CAREGIVER NEWS FROM ST JOHN OF GOD MURDOCH HOSPITAL
ENGINEERING CELEBRATES JOHN AND KEVIN AS THEY RETIRE page 9
Unveiling Djilba: Springtime colours of our land Page 3
SISTER GRATIAE AND SISTER EUGENIA VISIT MURDOCH page 10
A TRIBUTE TO ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR GRAHAM CULLINGFORD page 14
There has been a lot of chatter in the media lately about heroes – well, perhaps one hero in particularTaylor Swift. Not only can she sing and dance, but her music inspires honesty, reclaiming lived experience and the power of love in all its shades. Whether you are a fan or not, there is no denying her unprecedented appeal to many.
February has been exciting as we celebrated our 30th birthday and unveiled our collaborative artwork, ‘Djilba’ with Aunty Neta Knapp. I hope you have all enjoyed the festivities so far.
This month, on St John of God Day on 8 March, we unveil our St John of God Murdoch Hospital History Trail that leads you to 12 significant locations around our campus where you can read more about the back-story of our hospital. You can find maps for the trail at the Main Reception and near the Chapel.
We will also celebrate St John of God Day with a Mass in
Her concerts have generated a spirit of community and kindness that connects those gathered and harnesses their collective positive energy. She makes people feel happy.
That’s what heroes do. They show us by their example how to focus on our strengths, and through their experience, remind us of what is important in life. They make us feel good.
As we celebrate St John of God Day this year, we are reminded of how St John of God (our organisation’s hero) made a positive and lasting difference in the lives of those he met. He didn’t just preach or sing about love and compassion. He went out into the streets of Granada and gathered the sick, lonely, depressed and lost, giving them shelter, food and medical care. His love for others was seen quite clearly in his actions and attitudes.
Our theme for this year’s celebration is ‘Love made Real’, and it captures the essence
the Chapel at 10am and our Caregiver of the Year ceremony at 2:30pm. There is also free coffee and fresh juice in the Caregiver Courtyard and a special Portuguese lunch for a $2 donation.
Easter will be upon us at the end of the month, so keep an eye out for some free coffee, hot cross buns, and chocolate!
Once again, thank you to every one of you for your continual commitment to the care of our patients.
Benof how St John of God treated those around him. Our Catholic heritage, as shaped by the Christian scriptures, challenges us to ensure our love is not just words or mere talk but something active and genuine. (1 John 3:18) It is to be seen and not only heard.
Each of us who embodies the values of St John of God is a hero to others and makes love real every day in every act of caring. Whether helping a patient to shower, cooking a meal, preparing an admission, sweeping a floor, holding a hand, or offering hope, we are showing love and kindness and thus restoring dignity and respect to those in our care.
Thank you for being heroes who care with more than words and show compassion in ways that really do transform people’s lives.
Happy St John of God Day.
Jenni Ashton Welcome to the March MurdochOur twelve caregivers of the months as well as two sneaky stand ins!
As part of our 30-year celebrations, on Wednesday 14 February, our beautiful artwork ‘Djilba’, created under the creative and watchful eye of artist and elder Aunty Neta Knapp, was unveiled.
In a ceremony in the Chapel hosted by our CEO Ben Irish, caregivers and members of the leadership team were inspired by guest speakers Aunty Neta Knapp, Group Manager History & Heritage Jacqui Sheriff, Art Curator Carina McPherson, and caregiver Tracey Gracewood before gathering in the hospital foyer for the grand unveiling.
Djilba is now a proud focal point at our hospital’s entrance. We encourage everyone to visit the vibrant artwork that carries great significance for our caregivers, especially those who helped create it.
The colours of Djilba (one of the six Noongar seasons, August to September) inspired the artwork, which celebrates Murdoch and the beautiful land our hospital stands on.
We thank Aunty Neta for her inspired vision and support in bringing this magnificent work of art to life.
Comment 1:
ST MICHAEL WARD
The nursing staff were so lovely and helpful. They catered for all of our needs and were kind and generous.
Comment 2:
ST MARY WARD
The care that my baby and I received was excellent. We had a great experience and would definitely choose St John of God Murdoch again.
Comment 3:
ENDOSCOPY
I have already told my family and friends how good it was from the time l arrived to the time l left. Everything went to plan and it was the slickest procedure from start to finish.
Katherine Gallardo for a Compassion Award
Nominated by a patient
“I couldn’t pick one thing about the difference in care I received from Nurse Kat - I had truly wonderful care from all the staff on the ward, but Kat just made me feel better about my situation. I genuinely looked forward to waking up and having a chat with her in the morning. She put me at ease, she let me have difficult - and
meaningful conversations with her, she somehow made the blood thinner injections painless, and she treated me less like just another patient and more like an old friend. She is exactly what I needed during my recovery and an absolute gem of a nurse and human. Thank you, Kat. After being absolutely terrified of this surgery and recovery, you’ve been a true angel at the end of a long road. I hope you know how grateful I am that you were there.”
Sonique Challen for a Compassion Award
Nominated by two patient’s families
“Sonique cared for our dear late mum in a way that transcended the mission and values of St John of God Health Care. Despite being relatively young, she displayed a level of professionalism and maturity beyond her years. Sonique went out of her way to care for our mum as if she were her grandmother. It was small gestures like cleaning her face, shaving her top lip, brushing mum’s hair the way she liked it, and spraying mum’s favourite perfume. Witnessing this for ourselves brought us much comfort during Mum’s final days. These endearing qualities reflected Sonique’s level of compassion in understanding who Mum was as a person whilst respecting the unique
On Friday 23 February, the Angiography team celebrated the opening of their new suite. There were smiles and excitement as caregivers and Executive gathered for a light lunch and some adorable heart cupcakes.
Congratulations, Angiography!
dignity of our dear mum. We take great comfort and gratitude that Sonique was physically present with us as Mum passed during the silence of the night. We are eternally grateful.”
“Sonique has been looking after my dad for the last 2 weeks, supporting him through his cancer battle. Sonique has been absolutely amazing, so caring and going above and beyond anyone’s expectations. She is gentle and precise and constantly keeps a good eye on him, keeping him calm, and we feel he is in the best hands. As a family, we feel so blessed to have met her during this tough time. My dad, Giovanni, is so very grateful, and we cannot thank her enough for all she has done. What an absolute gem she is, and how very lucky St John of God Murdoch Hospital is to have such a wonderful soul doing
such a difficult job. We could not get through this without her! She is THE BEST! I would be honoured if she is aware of how amazing and what a difference she makes. Thank you so very much, you lovely lady.”
St Rose Ward celebrated their >80 NPS scores for November and December with coffee and cookies and dining room vouchers for the team! One patient said, “Amazing care. Lovely nurses, doctors and staff. So friendly and professional. The whole experience was next level. Thank you very much.”
Wonderful job, St Rose Ward!
DPU celebrated their >80 NPS scores for November and December with dining room vouchers for both rewards!
“Overall, I had a great experience with all staff from the beginning to the end. Highly professional, kind, and empathetic team,” a patient commented.
Outstanding effort, DPU!
St Michael Ward celebrated their >80 NPS score for December with dining room vouchers for the team. A patient said, “Friendly, knowledgeable staff. The nurses were especially fantastic with the care they provided for my son; I could trust we were in great hands.”
Fantastic work, St Michael ward!
St Francis Ward celebrated their exceptional >80 NPS score for November with dining room vouchers! “My nurses were wonderful and caring, and I was treated so professionally. Thank you so much to the St Francis ward team,” one patient commented.
Fantastic, St Francis ward!
Murdoch Stores/Supply received a pay-it-forward reward from the
Cancer Centre and celebrated with pizza and doughnuts!
Thank you for all that you do, Stores/Supply!
St Catherine Ward celebrated their >80 NPS score for January with cookies and coffee for the team! One patient said, “The staff were fantastic and really looked after me, going above and beyond to ensure I was okay.”
Well done, St Catherine Ward!
St Joseph Ward scored >80 for January and selected pizza and doughnuts for the team! A patient commented, “The staff were exceptional. I can’t say how much I appreciated the help given to me. The best hospital experience I have encountered. Thank you to everyone.”
Incredible job, St Joseph ward!
St Rose Ward
St Michael Ward
St Joseph Ward
DPU
Stores / Supply
St Francis Ward
I have worked at St John of God Murdoch Hospital for 17 years, and like our First Nations people and their knowledge of the land, I know every corner of this beautiful hospital.
Those who work alongside me have become my family.
The Aboriginal people moved around the land with the changing seasons, and I have moved with the seasons of life alongside my work family. Together, we have shared and witnessed all of life’s seasons, births, deaths, joys, and deep sorrows. My heart, soul, laughter, and tears are within these walls.
When the opportunity arose to mark our 30th birthday, I was excited to be a part of it.
I met a beautiful soul called Aunty Neta Knapp, who taught us how to tell our story using Aboriginal art techniques. There was a queue of excited caregivers eager to get their hands on the paint. I stood alongside my work family to put my permanent and everlasting mark on the artwork. I learnt the meaning behind the dots and swirls that make up First Nations Peoples' artwork that I love. I will now look at future artwork with
The wonderful team at DPU sent some love to their Volunteers during the month by sharing photos on our social media page.
Thank you for all that you do!
fresh eyes and new meaning.
This artwork will adorn the walls long after I have retired. However, I know I will always be a part of Murdoch through this artwork, and I feel deeply privileged to have been a part of it. It will hang with pride as an everlasting reminder of our connection to the hospital and respecting the land upon which it is built. It will continue to spark conversation in the weeks, months, and years to come.
My dots as part of a yarning circle will be there forever, which is so special to me. My hope is that it will capture the light in the changing seasons as our patients and work family move through the seasons of their lives.
I hope our patients will get to see it and witness the love within it as they navigate their health journey. They will feel the sense of love and family that we all share, and they will feel the power of love and healing.
Thank you, Aunty Neta.
Clinical Documentation Specialist, Tracey Gracewood
Wednesday 14 February marked 30 years since Murdoch opened its doors to our first patients!
To celebrate, caregivers were treated to a delicious Mexican lunch with cupcakes, 90s tunes performed by Chris Murphy, and a sneak preview of our ‘Then and now – 30 year exhibition’, now installed in the Hospital foyer.
In the afternoon, our artwork collaboration with Aunty Neta Knapp was unveiled after a ceremony in the Chapel (see page 7 for more!).
Extending a very warm welcome to our new graduate nurses who commenced at Murdoch in February!
Over the next year, each nurse will complete two rotations across various specialties and be mentored by our Learning
& Development team, Hospital Leadership, and the nursing team on each ward.
Eight of our graduates are already very familiar with Murdoch, with seven having completed the Murdoch University Partnership program (with the majority of their
undergraduate placements being here) and one (Sheri Frankcom) having commenced at Murdoch as a PCA in 2021.
We can’t wait to see all of you thrive as you embark on your health care careers!
Happy retirement, Arnold!
The team on St Francis ward celebrated Patient Care Assistant Arnold Gasmire as he celebrated his retirement on 9 February. Arnold was in his 25th year of working at St John of God Murdoch Hospital! All the best, Arnold! You will be missed!
Happy retirement, John and Kevin!
The Engineering Department had a dual celebration for Carpenter John Grida and Electrician Kevin Mousley on 19 February as they both celebrated their retirement. John was in his 18th year at Murdoch, and Kevin was in his 29th year of service! Congratulations and best wishes to John and Kevin! We will miss you!
On Thursday 22 February, Sisters of St John of God, Sister Gratiae O’Shaughnessy and Sister Eugenia Brennan paid a visit to Murdoch for our 30th anniversary to view our ‘Then and now – 30 year exhibition’ and caregiver collaboration artwork ‘Djilba’ in our Hospital foyer.
Sister Eugenia was the first ever Director of Mission for St John of God Health Care. She was a part of the working party that selected the land our beautiful hospital resides on today. She fondly remembers Murdoch being built and there being no rooftops between the hospital and the City of Perth.
Sister Gratiae worked at Murdoch on Reception from 1994 until she moved to Midland in 2016. She declares that her best memories are of her time at Murdoch and that Murdoch and the caregivers here will always feel like home to her.
While they were here, they were delighted to catch up with Ben Irish and some familiar faces – and Sister Gratiae even returned to Reception to see how things had changed since she left. We look forward to seeing more of the Sisters throughout the year!
Murdoch Medical Oncologist and Director Cyclowest Dr Sanjay Mukhedkar travelled to India in February on behalf of Cyclowest as part of the WA State Government Trade Mission to initiate fruitful discussions with colleagues, friends, and potential business partners.
Sanjay was joined by The Honorable Dr Jags Krishnan MLA (Minster for State and Industry Development, Jobs and Trade and The Honorable Minister Sanderson MLA (Minister for Health) in Chennai, India.
Amazing work, Sanjay!
New Social Work team members
Introducing our newest Allied Health team members – Wade (Social Worker) and Janan (Senior Social Worker)
Allied Health students
Allied Health student placements for 2024 have commenced at Murdoch! This year, Allied Health is setting a new record hosting the most student placements to date – 15 student placements and a total of 187 days supervising students!
Student placements are scheduled across the 2024 calendar year for all Allied Health disciplines – Occupational Therapy, Dietetics, Social Work, Speech Pathology, Diabetes Education and Music Therapy.
The majority of this year’s Allied Health student placements are final-year clinical placements, and some observational placements have also been agreed upon with the universities under our Student Placement Agreements.
Welcome to the following students who have commenced their placements at Murdoch:
Anneke (Music Therapy student) and Lorelee (Creative Arts Therapy student)
Ingrid (Occupational Therapy student)
Charli (Dietetic student)
Where are they now?
We are proud to announce that our first ever Occupational Therapy student, Sophia Zilli, was successfully appointed as an Occupational Therapist at our down-south sister hospital, St John of God Bunbury, after obtaining her AHPRA registration. A great example showcasing our workforce strategy to recruit and on-board Allied Health professionals following final year clinical placements!
Congratulations, Sophia!
At the end of January, six nursing students and two academics from Payap University in Thailand came out to visit St John of God Murdoch Hospital as a part of an exchange program with Murdoch University to experience the Australian health care system.
Upon arrival, they learnt about the history of our hospital, our current services,, and quality and risk, which was a particular area of interest for the group. They then toured the hospital, including an extensive pharmacy tour, as this was another area of specific interest for them.
Our caregivers then showed them through Hospice,
Endoscopy, Theatre, Emergency Department, and St Francis ward. The session was concluded with a morning tea with Kimberley, Michael, and Ben.
Clinical Educator, Tash Clutterbuck said the group from Payap University thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity and reflected on some of the differences between nursing in Thailand and Australia.
and the private versus public system in Thailand,” she said.
“They discussed the differences in length of the university degree (four years for them), patient load, salaries, length of shifts,
“They are all graduating in a few weeks and wish to pursue careers in emergency or intensive care soon. Some even expressed interest in returning to Australia to work once they have more experience.”
St Michael ward Nurse Manager Elouise and paediatric nurse Janelle visited a local childcare
centre to discuss nursing and the importance of hand hygiene with the children. The kids loved the visit and
even had some fun with their stethoscopes and bandages!
Our very own Clinical Nurse Specialist, Ieke Verkuil, was recently crowned ‘Queen of the Pond’ on 10 January in a competition hosted by Kiteboarding Western Australia.
At the end of February, Ieke took part in the inaugural CORE Big Air Nationals in Augusta, where she was crowned the first-ever Australian Big Air Champion for women!
A massive congratulations to queen and champion, Ieke!
On Tuesday 15 February, St John of God Murdoch Hospital endoscopy caregivers and members of the Executive team celebrated the commitment and dedication of Associate Professor Graham Cullingford, who has served his patients and the community at St John of God Murdoch Hospital for over 30 years.
A/Prof Cullingford has been accredited at Murdoch as a General Surgeon since August 1993 and is known to have consulted the first outpatient in the Murdoch Medical Clinic when its doors newly opened in 1994.
He was formally recognised for his commitment and service to Murdoch in 2005 through the presentation of the St John of God Murdoch Hospital ‘Doctor of
the Year’ Award. This award was well merited to a man who has selflessly dedicated his time over many years of service.
Over his years at Murdoch, he has held several positions including:
• 1993 to 1994 Member of the St John of God Murdoch Hospital Credentialing Committee
• 1994 to 2000 Member of the St John of God Murdoch Hospital Infection Control Committee
• 1997 to 2000 Member of the St John of God Murdoch Hospital Medical Quality Action Committee
• 1998 to 2005 St John of God Murdoch Hospital Medical Advisory Committee
• 2002 to 2005 Chairman Division of General Surgery
In addition to these achievements, A/Prof Cullingford
has been a lynchpin in his support of the general surgery on-call roster over the years, and his willingness to support the community and hospital is fondly remembered and appreciated.
In 2021, A/Prof Cullingford transitioned his private work to predominately endoscopies and colonoscopies, and the St John of God Murdoch Hospital endoscopy team has benefited from his presence and expertise in the department.
As A/Prof Graham Cullingford retires from private practice, we reflect on his many achievements and the immeasurable mark his years of service has had on St John of God Murdoch Hospital, his colleagues, our caregivers, and his patients.
Thank you, A/Prof Graham Cullingford. We wish you all the very best in your next chapter.
In the warmer months, our bodies work harder to keep cool. This may lead to health issues, especially if you spend a lot of time outside or do not have ways to cool down. The two most common heat-related risks are heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
Heat exhaustion
Heat exhaustion occurs when your body overheats. It’s a milder heat-related illness usually resulting from prolonged exposure to high temperatures and dehydration.
You may experience:
• Excessive sweating
• Feeling weak or tired
• Dizziness or fainting
• Muscle cramps
• Nausea
• Cool, moist skin
Heat stroke is a more severe condition and requires immediate medical attention. The body’s temperature rises rapidly, the sweating mechanisms fail, and the body cannot cool down.
Signs and symptoms you should watch out for:
• High body temperature
• Lack of sweating, with hot, red, or flushed dry skin
• Rapid pulse
• Difficulty breathing
• Strange behaviour, hallucinations, confusion
The good news is that heatrelated conditions are largely preventable. By taking some simple precautions, you can reduce your risk. Here are some strategies to help you stay
comfortable and safe.
• Stay in air-conditioned buildings, ensure that your environment is wellventilated, preferably with a fan
• Wear light, loose-fitting clothes. Cotton can be better than synthetics
• Take cool showers or baths
• Consider the use of a cooling vest or cooling towels
• Drink plenty of fluids, especially iced water
• Avoid alcohol and caffeine, as they can lead to dehydration.
Pay attention to how you feel. If you start to feel sick or very hot, stop what you’re doing and go somewhere cool. If you don’t start feeling better, it’s important to seek help.
St John of God Murdoch Hospital has a proud reputation for delivering outstanding patient care and clinical excellence. Over the past three decades, donor support has been critical in enabling this world-class care.
For several years now, St John of God Foundation has had the honour to partner with Stan Perron Charitable Foundation, an organisation synonymous with philanthropy and well known for making a positive contribution to Western Australian communities.
In 2024, Stan Perron Charitable Foundation has generously provided funding for several vital pieces of equipment at hospitals across WA that will help to deliver the very best care for vulnerable babies and children.
To help reduce distress and discomfort when locating veins in children, an AccuVein Finder has been funded for St John of God Murdoch Hospital’s paediatric ward. This equipment will help clinicians locate the child’s veins more quickly, safely, and accurately and reduce the child’s anxiety.
We are truly grateful to Stan Perron Charitable Foundation for their compassion and ongoing commitment to ensuring better health outcomes for our communities. Their kindness will be felt by children and families far and wide across WA for many years to come.
To find out more about the power
Manager
St John of God Foundation
P: 0429 928 541
E: hannah.weir@sjog.org.au