NurseClick December 2016 by ACN Australian College of Nursing

NurseClick DECEMBER 2 0 16

Men in nursing: increasing numbers but gender imbalance remains

ACN welcomes the new Chief Nurse and Midwife for Tasmania

ACN celebrates 2016 with member Christmas Functions

Vital Signs: Professional growth through peer review

In this edition

Snapshot

Snapshot @ACN

In focus @ACN

In the news

Australian College of Nursing Update

Men in nursing: increasing numbers but gender imbalance remains

In focus @ACN

Education @ACN

Events @ACN

Studying with ACN: a personal reflection

Studying with ACN is your key to success

ACN celebrates 2016 with member Christmas Functions

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In focus @ACN

NMBA update

ACN welcomes the new Chief Nurse and Midwife for Tasmania

Vital Signs: Professional growth through peer review

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Welcome

Welcome Adjunct Professor Kylie Ward FACN, CEO of ACN

Publishing details Publisher Australian College of Nursing

Welcome to the December edition of NurseClick. At the Australian College of Nursing (ACN), we are committed to supporting the development of a diverse nursing workforce to meet the unique needs of communities and individuals across the country. Keeping in line with this commitment, our feature article in NurseClick this month examines gender diversity and imbalance within our profession. In this highly informative piece, Men in nursing: increasing numbers but gender imbalance remains, one of ACN’s exceptional Policy Research Assistants, Stefan Wythes, emphasises the need to foster and nurture a diverse nursing workforce, where both men and women have equal career progression opportunities. Education is a key way for the nursing profession to lead the development and delivery of high quality care to an increasingly diverse patient population. Reflecting upon her experiences entering the Australian health workforce after training as a nurse in India, Philma Philip challenges nurses to undertake postgraduate education to broaden their scope of practice in her article, Studying with ACN: A student’s reflection. The importance of expanding your clinical knowledge and skills to enhance your nursing practice, is further emphasised by one of our fantastic Nurse Educators, Trish Lowe MACN, in her regular monthly column,

Vital Signs. Within this fascinating piece, Trish examines the concept of peer review as a vital part of facilitating growth through a caring and respectful exchange of information. In every state and territory across the country, our Chief Nurse and Midwifery Officers (CNMO’s) play a key role in developing a collaborative and strategic approach to nursing and midwifery at a state and national level. Over the next few editions of NurseClick, ACN will publish a series of articles about some of our dynamic CNMO’s. This edition, we are profiling the new Chief Nurse and Midwife of Tasmania, Ms Francine Douce MACN, whose skills and experience within multifaceted dimensions make her an exceptional choice to lead necessary reform within the Tasmanian health care system. 2016 has been an eventful year for ACN with the launch of many exciting new initiatives to further drive our leadership, engagement and membership within the Australian nursing and health care community. It is the expertise and shared knowledge of our Members and Fellows, which allows ACN to continue to shape the future of health and aged care across the country. I look forward to working collaboratively to strengthen our presence and drive transformational change within the Australian health care system in 2017. I wish you all a safe and happy festive season.

Editors Sally Coen Wendy Hooke Design Nina Vesala Emma Butz Enquiries t 02 6283 3400 publications@acn.edu.au Advertise with ACN Send your enquiries to samuel.eaton@acn.edu.au © Australian College of Nursing 2016 The opinions expressed within are the authors’ and not necessarily those of ACN or the editor. No part of this publication can be reproduced without permission from ACN. Information is correct at time of print. All files marked ‘Stock photo’ or credited to iStock are representative only and do not depict the actual subjects and events described in the articles. Cover image: iStock ACN publishes The Hive, NurseClick and the ACN Weekly eNewsletter.

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Snapshot

In the news Nat ional Implementation of the National Antimicrobial Resistance Strategy The Australian Government recently announced the implementation of the National Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Strategy 2015-2019. The AMR strategy aims to provide better protection for humans and animals from the immediate global threat of antimicrobial resistance. Read more

Inactivity could increase the risk of developing dementia Decreasing the risk of developing dementia could start with being more active, a new report by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) suggests. There's currently no cure for dementia but there is a growing body of evidence that the lifestyle choices people make now can reduce a person's risk – or at the very least delay the onset – of developing this debilitating brain disease. Read more

Reversing the order of cancer treatments could increase survival rates Queensland researchers believe a simple change in how cancer patients are treated could drastically improve their survival rates. Scientists at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research have found that while the accepted method for treating aggressive cancers is to operate and then use immunotherapy, simply reversing the order can improve survival rates dramatically. Read more

Antiseptic used in WWI could hold the key to treating superbugs and viral infections An antiseptic used to treat wounds during WWI, which has been out of use for more than 50 years, could help fight superbugs and prevent future pandemics, Melbourne researchers have said. The team from the Hudson Institute of Medical Research found that pre-treating people with Acriflavine, protected cells against the common cold by triggering an anti-viral immune response. Read more

Patch developed to mend a broken heart Australian researchers have developed a flexible polymer patch that can be stuck onto the heart to prevent potentially fatal cardiac arrhythmia after a heart attack. The patch requires no stitches and helps improve the flow of electrical impulses across damaged heart tissue. Read more

Mothers of premature babies who don’t receive psychological help are more likely to suffer depression, study finds Mothers who do not receive psychological help after giving birth prematurely are five times more like to suffer from depression than those who do, even eight years after their children are born, a study has found. The study, conducted at Melbourne’s Royal Women’s Hospital, tracked mothers who received nine monthly visits from a psychologist and a physiotherapist in the first year of their children’s lives and compared them to a control group who did not receive that help. Read more

Platypus venom paves way to possible diabetes treatment Platypus venom could pave the way for new treatments for type 2 diabetes, according to a new study. Australian researchers have found that male platypus’ have venomous spurs on the heels of their hind feet, which contains a hormone that could help treat diabetes. Read more

Food Security for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples ACN’s Policy Research Assistant Stefan Wythes attended the launch of the Joint Policy on Food Security for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples at Parliament House in Canberra on Tuesday 29 November. The Joint Policy Statement recommends that governments ensure that all policies, which are specific to food security, identify and build on proven approaches and are developed with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in a way that strengthens and supports culture, health and capacity. Read more

Commonwealth Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer December newsletter released Commonwealth Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer, Adjunct Professor Debra Thoms FACN (DLF), has released a December newsletter that provides a comprehensive overview of the latest news in nursing and health care. Read more

Snapshot

World Study proves that people are never too old to quit smoking Smokers can extend their lives by quitting, even if they wait until their 60s to kick the habit, US researchers have found. The new study confirms that current smokers aged 70 and over, were three times more likely to die over a period of six years than people who were never smokers. Read more

Nuts recommended to reduce risk of common killers

Vehicle crash risk nearly doubles with just 1–2 hours less sleep

Eating a handful of nuts every day will help prevent premature death as well as stave off a wide variety of diseases, a new international study has found.

A new report by American researchers has highlighted the dangers of driving following lack of sleep.

In fact, the healthy habit can cut the risk of coronary heart disease by nearly 30%, the risk of cancer by 15% and the risk of premature death by 22%.

The report found that missing just 1–2 hours of sleep in a 24-hour period can almost double the risk of a vehicle crash.

Three in four maternal, newborn and child deaths occur in just 20 countries The International Council of Nurses (ICN) in collaboration with the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO), the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM), and the International Paediatrics Association (IPA) have recently published a report showing the global burden of mother, baby and young child deaths around the world. The report found that 75% of all maternal, newborn and child deaths occur in just 20 countries, and the major causes of these deaths are largely preventable. Read more

Exercise boosts men's sperm count Doing at least half an hour of exercise three times a week may boost men's sperm count, a new study has found. Men who took up running and stuck with it had more ‘healthy swimmers’, according to new international research in the journal, Reproduction. Read more

An international team of scientists believe they are on the brink of a cure for people born deaf after producing stem cells to correct a hereditary defect. The scientists have found a way of growing new cells for the cochlea, the spiral cavity of the inner ear. Read more

Parkinson's disease may start in gut

Cancer drug sparks new eggs in infertile women

Scientists in California say they have transformed understanding of Parkinson's disease after their experiments suggested that the brain disorder may be caused by bacteria living in the gut.

The possibility of reversing a women’s infertility has been opened up by scientists who found that a common cancer drug triggers the development of new eggs.

These findings could eventually lead to new ways of treating the disease, such as drugs to kill gut bugs or probiotics.

In a discovery hailed as 'astonishing', researchers at the University of Edinburgh proved ovaries could be coaxed back into a pre-pubescent state where they begin to produce new eggs, a result previously thought to be impossible.

Scientists on the brink of a cure for deafness

Bumper load of new viruses identified An international research team has discovered nearly 1,500 new viruses. Not only does the study expand the catalogue of known viruses, it also indicates they have existed for billions of years. Read more

Snapshot

Aus tr alian C ollege of Nur sing update 21–23 AUGUST 2017

THE NATIONAL NURSING FORUM Make Change Happen

ACN concerned about high rate of drug-related deaths by suicide of nurses ACN is deeply concerned by the findings of a new study, Drug-caused deaths in Australian medical practitioners and health-care professionals, by researchers from the Department of Forensic Medicine at Monash University. The study examined more than 400 drug-related deaths of Australian health care workers between the years 2003-2013. A total of 404 drug-caused health care professional deaths were reported to Australian coroners during this timeframe, averaging 37 deaths per year. The study highlights that the highest number of deaths were amongst nurses at 62.87%.

ACN CEO Adjunct Professor Kylie Ward FACN said, “Nurses are the pillars of the health system and carry a burden of responsibly on their shoulders. The daily pressures nurses face are well known. We need to look for solutions and raise awareness of professional and voluntary support to help keep our nurses safe.” “The tragedy of nurse suicide is that it can be avoided. We must educate colleagues and families to recognise the warning signs. Workplace environments should be focused on building positive cultures and investing in leadership capabilities to support all health professionals. As nurses, we have to take care of our patients, but we also need to take care of each other.” Read the full media release.

Call for abstracts now open for the 2017 National Nursing Forum! ACN is excited to announce that the call for abstracts is now open for the 2017 National Nursing Forum. We are inviting nurses and undergraduates from all over Australia, and around the world to submit an abstract addressing our theme Make Change Happen. Our 2017 theme, Make Change Happen, is a celebration of innovative nurses finding their power to make a difference to patients, communities and social determinates of health, both nationally and globally. At next year's NNF, we will put our 2016 theme, The Power of Now, into action, using our voice as health professionals to lead change in nursing, health and aged care.

Call for abstracts Through Make Change Happen, we will look at the current and most vital issues nurses are facing every day and the creative way nurses are leading necessary reform. ACN welcomes the prospect to give undergraduates through to retired nurses the opportunity to share their learnings and their stories through an abstract submission for the 2017 NNF. In addition to oral and poster presentations, we are also asking for people to put in expressions of interest to present a masterclass. Visit our website for more information about the 2017 NNF and to submit your abstract today!

In focus @ACN

Men in nursing: increasing numbers but gender imbalance remains By Stefan Wythes ACN Research Assistant â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Policy Nurses are Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest group of health professionals and yet only about 10% of the nursing workforce is male (Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia, 2016). While there has been a considerable push to promote women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines, there has not been enough effort made to increase the number of men in female-dominated professions such as health care, social assistance, and education and training, according to Libby Lyons, Director of Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Workplace Gender Equality Agency (Lyons, 2016). Encouraging and retaining more women in STEM disciplines widens the talent pool from which engineers, scientists and IT professionals are drawn, which is essential to improving the quality, diversity and output of STEM research and the STEM workforce (Professionals Australia, n.d.). Similarly, increasing the number of males in nursing is beneficial to the profession and the community. As approximately 50% of the population are men (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2016), and given the impending shortfall of nurses predicted to affect many nations in the coming years (Abhicharttibutra et al, 2016; Twomey & Meadus, 2016; Auerbach et al, 2015; Nirel et al, 2015), strategies to increase the number of male nurses not only boosts nursing numbers, but also leads to a more diverse workforce. A more diverse nursing workforce improves patient care (Institute of Medicine, 2010).

In focus @ACN

“Male nurses have made major contributions to nursing that have led to the advancement and progression of the profession, particularly in the fields of mental health, critical care, emergency care and military nursing.” Increased focus needs to be made into looking at the preventive factors that keep men from moving into predominantly female, care-based occupations, such as nursing. The potential benefits of an integrated job market remains unrealised as men fail to move into traditionally female occupations at a pace similar to women’s movement into traditionally male professions (Cohen & Huffman, 2003; Cotter et al, 1997; England, 2010).

History of male nurses Men have been actively involved in nursing for centuries, often through military or religious means (Mackintosh, 1997; Roman & Anson, 2005). The first known school of nursing for men started in India in 250 B.C. (Lim & Sanchez-Vera, 2013). While Florence Nightingale was a pioneering nursing leader, she opposed male nurses (Mackintosh, 1997; Roman & Anson, 2005; Lim & Sanchez-Vera, 2013). It was considered appropriate for men to be nurses up until Florence Nightingale declared that women were more suited to care for patients (Anthony, 2004). Nightingale believed that only women could “care” for others (Nightingale, 1969). Men were not permitted to enrol in Nightingale’s nursing schools and persistent stereotyping of men choosing a career in nursing still exists in some cultures and societies (Grady et al, 2008). Males remain a minority in the profession because nursing is not perceived as an appropriate career choice for men, and it is argued that this

perception results from a gender bias perceived in nursing education, practice areas and society in general (Meadus & Twomey, 2011). Nursing today remains a largely women-dominated profession (Carrigan & Brooks, 2016). The percentage of male nurses varies across the globe. Mauritius has a male nurse workforce of almost 50% (Hollup, 2012). Jordan’s percentage of male nurses is 38% (AlMaaitah & Shokeh, 2009). China, by comparison, has a male nurse workforce of just 1%, where there are 21,000 male nurses out of a total 2.18 million nurses (Wang et al, 2011; Zheng 2012). Australia’s male nursing rate of 10% compares similarly to New Zealand’s 8% (Nursing Council of New Zealand, 2015), the United Kingdom’s 10% (Nursing & Midwifery Council, 2015), the United States’ 9.6% (Landivar, 2013), and Norway’s 10% (Drange & Karlsen, 2016).

Male nurses’ contribution to the profession Male nurses have made major contributions to nursing that have led to the advancement and progression of the profession, particularly in the fields of mental health, critical care, emergency care and military nursing (Meadus & Twomey, 2011). However this has not been coincidental, given these specialities are associated as being more ‘masculine’ than other areas of nursing (Abrahamsen, 2004; Evans, 1997; Harding, 2008).

Stereotypically, men are considered a better fit for jobs requiring competency and mastery of technical skills, physical strength and authority (Williams, 1995). For certain males entering nursing, choosing a more ‘masculine’ field such as administration and management or an advanced clinical field in hospitals might reduce the stigma some males experience from making a gender-unconventional job choice (Bloksgaard, 2011; Warming, 2013). It has been argued that increasing the proportion of male nurses will result in higher pay and social status of nurses (Waters, 2002). A study of 294,000 nurses in the United States found that male registered nurses earn about US $10,000 more than their female counterparts (Muench et al, 2015). Nurse employers need to look into this issue and examine their pay data to find differences in earnings because there are no legitimate reasons for paying men more than women for doing the same work. Men are associated with power and leadership, which has benefited them through promotion opportunities within nursing (Padavic & Reskin, 2002; Simpson, 2004). This is sometimes referred to as the ‘glass escalator’ effect, where men progress to higher ranks more quickly than women (Williams 1995, p. 101). Characteristics of masculinity can be beneficial for men entering predominantly female-dominated professions, a term associated with ‘gender capital’ (Huppatz & Goodwin 2013, p. 291).

Goodbye paper Goodbye paper Goodbye paper –Goodbye hello digital paper hellodigital digital –– hello Collegian is now – hello digital Collegian now Collegian isisnow an e-journal Collegian is now an e-journal e-journal an an e-journal

Collegian is ACN’s refereed academic Collegian isisACN’s academic journal published in refereed conjunction with Collegian ACN’s refereed academic Collegian is ACN’sinrefereed academic journal published conjunction with Elsevier. journal published in conjunction with journal published in conjunction with

Elsevier. Elsevier. AsElsevier. of January 2016 Collegian will be As of January 2016 Collegian will be published as an 2016 onlineCollegian edition only As of January will and be all As of January 2016 Collegian published as an online edition will onlybe and all ACN Members will receive their quarterly published as an online edition only and all published as anwill online edition only and all ACN Members receive their quarterly ACN Members will receive their quarterly subscription via email notification. ACN Members receive their quarterly subscription viawill email notification. subscriptionvia viaemail email notification. subscription notification. Back arealways always Backissues issuesof of Collegian Collegian are Back issues of Collegian are always available online via 3LP portal. Back issues of Collegian are always available online via the the 3LP portal. availableonline onlineviavia the 3LP portal. available the 3LP portal.

For more information regarding For more information regarding themore changes to the Collegian For information regarding For more information regarding the changes to the Collegian subscription please contact the changes to the Collegian subscription please contact the changes to the Collegian Publications Team via subscription please contact Publications Team via contact subscription please publications@acn.edu.au. Publications Team via publications@acn.edu.au. Publications Team via publications@acn.edu.au. publications@acn.edu.au.

In focus @ACN

“What has been found is that men enter the nursing profession because they have a desire to care for and help people…” While male nurses have a higher likelihood of attaining management positions and are concentrated in higher-paying jobs within the nursing profession (Karlsen, 2012; Browne & Jones, 2004; Evans, 1997), this is predominantly true only for males of the majority ethnic population (Wingfield, 2009; Gullikstad, 2010; Drange & Karlsen, 2016). Negative stereotyping of minority ethnic men references both their gender and ethnicity, and thus reduces their chances of career advancement (Drange & Karlsen, 2016). With increasing ethnic, cultural and racial diversity among the Australian patient population (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2012), it is even more important to foster and nurture a diverse nursing workforce which is promoted based on merit and not by ethnicity or other factors. While males may have career advantages over women in nursing (Simpson, 2004) they have higher rates of job dissatisfaction and leave the nursing profession at twice the rate of female nurses (Hsu et al, 2010). A recent study looking at suicide deaths in Australia revealed that male nurses and midwives had close to double the rate of suicide compared with men in other professions (Milner et al, 2016).

De-gendering nursing Mauritius is a good case in point of where male role models have been partly responsible for the almost equal representation of males in the nursing profession (Hollup, 2014). According to Hollup (2014), in Mauritius, nursing is perceived as a non-gendered

profession that is equally appropriate for men and women where a nurse is referred to as a ‘nursing officer’ rather than the more common title of ‘nurse’ used in other countries. This has meant that male nurses do not experience the same level of stigma that men in many other countries experience. A research participant in Hollup’s study pointed out that: “Male nurses are as capable as females for nursing. Females show perhaps some more attachments, but males also have the potential. The nursing profession has both male and female attributes in it” (Hollup, 2014, p. 757). Nursing in Mauritius is not an occupation more appealing to women than men because it is not seen as women’s work, nor are feminine images of caring, compassion and gentleness dominating public perceptions of nurses. In Mauritius, nursing focuses on cures, medical skills and technology rather than caring, nurturing and empathy (Hollup, 2014).

How to attract more men to the profession Research has proven that a lack of suitable male role models and negative stereotyping of male nurses in media platforms has contributed to low numbers of male enrolments in nursing education programs (Meadus & Twomey, 2007). A study by Brady and Sherrod (2003) outlines the importance of male role models for male nursing students during clinical placements and the authors advocate for more male faculty members at educational institutions.

Australian researchers have investigated whether postgraduate entry education is a solution to increasing the number of men in nursing (McKenna et al, 2016). The authors found that there is a higher male enrolment rate in graduate courses than in undergraduate programs, which suggests graduate programs are attractive to males wanting a career change. This claim is supported by Armstrong’s (2004) findings that men are drawn to nursing after previously working in other sectors. Some nursing and health care organisations have run recruitment campaigns specifically engineered to target men (Cottingham, 2015). These campaigns depict the male nurse as emotionally engaged and compassionate while a larger percentage of campaigns feature a tough, emotionally detached, heroic figure of the male nurse that aligns stronger with masculine ideals (Cottingham, 2014). What has been found is that men enter the nursing profession because they have a desire to care for and help people (Hart, 2005), they also favour employment and salary stability (Christiansen & Knight, 2014), as well as enjoying the diverse career possibilities (Meadus & Twomey, 2007), and ability to work in different locations and settings (Christiansen & Knight 2014). These factors need to be selling points targeted at men of a young age to encourage them into nursing. Click here for list of references

In focus @ACN

S tudying with AC N: a per sonal reflec tion Philma Philip, 2016 Recipient of the Eric Murray Quiet Achiever Award

I completed my Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) in my home country of India in 2004 at St. John’s College of Nursing. In 2006 I travelled to Australia and enrolled in the Overseas Qualified Philma Philip Nursing Assessment Program at ACN, which I successfully completed enabling me to attain nursing registration in Australia. I have been working as a registered nurse for NSW Health for the past 10 years, including 3 years at Ryde Hospital in the Intensive Care Unit. In 2009, I joined the Children’s Hospital at Westmead in the Orthopaedic ward. It was a very challenging area, but I loved being a paediatric nurse. When I did my BSN, I had a strong desire to pursue higher studies in nursing and was very fortunate to have received a NSW Health Scholarship to do my Graduate Certificate in Paediatric Nursing with ACN. This was a real challenge for me – as I am a mother of two boys under the age of six, who is working full-time and I had to find time to study. Thankfully, I received a lot of support from my family, colleagues and ACN tutors, especially my course co-ordinator, Fran Stoddart MACN. Thanks to this support I successfully completed my Graduate Certificate in Paediatric Nursing. I

loved the ACN resources that were available to me, as they were very relevant to my day-to-day nursing practice. It boosted my confidence and made me positively proud to be a part of such a noble profession. While I was studying, I got to be the clinical nurse specialist in my ward and I was actively involved and leading quality improvement projects within our department. I recently got the opportunity to act in the role of Clinical Nurse Consultant in Paediatric Pain Management for the year. I am so excited to be able to take on this new role, as I developed a passion for improving pain management in children after completing my elective subject, Paediatric Pain: Assessment and Management. I now plan to utilise my Eric Murray Quiet Achiever Award to support my attendance at the 2017 Australian Pain Society Annual Scientific Meeting, which is to be held from April 9–12 in Adelaide. My dream is to study further and expand my role either in the clinical setting or as nurse educator. I am so grateful for the opportunities that I have had in Australia and particularly for the excellent educational programs at ACN. It is these educational programs that have helped shape my career in nursing. The encouragement and support I received at ACN has given me the confidence to continue my studies and to share new knowledge with my nursing colleagues. Being awarded the Eric Murray Quiet Achiever Award was so thrilling – the difficult balance of work, study and family life had finally paid off. I am proud of this award and hope my story will encourage other nurses to challenge themselves by undertaking postgraduate education to improve their nursing practice and health outcomes for our patients.

Suppliers Guide hospitalsuppliers.com.au When I visited ACN I was lucky to meet ACN CEO Adjunct Professor Kylie Ward FACN, who described me as a leader in nursing. I hadn’t thought about being a leader myself, even though leadership was a part of my final subject in the Graduate Certificate: Professional Issues in Paediatric Nursing. Now I have a new direction in nursing as a clinical leader, thanks to the inspirational nurses at ACN who are my mentors and role-models.

PRESENTING THE INAUGURAL

National Cosmetic Medicine Summit 3 – 4 March 2017 | Swissotel Sydney

EDITOR'S NOTE ACN funds and administers a number of grants and awards that are available to members and non-members. Visit our website for more information. 2017 enrolments are now open for our postgraduate education courses. If you would like to find out more about our educational programs, please click here.

www.informa.com.au/cosmedic17

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Education @ACN

Studying with ACN is your key to success For more than 69 years, ACN has been the only specialist nursing organisation dedicated to providing premium postgraduate nursing qualifications, dynamic education courses and a broad range of study options. All of our courses are delivered online and have been written for nurses by specialist nurses in Australia. A Graduate Certificate is the first step towards becoming an expert practitioner in your chosen clinical speciality and obtaining a higher grade position. Choose from the following specialties: • Acute Care • Aged Care Nursing • Breast Cancer • Cancer • Child and Family Health • Community & Primary Health Care • Critical Care (specialties include Emergency, Cardiac and Intensive Care Nursing) • Drug and Alcohol

• Leadership and Management • Neonatal Care • Orthopaedic Nursing • Paediatrics • Perioperative Nursing •S tomal Therapy (course is unique to ACN) ACN offers a wide variety of single units of study. They are useful for nurses who want to sample a Graduate Certificate prior to enrolling or who wish to gain in-depth knowledge in a specific subject area. All ACN units of study are delivered online over a 10 week term and all subjects count toward CPD hours.

For more information visit: www.acn.edu.au/enrolmentforms

Events @ACN

ACN celebrates 2016 with member Christmas Functions ACN held a series of Christmas Functions in cities across the country for Members, Fellows and VIP guests throughout November. Our Christmas Functions were a great opportunity to celebrate the festive season and reflect on a wonderful year. They were also our way of saying thank you to our talented and dynamic pool of Members and Fellows for their support, commitment and passion for ACN. ACN CEO Adjunct Professor Kylie Ward FACN said that our Christmas Functions were a great chance for the nursing community to come together and unite as a profession. “Our Christmas Functions were a fantastic way to connect with nurses across Australia. “It is important that ACN continues to create networking opportunities for our Members and Fellows, so we can be more aware of the issues that face the profession and address them at the highest level.

“It is the expertise and shared knowledge of our Members and Fellows, which allows ACN to continue to shape the future of health and aged care in Australia,” said Adjunct Professor Ward. All members were encouraged to bring a plus one to our Christmas Functions by extending the invitation to a colleague who they would like to introduce to ACN. It was wonderful to connect with our members and meet nurses who are interested in joining this powerful and dynamic organisation. 18 new members joined through this plus one initiative and we thank each of those members who brought a guest. Thank you to all those who attended our Christmas Functions. ACN is committed to extending our future networking roadshows to regional areas in 2017.

Progress your career with a Postgraduate Nursing degree from UNE. We have a range of flexible online postgraduate degrees for you, including: ▪ Graduate Certificate in Acute Care Nursing ▪ Graduate Certificate in Clinical Education and Teaching

ACN CEO Adjunct Professor Kylie Ward FACN, eHealth Education Pty Ltd CEO & Director Professor Evelyn Hovenga FACN, Mercy Health Executive Director of Nursing & Midwifery Alison Patrick MACN and Bendigo Health Chief Nursing Information Officer Janette Gogler.

▪ Master of Nursing (Clinical Practice, Learning and Teaching in Health Practice, Management and Leadership in Nursing, or General Program) ▪ Master of Philosophy (Nursing) ▪ PhD ▪ Individual Units of study available for CPD With our online* course delivery, upgrading your qualifications is more achievable than ever, no matter where you are in Australia.

“As the preeminent and national professional nursing organisation, ACN advocates at a state and federal level with Ministers of parliament, health departments and key stakeholders.

Apply now to start in February 2017

1800 818 865 une.edu.au/pg-nursing

*Please note some units Elaine Bell MACN, Tina Forshaw MACN, Yoland Kuruc, Meredith Leonard MACN and Tami Murrells MACN.

Siobhan Mills MACN, Sue Gibbs MACN, Kathryn Filtness, Sahale Pelletier, QLD Minister for Health and Ambulance Services, The Hon Cameron Dick MP, ACN CEO Adjunct Professor Kylie Ward FACN, QLD Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer Shelley Nowlan FACN and ACN Executive Director - Professional and Leadership, Michelle Gunn MACN.

may have intensive school requirements.

In focus @ACN

AC N welcomes the new Chief Nur se and Midwife for Ta smania In every state and territory across the country, our Chief Nurse and Midwifery Officers (CNMO’s) provide a vital professional link between the Department of Health, and the Australian nursing and midwifery community. Our CNMO’s play a key role in developing a collaborative and strategic approach to nursing and midwifery at a state and national level. They provide leadership, advice, information and guidance on all issues related to nursing and midwifery. ACN will be profiling CNMO’s throughout the next few editions of NurseClick. This edition, we are welcoming Ms Francine Douce MACN as the new Chief Nurse and Midwife of Tasmania.

“With her distinguished career spanning over three decades, Francine has held clinical and management roles in both the public and private sectors, and in rural and remote settings across the state.”

ACN CEO Adjunct Professor Kylie Ward FACN with CNMO Francine Douce MACN

including the Director of Nursing and Midwifery. She has also received various accolades for her work, such as the 2008 Tasmanian Peer Award (Australian College of Midwives) for establishing midwifery outreach in Tasmania. Francine Douce MACN, Chief Nurse and Midwife, Tasmania

Ms Francine Douce MACN was recently appointed to the role of Chief Nurse and Midwife for Tasmania. With her distinguished career spanning over three decades, Francine has held clinical and management roles in both the public and private sectors, and in rural and remote settings across the state. These roles have included education and training, quality and safety, patient flow and bed management, infection prevention and control, operational management, and strategic planning. Francine has held a number of senior positions at the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS),

Francine has a special interest in professional regulation, nurse leadership, workforce development, and practice issues in nursing and midwifery. The experiences of international health systems has been of additional interest, and in late 2015, she attended the Global Nursing Leadership Institute in Geneva. The Institute is convened by the International Council of Nursing and attendance at the Institute is highly regarded, as well as extremely competitive. Just 30 places are offered globally each year. Francine was the first attendee from Tasmania and just the fourth from Australia. Francine is a highly valued member of ACN whose skills and experience within multifaceted dimensions make her an exceptional choice to lead necessary reform within the Tasmanian health care system.

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Vital Signs

Vital Signs: Professional growth through peer review By Trish Lowe MACN

Nurses and midwives are constantly seeking ways to expand their knowledge and skills in order to enhance patient outcomes. Peer review is the continuous, non-punitive means of critiquing care provided by another and providing feedback. It represents one of the means by which quality improvements can be made, while Trish Lowe MACN simultaneously encouraging shared governance, fostering accountability and expanding the problem solving ability of our health workforce. Yet, practices commonly referred to as ‘peer reviews’ are in reality, annual performance evaluations and do not meet the outcomes required for effective peer reviews. To positively impact on patient quality and safety, peer review principles must reflect those contained within the American Nursing Association’s (1988) Peer Review Guidelines. These principles require the process to be undertaken by known individuals of similar rank who maintain a practice focus and facilitate the provision of constructive feedback. Additionally, to enable an objective assessment, care provision must be benchmarked against professional practice standards

(Haag- Heitman & George 2011, n.p). Observation and feedback may also be provided by a group. Peer reviews facilitated within a group setting provides an opportunity for networking, professional growth, critical reflection and the acquisition of new knowledge and skills (Van der Linden et al. 2015). The peer review system is particularly useful for health professionals working in advanced practice roles. For example, Dutch nurse practitioners form peer review groups (PRG) to meet their mandatory re-registration requirements (Van der Linden et al. 2015, p. 35). Each group comprises of three to five adequately qualified reviewers, and a chairperson who is responsible for formulating a presentation schedule. In order to meet the required 40 hours of peer review (over five years), each PRG meets for two hours, every three months. Prior to meetings, the presenting member circulates relevant patient information, analysis, literature, dilemmas and learning objectives arising from their casework. Minutes are taken and circulated to the group for inclusion in their portfolios (Van der Linden et al. 2015, p. 35). At subsequent meetings, presenters are invited to share reflections on how the feedback provided has informed their clinical practice (Van der Linden et al. 2015, p. 36). Feedback from consumers is also highly valued. In Australia, the Midwifery Practice Review (MPR) process has been designed to review a midwife’s professional performance (Australian College of Midwives (ACM) 2016, n.p). MPR is designed to assist midwives to reflect on their practice, develop professionally and demonstrate competence across

the full scope of midwifery practice. This is achieved by facilitating a discussion with two specially trained reviewers, one midwife and one consumer (ACM 2016, n.p). Participation in an MPR is voluntary for most midwives. However, midwives seeking recognition as an Eligible Midwife (or Medicare-Eligible Midwife) must successfully complete a Board-approved, midwifery professional practice program – such as MPR – every three years, in order to demonstrate continuing competence in the provision of pregnancy, labour, birth and postnatal care to women and their infants (ACM 2016, n.p). Interestingly, a paucity of empirical literature exists on the concept and value of peer review. Furthermore, poor group dynamics, punitive observations, emotive responses and unrealistic expectations have anecdotally contributed to suboptimal experiences. Encouraging a caring and respectful exchange of information is a vital part of facilitating growth through peer reviews. However, it is necessary to ensure that participation is welcomed and achieves the goal of improving clinical practice, by fostering confidence and autonomy. References: Australian College of Midwives 2016, Midwifery Practice Review (MPR), Author, Civic Square, ACT, viewed 19 December 2016, https://www.midwives.org.au/mpr Haag-Heitman, B & George, V 2011, ‘Nursing peer review: principles and practice’, American Nurse Today, vol. 6, no. 9, viewed 19 December 2016, https://www. americannursetoday.com/nursing-peer-review-principles-and-practice/ Van der Linden, SJ, van Doorn, l, van Eck, JP, Geilvoet, W & Mulders, G 2015, ‘Formation of a peer review group for advanced practice nurses: Learning from and with colleagues’, Women’s Healthcare: A Clinical Journal for NP’s, vol. 3, no. 4, pp. 34-37

NMBA update

Audits are an important way that the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA), in partnership with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA), protects the public. Audits ensure that nurses and midwives are meeting the registration standards set by the NMBA, helping to maintain trust in the professions to provide safe care. A random sample of nurses and midwives is audited each year by AHPRA on behalf of the NMBA. If you are audited, you will receive a letter from AHPRA explaining which standards are being audited, along with a checklist of supporting documents you need to provide. Each year when you apply to renew your registration, you make a declaration that you have (or have not) met the NMBA's registration standards. The registration standards that you could be audited on each year for nursing and midwifery are: • Criminal history; • Continuing Professional Development (CPD); • Recency of Practice, and

audited is simply being prepared to show that you meet the registration standards set by the NMBA. Keeping good records of how you meet your registration standards throughout the year is the best way to be prepared for an audit. To be able to show that you have met the CPD registration standard, remember to: • Record your CPD planning, notes and reflections on what you learned; • Keep attendance certificates, and • Keep your records for a period of five years from the date you completed the CPD. For the Recency of Practice registration standard, remember to keep evidence that you have practised for a period equivalent to a minimum of 450 hours within the past five years. This could include service statements from your employer, payslips, income statements for the year and other documents showing the hours and dates you worked.

How do I make sure I’m ready to be audited?

You need to inform us quickly (within seven days) if you have any changes to your criminal history, to ensure that you can meet the Criminal history registration standard.

The community and individuals place a high degree of trust in nurses and midwives, so meeting the NMBA's registration standards is an obligation when practising. You could be audited in any year you are practising, whether you are in a clinical role like on a hospital ward, or in a non-clinical role like policy development or research. Being prepared for being

If you are audited on the Professional indemnity insurance arrangements registration standard, you will need to show evidence that you have appropriate insurance arrangements in place. If you hold private insurance in your own name, you need to keep evidence of this insurance for at least five years. If you are covered by a third party insurance arrangement,

• Professional indemnity insurance arrangements.

you don’t normally need to hold evidence of that insurance policy, but if you are audited you may need to request proof that you are covered from the third party to provide to us. The registration standards set by the NMBA are evidence-based and developed in consultation with nurses, midwives, other healthcare stakeholders and the wider community. The NMBA and AHPRA are continuing to improve audit processes to make sure nurses and midwives have a clear, fair and transparent audit system that helps to protect the public. You can find out more about your profession’s registration standards and audits on the NMBA website.

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