Keeping In Touch 26 November 2021
We are on the home stretch, 29 days until Christmas! From Monday 29 November, Christmas trees will be delivered to your ward/area. Remember the ‘Christmas Decorating Completion’ is on!!! This year we can go all out… and we will need to tinsel above the touch level. We have a Christmas colouring completion for children. Each caregiver’s child that submits an entry wins a free pass to a City of Greater Geelong Swim Sport and Leisure facility. Passes are limited so first in best dressed. Colouring sheets will be delivered to your area/ward or can be collected from Exec Admin. We still need your help on a few things:
Upcoming Events: International Volunteer Day Sunday 5 December
Christmas Day
Saturday 25 December
Boxing Day
Sunday 26 December
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:
• Do we have an Elf-on-the-shelf enthusiast, who would like to help with Elf? Tanjeela.chowdhury@sjog.org.au • Are you a budding musician who could spare an hour or GLMarketing@sjog.org.au or so to help Anna with Christmas carols? • If there is a business you know of that would like to contribute to the Caregiver Children Benefit program, please get in touch. As we head into the next four weeks may you ‘Let light shine out of the darkness’.
Hospital Auxiliary: Silent auction open for bidders
The St John of God Geelong Hospital Auxiliary plays a very important role in supporting our hospital, patients and members of our community by raising much needed funds for medical equipment and technology. This year, the Auxiliary are holding a silent auction in order to continue their fantastic work and ongoing support of our hospital. As such, they reached out to the local community to seek their support for items and experiences which could be donated towards the silent auction. Funds raised through the silent auction will be donated directly to our hospital for the purchase of a Cuddle Bed (valued at $28,000) for patients in palliative care. Cuddle Beds help to remove physical barriers during end of life care, giving intimate connection and comfort to both critically ill patients and their loved ones. The silent auction starts from today Friday 26th November and ends on Friday 3rd December 11.30pm, with successful bidders to be contacted after Monday 6th December. Please support our Auxiliary by participating in the silent auction which really will make a transformative difference to how we deliver exceptional patient care in our hospital. Please click here to participate in the auction: https://www.32auctions.com/SJGSilentAuction2021 Happy bidding! What is a Cuddle Bed? Cuddle Beds are large, purpose-built patient beds that can support two adults. This simple concept can provide deeply compassionate end of life care for both patients and their loved ones, supporting deeper physical and emotional connection at a time when it is truly need the most. Our caregivers will always provide compassionate care to patients, but there is simply no substitute for the intimate care that only a loved one can give.
Kudos to our Food Services team!
The catering team were nominated for The Institute of Hospitality in Healthcare Excellence Awards Project of the year. The team received the runner up award being highly commended for their great work. Last year they successfully undertook the project to change our cooking process in the kitchen from cook chill to cook fresh for the preparation of patient meals. Well done to the team and especially Kim and Alex for their great leadership! We look forward to the next steps next year when we introduce room service for all our patients.
Green Group: Environmental sustainability at SJGHC St John of God Health Care has a Group environmental committee that meets bi monthly. The forum promotes idea sharing between divisions and encourages the implementation of initiatives that care for each other and the environment. To find out more information about sustainability at St John of God Healthcare click here. If you require more information, please send an email to lisa.cranham@sjog.org.au
Caregiver of the Month - October 2021 Big CONGRATULATIONS to Carmen McKinnon from the Environmental Services on receiving the Caregiver of the Month award! “Carmen has shown great leadership over the pandemic. She has an eye for detail, compliance and accurately following procedures. These skills have ensured that she safely leads her team, mentoring them to follow the ever changing procedures of the hospital. Leading by example, Carmen cleaned our first Covid positive room. Alleviating the levels of anxiety over cleaning Covid rooms. Carmen’s can do attitude as she quickly adapts to the many changes has made her a delight to work with...” If one of your team members is going the extra mile - put your nomination in by the end of the month to GLExecAdmin@sjog.org.au. The nomination form can be found on CORA.
MyPolicy Library Update
On Wednesday 1 December the existing Electronic Policy and Procedure Library (EPPL) will be replaced with the new ‘MyPolicy Library’. The new MyPolicy Library will be your one stop shop for all your clinical knowledge and is now more effective and easy to use. It is very user friendly and easy to navigate and it’s up to you to familiarise yourself with the new library and its contents. Once you have had a chance to explore and if you have any questions about the content please talk to your line manager in the first instance otherwise your Site Champions (Lisa Reid and Emma Hay) are here to support you. This short presentation will give you a brief overview of how to access and search for policy and procedure.
Yoga: Relax. Breathe. Unwind. Yoga and Meditation can have huge benefits for physical and mental wellbeing. Emma Hay (your Policy Coordinator and secret certified Yoga Teacher) will lead you through a gentle yoga practice (no mat required). Join her on Monday 29 November in the Bayview Lounge at the Wexford Centre, Level 1. Register your interest via the link below and learn simple yoga poses to relax your shoulders, neck and back. No specific clothing requirements needed, just perhaps a shirt/top that allows for some unrestricted movement. 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 sessions will start at 3.15pm and will run for 30 mins. Please register HERE.
OH&S Update: Safety alert! Be safe with Christmas lights and decorations. All managers must discuss contents of the Safety Alert at team meetings and place a copy on the department notice board. This safety alert is issued to all caregivers to advise those who may be planning to put up Christmas lights in their work area, that they are required to be electrically tested and tagged prior to them being used. This requirement is to ensure that the lights are in a safe condition for use. For caregivers who need to have lights tested and tagged, a Med MUST be raised to ensure that the maintenance team can complete this activity in a timely manner. Please be mindful that some of the lights may not pass the testing process and will need to be disposed of. When lights are not in use, they need to be stored in a way where they are not going to potentially become damaged. For everyone’s safety, Energy Safe Victoria have issued some safety tips to take extra care when putting up and using Christmas lights and decorations and to beware of potential safety hazards.
New Ways November
Back pats
Tess said: 5 stars
Our little man Teddy was delivered via c-section. We cannot thank our amazing OB Karl Najjar enough for his kind support throughout this amazing journey. To all the beautiful midwives that took care of all of us while we navigate our way into parenthood. I cannot thank all the staff at St John of God enough. We couldn’t have asked for a better, nurturing and supported experience. Thank you so much to St John of God Geelong!
What our patients had to say about us this week... Surgery Centre Patient feedback
The nurses and doctors were incredible.
ED
Patient feedback Your nursing staff are amazing. They were very efficient with their jobs without rushing me. The nurse that helped me was Jude. She is an absolute gem! Jude could not be more polite, caring and courteous. Great sense of humor and just a lovely human being.
NPS CCU
Patient feedback
First point of entry your staff are excellent in helping processing QR coding and all staff are very helpful.
2 South
Patient feedback
The hospital was clean and the staff were professional.