MURDOCH Monthly
CAREGIVER NEWS FROM ST JOHN OF GOD MURDOCH HOSPITAL
May 2025
page 2-3
INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE MIDWIFE page 10
MURDOCH LEADS THE WAY IN WILDLIFE CONSERVATION page 12
NATIONAL RECONCILIATION WEEK EVENTS page 14
A message from the CEO, Ben Irish
Welcome to the May Murdoch Monthly.
I hope you all had a safe and happy Easter, and for those that had the opportunity to take leave are feeling refreshed and ready for the month ahead.
This month we have much to celebrate for our 'Caregiver Recognition Month'.
Kicking off we had International Day of the Midwife on 5 May, before celebrating our nurses on International Nurses Day coming
up on 12 May.
Every Caregiver Counts Day will take place on 15 May, and on this day you can grab yourself a free coffee as a token of our appreciation for all that you do, every day, for our patients, their families, and each other.
Starting 19 May is National Volunteer Week, and we will host a garden party to thank our Murdoch Volunteers who selflessly share their time and talents with the hospital community.
On 22 May, you are all invited to attend our St John of God Health Care Strategy launch that will pave the way for the organisation in the coming 10 years. We will be livestreaming the ceremony in the Auditorium from 8:45am to 10am. See your invite on page 11.
At the end of the month, we will also observe National Reconciliation Week from 27 May to 3 June with a number of internal and external events in
an effort to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia. See page 14 for ways you can get involved.
To everyone - I hope you enjoy Caregiver Recognition Month, and as always, thank you for each and everything you do.
Take care - wishing you a happy and healthy month ahead.
Ben
Our Executive team are armed and ready to fight the flu
Our Executive team arm themselves against the flu on Thursday 1 May
At Murdoch
every
Thursday 15 May
Every caregiver contributes to making Murdoch a fantastic place to work.
counts
Every caregiver brings unique and different skills, which makes Murdoch the place it is.
Every caregiver contributes to creating positive patient experiences.
FREE COFFEE in the Dining Room, Ferns, and Fontenay Gardens 6am - 3pm
Pop your note of thanks to a caregiver into our ECC box at Main Reception
May 15th is our Every Caregiver Counts Celebration. It is a day to say thank you and celebrate our wonderful caregivers across the Hospital. From Engineering to Patient Administration, Catering to PCAs, Housekeeping to CSSD and everyone in between, we want to celebrate all that you do and all that you contribute to our Hospital.
Patient Experience Matters
Murdoch NPS for APRIL
Murdoch patients are saying:
Comment 1: Bridget Clancy
Great care and support by the nurses, and all supporting staff. I felt loved and cared for in this difficult phase of life. Thank you all.
Comment 2: Day Procedure Unit
The medical care was excellent. I was made aware of what was happening at every point in the admission process. They took into consideration my needs when being collected. Many thanks to all!
Comment 3: St Catherine Friendly staff, felt safe and welcome. Everyone was so lovely. I have been in a lot of hospitals in WA, and St John of God Murdoch is the best. Would happily go there anytime.
heros
Left: Veteran patients were given a care pack on Anzac Day
Right: Hospice Anzac display
Duty Managers receive Heart of Murdoch: Team Excellence Award
This month, the Patient Admin team presented the Duty Managers with the Heart of Murdoch: Team Excellence award.
“Joyce, Mel, and the Duty Managers are always there, behind the scenes, working incredibly hard. They handle so many different things, from helping us find a bed to attending codes. Their dedication and effort make a real difference to all of us, and we want them to know how much we appreciate them,” Tracey Forbes-Ekholm Manager Patient Admissions, said.
Congratulations to our amazing Duty Managers!
Rachel graduates at the top of the class
Rachel Eaton, a 2024 recipient of the Sister Bridget Clancy Scholarship for the Empowerment of Women through Education, has completed her Graduate Certificate in Health Care Management with flying colours!
Rachel not only passed her course, but took out the 2024 Prize for Best Postgraduate Student for the School of Nursing at Murdoch University!
Rachel works as a Clinical Nurse and is the CHARM Project Nurse in the Cancer Centre.
A huge congratulations, Rachel!
You are amazing!
Celebrating our midwives on International Day of the Midwife
Monday 5 May was International Day of the Midwife! The theme for this year is Midwives: Critical in Every Crisis.
On the day, we recognised and thanked our wonderfully supportive, dedicated, and skilled midwives and celebrated the important care they provide to our patients and their families every day.
As a token of our appreciation, our
midwives were each gifted a small planter pot gift from our Director of Nursing, Sarah-Jayne Powell. As stated on the planter, “Never underestimate the difference you make and the lives you have touched.”
To our incredible midwives, we thank you for all that you do each and every day, and hope you had a very happy International Day of the Midwife.
Stay tuned for the next issue as we wrap up our May Caregiver Recognition Month, including International Day of the Midwife, International Nurses Day, Every Caregiver Counts Day, and National Volunteer Week.
TRAVEL GREEN ALLOWANCE HYBRID MODEL
Caregivers signed up to the Travel Green Allowance program can now access the carpark between 1:30pm - 6:59am and on weekends. SIGN UP TODAY! Search ‘Murdoch Parking’ on CORA and submit your application form to Security via email or in-person between 2pm and 4pm, Monday to Friday.
National Reconciliation Week events
National Reconciliation Week is coming up from 27 May to 3 June.
National Reconciliation Week is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia. Here are some ways to get involved at Murdoch and in the local area:
Hosted by
Join us for a FREE estate planning session hosted by St John of God Foundation.
The session, delivered by Hannah Willis, Senior Associate at Hall & Wilcox, will help you navigate the essentials of estate planning, and ensure that your legacy is preserved according to your wishes.
Monday, 9 June 2025
10am - 10:30am, followed by Q&A and light refreshments
Function Room 1, Lower Ground Floor
Places are limited, book now. Queries? Contact Lauren Castledine M: 0448 997 632 E: lauren.castledine@sjog.org.au
sjogfoundation.org.au/seminar
Orthopaedic Study Day, a success
In March, a number of Orthopaedic surgeons and specialists conducted a study day in the Murdoch Auditorium to provide caregivers with an opportunity to broaden their knowledge in various aspects of orthopaedic practice and care.
Presenters included Mr Soni Narula, Graham Mackay-Coghill (Link Rehabilitation), Mr Daniel Marshall, Mr Andrew Mattin, Mr Dermot Collopy, Dr Rob Storer, Graham Daly (PICO representative), and Andrew Jennings (DonJoy Iceman representative).
Educators (Natalie and Moranda), along with Orthopaedic nurses from Murdoch, Mt Lawley and Geraldton attended, and the day was a resounding success.
Well done to all involved on this incredible opportunity to further your education.
heart heart to
For many years the Pastoral Services team have been giving soft hearts to those who are anxious, distressed or grieving. But we have almost run out of our existing supply, so we need your help… You can collect sewing packs from the Pastoral Services Department (on the
We are looking for willing caregivers to be heart makers, so that we can continue this important aspect of our pastoral care.
We believe that in the midst of pain, a simple soft heart can convey what words cannot. Just think of the difference your loving heart could make to those whose hearts feel broken.
CHARM rollout update!
Last month we highlighted Cancer Centre nurse Rachel Eaton’s leading part in getting us ready to roll out electronic medication platform, CHARM, for oncology and haematology patients in Cancer Centre and Thomas Furlong ward, from 6 May.
Our Pharmacy team was the first cab off the rank to use CHARM here at Murdoch (a week earlier, on 30 April), so we asked Slade Director of Pharmacy, Richard Grainger how it all went…
Q: How did Day 1 go?
A: The launch of CHARM has gone very smoothly. The system is
working as expected and the cancer treatments were all loaded into the system, ready for ordering. Of course, this smooth launch didn’t happen by accident. The success of day one was due to the planning and preparation of the CHARM project team, Slade Pharmacy team, prescribers, and nurses.
Q: Any learnings?
A: I believe the biggest learning is to ensure there is not an overreliance on the software. CHARM does not replace the need for clear communication and professional review of the information within CHARM.
Q: What do you look forward to most, using CHARM?
A: No more paper charts! Although we will miss the fun of interpreting our wonderful prescribers handwriting! The CHARM software is the first eprescribing software available for the administration of a high-risk medication within Murdoch and will provide clear, unambiguous prescriptions in paperless format. This is a very important step forward for medication safety and sustainability.
Foundation Update
As we count down to HBF Run for a Reason 2025, we want to take a moment to thank and celebrate the incredible caregivers from St John of God Murdoch Hospital who have signed up to run, walk and fundraise in support of our community mental health clients.
Every step you take will help provide low or no cost services for people in need – giving them hope, dignity, and for some, a fresh start.
Your support means more than just crossing a finish line — it’s about showing up for the people in our care, the ones we go above and beyond for every day. By taking part in this event and choosing to fundraise, you’re not only raising money, you’re raising hope.
You are running for a reason — and it’s a powerful one. Thank you for showing what compassion in action really looks like. We are so grateful for your commitment, your care, and your drive to make a difference both inside and outside the hospital walls.
Let’s keep moving forward — together.
PS: We love a bit of healthy competition – will Murdoch be the fundraising champions for this year’s event?...
To find out more about fundraising, please contact the Foundation team on 1800 281 288 or Foundation@sjog.org.au.
If you see or know of anything that you’d love to share with the Murdoch community, let us know!
Reach out to Murdoch.Marketing@sjog.org.au with any stories or photos.