, regional, rural and remote areas.

www.acn.edu.au

Expo information

LOCATION The ACN Nursing & Health Expo will be held in Pavilion 2 at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre 21 Mounts Bay Road Perth WA 6000

Opening Hours Sunday 18 June 2017 8.30am â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1.30pm

ACN Expo Pavillion 2

Entry Entry Stairs & Escalators to Level 2

Entry Foyer

Seminars Educational seminars will be run throughout the day at the rear of the Expo hall. Attendance at all seminars is complimentary and registration is not required. TIME

TOPIC

PRESENTED BY

8:40am

CV Interview Skills

Australian College of Nursing

9:05am

Getting into a Career in Nursing/Midwifery

Department of Health, Nursing and Midwifery Office

9:40am

The Young and Superless – We Can Help

HESTA

10:15am

Rural and Remote Employment Opportunities

WA Country Health Service

10:50am

CV Interview Skills

Australian College of Nursing

11:15am

Nursing the Mind: Choosing a Career in Mental Health

North Metropolitan Health Service, Forensic Mental Health Services

11:50am

The Young and Superless – We Can Help

HESTA

12:25pm

Graduate Opportunities – GradConnect and Other Options

Department of Health, Nursing and Midwifery Office

Expo Floor Plan

SEMINAR AREA

16 15

Pavilion 2 Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre 21 Mounts Bay Road Perth WA 6000

14 13 12 11

10 9

ACN - 43

8 37

INFORMATION

6 5 1

ENTRANCE

Exhibitors Aboriginal Health

Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia

Armadale Kalamunda Group

NurseWest

Australasian Academy of Cosmetic Dermal Science

North Metropolitan Mental Health Service

6,7

Australian College of Nursing

North Metropolitan TAFE

Bentley Health Service

Osborne Park Hospital

Child and Adolescent Health Service Curtin University Edith Cowan University Fiona Stanley Fremantle Hospitals Group

24,25 26 27,30 14,15,16

Rockingham Peel Group

Royal Perth Hospital

Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital

3,4

South Metropolitan TAFE

31 36

HESTA

The University of Notre Dame

Injury Control Council of WA

WA Country Health Service

32,33

Mediserve Nursing Agency

WA Nursing & Midwifery Office

28,29

Murdoch University

1/2

Women and Newborn Health Service

8,9

Work the World

My Flex Health International 10

35, 38

BE INSPIRED. My qualification with AACDS inspired me to reach my full potential in dermal therapies. I’m now the proud director of the award winning clinic, La Belle Peau. KIM TRAN NATIONAL WINNER, 2015 TELSTRA YOUNG BUSINESS WOMEN’S AWARD

TRAIN FOR A CAREER, NOT A PIECE OF PAPER With the most recognised qualifications amongst the cosmetic medical profession, AACDS courses are the comprehensive, relevant and efficient way of studying for your dream career in the fields of cosmetic medicine and advanced beauty. AACDS students get access to amazing opportunities, life-changing work experiences and industry contacts that will remain throughout your career. For more, visit aacds.edu.au or email enquiries@aacds.edu.au

The beginning of my nursing journey: turning a ripple into a wave It was a Monday morning 17 years ago, and it was the beginning of a new day, but this was not any ordinary day, this was the first day of my clinical practicum as a student nurse. I still remember the mixed feelings of excitement, nervousness and wonder of what the day ahead of me had in store. I drew in a deep breath, straightened my white Belynda Abbott FACN pressed uniform and smiled. This day was the beginning of my career as a nurse, and I was going to learn how to assimilate into this incredibly diverse, challenging and most rewarding profession. That first day I fed my first patient, brushed and cleaned my first pair of dentures, gave my first bed sponge and made a bed for the first time with the patient in it. Little did I know that each of these activities I performed on my very first day was the beginning of consolidating the theory I had learnt into practice. Feeding and brushing the patientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s teeth taught me how to assess nutrition and oral care. Sponging the patient and making their bed, taught me how to assess skin integrity and gave me the foundations for understanding the integument system. However, little did I know that I was also putting the nursing process into place and it was giving me the confidence to communicate effectively with the multidisciplinary team and advocate for my patient. We all remember the first day when we cared for our very first patient and the various types of care we provided, however we also remember quite clearly how we were welcomed into the health care environment. Do you remember how you felt? What could you smell? What noises could you hear? I am sure there is at least one or two senses you remember vividly from that first day. What impact did that have on you and has that first day influenced you throughout your nursing career?

By Belynda Abbott FACN This article has been included from a previous ACN publication.

I remember the clinical practicums where I was welcomed into the various teams I worked with and I also remember the ones where you had to work extremely hard not to be or feel like a burden. I remember the nurses that influenced my clinical practice, and those that impacted and conflicted with my own current beliefs and values. I remember when a nurse wrote my name on the board as member of their team and a nurse who clearly rejected the request to have a nursing student. The experiences I had were the building blocks for how I wanted to treat my nursing colleagues and other health care professionals that I collaborated with. This experience taught me how I wanted nurses to feel supported, empowered and encouraged within the profession. Fast forward to today and I am proud to be a nurse. I am also proud to be a nurse educator where I can influence and support the next generation of nurses that are entering our profession, and empower and embrace our current nurses and health care colleagues. I strongly believe that the small impact I have on our early career nurses will evolve from a ripple effect into a wave of support and encouragement that will lead to optimal patient care and advocacy that is contemporary and based on evidence. Next time you see a student within your clinical environment, say hello, introduce yourself, and perhaps tell them a story about when you first started your journey within nursing!

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am proud to be a nurse educator where I can influence and support the next generation of nurses that are entering our profession... â&#x20AC;?

The life of a travelling country nurse

By Lauri Buckingham This article has been included from a previous ACN publication.

I have been working as a rural and remote locum for more than two years now and I absolutely love it! My previous nursing experience was working in a busy rural hospital, where I had been serving as Nurse Unit Manager (NUM) for seven years, but eventually felt that the burden of administration swamped the joy and satisfaction of my job. After stepping down briefly I found I needed new challenges and new horizons. Prior to my management position, I had worked in Saudi Arabia, high in the mountains at a place called Khamis Mushayt, as a NUM for a busy 40-bed paediatric ward. That certainly was stimulating and challenging but too far away from home. The years before my position in Saudi Arabia, I mainly worked in specialty areas including intensive care units, paediatrics and emergency departments around the major hospitals in Sydney. One of my colleagues snagged my interest in the Nursing and Allied Health Rural Locum Scheme, an Australian Government funded locum support program, after relaying her experience of working for them for a few months. My problem was that I had cats and horses on a rural property that I felt committed to care for. Fortunately, I found a great friend who agreed to house sit, setting the wheels to roll into a new life. My first placement was not the happiest experience, mainly due to the intrinsic atmosphere of the hospital and the poor onsite accommodation, but before I knew it I was off to another location with marvellous accommodation and splendid hospital morale. One of the important lessons I learnt very quickly was the importance of first impressions and reassurance when first arriving at a new site. Many sites are reliant on other agency staff and are nervous when yet another unknown arrives at their door. My mantra is â&#x20AC;&#x153;the first three days are critical to turn the mood around completelyâ&#x20AC;?. Working hard, diligence and a clear message of preparedness to take on anything soon transforms looks of uncertainty into extended feelings of appreciation and welcome. The best aspect of this is that, when you return (which invariably you will), the welcome hits the ground running, as do you.

Another great treat is the unforeseen opportunity to discover the plethora of little unknown country towns in this great sunburnt land that I never dreamed existed. Along the journey to placement, and particularly on days off, I am liberated to fossick along all the byways and highways and discover incredible little towns and villages that are often frozen in time. If you have a passion for nostalgia, this lifestyle is an insatiable feast for seeing rural historical Australia. In conventional life, I would never know of, let alone be able to explore, parts of the enormous tapestry of towns and villages that pepper this vast continent. Sometimes it feels as if I am exploring a dream in which bygone rural Australia unravels its secrets endlessly towards the dusty horizon as I motor along, new contract underarm, to discover yet another hidden little countryside. To my delight I have discovered a great resurgence in many of these little communities brought on by the great Australian Grey Nomad mobilisation soon to become, no doubt, a part of great folk legend. In the middle of winter last year, while housed in a cabin on stilts overlooking the big river in Batemans Bay, a most curious event was unravelling. I noted the foreground, stretching in front of the row of cabins, was the site of a continuing stream of Winnebago caravans and the like.

One of the great pleasures I also find in this career is that, because it involves working with nurses all over the country, I have repeated experiences of inspiration at meeting so many genuinely lovely people. Nurses, after all, are some of the nicest people you are ever likely to meet and meeting them everywhere is delightful. It is endlessly fascinating to discover the great diversity of nursing backgrounds, both privately and professionally.

The occupants of these mobile homes would invariably stay for a few days and then move on. “Ah,” I would think to myself, “I am about to gain an unspoiled vista of the river”. Not for long. No sooner had one left than another took its place. I was astounded that such a heavy traffic of campers should be holidaying in the heart of the coldest season. After a while I noted the similarity in this cascade of activity; a grey-haired man and woman, generally a bit overweight, accompanied by a small white dog. The momentum of this travelling throng struck home. This was the rejuvenating force that is striking life back into so many little towns all over Australia. Rather than being a burden to society, a message often echoed in political sentiments, retired folk are bringing many parts of the country back to life.

I am poised and enthusiastic to see what other hidden gems will be uncovered, both at work and in the environments that I explore, that are all part of the life for a travelling country nurse.

“One of the great pleasures I find in this career is that, because it involves working with nurses all over the country, I have repeated experiences of inspiration at meeting so many genuinely lovely people.”

LAUNCH YOUR NURSING CAREER FREE Start-Up membership for undergraduate RN & EN students • Make connections within the profession • Gain a competitive edge • Receive knowledge and skills outside of the classroom • Clarify where you want to take you career

JOIN THE ACN COMMUNITY TODAY! www.acn.edu.au/undergraduate-membership

NO LONGER JUST FOR STUDENTS!

Emerging Nurse Leaders What’s in it for you? ACN’s Emerging Nurse Leader (ENL) program empowers current and future nurse leaders to achieve their goals and aspirations through personal and professional development. The prestigious program raises participants’ profiles and allows them to enhance their confidence and establish a strong career foundation. Emerging Nurse Leaders receive access to these exciting tools to support their leadership development.

12 month ACN membership

Exposure to ACN policy activities and professional representation

Access to professional development webinars

Full registration for the ACN National Nursing Forum

Opportunities to get published with the support of ACN

Mentoring and coaching

ARE YOU ELIGIBLE? ELIGIBLE? The fi ve different The five different stages stages of of the the ENL ENLprogram program cater to nurses at various career cater to nurses at various career points, points,from from undergraduate nursing students to nurses with undergraduate nursing students to nurses with up to up to six years of experience. six years of experience. HOW TO APPLY? HOW TO APPLY? Applications are open to ACN members and non-membersare from 1 June – 31members August 2017. Applications open to ACN and Head to www.acn.edu.au/enl to apply. non-members. Head to www.acn.edu.au/enl to apply.

Advancing nurse Advancing nurseleadership leadership

1800 061 660

engagement@acn.edu.au www.acn.edu.au/enl www.acn.edu.au/enl

Meet an ACN Emerging Nurse Leader

Evan Casella

ACN’s Emerging Nurse Leader (ENL) program recognises leadership demonstrated by high achievers in the Australian nursing profession. These individuals are driven to take the lead and make a difference wherever they are, from the point of care to national policy. They are proud members of the nursing profession and passionate about advancing nursing to improve health care outcomes.

Evan Casella is an ACN Emerging Nurse Leader from our 2014 Cohort. Evan is a registered nurse who works in the busy emergency department in a hospital in Cairns. He is currently undertaking postgraduate studies to specialise within the emergency team. Ultimately, Evan would like to expand his scope of practice with further studies in disaster management and public health.

What led you to apply for the ENL program? It was quite a coincidence actually – I didn’t even know the program existed until I met with a group of ENL students at a nursing conference. Once I heard what they were doing - it just sounded out of this world – I decided that I wanted to be a part of it. I’d never thought that such a program could exist! My interest was sparked from that point on, and I investigated a little bit more before applying.

What are your aspirations for the future of nursing? My aspirations are for the advancement of nursing practice. I also want to change the perception of what nurses are capable of. Due to a number of historical factors, social issues and so on, nurses are held back, with regards to what they can actually achieve. If I can develop my own practice and lead by example in advancing the practice of nurses, that would be a great personal achievement.

By Evan Casella This article has been included from a previous ACN publication.

How has the ENL program inspired you to make a difference? The ENL program first opened my eyes to how big and sophisticated the nursing profession is as a whole. Being a person who has lived in Cairns most of their life, I had no idea there were large organisations representing nurses, both here in Australia and internationally. Through this program I have had the opportunity to meet the people who work for these organisations and see what they were doing. For example, I’ve been able to meet Dr Rosemary Bryant AO FACN on a few occasions and hear what she has been doing around the world, which has been so inspiring.

How has the ENL program helped you achieve professionally? I really enjoy writing and the ENL program has helped me to publish numerous articles. I have had the opportunity to publish articles in magazines and also in scientific journals. As a thirdyear nursing student, I published something in a peer-reviewed scientific journal, which is just an incredible achievement and quite humbling. I was also able to co-facilitate an entire research project looking into the health effects of cyclones up here in far north Queensland. There have also been numerous presentations, and networking opportunities throughout the program.

What are your words of wisdom for people thinking about applying for the ENL program? Don’t be afraid to dream big and articulate this dream in your application because that’s where the magic happens.

More than just weighing babies...

By Mrs Kristy Kepu Child and Family Health Nurse This article has been included from a previous ACN publication.

September 2016 marks my one year anniversary as a child and family health nurse. A year full of new, challenging, inspirational, emotional and reflective moments when I had the privilege of being invited into the lives of the families we work with. This has reinforced the impact we as child and family health nurses can have on the community we partner with. Empowering and building the confidence of parents and carers as they bond, nurture and raise children through the first five crucial years of their growth and development. Making the transition from acute care hospital nursing to the community and primary health care arena of child and family health nursing has been one of the greatest transitions of my 20 year professional nursing career. This transition was made possible with the support of an amazing team of highly skilled, knowledgeable health care professionals, that I have the privilege to call not only my colleagues but my friends. There is no typical ‘day in the life’ of a child and family health nurse. The first contact a family has with the child and family health service is often when we visit for their Universal Health Home Visit, within two weeks after their baby is born. We are invited into the homes of families we see and explore some of the most intimate areas of their lives, their relationships, mental health, emotional wellbeing, personal childhood experiences, pregnancy, postnatal and birth experiences. This contact with our service extends into our community based clinics and Family Care Cottage, providing an ongoing opportunity to build relationships with families within our community. By working in a professional, partnership-based model we are able to provide a safe, secure place for people to disclose and seek support during some of the most vulnerable times of their lives.

“Empowering and building the confidence of parents and carers as they bond, nurture and raise children through the first five crucial years of their growth and development.”

Recently when the mother of a six month old baby girl attended our Family Care Cottage for sleep and settling strategies she disclosed wanting to leave her verbally and emotionally abusive husband. After further exploration she herself had been abused both emotionally and physically as a child. Now having had her own daughter she did not want her daughter to experience the childhood she herself had experienced. Attending our Family Care Cottage provided this mother with the reassurance that her baby was meeting all age appropriate developmental milestones by performing an age appropriate developmental assessment. We were also able to provide the appropriate advice and referrals to empower this woman to make positive changes to her domestic situation that had the potential to escalate and negatively disrupt her child’s right to grow and develop in a safe, secure environment. When confronted with challenging situations, access to the vast skill set and knowledge of my colleagues allows us to provide an extremely important health service to our community.

Breast cancer care for the community

Barbara Hasenoehrl MACN

In Australia, one in eight women are diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime (Cancer Australia, 2016). A diagnosis with breast cancer is a challenging and overwhelming experience for the client and their families. An estimated 1,500 clients will be diagnosed with breast cancer in Western Australia in 2016 (Breast Cancer Care WA, 2016).

After working in a regional area as a breast care nurse, I have recently joined Breast Cancer Care WA. Here, I work with a highly dedicated team of trained professionals who work holistically to create personalised solutions to the challenges faced by our clients. Breast Cancer Care WA works as an independent, nongovernment funded organisation outside traditional health care settings. The team works closely with health care facilities, specialist medical teams and other support services across Western Australia to meet clients and their familyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s needs throughout this challenging experience. Our services receive self-referrals as well as referrals by health care providers and other support agencies.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Two of the major areas of concern for clients are the emotional side of cancer and financial issues.â&#x20AC;?

By Barbara Hasenoehrl MACN Breast Care Nurse, Breast Cancer Care WA This article has been included from a previous ACN publication.

Our nursing team consists of five specialist breast care nurses, with one of them being dedicated to supporting metastatic breast cancer clients. Rather than clinical care, our team of breast care nurses are a valuable source of information and offer emotional support for clients and their families across the continuum of care. Our support is provided free-of-charge over the phone and by email, but we visit clients in hospitals and their homes as well. Another important aspect for the breast care nurses is to provide education sessions about breast cancer, breast awareness and other related topics. The specialist breast care nurses present at local events and conferences, conduct community and workplace presentations as well as talks to other health and medical professionals. Two of the major areas of concern for clients are the emotional side of cancer and financial issues. Our team of specialist breast care nurses is supported by a team of counsellors to provide the best emotional care to our clients. Breast Cancer Care WA is a charity and can make a difference to families in financial crisis due to the generosity of the Western Australian community and their own fundraising efforts. Our team supported 951 clients in 2015, which was an increase of 15% from the year before. I feel privileged to work with these women and their families on a daily basis and to support and empower them as a member of a truly inspirational team of health professionals. References Breast Cancer Care WA, Breast Cancer Statistics, viewed 24 August 2016, <http://www.breastcancer.org.au/about-breastcancer/statistics.aspx>

The National Nursing Forum (NNF) is the Australian College of Nursing’s signature annual event bringing together nurses and other health professionals from around the country and across the globe.

The Star, Sydney

SAVE $100

Early registration prices until 21 July 2017

Our Forum is themed ‘Make Change Happen’ and our audience will consist of nurse leaders and aspiring nurse leaders including undergraduates from industry and academia throughout Australia.

REGISTRATIONS OPEN!

www.acn.edu.au/nnf2017

EARLY STANDARD STUDENT $495 $595 The 2017 National Nursing Forum is held over three days, 21–23 August 2017 at Event Centre, For more registration categories please visit The Star, Sydney. our website www.acn.edu.au/nnf2017

ACN MEMBER $695 $795

Advancing nurse leadership

#NNF2017 www.acn.edu.au

Clinical placement: transforming students into nurses

Gary Bain MACN

As I consider the talent that ACN is fostering, I am tempted to reflect on the education journey that these individuals are experiencing and to decipher at what point ‘the student’ becomes ‘the nurse’.

The nursing profession boasts many great visionaries, thinkers, leaders, researchers, teachers and clinicians. From the earliest days of our training, we have all encountered our own embodiments of such exemplars and role models, and been empowered and inspired by them. Yet, even these experts and icons were once beginners. ACN has commenced an excellent initiative in the Emerging Nurse Leaders program, where the virtues of mentorship and individualised learning are shared in a manner which is intimate and interactive. As I consider the talent that ACN is fostering, I am tempted to reflect on the education journey that these individuals are experiencing and to decipher at what point ‘the student’ becomes ‘the nurse’. Peter Drucker stated that: “We now accept the fact that learning is a lifelong process of keeping abreast of change. And the most pressing task is to teach people how to learn,” (1901–2005). The slightly older nurses will recall (mostly with fondness) the days of our ‘apprenticeship’. Learning the ropes from our seniors, often burdened with the seemingly mundane but always involved in ‘seeing’ and ‘doing’ something. We may not have always understood the ‘why’ of things but we quickly came to grips with the ‘how’ of delivering the tasks that were required. We also had regular and consistent contact with that species called ‘the patient’. The interactions we shared with them as junior nurses was our awakening to the emotional and spiritual intelligence that underpins an effective relationship between caregiver and recipient. This often became the nexus where we can learn so much more about ourselves, especially when those in our charge were confronted with adversity and even their own mortality. 20

By Gary Bain RN MClinEd BN DipApSc MACN Nurse Educator & Clinical Consultant This article has been included from a previous ACN publication.

Present day undergraduate nurses are presented with incredible information. The body of knowledge laid before them is astounding in its depth, diversity and complexity. Likewise, the teaching methods now available reflect the many benefits of academic rigor, technological advance and the accumulation of educational theory and evidence. There are opinion leaders who have in recent years expressed doubts about the adequacy of contemporary curricula to prepare nurses for the clinical environment (Redmond, Davies, Cornally, Fegan, O’Toole, 2015). There is no disagreement that lectures, tutorials, self-directed learning with online materials, group workshops, role play, computer simulation, clinical skills laboratories incorporating mannequins, and reflective journaling, all have their place and value in a training milieu. However, it has been demonstrated that nurses are largely ‘kinaesthetic’ in their learning – nurses are ‘doers’ (Fleming, 2001). Confucius once said: “I hear and I forget. I see and I believe. I do and I understand,” (551 BC – 479 BC). Hands on engagement involving all of the senses (well maybe not taste) is incredibly impactful. Toddlers do this so well. It is a shame that we unlearn this skill. Clinical placements are an essential portal through which students can observe, interact, be challenged and even confronted, and be stimulated by the ‘real’ world, being forced to apply their knowledge base and to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of their understanding and perception. Diarizing the before, during and after of a clinical interaction is a potent act of revelation. Guided reflection through such an event is a masterful deed, being the remit of a seasoned tutor, facilitator or clinical educator. Here, the broadsheet of scientific data is moulded and tempered through its application to an actual patient’s health, emotional, fiscal and social realities. A superb clinical placement is the vehicle through which a student learns the nuances of what it actually means to be a ‘nurse’. References Fleming, N 2001, Teaching and learning styles: VARK strategies, Christchurch, New Zealand Redmond, C, Davies, C, Cornally, D, Fegan, M, O’Toole, M 2015, ‘Teaching and learning in the Biosciences: the development of an educational programme to assist student nurses in their assessment and management of patients with wounds’, Journal of Clinical Nursing, 25 ;2706-2712

TAILOR-MADE NURSING PLACEMENTS A nursing placement with Work the World presents the rare opportunity to develop yourself professionally while seeing the world. Our long-standing partnerships with hospitals and clinics have allowed us to develop structured, supervised placements in safe and nourishing healthcare settings. All our destinations offer unique experiences that, as you can probably imagine, will stay with you forever. ST R U C TU R E D PROGRAMS

FR EE LA N G U A G E LESSO N S

SU P E RV I S E D C L I NI CAL PL ACE MENT S

PR IVATE SEC U R E A C C O M M O D ATIO N

EX TE N S I V E P R E-DEPART URE S UP PORT

2 4 /7 SU PPO R T

NE PA L

G HANA

SR I L A N K A

T HE PHILIPPINES

TANZANIA

PERU

CAMBODIA

START YOUR JOURNEY TODAY

SEARCH ‘WORK THE WORLD’

+ 61 ( 0 )3 7000 600 7

@WORKTHEWORLD

I N F O @ WORKTHEW O R L D . C O M. A U W W W.WORKTHEW O R L D . C O M. A U

@WORKTHEWORLD USERNAME ‘WORKTHEWORLD’

Complete the visitor survey onsite at the Expo or at acn.edu.au/expo and in 25 words or less tell us

what you enjoyed most about the 2017 Expo to go in the draw to win a

$100 Coles Group & Myer gift card

The ACN Nursing & Health Expo Perth is proudly supported by