Nursing webinars in the Pacific

The Royal Australasian College of Surgeons’ Global Health programs all saw a significant change in operations and programming due to COVID-19 travel and quarantine restrictions. The Pacific Island Program (PIP), which typically mobilises between 40–50 medical teams across 11 Pacific Island countries each year, had to cease the travel of all volunteers. In order to continue supporting Pacific countries during this difficult time, the programs pivoted to online and remote support activities. Online nursing forums, which have been held in cooperation with the Pacific Community (SPC) and members of the Australian College of Perioperative Nurses (ACORN) are a key source of information and support for nurses across the Pacific regarding COVID-19 preparedness and training. Mabel Taoi is project coordinator for the Clinical Services Program at SPC’s Public Health Division, and she has 11 years experience engaging with Pacific Island countries. She spoke about the exciting achievement for nursing in the region at the first Pacific Heads of Nursing and Midwifery meeting in February 2020. Fortunately, the meeting was held just before the closure of borders due to COVID-19. “In hindsight,” Ms Taoi said, “the meeting was strategically timed, as it strengthened the nursing leadership networks before the COVID-19 pandemic that followed immediately after.” Sally Sutherland-Fraser was also at the February meeting. She met with Ms Taoi, ACORN Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Rebecca East; Ruth Melville, Past President of ACORN and the Ambassador for the Pacific and Papua New Guinea for the International Federation of Perioperative Nurses (IFPN); and the new Australian Government Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer, Allison McMillan. The group was concerned about the pandemic unfolding internationally and agreed it was an opportunity to link Pacific nurses with the nurses in Australia, Ms Sutherland-Fraser said. “As COVID-19 escalated we kept talking to Ms Taoi about accessing more training, trying to think what we could do.” RACS was already using the webinar forum format for other training, and

it seemed like a natural fit for the collaboration and connection initiated at the first Pacific Heads of Nursing and Midwifery meeting. The selection of topics for the webinars emerged in a number of ways. From surveys undertaken after the first ‘talanoa’ (open discussion) session implemented by SPC, during the online chat discussions, through email responses and via feedback from previous sessions. Topics covered include the appropriate use of personal protective equipment, infection prevention and control, environmental cleaning, cleaning and reprocessing of equipment, airway management and patient care in relation to managing COVID-19. The forums are hosted by RACS and facilitated by SPC with panellists such as Fellows and members of ACORN, the Australian College of Peri-Anaesthesia Nurses (ACPAN) and the Royal Melbourne Intensive Care Unit. They are organised by Margaret Leong, the SPC Infection Prevention and Control Advisor. Pacific nurses are very involved in the format and content of these online sessions through nominating topics and presenting to their fellow nursing colleagues across the Pacific on cases, processes and trainings that have been put in place to ensure COVID-19 readiness across their hospitals. “Principles are important,” Ms Sutherland-Fraser said. “We need to respect the knowledge and wisdom that comes from the Pacific. They know best how the information needs to be applied in their settings and their cultural context. We make sure there’s a lot of time for discussion and focus on what’s available for them to use.” Ms Sutherland-Fraser said that Ms Taoi was acutely aware of the need to tailor the information presented to the different contexts of the nurses dialling in, and has

organised Pacific nurses to present on their experiences with COVID-19. “It’s important for nurses logging in to see the knowledge doesn’t exist solely outside the boundaries of their countries. They just need to seek it out and make those connections.” For each forum there have been between 20–40 dial-ins from five to ten Pacific Island nations. Each dial-in can have up to eight nurses on the line. Ms Taoi estimated there have been a total of 50–60 nurses logging in for each webinar. “The engagement is brilliant and it’s great to see the support and the networking,” Ms Sutherland-Fraser said. “It’s a huge geographical zone and there could be a country of 100 nurses who are now connected to thousands of nurses because of these forums.” Five forums have been conducted so far and it is anticipated that this new model of remote training and exchange will continue beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. As Ms Taoi said, “These virtual

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The prestigious John Corboy Medal is awarded annually to a Trainee who demonstrates the characteristics for which John was admired. The award is made to a candidate who shows some or all of the following qualities: • Outstanding leadership • Selfless service • Tenacity • Service to Trainees of the College.

These qualities must be demonstrated in either the performance of their engagements are likely the ‘new norm’ for the future.” SPC, as an organisation, will continue to find new and innovative ways to effectively reach out to the nurses in the Pacific and provide them with opportunities for meeting, learning and networking to stay connected within the Pacific Island countries and the world. The benefit goes two ways, Ms Sutherland-Fraser added. All participation is completely voluntary with presenters giving their own time. “Everyone wants to provide the support they can and everyone comes away with a new insight into the challenges for nurses working with limited resource settings.” The Pacific nurses participating “are adaptable, creative and a great inspiration to me.” The Pacific Islands Program (PIP) is funded by the Australian Government and

2021 John Corboy Medal – call for nominations

implemented by RACS Global Health. duties, service to the surgical community, the manner of and approach to the fulfilment of their surgical training and/or by their commitment to, and involvement with, the community of surgical Trainees. Nominations for the 2021 award close on Friday, 28 August 2020. Nomination of a candidate for the award may be made by either a Fellow or another Trainee. Please email racsta@surgeons.org to request a nomination form. Further information about the John Corboy Medal can be found here.