Striving to Thrive!
Cover story, page 5
EVERY CAREGIVER COUNTS DAY!
page 12
NATIONAL VOLUNTEER WEEK!
page 13
May 2023
INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE MIDWIFE AND INTERNATIONAL NURSES DAY!
page 16
CAREGIVER NEWS FROM ST JOHN OF GOD MURDOCH HOSPITAL
Welcome to the May Murdoch Monthly.
As I have just announced, Murdoch has a new CEO, Ben Irish and he will commence on 17th July. Ben has a nursing background and, up until his appointment to Murdoch, has been the Deputy CEO of the Joondalup Health Campus. He has also worked across Perth Children’s Hospital, Princess Margaret Hospital, and Sir Charles Gardiner Hospital. I am sure you will all make Ben welcome when he joins the great team here at Murdoch.
St John of God Healthcare, like many private health care providers, is facing challenges in returning to pre COVID conditions. Therefore, the organisation has launched a group-wide review to reshape St John of God Health Care, so it can meet the evolving healthcare needs of our communities and return to our pre COVID financial position.
Fortunately, Murdoch is in a relatively good position as we have strong activity and through our earlier recruitment program have the caregiver numbers to ensure our theatres and wards can continue to operate at levels in accordance with our
activity demand. However, we must continue to be responsible financial stewards to ensure our ongoing success. Critical to our success will be our ability to manage costs and in particular meet our Clincare targets.
Please be assured that your Executive have and will continue to provide the necessary support to your managers and teams as we work towards achieving our targets. Your wellbeing remains our priority, and we ask that you continue to look after yourselves and your colleagues so that you can continue to deliver excellent care to our patients.
With winter hot on our heels, just a reminder to everyone to get their free flu vaccination from Infection Control on the Lower Ground Floor, between 7.30am and 3.00pm, Monday to Friday. Clinics are also being held in the caregiver dining room over lunchtime from 11:30am to 1:30pm, a couple of days during the week. Caregivers who work night shift can request an outof-hours appointment by contact the Infection Control team.
You can fill out your online request form on CORA before you attend the clinic to save time. Scan the QR code or head to this link: https://bit.ly/flu-vax-2023.
Many of you will have noticed that there is construction works currently underway at the Wexford Medical Centre. The work involves the construction of a lift shaft, which will accommodate two lifts. The addition of the two lifts will improve access to visitors to the Wexford Medical Centre, particularly those coming via the Hospital.
Progress is also continuing on the expansion of the Endoscopy Department with the works contract for next stage in the process of being finalised.
In regards to the Emergency Department, tenders for the works associated with the expansion and refurbishment have closed and responses are being assessed.
Meanwhile, we continue to explore options for the refurbishment of the Surgicentre and we hope to be in a position to release further information on this project in the not too distance future.
Thank you to all caregivers for your continual commitment to the care of our patients.
Michael SalterSt John of God Health Care is proud to accept the invitation of the Uluru Statement from the Heart and participate in the movement for a better future for all Australians.
We gladly take the opportunity to respond to the call for recognition of the First Nations peoples and respectfully acknowledge the ancient, sacred and ongoing connection to the land and unbroken sovereignty that goes back more than 60,000 years.
We acknowledge the injustices created through colonisation, which have had a continuing and far-reaching impact on First Nations people.
This is in keeping with our organisational values of compassion, justice and respect, and our Vision as a Catholic health care provider to provide healing, hope and a greater sense of dignity. We fundamentally believe that every person has a right to participate in the
decisions that affect them and that this helps communities to flourish and prosper.
We share the belief that that this will bring benefits to all Australians and a richer nationhood.
In a spirit of reconciliation, hope and solidarity, we join with First Nations people to imagine and strive for a greater future for all and wholeheartedly endorse the Uluru Statement from the Heart.
chances and choices as nonIndigenous children, and the length and quality of a person’s life will not be determined by their racial background.”
As we celebrate Reconciliation Week, I am drawn to this definition of reconciliation in the Britannica Dictionary – “the process of finding a way to make two different ideas, facts, etc., exist or be true at the same time.” This is, for me, a deeply respectful way to consider how two different realities can sit side by side and inform each other. It also highlights the complexity and inherent challenge of reconciliation.
Reconciliation Australia suggests that “Reconciliation is an ongoing journey that reminds us that while generations of Australians have fought hard for meaningful change, future gains are likely to take just as much, if not more, effort. For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, Australia’s colonial history is characterised by devastating land dispossession, violence, and racism. Over the last half-century, however, many significant steps towards reconciliation have been taken. In a just, equitable, and reconciled Australia, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children will have the same life
At its heart, reconciliation is about strengthening relationships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and nonIndigenous peoples, so that all of us might live in safety and security, with opportunities that enable us to reach our true potential as human beings. For us at Murdoch, we strengthen these relationships through our active engagement and collaboration with the Djaalinj Waakinj Ear Health Program that provides essential ENT surgery to vulnerable young Aboriginal children at no cost and in a timely way.
We have an active and enthusiastic Reconciliation Committee that believes Reconciliation matters to Murdoch, and because of this, we are reaching out to a number of Aboriginal organisations to explore how we might provide more opportunities for caregivers to actively contribute to improving health outcomes for Aboriginal young people.
We are especially excited to introduce you to our new Reconciliation Committee member – Juanetia (Neta) Knapp. Neta is a wellknown and respected Goreng Woman from Gnowangerup. She has a rich and varied background having been born in a mission hospital and later taken from her parents care at the age of 9. Her early years were spent in the South West
before moving to Claremont to attend Teachers College. After teaching for several years, Neta became a Nurse. She is currently the Artist in Residence at Notre Dame University in Fremantle, a cultural advisor and educator, and author. She is active in politics, advocacy and health, and sits on various boards and advisory bodies. She has received many awards for her community support and engagement in school, WA Police, and healthcare services. Neta loves classical music, reading and sharing her wealth of knowledge and lived experience. Neta says her life journey can be summed up in two words – vision and resilience. We look forward to welcoming Neta to our Reconciliation Committee and wider hospital community and sharing her vision and resilience.
We are also hosting, what we hope will be the first of several Aboriginal Health in Focus seminars that will deepen our understanding of the lived experience of Aboriginal people, and the health challenges they face on a daily basis.
As a visible indication of our commitment to reconciliation, we will soon be introducing a new Murdoch email signature. This will include the identification of Whadjuk Country in our actual address line, a more descriptive acknowledgement of Country, and a visual banner of the artwork that was gifted to us in recognition of our collaboration with Djaalinj Waakinj.
If you would like to find out more please contact me.
Jenni Ashton Our twelve caregivers of the months as well as two sneaky stand ins!
All caregivers are invited to join us to hear Dr Corey Dalton share his lived experiences working in the Aboriginal Medical Service and how we might journey with Aboriginal people towards real reconciliation.
Date: Monday 29 May
Time: 12.30pm - 2pm
Location: Auditorium (MURTEC)
About Corey:
Corey is an Arrernte man from western desert Northern Territory. Corey spent time as a child both living in Perth with his mother and siblings and spending summer holidays back on country with his mob, learning his culture. Corey has worn many hats in his life and has lived experience growing up in two worlds, marred by racism. Corey is very accomplished, and is now an inspirational doctor working with the Aboriginal Medical Service.
St John of God Murdoch Hospital stands on Noongar country. We share these grounds with an abundance of native plants and animals, and are grateful for the calming, healing influence that our natural setting has on caregivers, our patients and their loved ones. We thank the traditional custodians of this land, the Whadjuk people and we pay our respect to Elders past, present and emerging.
On Friday 5 May, St John of God Hospital Murdoch held our inaugural Thrive Expo, which celebrated the incredible initiatives rolled out by Murdoch’s Thrive Councils over the last few years.
Murdoch’s Thrive Councils are elected groups of caregivers from patientfacing areas across the hospital, including nursing, patient care assistants, and administration, who are responsible for making decisions to improve patient safety and quality from a patient and caregiver perspective.
The Expo saw the Councils gather with St John of God Health Care Chief Operating Officer Ben Edwards, St John of God Murdoch Hospital Acting CEO Michael Salter, and Murdoch’s Director of Nursing and Patient Experience SarahJayne Powell, amongst others.
“Thrive is central to the way Murdoch operates – developing our caregivers and investing in their wellbeing is the pathway to improving performance and engagement, and the results of our investment in Thrive can been seen in our excellent patient experience and caregiver engagement results.” Michael Salter said.
“Seeing the myriad different ways our empowered caregivers have designed and delivered initiatives to improve safety, patient experience and caregiver wellbeing is really wonderful.”
The Thrive Council leadership model is based on Shared Governance, an evidencebased approach which provides support and structure to solve problems, innovate and improve care, and implement excellent initiatives to make sustainable and successful improvements. Caregivers realise, and track their own goals, and the impact these changes have.
Caregivers praise the Councils, citing a number of benefits which include having the opportunity to be the key drivers in positive change, being able use their voice to improve patient and hospital experience, having the ability to advocate for patients and co-workers, forming stronger relationships with caregivers, and collaboratively working together to bring about change.
Currently, Murdoch has 15 Thrive
Councils, with five additional councils planned to roll out over the course of the year.
The Councils are provided rostered, paid time to meet as a group to focus on the areas of patient safety and quality, patient satisfaction, and caregiver wellbeing.
The Thrive Councils have been instrumental in developing incredible initiatives over the last few years, including the introduction of wellbeing dog Sunny, therapy dog visits in Hospice and St Elizabeth Ward, beanies for patients in the cooler weather on St Elizabeth Ward, updating artwork throughout the ICU/CCU, establishing a Patient Experience Trolley on St Rose Ward, implementing a tea round on St Francis Ward, the rollout of the Hospice Happy Hour Trolley, introducing ‘funky scrub Fridays’ for nursing staff, and more.
We look forward to continuing to improve the experience for patients and caregivers alike in the years to come.
Comment 1: EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT
Excellent and compassionate treatment of my husband. I can’t thank them enough - there are no words.
Comment 2: SURGICENTRE
Friendly staff, very caring and I felt safe and well cared for. My pain management was excellent after my procedure. I have been here before and every time has been a positive experience.
Comment 3: ST ROSE WARD
I felt very safe and looked after while under the care of St John of God Murdoch. Everyone from the maintenance staff to the nurses and specialist treated me with respect and dignity.
The Emergency Department received a special surprise when a patient’s husband drew them a picture on the whiteboard in their room to extend their thanks to staff for the excellent service his wife has received every time they have presented.
This month was the first month of rolling out our new NPS team rewards!
St Francis Ward scored >80 for January and opted for Pizza & Doughnuts! “Thank you all the nurses, physio and doctors involved in my care on St Francis ward. They checked in regularly to make sure I was okay and were very efficient in everything they did.”
Well done, St Francis Ward!
The Surgicentre celebrated two months of scores >80 for February and March, and selected Cheese & Fruit Platters, and Coffee & Cookies for the team.
A patient said, “I have full confidence in the care given at the Surgicentre. Staff at all levels performed their roles in a caring,
professional manner at all times. Very happy with the whole process.”
Excellent job, Surgicentre!
St Michael Ward also celebrated two months of scores >80 for February and March, and received massages and Caregiver Dining Room vouchers for the whole team! “The care the ward nurses gave was unbelievable. They were so caring and nurturing. Nothing was a problem and made the stay more comfortable.”
Fantastic effort, St Michael Ward!
St Rose Ward received a NPS score >80 for January and February and enjoyed Pizza & Doughnuts, and Dining Room vouchers for the whole team! A patient commented that the,
“service is exceptional [and] compassion shown by everyone is remarkable.”
Amazing, St Rose Ward!
The Cancer Centre celebrated three months of scores >80 and gifted two of their rewards to other Murdoch teams they appreciate who don’t get their own NPS score. They said ‘Thank You For All You Do’ to Housekeeping and Security for their January and February rewards, and for their March reward, they chose a Wellness Luck Dip for every caregiver. Feedback they received was highly praising, with a patient noting, “I can only say a big thank you for the best service.”
Outstanding work, Cancer Centre!
St Francis Ward St Rose Ward St Michael Ward SurgicentreNominated by a patient on St Mary Ward
“I had the most amazing midwife, Monique! She was so kind, caring, understanding and just an absolutely lovely person. Our baby was taken to the nursery pretty much straight after birth and this was stressful for me. After Monique accompanied my bub and Hubby to the nursery with the paediatrician, she quickly came back to make sure I was ok and helped me understand what was happening. I was so grateful, and appreciated her explaining things to me so I felt cared for and looked after. I was so happy when Monique was in St Mary's ward the next day and came to say goodbye before we left, as she wasn't rostered on the next day we were leaving. Monique made a pretty traumatic experience a lot more manageable. I had a great experience with all of the midwives, our paediatrician and my Obstetrician and highly recommend St John's Murdoch - Thanks so much.”
Nominated by a caregiver on St Emilie Ward
“I wanted to take the opportunity to commend your team on the care I received while I was a patient recently. My Apologies that I cannot name them all, but each one was compassionate and attentive. A special thanks to Joe who helped me through one of the harder days. As a patient who has been an RN and who is comfortable in managing the chronic condition that requires me to self-catheterise, I was feeling quite vulnerable after being hospitalised with a UTI for the first time. I appreciated the way that Joe allowed me to do everything I could independently. Although this sounds like a small thing, it was empowering and just what I needed. When I became unexpectedly unwell Joe`s response was quick and caring. I know something of the other demands he would have been under, but I felt that he made my wellbeing a priority, and I was grateful.”
On Thursday 11th May, we held a Footwear 4 Healthcare stall in the Caregiver dining room to offer caregivers the best footwear options to help manage foot fatigue as well as prevent injuries from slips and trips.
With a variety of styles and colours available and all enclosed footwear fitting within our footwear guidelines. This ensures that as well as giving your feet the best possible support they are also waterproof, wipeable, non-slip and protective against sharps
and spills.
The best part is you can try on and purchase on the day and your new shoes are delivered to the hospital the following week.
We received some really positive feedback so we are planning to have a regular schedule so if you missed out this time look out for details of the next event coming soon.
St Catherine Ward celebrated their Feast Day on 2 May for St Catherine of Siena, who showed excellence by calling out corruption and inconsistencies.
The Emergency Department celebrated their Feast Day for St Riccardo Pampuri on 2 May 2023! St Riccardo Pampuri was an Italian doctor serving the poor, and was also a priest in the Order of the Hospitaliers.
The Cancer Centre’s Feast Day was on 4 May, and they celebrated St Peregrine who is the Patron Saint for people who suffer cancer and ulcerated sores.
After a very successful study day about caring for a patient with cognitive decline, the Clinical Documentation Specialist team focused on delirium documentation in April.
Delirium is a significant and potentially fatal complication for patients, especially our elderly cohort. The goal was to ensure that delirium (with the type) is documented in the progress notes, as this is essential for handover of critical information and patient safety.
“All too often we see ‘pleasantly confused’ in the notes and we always say there is nothing pleasant about being confused,”
Tracey Gracewood said. “We had a focus with our amazing junior medical staff, gave out cookies with information, and had a colouring competition (who doesn’t love colouring) about delirium. The lovely Lei won our doctor colouring competition.”
On Thursday 11 May, our beautiful volunteer Vaune brought in some chrysanthemums to gift to our patients for Mother’s Day. Her family owns some nurseries, and she didn’t want any patients to miss out on being celebrated.
Jo from Medical Records had a special thank you and well done for Professor Peter Bremner for completing his discharge summaries so promptly!
Well done, Professor Bremner!
The children and educators at Teddy Bear Corner’s OSHC Club Hilton sent their thanks in the form of cards to the nursing caregivers for International Nurses Day. Each card had a special note: “Thank you for everything you do to keep us safe. We appreciate you and your work.” A heartfelt thank you to everyone at Teddy Bear Corner’s Hilton for this thoughtful gesture!
The Clinical Services team held a Mother’s Day Morning Tea on Friday 12 May to raise money for Djaalinj Waakinj. Caregivers rallied to buy the delicious cakes and chocolates that the team had baked and made, and all up, the Clinical Services caregivers raised over $1700! What an incredible effort!
On Monday May 15, St John of God Murdoch gathered to celebrate Every Caregiver Counts Day, where caregivers across the Hospital, from Engineering to Patient Administration, Catering to PCAs, Housekeeping to CSSD, and everyone in between were thanked for their contribution.
At Murdoch, we recognise that Every Caregiver Counts. Each and every caregiver contributes to making Murdoch a fantastic place to work, contributes to creating incredible patient experience, and brings unique and different skills which make our hospital the place it is.
Every Caregiver Counts Day is a day to say thank you and celebrate our wonderful
caregivers across the Hospital. Caregivers were treated to a special lunch served by our Hospital Executive, with a guest visit by Ben Edwards!
Caregivers were given a reusable bag as a token of appreciation for all the work they do to make Murdoch such a special place to work.
On Every Caregiver Counts Day, Ben Edwards paid a visit to Murdoch to say ‘see you later’ after his appointment as Group Chief Operating Officer.
All the best, Ben! See you soon! Wards and departments around the Hospital rallied to say thank you and good luck in video messages to Ben. https://bit.ly/thank-you-ben
To celebrate National Volunteer Week, on Tuesday 16 May, we thanked and showed our appreciation to our amazing volunteers. At Murdoch, we have over 100 volunteer caregivers, who spent over 6300 hours in the last year making a difference to patients, families, and caregivers lives throughout the Hospital.
This year, the theme of the week was ‘The Change Makers’ to pay homage to volunteers being at the heart of Australian communities – ‘We Are the Change Makers’.
From everyone at Murdoch, thank you to all our volunteers for everything you do! The vital support you provide is very much appreciated.
Are you looking for a meaningful way to make a difference in the lives of others? Are you compassionate, empathetic, and eager to bring comfort to those in need? Join our Hospice Footprints as a volunteer companion or complementary therapist, and let your presence be a source of solace and support during life's most challenging moments.
As a volunteer companion, you will sit with patients, sharing conversations, stories, and laughter. Your compassionate presence will provide emotional support, alleviating loneliness, and offering a listening ear to those who need it most.
Additionally, you may engage in activities such as reading, playing games, assisting with meal ordering, or simply sitting quietly with patients, offering them a sense of companionship and connection.
If you possess skills in complementary therapies such as massage, music and art therapy, Reiki, reflexology, aromatherapy or any other therapies, your talents can be invaluable in creating a soothing environment for our patients. By providing gentle touch, soothing sounds, or calming scents, you can help alleviate discomfort, reduce stress, and promote relaxation to bring a sense of peace and tranquillity to patients.
Benefits of Volunteering:
• Make a profound difference in the lives of patients and their families
• Experience personal growth and fulfilment through service
• Join a supportive community of like-minded individuals
• Create lasting memories and meaningful connections
Footprints is dedicated to providing personalised support for inpatients, outpatients, and their families. To learn more or apply, contact Kathy or Elaine on 9438 9510 (9am-2pm, Mon to Fri) or email Kathy.Parr@sjog.org.au. Let your heart and hands make a difference in the lives of those in palliative care.
On Friday 5 May, Hospice patient Terry got a very special wish granted – he got to return home to visit his paddocks and care for his four horses and farm dogs after being hospitalised since mid-April.
President of the Western Australian Endurance Riders Association, Terry was very passionate about looking after his horses and riding them in the Jarrahdale forest. He lived on a five-acre property in Cardup with Caren, his partner of ten years, and enjoyed travelling with his caravan and horse float to events.
Naturally, Terry found it difficult to be away from his home and horses, and due to his disease progression and deterioration,
was unable to return home for care.
“The Palliative Care team were fantastic in supporting Terry’s referral to Wish Ambulance as an opportunity to acknowledge and fulfil his wish to return home to see his beloved animals,” Emily, our Senior Occupational Therapist said.
“During his admission Terry and his family worked closely alongside Allied Health Department, Medical Team and Nursing Team to understand what was important and meaningful to him. It was touching to see Terry’s excitement on the morning Wish Ambulance arrived to collect him”
The Ambulance Wish Western Australia enables people
receiving palliative care or who are terminally ill to fulfil a final wish by visiting a place of personal significance. They have medically trained volunteers and adapted ambulances to provide the means to make these last dreams come true.
Thanks to Ambulance Wish, Terry was able to see his horses, dogs, and family before he passed away.
If caregivers are interested in utilising this service for patients, you can find out more information on how to request a wish at ambulancewishwa.org.au. Or, if you would like to support Ambulance Wish WA at their Teal and Turquoise High Tea, you can get tickets from www.trybooking.com/CIERU.
On 5 May and 12 May, the Hospital celebrated International Day of the Midwife when we took the opportunity to recognise and thank the incredible support, dedication, and expertise of our midwives and nursing caregivers, and celebrate the
important care they provide for our patients and their families every day. This year, our midwives and nurses were encouraged to make or buy red capes and nurse’s caps to wear on the day to show their inner superheroes!
As a token of our appreciation, our midwives and nurses received a reusable bag with a beautiful message from our Director of Nursing and Patient Experience, Sarah-Jayne Powell.
In April, St John of God Murdoch sponsored an event for the Lions Cancer Institute, which meant seriously ill children enjoyed a wonderful day at the movies.
The Lions Cancer Institute took all the local special needs and some seriously ill children from all the Hospitals and Education Support Centres in Perth (Belmont Cinema), Bunbury, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie and surrounding suburbs in these towns to the Movies. For many, it was a first time experience to see a pre-released movie on the big screen. Each child received refreshments, show bags, bubbles, balloons, and a gift from the Easter Bunny making it very personal, memorable and therapeutic.
“The generous support from St John of God Health Care this
year was a welcome gift to each child giving them self-worth, letting them shine and making a real difference tragically for some having a very short life,” The Lions Cancer Institute said.
The day was a huge success, unforgettable, and put a huge smile on their little faces. Amazing!
In March, the Business and Service Development team welcomed Carli Harford as Manager Service Development. Carli previously worked at PricewaterhouseCoopers, and brings substantial experience in health service development and capital planning across Australia.
We look forward to watching Carli smash budgets in the good way, implement incredible service development initiatives to increase patient satisfaction, and maintain an unfaltering commitment to wearing pink on Wednesdays.
We are thrilled to have Carli on board and can't wait to see her in action in her new role. A very warm welcome to our leadership team, Carli!
Thanks to generous donor support, a group therapy program has been established at St John of God Murdoch Hospital’s Cancer Centre, to support people experiencing spiritual distress.
After 42 happy years of marriage and with their children all grown up, Heather and Steve Head were both retired and looking forward to a long-awaited caravanning holiday. They were forced to put their plans on hold, however, while Steve went through treatment for prostate cancer, and then also had to have openheart surgery.
Thankfully, he was later given the all clear, and things were starting to settle down. But then out of the blue, Heather was diagnosed with bowel cancer.
“To say I was gobsmacked would be a gross understatement!” says Heather.
Before she retired, Heather was an inpatient physiotherapist, but her experience with clinical situations didn’t make what came next any less frightening.
“The next few days were taken up with scans and surgeon appointments. I found it was all quite overwhelming, and the speed with which I had been booked in for scans and to see the surgeon was initially quite scary. I thought that they were hurrying everything because it was so serious – my professionally clinical brain was in overdrive.”
Heather’s family were also struggling with the shock and distress that can come with having a loved one diagnosed with cancer.
“When Heather was diagnosed, it initially knocked me a lot,” says Steve.
“I think the kids were more affected than we were, the threat of losing their mother was overwhelming. But we were not going to accept anything other than a complete recovery.”
Heather found she was able to take a pragmatic yet positive approach to her treatment, and even nicknamed her cancer ‘The Slug’ due to how it appeared on her colonoscopy. Thankfully, Heather’s surgery and hospital care went very smoothly, and even when cancer cells were found on one of her lymph nodes, Heather rationalised that it was only one of the nodes that had ‘Slug cells’.
Then Heather commenced chemotherapy at the St John of God Murdoch Hospital Cancer Centre, and it was during this treatment that she began to feel overwhelmed again.
“Chemotherapy is extremely draining, and everyone reacts differently. By the time of disconnection of the 5th cycle, the nausea and other sideeffects had overwhelmed me, again, and I broke down in the Centre,” she says.
Fortunately, the Cancer Centre staff were equipped to support Heather.
“The Nurse Manager who was treating me at that time immediately swung into action. She strongly recommended that Steve and I join the Group Therapy sessions which were due to commence the following week.”
This was, Heather says, “The best advice ever!”
Thanks to generous donor support, a group therapy program has been established at the Murdoch Cancer Centre, for self-nominated patients and carers who have reported spiritual distress.
Spiritual distress is experienced by many patients and their carers following a cancer diagnosis. The condition can be all-consuming and difficult to articulate for the people experiencing it, and is known to cause feelings of alienation, helplessness, and hopelessness.
The group therapy program forms part of a spiritual distress study led by Professor Leanne Monterosso at St John of God Murdoch Hospital, and the outcomes of the study will support the future vision for the program to be available for cancer patients and their carers across St John of God Hospitals and Services.
For Heather, the group therapy program had a positive impact almost right away.
“As with many of the other participants, I was a little hesitant at first, but both Farrah and Beth [the facilitators] were able to effortlessly draw everyone out of their shells, resulting in multitudes of shared experiences and tips for dealing with many of the different aspects of the cancer journey,” she says.
“For me personally, the breathing exercises, relaxation techniques, thought and feelings charting, and meditation techniques were extremely helpful. There was plenty of time to socialize before and after each session which I felt benefited everyone in the group.
Although he was initially apprehensive, Steve also found the group therapy to be extremely beneficial.
“I did not think this group would help, especially since I was not the patient. I thought I knew it all,” he says.
“How wrong I was… We discussed many of life’s conundrums and different approaches, we all had many ideas and views, all of which were extremely valuable. We have found a bunch of new friends, some of which we have seen outside the group.”
Now, Steve says that he feels that the group therapy program was one of the most beneficial aspects of the whole experience for himself and for Heather.
“These sessions have affected the way I view the world, I know this sounds a bit crazy, but it is how I feel.”
Heather feels grateful to the donors who have made the program possible.
“Their generosity has enabled this program to provide the much needed support for both patients and carers at the time they need it most. For this I am forever grateful.” With treatment out of the way, Heather and Steve are looking to the future – and Heather feels skills they’ve learnt in group therapy will help with whatever comes next.
“With the cyclical nature of the treatment, it’s inevitable that both patients and carers have physical and mental ups and
downs along the way,” says Heather.
“I feel that because this was dealt with so well in the group, I am able to keep practicing the tools used in the group to manage these changes. That doesn’t mean I don’t experience them, just that now I can recognise them for what they are and deal with them far more efficiently and effectively. This has been such an immense help in encouraging us to once again start planning that elusive caravan trip…”
We are incredibly thankful for the generous donor support that will enable St John of God Murdoch Hospital to continue to offer this important program to people like Heather and Steve, and to support them on their cancer journey.
Our tireless Engineering Manager, John Bose, finished up at Murdoch on 19 May, after eight incredible years at the Hospital.
Over the years, John built a multipurpose, multi skilled Engineering team that is truly a cohesive and well-functioning unit. He and the team have been responsible both behind the scenes and sometimes in front of the camera (see Murdoch Sky Sign for the cameo) for the smooth and safe running of our beautiful facility.
All the very best John, and thank you for all you have brought to Murdoch over the past eight years!
Jessica Hawke joins us as Acting Nurse Manager of the Emergency Department, having most recently been an After Hours Duty Manager.
Q: What do you love most about nursing?
A: I love the relationships I have formed with my colleagues (my Murdoch family) and the day to day interactions with patients. I am a ‘people person’. It brings me great joy and fulfilment to be around people and help others.
Q: Something many of us may not know about you?
A: I used to be a Veterinary Nurse (over 20 years ago).
Q: Netflix or novel – which do you prefer? Any recommendations?
A: Definitely a Netflix and chill kind of gal. Anything about serial killers or crime.
Q: Emoji that best represents you?
A: The little bicep curl one.
Q: If you weren’t a nurse, you would be…?
A: A lady of leisure ha ha… and then I could just volunteer at the animal shelter.
Q: Greatest piece of advice for nursing colleagues?
A: Know and practice the basic
nursing skills well. Also, trust your gut because it is usually right!
Congratulations to the Angiography team for excellent Hand Hygiene audit results in 2022! Nurse Manager Michelle Parks and the team received the Hand Hygiene trophy for last year and a basket full of goodies from our trophy sponsor SC Johnson.
Hand Hygiene is central to preventing the spread of infections especially in the healthcare setting. Three times a year, the hospital submits Hand Hygiene audit data into the National Hand Hygiene Initiative, and each clinical area are required to submit at least 100 ‘moments’ which are how many times hand hygiene is completed (or not) and observed by the trained auditor, which is over 300 moments each year.
The Angiography team submitted 511 audits with a compliance rate average for the year of 91.2%, which is well above the national benchmark of 80%! This award recognises the area who achieved
the highest Hand Hygiene compliance, as well as the minimum number of moments audited in the time periods. It demonstrates consistent, excellent hand hygiene protecting patients, the caregivers and the environment from the spread of infection.
Well done on great results, Angiography! Keep up the amazing work!
Our Acting Nurse Manager of ED, Jess Hawke has been busy lately having recently competed in two body building competitions. “It has always been a goal of mine to compete in bodybuilding. I decided at age 43… Why not!”
At the end of April, Jess competed in five categories for
ICN, the Natural Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation in Australia. While she didn’t place, she said she had an amazing experience for her first time competing.
However, a week later, Jess competed in a second competition for YNF, Your Natural Federation Body Building Competition and Show, and came away with three medals
– one silver and two bronze for 40+, Tall, and Mum categories respectively. What a superstar!
What’s next for Jess? Well, she said she is celebrating by have a bit of a break to eat, drink, and be merry before getting back to work on her physique for the next show.
Massive congratulations, Jess!
7.30am - 3.00pm (Monday to Friday)
Infection Control Office - Lower Ground Floor
Flu vaccination appointments can be requested out of hours by emailing InfectionControl.Murdoch@sjog.org.au
Clinics will also be held in the Dining Room during lunch time on select days.
*Scan the QR code and complete the consent form before getting your vaccination.
On 1 May, the Pre-Admission and Patient Administration caregivers celebrated Nicole Mourad as she concluded an incredible 27 years at Murdoch.
Nicole has worked at Murdoch since 1996 with our Pre-
Admission administration team and has been extremely active in generating patient packs. It was estimated that she has made an incredible 136,000 packs in total over the years!
Nicole was well known for giving the best hugs and being the chief birthday wisher. She was also
a meticulous timekeeper and always rang the bell to alert the Patient Administration team for their daily huddles.
Thank you for the impact you’ve had on our lives, Nicole! We wish you all the best for your next adventure!
