Keeping In Touch 22 October 2021
Welcome to this week’s edition of Keeping In Touch. Today is certainly an exciting day with some renewed freedom to get out and about, invite family and friends back into our homes or just drop in and see someone for a cuppa. We hope you take the time to enjoy your weekend. Whilst daily Covid-19 numbers remain at an all-time high, it is pleasing to see the number of patients requiring hospitalisation have not reflected initial modelling and the average length of stay is much shorter than expected. Last week, I shared with you the fabulous work Simone and the team had been doing in partnership with Barwon Health, planning for the public oncology haematology unit to relocate to our hospital. This was in order to create surge capacity for Barwon Health to care for Covid-19 positive patients. With numbers stable, this body of work has been placed into hibernation for the time being but is ready to go should the need arise in the future. Special thanks to our surgical services team who have been managing the challenges associated with integrating public surgical patients into our theatre schedule. They have done this with good grace and commitment to excellent patient care. During the course of the past week we bid a fond farewell to Kate Brown, Nicole Selig and Anita MacKay. We wish them all the very best in their new roles and thank them for the contribution they made to our hospital community during their time working with us.
Upcoming Events: National Safe Work Month October
Pastoral Care Week
Sunday 24 - Saturday 30 October
Occupational Therapist Week
Monday 25 - Sunday 31 October
Mini Field of Women
Monday 25 - Friday 29 October
Lung & Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month November
Keeping In Touch is a newsletter for you. We would like to invite all caregivers to submit ideas, stories, photos and feedback to share. We know you’re all doing fabulous work - tell us about it! It’s easy! Just drop an email to: Tanjeela.chowdhury@sjog.org.au
Take care of each other and we look forward to a positive and or enjoyable working week next week. GLMarketing@sjog.org.au Rosetta Mirabile - 40 Years Long Service Award Recipient
Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Mini field of women
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, an annual campaign to raise awareness about the impact of breast cancer. Every year Barb Cummins, Breast Care Nurse, sets up a ‘Mini Field of Women’ display, providing an opportunity for caregivers to participate and share a message of hope for family, friends or colleagues who may have been affected by breast cancer. A display will be set up near the Cafe Courtyard glass doors and will be available to all caregivers until Friday 29 October. Barb Cummins will visit all the wards throughout next week and provide caregivers with stickers and information brochures. If anyone wishes to have a chat with Barb, she is happy to set aside some time. Please reach out to Barb Cummins.
Funny caregiver caricature drawings
George, a patient on the Cardiac Care Unit, has been sharing his artistic talent, drawing caricatures of caregivers working on the ward and brightening their day. George has been painting landscape scenes, sharing his self–taught artistry and avid interest in the arts. He plans to continue producing art on his return home upon recovery.
“It has made my hospital visit very enjoyable and great fun with excellent staff; from cleaners to Doctors, nurses and art teachers. It has been a quick way to get to know people.” A wall has been set up in CCU displaying George’s wonderful and funny caricatures. Pop by to have a look!
Farewells
Last week we farewelled Anita MacKay, Discharge Coordinator, after 27 years of service to St John of God. Anita commenced on 2 North (now 2 East), a 41 bed Surgical ward in March of 1994 following her Graduate year. She had a brief 18 months stint at St John of God Subiaco Hospital in 2007 – 2008, however homesickness brought her back to Geelong. In 2010 Anita joined the Discharge Planning team, where she took pride in and excelled at supporting our complex patients to transition back into the community. Anita invested herself so much in the role that when placing one of our patients at the Homestead Nursing Home, she promised that she would fulfil their lifelong dream. The patient always wanted to attend the circus, so Anita purchased the tickets and in her own time took that patient to the circus. We will very much miss the bright, friendly and reliable Anita and wish her well in her new role with GMHBA. We also bid adieu to two other beloved caregivers Kate Brown, Executive Assistant and Nicole Selig, OH&S Manager. Their presence in the hospital and vibrant personalities will certainly be missed! We wish them the very best for future endeavours.
Caregiver of the Month - September 2021
Big CONGRATULATIONS to Stephanie Bruce from the Cardiac Care Unit on receiving the Caregiver of the Month award! “Recently Steph was caring for a patient pre cardiac surgery that had been moved through three different hospitals in order to get to Geelong for treatment. He lived a considerable distance away from Geelong without any family close by. Stephanie decided to take a weeks worth of the patients washing home to clean, as it was causing the patient increased distress at the thought of spending a further ten days with us without any clean clothes. The patient was sincerely grateful to Stephanie, as were his family back home in Dimboola.” If one of your team members is going the extra mile - put your nomination in by the end of the month to GL.Mission@sjog.org.au The nomination form can be found on CORA.
Respiratory Protection Program
COVID-19 has highlighted the need for healthcare organisations to have a robust Respiratory Protection Program (RPP) in place to reduce the risk of hospitalacquired, infectious airborne diseases. Mask Fit Testing is ongoing here in Geelong, and to date more than 500 caregivers in high risk areas have been fit tested. Next week we will have the fit testers onsite from Monday 25. If you work in a high risk area and have not yet been fit tested, please reach out to your manager and book in an appointment. Please ensure you are on time for your appointments and male caregivers MUST be clean shaven.
Desk Yoga: Relax. Breathe. Unwind. Yoga and Meditation can have huge benefits for physical and mental wellbeing. As part of Mental Health Month, Emma Hay (your Policy Coordinator and secret certified Yoga Teacher) will lead you through a gentle seated yoga practice. Join her on Thursday 28th October at 11am via Webex. Register your interest via the link below and learn simple yoga poses to relax your shoulders, neck and back – similar to those pictured here. No specific clothing requirements needed, just perhaps a shirt/top that allows for some unrestricted movement. Also, please ensure that the chair you are seated on is safe, and will not roll away from underneath you during movement. Consider a chair with no wheels if this is accessible to you. Please work within your limitations and take into consideration any current injuries. If need be, seek medical advice before participation. Let’s move, breath and be mindful together. Namaste. The session will start at 11am and will run for 20 mins. Please register by scanning the QR code with your mobile camera or clicking on this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ DSZWV3T
Green Group: Update
Did you know that we recycle batteries and scissors? Set up a box in your pan room and the orderlies/PSA will collect it. Maintenance then disposes of the items at the Geelong Resource Recovery centre. If you wish to enquire about membership to the Green Group, please contact: Lisa.cranham@ sjog.org.au
Tips for easing out of lockdown As restrictions ease, adapting to life after lockdown may feel hard. Here are some things to help you manage.
Support is available. Coronavirus Mental Wellbeing Support Service 1800 512 348 Lifeline 13 11 14 EAP 1300 687 327
Future health skills portal
We are excited to introduce you to a new learning initiative (Future Health Skills Project) that has been developed in collaboration with SJG Geelong, The Gordon, Barwon Health and Epworth which has designed 25 micro credentials to upskill existing workers in healthcare. These modules were designed by subject matter experts from all hospitals for both clinical and non-clinical staff and aims to assist with improving operational efficiency and effectiveness of workforce by providing free access to learning modules in the program. You can then directly access the FHS project via the links on the Zenworks window. We are currently piloting the FHS006 Principles of Customer Service Module with all the clerical front of house team. Please jump on board and enrol yourselves into the program and look at all the available courses.
Please contact Dinie MacRae for further information.
Doctober Throughout the month of October, education will focus on clinical documentation, otherwise known as Doctober. Our educational theme is emphasising the essentials of accurate documentation in the patients’ progress notes. Educational Activities include: - Documentation Crossword – winner announced Monday 1 November - Education displays in your department - L&D roving education Key points to remember! • Documentation must provide an accurate reflection of nursing assessments, changes to conditions, care provided and plans of care. • Progress notes can be written contemporaneously and/or as summary nearing the end of the shift in a systems approach. • Documentation must occur at each shift to ensure continuity of care, clinical handover and patient safety. • Documentation must include the outcomes of nursing assessments and the care delivered during the shift. • Careplans must include patient individualised goals – these must be discussed and signed by the patient in the patient’s care plan, progress notes and on the whiteboard daily. • Remember, if a clinical review has occurred, an ‘Escalation of Care/Clinical Review Sticker’ must be placed in the patient’s progress notes. This helps to highlight changes in patient deterioration to clinicians in a medical emergency. *Absence of documentation infers that nursing action has not occurred!*
Professional development opportunities 2022
Back pats Laura said: 5 stars
I am writing to express my sincere gratitude for the excellent care I received at St John of God Geelong when I was recently admitted for management of a miscarriage that ended up being an ectopic pregnancy. From admission to the ED, to being cared for on 3W, to the operating theatre and finally discharge, the compassionate holistic care I received by all staff was outstanding. I am an ICU nurse and have never really experienced being a patient in hospital, however, was made to feel safe and confident in the care I received at all times. I would like to extend special thanks to the 3W nurses, anaesthetic nurse Jessica, Dr Marilla Druitt and Dr Tony Ma for their empathy and emotional intelligence.
What our patients had to say about us this week... 3 West
NPS 3 East
Patient feedback
Patient feedback
The staff, they go above and beyond. So caring. A special thanks to our midwives Sandy and Jess. Can’t fault their care during labour.
You should be very proud of staff in 3 East. They are all so kind. They are a wonderful team.
2 East
Day Surgery
99.9% satisfaction!!
The pure professionalism of every staff I encounterred, including teamwork, humour and empathy to themselves, and me and my family.
Patient feedback
Patient feedback