CAREGIVER NEWS FROM ST JOHN OF GOD MURDOCH HOSPITAL
A Night of Gold and Glamour! Pages 11-13
THE POWER OF THERAPEUTIC RELATIONSHIPS page 14
MR ALAN THOMAS’ GROUND-BREAKING HELMET HEADS TO THE AFL AND NRL page 17
THIS MONTH’S HEART OF MURDOCH WINNER REVEALED page 18
Welcome to the October Murdoch Monthly.
I hope you all had a great September, and those of you who attended the Ball enjoyed the night of Gold and Glamour.
CARE: Training is well underway in the clinical areas, and caregivers will begin to receive their ‘CARE licence’ to remember
the importance of speaking up in the moment for patient safety. You may have noticed some signage has been installed throughout the hospital to reinforce this message. Our CARE program officially goes live next Tuesday 15 October. Check out page 9 for more information.
Cancer Awareness Week: Coming up on 21-25 October is Cancer Awareness Week, a Murdoch-born event dedicated to shining a light on all types of cancer. You can get involved by decorating your ward with the colours of your chosen cancer, dressing in the colours, and fundraising to support your chosen charity. There will also be a Trade Display on Friday 25 October. More information on this important week is on page 24.
Light up the Lake with Love: On Sunday 8 December, we will once again be holding our Christmas remembrance service, Light up the Lake with Love.The event ran very smoothly last year thanks to caregivers who volunteered to help. See below for more information on how to register your interest to help with the event this year.
As always, thank you to each of your for your continual commitment to making Murdoch a warm and welcoming place to be. I wish you all a great month ahead.
Ben
After the heart-warming success of our inaugural Light up the Lake Memorial event last year, we are proud to start planning the event again for this December.
In collaboration with the City of Melville, we look forward to a beautiful light show that will honour the lives of those who are no longer with us.
This year, we have sourced a beautiful memorial candle, which can be purchased as a Christmas keepsake, with proceeds supporting the
provision of Palliative Care services across our campus.
Feedback from caregivers and patients who attended last year was overwhelmingly positive and indicated the importance of the event within the Murdoch community.
This is a local event, so please feel free to share this with your family and friends.
If you would like to volunteer to help on the night, please email Holly.Edwards@sjog.org.au or reach out to someone from our Marketing team.
Embracing hope, shaping our future.
“Be strong and of good courage, and act.”
Foundation Day provides us with the perfect opportunity to not only pause and reflect on the heritage of the St John of God religious sisters and the amazing contribution they have made to health care services across Australia, but to remember the ways in which each of us embody their spirit of courage and hope.
The founding story of St John
of God Health Care is one of dedication, faithfulness, strength and action. Such was the religious Sister’s commitment to their Christian faith that they left the familiarity of their homes and communities and travelled across the world to put their beliefs into action.
I often wonder about the first impressions of the Sisters as they arrived in sunny Western Australia to commence the work of the church all those years ago. How different it must have been for them and how many challenges and struggles lay ahead. What strengths would they need to find as they bravely and consistently overcome the difficulties they faced? And there must have been manytheir dislocation and distance from the familiarity of home, the lack of resources, the overwhelming needs of those around them, and the pressure to build a sense of community.
This year’s theme for Foundation Day is 'Embracing
hope, shaping our future', and it’s taken from one of the letters in our Christian scriptures which encouraged the people of the early church to “be strong and of good courage and to act.” And that is certainly what the sisters did. Inspired by their faith and their commitment to share the love of Christ, they harnessed their collective expertise and boldly established healthcare services across Australia that provide healing, hope and a greater sense of dignity for all who seek care. Health care services that are now our responsibility to nurture and grow. On this Foundation Day, we are grateful for the heritage that inspires us and helps us shape the future and for all the caregivers in various roles who continue to provide compassionate and respectful care across our campus.
Jenni
Doontanboro Kura | Melville Waters Dreaming
Explore the meanings and stories of ancient Noongar place names found in the Melville area at this immersive exhibition.
4 – 27 October | FREE event
For details: bit.ly/dootanboro-kura
This unique event showcases soul, blues, and country music from the leramugadu community (Roebourne, WA), celebrating over a decade of soungwriting that honours the beauty and resilience of Yindjibarndi and Ngarluma Country
Saturday 12 October | FREE event
For details: bit.ly/songs-for-freedom
Murdoch NPS for SEPTEMBER
Comment 1: Bridget Clancy ward
The service was always with a smile, the nursing staff are very professional, and the stay was very pleasant. Keep up the good work!
Comment 2: DPU
Every single person I had contact with from the concierge to receptionist, to nurses and doctors were fantastic. I could not fault them!
Comment 3: Thomas Furlong
All your staff are truly amazing! Nothing is ever too much trouble for them. Everyone was caring, kind, and very efficient!
heros
The Cancer Centre chose to celebrate their >80 NPS score for June and July with dining room vouchers and a team raffle. One patient commented, “I am extremely grateful to the team at the Cancer Centre for their kind, caring and professional care throughout my treatment. You're all absolutely dedicated and wonderful. Thank you.”
Fantastic job, Cancer Centre!
Surgicentre celebrated their >80 NPS score for August with pizza and doughnuts! “Professional, friendly caring staff that made me feel at ease every step of the way,” one patient commented.
Outstanding, Surgicentre!
DPU celebrated their >80 NPS score for August with dining room vouchers for the team. “The whole procedure was well organised and stress free. At all levels staff professional and friendly and helpful and I felt safe and cared for,” one patient said.
Incredible work, DPU!
St Michael ward selected pizza and doughnuts to celebrate their >80 NPS score for August. One patient said, “Everyone was so sweet and caring. This was my first surgery and they made sure I was comfortable and felt safe.”
Wonderful work, St Michael ward!
St Catherine ward celebrated their >80 NPS for July with cookies and coffee vouchers. “Wonderful staff and overall experience as my first time in hospital. Pleasant and efficient and empathetic care throughout the whole process. Friendly and professional treatment from admission to completion of treatment,” one patient said.
Well done, St Catherine ward!
St Rose selected dining room vouchers to celebrate their >80 NPS score for August. One patient said, Excellent service! Staff were all wonderful and very helpful, great service and support.”
Excellent job, St Rose ward!
Angela Matthews: August 2024
Nominated by a patient’s family
“We were so lucky to have you beside us when our dad, husband and pop passed away beautifully this past month. Your care, understanding and compassion are beyond words. We hope you realise what an impact you had on our family. We thank the universe every day that our dad passed away the
way he wanted and that we had your support and care. Thank you for being such a special person.”
Olivia Sims for a Compassion Award
Nominated by a patient’s family
“Oliva’s kindness and empathy left a lasting impression on our whole family. She was not only there for my dad, but for my brother and I and the rest of our family in dad's last days. Nothing was too much trouble for her. She went above and beyond to make our dad comfortable and made sure that we too were looked after. She was our beautiful beacon in such a time of heart ache and darkness. Her commitment to provide exceptional care was a testament to her character - she truly is an asset to St John of God Murdoch Hospital and the patients and families she cares for and supports during their cancer journey.”
“It takes a really special kind of person to be a nurse and it takes an even more special type of person to touch the hearts of the patients and their families in the way that Olivia did. Olivia, thank you so much for taking care of our dad. We would like you to know that even though he is gone, the memories that you made with him and us during his stay will forever stay in our hearts (and his). When we think back to his time at the hospital, it provides a little warmth to our hearts knowing that you provided warmth to his. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”
Pastoral Services held their Spring Bling Earrings for Hearings sale in early September and had an amazing day with a total of $2,103 raised for our Charity of the Year.
The team were so grateful for everyone’s support and the opportunity to make a difference to the lives of Indigenous children.
A big shout-out to Lis Stuart, our practitioner, who was the main driver behind this fundraiser.
"Be strong and of good courage, and act.” 1 Chronicles 28:20
FREE coffee in the Caregiver Courtyard 6:00am - 3:00pm
Also available at Ferns Cafe and Fontenay Gardens (please use for large orders)
Emergency Department Opening & Blessing 8:00am - 8:30am
Assemble near flag poles
Caregiver lunch in the Dining Room 11:30am - 1:30pm
Minimum $2 donation to our Charity of the Year. EFTPOS available. Dinner available from 5:00pm - 7:00pm
Mass & Commissioning Ceremony 2:30pm - 3:30pm In the Hospital Chapel
100 MURDOCH DRIVE
MURDOCH WA 6150
Dear Murdoch caregivers
Here at Murdoch, your voice, my voice and our colleagues’ voices are equal.
One of our hospital’s core values is ‘Respect’. We show (and receive) respect in many ways. A key way is feeling heard, equally – irrespective of your job title.
As CEO, I expect Murdoch to be a workplace where people feel safe speaking up for patient safety, in the moment.
Enclosed with this letter is your official ‘licence’ to speak up.
To help us speak up, we have two practical tools:
1. CARE Framework – language we all know and use to voice a concern about patient safety.
2. CARE Portal – an avenue for moments when we are unable to speak up in the moment, or tried to, and didn’t feel heard.
Patient safety is our highest priority, and it is everyone’s responsibility.
Please know that our hospital leadership team and doctors are all on board and supportive of CARE, because we understand the importance of speaking up for patient safety, in the moment.
Go forth, with the confidence that your voice is valued.
Regards
Ben Irish St John of God Murdoch Hospital CEO
Our Gold and Glamour Murdoch Ball on 14 September was an evening of golden elegance filled with fun, food, and unforgettable prizes and entertainment.
Through our Ball raffle, our generous Murdoch family raised $8,710 for our Charity of the Year.
Thank you for supporting our Charity of the Year and thank you to our talented marketing team for producing another fantastic event.
See right for the links to galleries from the night.
Gallery link: https://bit.ly/ murdoch-ball-gallery-2024
Gallery password: Glamour (Please note the password is case sensitive)
Glambot: bit.ly/murdoch-ballglambot-2024
Highlights video: bit.ly/ murdoch-ball-video-2024
At Murdoch, we strongly believe in the importance of creating an environment where our patients feel truly seen and heard.
The See Me As A Person (SMAAP) program is designed to reconnect you with the
This month, we’re focusing on the power of Therapeutic Relationships.
For those who have attended SMAAP, you’ve likely encountered the concept of a therapeutic relationship before. But how do we truly nurture this bond?
At its heart, a therapeutic relationship is about promoting and supporting healing—not only physically, but emotionally and mentally.
Through these relationships, caregivers help patients and their families develop three vital capacities:
1 Coping with their circumstances: Caregivers help guide individuals through the emotional and practical challenges that illness or injury brings.
2 Understanding the meaning of their illness or injury: Patients often struggle to make sense of their health events. Caregivers help them reflect, bringing deeper understanding to their experiences.
core reason you chose this profession. It empowers all of us to deliver the moments that matter most to our patients and their families.
No matter where you work in the hospital, you play a key role in how our patients feel.
3 Taking ownership of their healing: A true therapeutic relationship motivates patients to engage fully in their own recovery, empowering them to take an active role.
SMAAP is designed to strengthen these therapeutic bonds and emphasises four key practices:
• Attuning: Being fully present and receptive to the patient’s needs, emotions, and state of mind, creating an environment where they feel seen and understood.
• Wondering: Maintaining a curious, open mindset, encouraging deeper understanding of the patient’s experience without rushing to conclusions.
• Following: Allowing the patient to guide their own journey to healing, supporting their choices while gently offering professional guidance.
• Holding: Providing a safe, stable presence, especially in times of uncertainty, offering reassurance and calm as the patient navigates their healing process.
You have the power to make a difference by ensuring they feel cared for and supported.
Each month, we’ll highlight a SMAAP concept to help us continue making our patients and their families feel seen, heard, and valued.
These practices transform caregiving into a partnership. By attuning, wondering, following, and holding, caregivers foster relationships that build trust, resilience, and ultimately better outcomes for both the patient and their family. Through this approach, healing becomes a shared journey—a pathway to not just recovery, but empowerment.
If you are interested in learning more about SMAAP, talk to your manager or Cate Thomas (Director of Organisational Development and Improvement).
R U OK? Day was on Thursday 12 September.
This year, the theme was ‘Ask R U OK? ANY DAY’, which highlights the importance of regularly checking in with those around you because a conversation can change someone’s life.
At Murdoch, our OSH team gave caregivers a 'Kit-Kat for a chit chat' to encourage them to use ALEC (Ask | Listen | Encourage action | Check in) to check “R U OK?” with each other any day.
The CHARM Project is well underway with caregivers reaching a major project milestone recently with the Nursing and Pharmacy Super User’s completing their CHARM® training. In addition to gaining CHARM knowledge, it was also a great opportunity for caregivers to fine tune the workflows with vendor and project team support.
What’s next:
• User Acceptance Testing –will now be undertaken by Murdoch CHARM caregivers and the project team
• End User Training is scheduled for the 14th – 22nd October- training sessions will be scheduled as per the following:
- Pharmacy – see your CHARM Super Users –Richard/Hannah/Sean for details
- Clinical Trials – contact Sabina for details
- VMO Training – Rachel will contact VMO/Medical Secretaries to schedule
- Admin Caregivers –add your details to the training sheet in the bookings office
- Allied Health/Pastoral Care/PHS – Rachel will contact you to schedule group sessions
• The new Workstations (wall mounted or Mobile) have been delivered (!) and are currently being prepared for caregiver training and operations.
Any questions? Reach out to Rachel Eaton, your CHARM Project Nurse!
St John of God Murdoch Hospital’s own Mr Alan Thomas is on the cusp of revolutionising sports safety. The general surgeon, who has a history with rugby league, has been instrumental in developing a cutting-edge helmet designed to significantly reduce the impact of concussions.
The Nodal Impact Attenuation (NIA) helmet utilises a patented unique interconnected ballshaped structure and a special injectable foam to absorb and disperse the energy of impacts in sports.
Inspired by his personal experience with concussions –both as a medical professional and as a parent – Mr Thomas joined forces with helmet inventor Graeme Attey to refine a revolutionary design.
“I first heard about an earlier version of the helmet pre-COVID in the local Fremantle Rooster paper. My eldest son had just had a concussion whilst playing rugby league, and I thought that the current headgear he was wearing was not fit for purpose,” Mr Thomas said.
“The basic story in the paper showed that an earlier version
of this helmet had been tested in an independent crash lab and shown to have significant effect on impact reduction, yet I had not heard nor seen it in any shop previously.
“I contacted the editor of the paper and she forwarded my details to Graeme.
“We had an initial communication, then COVID intervened. As it was coming to an end, we liaised again to work on a new design.
“Graeme was already fairly advanced in the design of this newer Ball shaped interconnected node helmet, but I gave some anatomical input and suggested some tweaking of the design as we bounced ideas back and forth.
“The helmet also needed investment to bring it from concept into production and I was able to provide some as we went along.”
How it works: The helmet’s innovative design features a series of interconnected “nodes” made of a special impactabsorbing injectable EVA foam (like the foam used in the soles of athletic training shoes). When the helmet is impacted,
these nodes progressively and exponentially resist compression and distribute the force of the impact across a wider area via the interconnections. This attenuates the impact force on the skull which in turn reduces the acceleration and deformation of the brain within the skull. It is the rapid acceleration and deformity of the brain which causes sport-based concussions.
Laboratory testing has shown the helmet to be vastly superior to existing options, reducing impact force by over 12 times compared to the current best standard sports soft shelled headgear. Applying best available real-world data on sport impact forces, Mr Thomas and his team are confident that this technology should reduce direct head impact concussions by up to 90 percent.
After years of development, the team has recently overcome the significant manufacturing challenges and is now on the brink of mass production. The first commercial batches of the helmet have just arrived in Western Australia and have been delivered to the AFL and NRL, as well as supplied directly to the Fremantle Dockers.
With its potential to transform the world of sports, Mr Attey’s invention and Mr Thomas’s collaboration is a testament to the quality and power of local innovation and the dedication of a medical professional committed to improving health care in our community and beyond.
Hospice presented the Security department the Heart of Murdoch: Team Excellence Award in this month’s Leadership Forum.
Hospice Nurse Manager Jess Wirrell said the following on behalf of the Hospice team:
“Ash and the Security team are so friendly and supportive. Being a separate building from the hospital makes our caregivers a little more vulnerable, especially at night. The security team go above and beyond to ensure they attend to anything we need in next to no time! I can honestly
say I’ve never seen any of the security team without a smile on their face. Our Hospice caregivers truly value all the support and friendliness security provide.”
Congratulations, Security! You are amazing!
Meet Kaitlyn Crouch, one of our wonderful nurses on St Emilie ward and also one of our Jobsfest nurses.
Kaitlyn has always be super supportive of the clinical documentation work and came up with a catchy slogan for recent ward education the team conducted.
“When in doubt write it out!”
The CDS team decided to put it on a sticker and use it when educating our doctors. Kaitlyn even received a well-deserved KitKat (with the sticker on it) and a coffee voucher for her efforts. Well done, Kaitlyn!
Why did you want to be come a Doctor?
Inspired by GPs and physicians who looked after family members.
What’s your favourite food?
Thursday Roast lamb at SJoG caregiver dining hall
A hobby or a fun fact? I am the reigning Tuesday Div C Basketball champion at Lakeside Recreation
UKG is now live, starting pay period 23 September to 6 October.
It was an enormous effort by all to get to this stage, and a true testament to the team’s energy, passion, and commitment.
Now is the time to ensure: Caregivers
• Punch in/out for each shift
• View and Submit leave via UKG
• Submit sick leave at the time of calling in
• Check your hours recorded prior to fortnight end in the app (Timecard tile) Managers
• When you Close a schedule - Post a schedules
• Update and maintain Schedules and Exceptions daily
From all of us in the UKG team, thank you!
We have been made to feel very welcome and supported by the whole Murdoch Hospital community.
It has made the migration to UKG a great experience!
Recently, Sunny enjoyed spending time with caregivers having a lunchbreak on their Ready to Thrive day! Thanks for the company!
Our Engineering team bid a fond farewell to Sophia in September after working as an Administration Assistant for the last few months.
All the best for your next adventure, Sophia!
14th October 10am
come and join us in the caregiver dining room for a ‘quality’ bake sale -All proceeeds to Djaalinj Waakinj project
Sister Bridget Clancy Scholarship for the Empowerment of Women through Education
St John of God Health Care Scholarship
Midwifery Scholarship
visit the ‘Scholarships’ page on Cora for more information from 15 October. Applications close 3 November 2024.
Expand your fitness horizons with the latest facility additions to your program!
• Bibra Lake - World Gym 24/7
• Butler - Snap Fitness 24/7
• Canning Vale - Snap Fitness 24/7
• Denmark - Recreation Centre
• Derby - Memorial Swimming Pool
• Ellenbrook - Chasing Better
• Hillarys - Fitness HC 24/7
• Inglewood - Stirling Leisure
• Kardinya - North Lake Senior Campus Pool
• Katanning - Aquatic Centre
• Malaga - Chasing Better
• Manjimup - Regional AquaCentre
• Nedlands - Fitness HC 24/7
• Osborne Park - New Movement
• Pegs Creek - Karratha Leisureplex
• Perth - Dohertys Gym 365
• Perth - Snap Fitness 24/7
• Perth - Surge Fitness 24/7 - Kings Square
• Rockingham - Power Fitness 24/7
• Scarborough - Beach Pool
OCTOBER 21 - 25
Get involved:
• Dress in the colours
• Decorate your area
• Fundraise for your chosen cancer
• Attend the Trade Display
FRIDAY 25 OCTOBER
Awareness Trade Display
11:30am - 2:00pm Function Rooms
All caregivers welcome
Raising awareness and support for all types of cancer
If