The Lamp September 2008

lamp the

magazine of the NSW Nurses’ Association

volume 65 no.8 September 2008

SETTING THE PACE

SHAPING Print Post Approved: PP241437/00033

THE FUTURE

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2 THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2008

RCNA CONF 05/06

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ABOUT THE LAMP

C O N T E N T S

Contacts NSW NURSES’ ASSOCIATION For all membership enquiries and assistance, including Lamp subscriptions and change of address, contact our Sydney office.

SYDNEY OFFICE 43 Australia Street Camperdown NSW 2050 PO Box 40 Camperdown NSW 1450 (all correspondence) T 8595 1234 (metro) 1300 367 962 (non-metro) F 9550 3667 E gensec@nswnurses.asn.au W www.nswnurses.asn.au HUNTER OFFICE 120 Tudor Street Hamilton NSW 2303 ILLAWARRA OFFICE L1, 63 Market Street Wollongong NSW 2500

Cover story

lamp the

magazine of the NSW Nurses’ Association

volume 65 no.8 September 2008

SETTING THE PACE

SHAPING THE FUTURE

Setting the Pace Shaping the Future 14 Cover

Print Post Approved: PP241437/00033

RPA RNs (from left): Claire Waite, O’Bray Smith, Thanh Bui and Rebecca Windsor.

Photography by Fiora Sacco

NSWNA COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER Noel Hester T 8595 2153 NSWNA COMMUNICATIONS ASSISTANT Russell Burns T 8595 1219 For all Lamp editorial enquiries, letters and diary dates: Editorial Enquiries T 8595 1234 E lamp@nswnurses.asn.au M PO Box 40 Camperdown NSW 1450

News in brief

NSWNA matters

8 8 8 8 8 9

33 Direct Debit the way to go!

THE LAMP PRODUCED BY Lodestar Communications T 9698 4511

Lives of nurses

PRESS RELEASES Send your press releases to: T 9550 3667 E gensec@nswnurses.asn.au

9 9 10 10 11 11 11 12 12 12 13 13

Surgical operation ‘blitz’ Taxman targets nurses Wodonga nurse shortage cancels surgery Nurses under the pump in hospital blackout Buggies for Liverpool Hospital Lithgow and Nepean left holding the babies Murwillumbah maternity campaign on Facebook Mersey returns to state care Employers block union entry to workplaces Union official faces jail for protecting workers Recruitment firm fined over 457 visa exploitation Telstra’s anti-union strategy revealed New workplace laws must help women Music taste linked to mental health Indigenous health targets Beautiful diaries help beast cancer research Nightshift nurses want naps Women charged for hospital thefts

35 Joanne sets her goals ... on court and on the ward

Members in action 36 Too hot to trot ...

NSWNA Annual Conference Dinner

Retirements 39 Farewell, Sue Long, thanks for 53 years

Lifestyle 40 Movie reviews 42 Book me

Regular columns 5

Editorial

by Brett Holmes Your letters to The Lamp Ask Judith Nursing online Our nursing crossword Diary dates

13 What’s on

6 31 45 47 48

Industrial issues

Competition

NSWNA education program

22 Want a pay increase? ... it’s in your hands 27 ‘Responsive rosters’ threat goes statewide

30 Win a $750 shopping voucher from Union Shopper

Special offers

Agenda 28 Reprieve for Aboriginal health service

Services to members

40 Win 100 double passes to see a preview of Caramel, 20 double passes to WALL•E and 10 DVD packs of The Black Balloon

30 Union Shopper saves nurses $$$

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THE LAMP EDITORIAL COMMITTEE Brett Holmes, NSWNA General Secretary Judith Kiejda, NSWNA Assistant General Secretary Coral Levett, NSWNA President John Lyons, Baradine MPS Mark Kearin, Blacktown/ Mt Druitt Hospital Roz Norman, Tamworth Base Hospital Stephen Metcalfe, Lismore Base Hospital Peg Hibbert, Hornsby & Ku-Ring-Gai Hospital Michelle Cashman, Long Jetty Continuing Care ADVERTISING Patricia Purcell T 8595 2139 or 0416 259 845 F 9550 3667 E ppurcell@nswnurses.asn.au RECORDS AND INFORMATION CENTRE – LIBRARY To find old articles in The Lamp, or to borrow from the NSWNA library’s nursing and health collection, contact: Jeannette Bromfield, RIC Coordinator T 8595 2175 E gensec@nswnurses.asn.au THE LAMP ISSN: 0047-3936 General disclaimer The Lamp is the official magazine of the NSWNA. Views expressed in articles are contributors’ own and not necessarily those of the NSWNA. Statements of fact are believed to be true, but no legal responsibility is accepted for them. All material appearing in The Lamp is covered by copyright and may not be reproduced without prior written permission. The NSWNA takes no responsibility for the advertising appearing herein and it does not necessarily endorse any products advertised.

Privacy Privacy statement: The NSWNA collects personal information from members in order to perform our role of representing their industrial and professional interests. We place great emphasis on maintaining and enhancing the privacy and security of your personal information. Personal information is protected under law and can only be released to someone else where the law requires or where you give permission. If you have concerns about your personal information please contact the NSWNA office. If you are still not satisfied that your privacy is being maintained you can contact the Privacy Commission.

Subscriptions Free to all Association members. Ex-members can subscribe to the magazine at a reduced rate of $44.

Individuals $60, Institutions $90, Overseas $100.

DRAWN 30 JUNE 2009

m e w m e n b a p u n g i S the chance to win a beautiful Broeomre holiday for

With more members we have a louder voice and a stronger union.

The more members at your workplace, the stronger your voice and bargaining position with your employer.

With more members we will achieve better pay and conditions for you!

Not only will you be making your union stronger by signing up a new member, you and a friend could be jetting off from Sydney to Cable Beach, Broome.

That’s seven nights of tropical bliss – just for signing up a new member!

4 THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2008

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The prize includes return flights from Sydney to Broome, seven nights in a two-bedroom apartment at Broome’s newest Resort, The Pearle of Cable Beach, a Gourmet Sunset Sail or Champagne Breakfast Sail for two from INTOMBI Broome’s Pearling Lugger Experience, car hire from Broome Broome Car Rentals plus a Willie Creek Pearl Farm Tour and a Pearl Luggers Tour.

HURRY! Call the Association now for a recruitment kit and recruitment incentive scheme details.

Ph: 8595 1234 (metropolitan area) or 1300 367 962 (non metropolitan area) or go to www.nswnurses.asn.au

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E D I T O R I A L

BY BRETT HOLMES GENERAL SECRETARY

Maintaining and broadening our appeal g Engagement with young people and with the wider community is essential if unions are to prosper and remain relevant.

O

ne of the biggest challenges facing our profession – and it can be seen as a ticking time bomb – is the ageing of the nursing workforce and the chronic difficulty in attracting and retaining younger nurses.

Our recent Professional Issues Conference was treated to an inspirational address by Avril Henry who emphasised the need to understand the differences between the generations that now make up our workforce and the world views of younger people, who have grown up in a markedly different environment than their parents (see story page 19).

It is a challenge and a priority for the Association to engage with these generations and prove the relevance of the union to their lives.

Unions, including the NSWNA, are also looking to develop mutually rewarding partnerships with the wider community.

Late last year I personally identified an opportunity for the NSWNA to pilot community engagement with a women’s football club, where my daughter played.

I was confident I could convince the club to promote the NSWNA message – ‘Nurses Rights at Work: It’s Worth Joining For’.

The issue of union messages and union sponsorship of community organisations has been controversial and many organisations are reluctant to do it. A lot of organisations are still reluctant to let unions promote themselves in this way.

I saw the CFMEU sponsorship of the Canberra Raiders and similar sponsorships by other unions and I was convinced this was something the NSWNA should also try. I unapologetically used my contacts at this soccer club to convince them to trial a NSWNA and nursing message on team uniforms.

The club put a proposal to Council and,

because I did have a personal relationship with the club, I excluded myself from Council’s decision making. The Council agreed this was indeed something worth trying and it accepted the club’s proposal.

It is a challenge and a priority for the Association to engage with younger generations and prove the relevance of the union to their lives.

The NSWNA now has the benefit of more than 300 young women – in the six club teams and their opponents – being exposed to its message every month from April to August, with hundreds of spectators also seeing it as the club’s six teams have progressed through the season into the finals.

Some sections of the media and a few members have attacked the arrangement because of my personal relationship. It is regrettable a few have misinterpreted this as being about personal gain for me.

The reality is it was that personal contact that allowed the NSWNA to overcome traditional resistance to union sponsorship.

The Council understood this and the recent Annual conference did also. In fact, the 2008 Annual Conference passed a resolution asking the Association to continue trialling this innovation for the next two years. A set of guidelines will be established and published to all members in the near future so more not-for-profit organisations can apply to enter a mutually beneficial arrangement with the Association.

Any project must obviously be consistent with the values of the union, integrated with our campaigns and allow us to promote the Association and nursing.

The organisation will also have to be not-for-profit and a member must vouch for the integrity of the club or organisation.

Other unions have successfully made this connection with grassroots sport and other community organisations. We hope these community partnerships will build on the other ways, such as paid advertising, we use to promote our messages in the wider community – at a fraction of the cost.

In fact, this approach is not completely new for the NSWNA. We have a good track record of assisting nurses, their families and communities beyond the workplace. We provide educational opportunities for nurses through the Edith Cavell Trust and have contributed to drought assistance programs.

We have also become regular sponsors to the Inter Hospital Mini Olympics.

The NSWNA has a long tradition of speaking up for the health system and other core issues relevant to nurses and midwives. We will continue to do so.

While we currently have a high standing in the community we can’t take it for granted. We need to be innovative in how we interact with the broader community.

To succeed, this union must maintain and broaden our appeal in the communities in which we live.n THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2008 5

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L E T T E R S

LETTER of the month Rebecca Mott

New rosters erode conditions I read with great interest your reporting on the issues currently facing the nurses employed by the HNEAHS. The terms ‘responsive rostering’ and ‘pattern rostering’ intrigued me. My colleagues and I are currently facing a similar dilemma with our employer.

I can’t believe in this day and age, with the nursing profession about to lose a large percentage of its most knowledgeable people, that a large employer could attempt to treat their staff with little more than contempt.

The fact that these people’s lives are about to be turned absolutely upsidedown due to yet another bureaucratic bungle just makes my blood boil.

How are we as nurses expected to be efficient, caring, and professional at work when we won’t be able to organise to get our kids to and from school? This is because an employer thinks it is a good idea to take EEO so literally and make every staff member perform exactly the same shifts over the course of the month with no regard for personal circumstances.

I have been employed with my current employer (a private organisation) for seven years. In the first years of employment I was childless and always willing to work overtime (usually two hours per day) without any problem. Why? Because I love my job and I feel I am delivering a quality service to the individuals who access our service. The main reason my colleagues and I chose our employer was due to the ‘family friendly’ hours.

Over the years these hours have been significantly extended, with fulltime staff now working up to 16 hours extra per fortnight.

Recently we have been exposed to a national ‘streamlined’ roster system that is computer generated in one state and delivered nationwide throughout our organisation. In conjunction with this, middle management decided that all employees would be required to work

6 THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2008

a rotating roster. This means we have absolutely no job security or stability.

I discussed it with the relevant managers and was told that my child caring responsibility was my problem. And if I was given ‘set days’ then everyone would want it. They say they cannot facilitate that arrangement any longer due to ‘operational requirements’. There was no consultation and some of the staff involved have had their current arrangements for up to 20 years.

As all of our contracts of employment only specify contracted hours and not days of the week, our employer believes they are quite within their rights to do this.

Ironically, with staff turnover at 25%, upper management have issued a survey asking staff how they can better ‘retain and recruit’ nurses to our organisation in the future.

Needless to say the matter is not resolved and I implore all nurses to fight for your rights at work. Don’t back down to harassment and bullying and ensure that your years of dedication, care and knowledge are not lost. Your patients need you!

Rebecca Mott, EN Rebecca Mott won the prize for this month’s letter of the month, a $50 David Jones voucher.

LETTER of the month The letter judged the best each month will be awarded a $50 DJ’s voucher, courtesy Medicraft, Australia’s largest manufacturer of hospital beds and furniture. For more information on Medicraft products, visit www. medicraft.com.au or call 9569 0255.

Debbie Renshaw

Disappointed with pay outcome After reading the July edition of The Lamp, I had to write and say I am extremely disappointed with the NSWNA. This is the union I joined several years ago when I commenced my training to be a nurse and I was proud to be a part of it. I’m an active member of the branch executive and also a delegate.

I am disillusioned regarding the result of the pay and conditions negotiations. The Lamp stated that around 91% of branches voted yes to accept the pay offer and now the NSWNA is going to run two cases in the Industrial Relations Commission – the 25% increase to nightshift penalty rates and a 3.8% increase to RN8s. Now I read in Campaign Update 14 that the offer also applies to all specialist and management positions above this level.

What about the EN5s and thereafter who are also very experienced and have worked tirelessly over the years and supported NSW Health? Some of these nurses are very experienced and are a good support for the newly graduated nurses who begin work on the ward. The only benefit to enrolled nurses in this ‘improved pay outcome’ is if you have your advanced diploma. I believe – and I am not alone in this belief – the enrolled nurses have been ignored both by their own union and employers.

In the editorial by Brett Holmes, he states that the NSWNA is going to run a case in the Industrial Relations Commission on the night duty penalty rates and also to reward experienced nurses with extra pay. That is not correct.

The extra pay to reward experienced nurses only applies to RN8s plus all specialist and management positions.

Please do not mislead your readers.

This same misleading information is throughout The Lamp (page 14 and 16).

It is also quite interesting that in The Lamp, when interviewing people about how happy they were with the outcome of the pay and conditions, not one of those nurses was an enrolled nurse or

Got something to say?

Send your letters to: Editorial Enquiries email lamp@nswnurses.asn.au fax 9550 3667 mail PO Box 40 Camperdown NSW 1450 Please include a photograph along with your name, address, phone and membership number. Letters may be edited for clarity and space.

assistant in nursing/midwifery. They were all either an RN, CNS or a CNE. I thought that the gap between ENs and RNs was lessening – after reading The Lamp I should think again.

Debbie Renshaw, EN Special Grade Nepean Hospital Editor’s response: NSWNA shares your concern at the complete refusal of the Health Department to support our 2008 claim for substantially higher pay for all experienced or specialist ENs. In relation to the experienced nurses claim: you are correct, this claim is for RN 8 and above. It was developed with extensive research that shows these nurses and midwives are bearing particular levels of increased work intensity and responsibility since 2006.The Health Department was only prepared to agree to two unresolved claims going forward to the Commission for court arbitration, this one and the 25% night duty penalty.

We are now starting pay negotiations with Ramsay, Healthscope and Healthe Care private hospitals and will be encouraging them to deliver higher rewards to experienced ENs than the public sector has been prepared to pay, as an attraction incentive.

Chris Nimmo

the membership know of the criteria that needs to be addressed to gain sponsorship, as my daughter has no family members on the council.

In these days of evidence-based data, perhaps Brett would be able to tell us how the effectiveness of our new ‘community engagement’ is to be measured.

Chris Nimmo, RN, Edgewood Park Residential Aged Care Editor’s response: Apart from misconstruing the whole issue, Mr Nimmo’s letter contains a number of significant factual errors. Firstly, the General Secretary’s daughter’s team did not receive $5,000 of members’ money.

The NSWNA Council decided to sponsor the Hills District Football Club, which has six women’s teams.

My daughter plays in only one of those teams.

Secondly, after checking email correspondence between Mr Nimmo and myself on this matter I cannot see the word ‘nepotism’ in my reply nor any reference to the August edition of The Lamp.

It is regrettable a few, like Mr Nimmo, have misinterpreted this as about personal gain for me, when in fact it was, unapologetically, about using personal contacts to trial an innovative way of further breaking down community resistance to unionism and union messages.

For this reason I discuss the issue at length in this month’s Lamp editorial on page 5. I hope all members will take the time to read it.

NSWNA soccer sponsorship The August edition of The Lamp carried an item entitled ‘NSWNA message scores a goal’ (p34) which does not mention several important points.

Firstly, the General Secretary’s daughter is a member of the soccer team, which has received $5,000 of members’ money. This amount equals that given to actual members for the inter-hospital Olympics. Brett Holmes assured me in an email that nepotism (favouritism based on kinship) is not a factor and that all would be revealed in the August edition of The Lamp (nine months after the deal was struck).

So how does Brett Holmes justify what many will see as nepotism when it is not disclosed that the first time the Association sponsors a sports team, it is his daughter’s team that gets the money?

In a reply to an email I sent Brett about this, he replied that if I sent a submission to the council regarding sponsoring my daughter’s sports team, it would be considered. Brett, please let

Linda Hardman

Well done but don’t forget aged care First, congratulations on a wonderful conference. I especially enjoyed listening to Avril Henry and it was also wonderful to see the public heath system support the aged care sector with so many resolutions.

I am an Assistant In Nursing working in a high-care aged care facility. I would like to congratulate and commend all of my colleagues working in the sector on the wonderful job they do. We do not just attend to a resident’s personal care needs, we attend to a lot more. We are nurse, confidant, comforter and advocate.

I am also proud to be a delegate of the NSWNA. I know that the NSWNA has been busy fighting for the public health system and the private hospital sector

will be next, but I would ask the NSWNA to please not forget those dedicated members working so very hard in the aged care sector.

Linda Hardman, AiN, Wollongong Nursing Home

Equal pay? Just do it!

I’ve been a nurse and NSWNA member since 1981 (27 years).

When are you guys going to get private nurses equal pay to public nurses?

If you’d like to come and watch me work I can assure you that we don’t do anything of less quality to warrant less pay. In fact, private hospitals force you to be more frugal in your daily work.

For this issue to be so dragged out and unresolved, I feel that I must be of lesser value and worth. I have 15 years before I’m 60. Will I see equal pay before then? I’m pretty cross about this.

Just do it!

Louise Lovedee, RN, Brisbane Waters Private Hospital Editor’s response: Pay parity is at the centre of the Associations current campaign for new agreements in private hospitals.The WorkChoices legislation of the previous federal government is still in place which means that we will be forced to negotiate with dozens of private hospital employers separately.Typically the large private hospital groups like Ramsay and Healthscope do match public sector nursing rates of pay but at a later date of effect.The decentralised bargaining system means that members need to get behind the wages claims like never before and support the bargaining effort. Parity with the public sector is not only pay rates but also in major conditions of employment like paid maternity leave and the payment for additional skills through a continuing education allowance. It is only when the private hospital employers catch up on the full range of conditions that pay parity can be achieved.

EVERY LETTER PUBLISHED RECEIVES A DELIGHTFUL ABC CLASSICS CD – FOR UPLIFTING ENJOYMENT! ABC Shops provide you with a window into the wonderful variety of programs seen and heard on ABC Radio, TV and Online by offering a range of quality DVDs, books, music and audio products. For locations, visit abcshop.com.au THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2008 7

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SURGICAL

OPERATION

‘BLITZ’ M

ore than 14,000 extra patients received elective surgery in the first six months of the Rudd Government’s ‘blitz’ on lengthy public hospital waiting lists.

The states and territories announced in July they had already met 55% of their target of 25,000 extra elective procedures since receiving their post-election allocation of federal funds.

July’s Australian Health Ministers Conference also agreed to adopt a national standard for hospital patient identity bands, a charter of patients’ rights and national standards on cosmetic surgery.

Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon said an extra $600 million in federal funding meant many people who had been waiting for surgery longer than clinically recommended had now been operated on.

After an initial slow start reflected in the March quarter figures for elective surgery, Ms Roxon told the media it was ‘excellent news’ to hear that the states and territories had reached 55% of the target.

‘I think what it shows are the professionalism and the high standards of service that our states and territories can deliver when they do get some extra resources and assistance and a cooperative partnership with the Commonwealth.’

Taxman targets nurses Nurses claiming work-related deductions have been singled out for special scrutiny by the Australian Taxation Office following a ‘steep increase’ in claims last financial year.

At the unveiling of its annual compliance program last month, ATO officials revealed they are taking a closer look at unusually big claims for self-education, car and travel expenses by nurses, doctors and chefs.

‘Last year we noticed that some nurses were confused about what they could and could not claim in relation to selfeducation,’ the Assistant Commissioner Debbie Rawlings said in an ATO webcast.

People disposing of financial assets such as shares and investments will also be under the microscope. The ATO said it will be cross-checking property sales data with reported income.

Wodonga nurse shortage cancels surgery A severe shortage of nurses at Wodonga Hospital may cause the cancellation of operations over the next month.

The hospital’s chief executive officer, Ray Sweeney, said the hospital would be unable to cover 41 nursing shifts in the surgical ward alone during August because a lack of staff and winter illnesses had affected the roster.

The hospital would be unable to cover 41 nursing shifts in the surgical ward alone during August.

‘In recent years, there have been times when this hospital has struggled to recruit enough suitably qualified and experienced nursing staff to enable wards to continue operating,’ he told local media.

Mr Sweeney said the hospital’s nurse managers were committed to overcoming staff difficulties but were equally committed to patient safety.

‘There is also a limit to how much overtime and additional shifts we can responsibly ask our staff to undertake,’ he said.

8 THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2008

Mr Sweeney said the hospital had placed advertisements for staff in July but had received only one inquiry from a Division 1 nurse as a result.

Nurses under the pump in hospital blackout Staff at Concord Hospital had to ventilate life support patients by hand during a blackout in July.

Emergency generators for the intensive care unit and emergency department failed to kick in during the blackout and the hospital was plunged into darkness.

The hospital’s general manager Danny O’Connor said no patient treatment was compromised.

‘Concord Hospital has a comprehensive emergency power supply system.

Unfortunately in this instance a component of the system failed,’ Mr O’Connor said in a media statement.

‘This led to power being interrupted to several wards for about one hour.’

Mr O’Connor said the faulty component had been replaced following the incident and the system had been retested and was now operating correctly.

The NSW opposition has demanded the government review all emergency back-up electricity generator systems in public hospitals.

Buggies for Liverpool Hospital The planned redevelopment of Liverpool Hospital into Australia’s largest hospital campus will mean nurses and doctors will require golf buggies to do their rounds.

The sprawling 15.5 hectare campus will be as big as a golf course and will include a new road and bridge connecting the two campuses, which are currently split by the railway line.

Work on the new complex started in July and completion is expected by 2011 at a cost of $390 million. The number of beds will be increased from 645 to almost 1,000.

The hospital has been built to accommodate the expected population boom in the southwest that will see the region reach one million people by 2016.

LITHGOW AND NEPEAN

LEFT HOLDING

THE BABIES xpectant mothers in the Blue Mountains continue to express dismay at having to travel to Lithgow and Nepean hospitals to give birth.

At a community meeting on 29 July speaker after speaker expressed their disappointment and distress at the decision to suspend birthing services at the Blue Mountains Hospital – a repeat of events from 2002.

Janet Mays, founder of the community group that organised the meeting, HEAL (Hospital Equity and Access Lobby) said there was a ‘sense of deja vu’ because the community had previously gathered there in 2002 to discuss the then suspension of birthing services at the hospital.

She asked the 150-strong gathering if the current closure was temporary or the beginning of the end of the hospital.

It is the second time in six years that the Katoomba birthing unit has been closed. The maternity ward at Lithgow Hospital was closed last year, and no guarantees have been given that beds will be available at Nepean or Lithgow hospitals when they are needed.

Speakers at the meeting described the trip to Nepean Hospital as a serious health risk while in labour. The only road from the top of the mountains to Nepean – the Great Western Highway – is frequently closed for extended periods by traffic accidents. As one woman explained at the public meeting, ‘Between the two-hour drive from Katoomba to Nepean and the number of traffic accidents, there’s a good chance that we will all be giving birth on the side of the road in our cars.’

Local MP Phil Koperberg made a public commitment on 21 July that the service would be re-opened by 1 September – a promise that Ms Mays told the meeting her organisation intends to hold him to.

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Murwillumbah maternity campaign on Facebook The community fight to preserve the mternity ward at the Murwillumbah District Hospital has received a virtual shot in the arm.

Motivated by the planned closure in July, 28-year-old Pottsville mum Kerryn McLennan set up an online group to support mothers and midwives of the hospital and supply them with information regarding the campaign.

‘I was really surprised that in the first three days it was open we got over 300 members,’ she said.

The ‘Save the Murwillumbah Maternity ward and hospital’ group had attracted nearly 1000 members and was one of the fastest growing groups on the popular networking site, Facebook.

Although the NSW Government has given assurances the unit will remain open, the Facebook site continues to operate, receiving testimonials from past patients and supplying the community with the latest news and information regarding the unit.

Mrs McLennan is a member of the Murwillumbah Hospital Support Committee and continues to update the site regularly. She gave birth to her first daughter, Saffron, at Murwillumbah Hospital last November after being diagnosed as a high-risk birth due to preeclampsia and gestational diabetes.

‘It had to be performed as a caesarean. Imagine if I had to go to Tweed Heads for that. They can’t take the patient load there.

‘I care about protecting my birthplace, my daughter’s birthplace, my mother’s birthplace and my grandmother’s birthplace.’

Mersey returns to state care Tasmania’s Mersey Community Hospital is back in state hands a year after the previous Federal Government seized control of the facility in the marginal seat of Branddon.

The ‘war’ over the Mersey’s future had seen millions pumped into the hospital.

Under the new deal the hospital will remain in Federal ownership and not be amalgamated with the North West Regional Hospital, but there are no plans to reintroduce the ED and ICU. Tasmanian Health Minister Lara Giddings said employment arrangements for all hospital staff would be transferred back to state health department control.

Under the deal between Ms Giddings and Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon, the Rudd Government will pay Tasmania $60 million a year for three years to run the hospital.

The hospital will now become Tasmania’s main centre for elective and day surgery and the regional role for rehabilitation services will be shifted from the Burnie campus.

Mersey campaigner Steve Martin said the result wasn’t exactly what the community wanted but the ‘war’ over the Mersey’s future had seen millions pumped into the hospital.

As the deal only runs for three years Mr Martin expects the fight to continue.

THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2008 9

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EMPLOYERS

BLOCK UNION ENTRY

TO WORKPLACES nions are demanding that workers’ rights to meet with union officials be strengthened following reports of restricted union access to workplaces by overzealous employers.

Employers are taking advantage of restrictions on union rights to enter workplaces, making it virtually impossible for workers to discuss industrial issues with union organisers.

In the latest case, a union meeting at a Brisbane printing factory was forced into an openair car park, adjacent to a loading dock, under the unblinking eye of a surveillance camera.

Not surprisingly, only one worker braved the onerous restrictions to meet with two union organisers.

Nurses in aged care and private facilities have reported similar situations.

Unions are calling for an overhaul of the right to entry rules established under WorkChoices.

The continuing WorkChoices laws grant unprecedented powers to bosses to determine where and when union meetings can be held, and even what route union officials can take through a building.

‘It is every worker’s democratic right to be represented by a union, and to meet with union organisers in their workplace,’ said ACTU Secretary Jeff Lawrence.

‘But WorkChoices has imposed immense barriers between workers and their unions which employers have taken advantage of to prevent proper representation.

‘Labor’s pledge to scrap WorkChoices and restore rights to collective bargaining should also include strengthening the rights to entry to workplaces for union officials.’

U

10 THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2008

Noel Washington

Union official faces jail for protecting workers A Victorian union official faces up to six months jail after he refused to ‘dob in’ workers to the Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC).

Noel Washington, Senior Vice President of the CFMEU (Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union) Victorian Division, refused to disclose the identities of workers attending an off-site lunchtime meeting in 2007.

The employer, Bovis Lend Lease, had been obstructing the union’s access to worksites and complained to the Commission that uncomplimentary things were said about company managers at the meeting.

Noel described the ABCC as one of the biggest bullies he has ever dealt with.

‘They frighten people, they threaten people by forcing them to attend these interrogations, workers are not entitled to choose their own legal representative and they are forbidden to talk to anyone about what took place in these interrogations,’ he said.

CFMEU national secretary Dave Noonan said the union wouldn’t stand by and allow construction workers to be treated with fewer rights than other workers.

‘Noel has done nothing illegal, yet he’s being treated like a common criminal,’ he said.

ACTU secretary Jeff Lawrence said it is fundamental that all workers have the same rights to hold meetings and organise without fear of intimidation.

‘[The ABCC] has more powers than the police to investigate construction workers, drag them in for secret interrogation, and jail them if they refuse to answer questions.’

The ACTU is standing with construction unions in a campaign to abolish the ABCC, established under the previous Federal Government.

‘Of all the Howard Government’s workplace laws, the ABCC is the most anti-worker,’ Mr Lawrence said. ‘[The ABCC] has more powers than the police to investigate construction workers, drag them in for secret interrogation, and jail them if they refuse to answer questions.

‘These are ordinary workers seeking simply the rights to hold a meeting, to organise, and to protect their health and safety. This is an issue for all workers ... no matter what industry you work in.’

RECRUITMENT FIRM

FINED OVER

457 VISA EXPLOITATION he ANF is demanding an overhaul of the controversial 457 visa scheme after a labour hire agency was fined $48,000 for the mistreatment of three Filipino nursing assistants.

ANF Federal Secretary Ged Kearney said the continued exploitation and abuse of 457 visa holders, many of whom are brought to the country to work in the nursing profession, highlights the need for a major overhaul of the scheme.

‘Governments and employers have a duty of care for these workers. The abuse and exploitation of people coming into this country to help relieve labour shortages must cease. It is clear there is an urgent need for stronger regulation and monitoring of the conditions that 457 visa holders are being employed under,’ she said.

Sydney-based company Healthcare Recruiting Australia (HRA) and its director Michelle Lloyd were fined in the Federal Magistrates Court for four breaches of the Workplace Relations Act. The Workplace Ombudsman Executive Director Michael Campbell said HRA failed to pay full wages, casual loadings, penalty rates and holiday pay, and made unlawful decisions without the workers’ consent.

‘When they asked about their wages, they were fobbed off with false promises and threats,’ said Mr Campbell.

‘The workers have told how there were times when they were living on the charity of others and felt ashamed they could not pay their rent.’

The women also had money taken from their pay for training that never happened as well as rent, agency fees and airfares.

HRA placed the three workers at two Sydney nursing/aged care facilities in 2005 and 2006, where they provided residents with personal care and helped them with showering, dressing and eating.

There have been more than 400 cases relating to 457 visas investigated by the Workplace Ombudsman with $1.3 million in underpayments awarded to workers.

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Telstra’s anti-union strategy revealed Documents leaked to the media last month have revealed a secret agenda by Telstra management to use WorkChoices to sideline unions and cut the pay and conditions of its workers.

The deliberate strategy by management to rip off Telstra staff coincides with CEO Sol Trujillo’s pay rise of more than $1.5 million, lifting his overall package to $13.4 million in 2007-2008.

According to ACTU Secretary Jeff Lawrence, the leaked documents prove the company is determined to defy the Rudd Government on its industrial relations policy and to ignore the decision of the Australian people to reject WorkChoices at the last election.

‘Telstra management intends to pick off workers section by section to impose a non-negotiable company pay offer.’

‘In a classic business strategy of divide-and-conquer, the documents show Telstra management intends to pick off workers section by section to impose a non-negotiable company pay offer,’ Mr Lawrence said.

‘Workers that do not accept the company’s offer could be punished by a 12-month wage freeze.’

Mr Lawrence described the negotiations that ‘broke down’ in July as a charade by Telstra HR as the telco had no intention of genuinely consulting with staff or taking into account their concerns about pay and conditions.

The leaked documents indicate Telstra’s strategy had been in operation since at least February and that management had already determined what it will offer staff when their current enterprise agreement expires next month.

‘It is clear proof that Telstra management never intended to follow through with discussions it started in May with unions over a new collective agreement for its workers.

‘It also shows Telstra management misled its 32,000 staff and the Australian public about the reasons it broke off talks with unions in July.

‘It is appalling that one of Australia’s largest and most profitable companies can engage in this sort of dishonest and unethical business behaviour under our current IR laws.

‘Australian workers urgently need the rest of WorkChoices to be scrapped and to have their right to collectively bargain restored.’

New workplace laws must help women Australian women will remain over-represented in low-paid jobs unless the Federal Government moves to strengthen their collective bargaining rights ACTU President in the next round of Sharan Burrow IR laws to come before parliament, according to ACTU President Sharan Burrow.

‘Women have been instrumental in sustaining Australia’s long economic boom, fuelling huge growth in our service industries especially,’ Ms Burrow told the Macquarie University Women, Management and Employment Relations Conference in Sydney in July.

‘Women working full-time still earn an average of 16% less than men.’

‘Yet most women remain among the lowest paid with little power to negotiate.

‘In drafting new laws to do away with WorkChoices, the Federal Government has a rare opportunity to re-shape the Australian industrial landscape to make sure women are getting a fair go under the best possible system.

‘It’s been almost 40 years since it became unlawful to pay women less than men for work of equal value and yet women working full-time still earn an average of 16% less than men,’ Ms Burrow told the conference.

THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2008 11

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N E W S I INN BBRRI IEEFF

MUSIC TASTE

LINKED TO

MENTAL HEALTH new mental health study has identified a link between musical preferences and different types of mental illness.

The report, published in last month’s Australasian Psychiatry journal, found that teens listening to pop music are more likely to be struggling with their sexuality, those into to rap or heavy metal are more likely to be having unprotected sex and drink-driving, and those who prefer jazz tend to be misfits and loners.

The study of Year 10 students showed significant associations between heavy metal music and suicide ideation, depression, delinquency and drug-taking, prompting a call for doctors to include musical tastes as a diagnostic indicator in mental health assessments.

Deliberate self-harm and attempted suicide was also associated with teenagers who listened to trance, techno, heavy metal and medieval music as part of the goth/emo subculture, while those who attended dance parties were much more likely than their peers to be taking drugs.

Some genres of rap music, such as French rap, were linked to more deviant behaviours including theft, violence and drug use, while teens listening to hip-hop were usually less troublesome, the study’s author Felicity Baker told the media.

Speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald, Michael Bowden, a child psychiatrist and the head of medical programs at the NSW Institute of Psychiatry was dubious.

‘The key to understanding any teenager is to treat them with respect by listening to what they have to say, rather than typecasting them according to the type of music they listen to,’ he said.

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Indigenous health targets The Close the Gap coalition presented a set of National Indigenous Health Equality Targets to the Federal Government and Opposition in July to address the 17-year life expectancy gap between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner Tom Calma said the targets are the blueprint to achieve the Prime Minister’s goal of closing the gap between indigenous and non-indigenous life expectancy within a generation.

The targets are the blueprint to achieve the Prime Minister’s goal of closing the gap between indigenous and non-indigenous life expectancy within a generation.

The National Indigenous Health Equality Targets were developed by the Close the Gap coalition, with input from leading organisations with a stake in Aboriginal health, following the first-ever Indigenous Health Equality Summit in March this year.

During the summit, the Prime Minister, Opposition Leader, Health Minister, Indigenous Affairs Minister, Indigenous and community representatives signed a Statement of Intent, in which they agreed to work in partnership to achieve equality in health status and life expectancy between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians by the year 2030.

The Statement of Intent commits all parties to developing a comprehensive, long-term plan of action that is targeted to need, is evidence-based and capable of addressing inequities in health services, in order to achieve the set goals.

Copies of the National Indigenous Health Equality Targets are available at www.humanrights.gov.au/social_justice/ health/targets

Beautiful diaries help beast cancer research The Breast Cancer Institute of Australia has released its 2009 Australian Women’s Health Diary.

The diary contains all the essential features needed to organise busy lives as well as the latest information on health and wellbeing for women of all ages.

Breast cancer still remains the most common cause of death from cancer for Australian women. With more than 900 Australia women dying annually, and another 30 being diagnosed daily, the Australian Women’s Health Diary is a practical way to support the Institute and remain up to date on the latest diagnosis and treatment methods.

Sales of the diary have raised $4.3 million for breast cancer research programs since 1999. It will be available from 24 September in newsagents nationally, selected Woolworths and Safeway supermarkets, and selected Commonwealth Bank Branches.

The diary costs $12.95 and can also be ordered online at www.bcia.org.au or by calling 1800 423 444.

Nightshift nurses want naps

Women charged for hospital thefts

UK nursing unions have commenced lobbying hospital mangers to allow nightshift nurses to sleep during breaks.

According to the UK’s Health and Safety Executive, tired workers are less alert, find it less easy to concentrate and may make ill-judged decisions that can lead to errors, accidents and injuries.

The move is supported by studies from Australia, Canada and the UK – though most of the research is geared towards doctors.

Associate Professor Doug McEvoy and Professor Leon Lack, of Flinders University in Adelaide, investigated the effect of naps on doctors working nightshifts in 2006.

The results, published in the AMA’s Medical Journal of Australia, found the effect of fatigue on a health professional’s performance was similar to that of a blood alcohol concentration of 0.05-0.10%.

Assoc Prof. McEvoy recommended doctors take advantage of the natural dip in their circadian rhythms by napping.

Queensland Health, in conjunction with the South Australian Centre for Sleep Research, was currently trialling special sleep pods in selected hospitals for fatigued doctors.

Meanwhile, evidence-based guidelines from the UK’s Royal College of Physicians state that it is essential for junior doctors working night shifts to take naps of between 20 and 45 minutes to remain vigilant and alert.

However, with no similar guidance for UK nurses, those caught sleeping risk disciplinary action.

Two studies, presented in June at the annual meeting of the US Associated Professional Sleep Societies in Baltimore, found that fatigue impacted negatively on nursing performance.

A US study of over 2,000 nurses found that a lack of sleep led to more needlestick injuries, musculoskeletal disorders and even cardiovascular disease and a Canadian study of 13 critical care nurses found that those deprived of a nap during night shifts experienced nausea, irritability and severe fatigue.

Two more Sydney women have been charged over a spate of hospital thefts that have netted more than $1 million from patients during the past year.

According to police, the thieves have struck at the Westmead, Nepean, Bankstown, Royal North Shore, Royal Women’s, Sydney Adventist and Mater Hospitals.

The pair arrested on 31 July mainly targeted maternity wards, preying on women who have just given birth. They are believed to be part of a gang that also targeted schools and gyms.

Another woman linked to the gang was arrested on 11 June after allegedly using a stolen credit card at a department store at Broadway.

A police strike force set up to catch the thieves believe there were two separate two-woman teams involved in the scam that has stung 200 people across Sydney in the past year.

One victim lost $30,000 from several accounts in the space of 45 minutes.

Lax security by tellers at several major banks allowed the gang to raid the accounts.

One victim lost $30,000 from several accounts in the space of 45 minutes.

Another woman at the Mater Hospital in North Sydney was robbed of $22,500 just two days after giving birth.

According to reports, the thieves struck when the mother of three briefly left her hospital room. Seventeen minutes later they were empting her accounts at an ANZ branch in North Sydney.

The thieves apparently used the stolen ID to change the victim’s PIN numbers even though the photos did not match. The victim spent six weeks trying to recoup the money. Adding insult to injury, cancelled direct debit payments continued for three months resulting in overdrafts and bank fees of $500 that she said the bank had refused to waive.

s Occupational Health and Safety Forum 15 September, Camperdown, 1 day An opportunity to update on new OH&S legislation, guidelines and research.

• Cytotoxic drug guidelines, evaluating carcinogenic risks • Changing face of OHS – national model legislation • WorkCover assistance and advisory service • Sharps injuries project • Resistance to care and rehabilitation for nurses projects • Consultation, how well is it implemented?

• Design features for aged and high care facilities Members $30 Non-members $50 s Legal & Professional Issues for Nurses 29 September, Sutherland, ½ day 17 October, Coffs Harbour, ½ day Topics covered include the Nurses and Midwives Act 1991, potential liability, documentation, role of disciplinary tribunals including the NMB, writing statements.

Members $39 Non-members $85 s Aged Care Seminar Series – Assertiveness training 25 September, Camperdown, 1 day Designed for all nurses working in aged care including RNs, EENs, ENs and AiNs. Members $80 Non-members $120 s Basic Foot Care for RNs & ENs 15 & 16 October, Camperdown, 2 days A VETAB accredited course that aims to provide nurses with the competence to provide basic foot care.

Members $203 Non-members $350 s Basic Computer Skills for Nurses 28 October, Concord, 1 day Seminar is suitable for all nurses.

Members $85 Non-members $170

TO REGISTER or for more information go to www.nswnurses.asn.au or13ring THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2008 Carolyn Kulling on 1300 367 962

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NSWNA 63 RD ANNUAL CONFERENCE

Photography by Fiora Sacco

rd Conference, Setting the Pace, al nu An A WN NS 63 the of g The theme tations ed three days of inspiring presen Shaping the Future, underpinn rs and l and international union leade na tio na , rts pe ex try us ind m fro namic discussion and debate dy g rin fi s, ive tat en res rep t en governm red legates. Conference topics explo among NSWNA officials and de s, an expanded and stronger rse nu on s ice ho rkC Wo of ct the lasting impa ain nurses ative solutions to attract and ret cre s, rse nu for e rol l na sio fes pro r to inspire and develop younge ces cti pra t en tm rui rec ing lop ve and de nal leaders. nurses as tomorrow’s professio

14 THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2008

A year to be proud of REPORT FROM NSWNA GENERAL SECRETARY BRETT HOLMES

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he election of a new Federal Government committed to overturning the worst aspects of the previous government’s WorkChoices legislation was without doubt a remarkable achievement, NSWNA General Secretary Brett Holmes told the Conference.

‘It is the result of the efforts of the combined union movement and the community in the Your Rights At Work campaign that will be marked in history.

I am proud to say that the NSWNA played a significant part in that history,’ he said.

‘There is no doubt our ability to add paid media campaigns to our wellproven unpaid media capacity, provides our membership with power beyond the critical ability to organise, campaign and take action on the ground.’

Brett also outlined the various successes and challenges in all our main sectors.

A 7.95% outcome in the public health system over two years and an opportunity to pursue our claims for increased night duty penalty rates, and improved pay for experienced nurses in the State Industrial

Relations Commission, carried some unpalatable offsets. But in the face of a State Government under political and economic siege, and unwilling to cave in to unions over their wages policy, it proved an acceptable outcome to the vast majority of our branches.

‘While successful for around a third of our aged care members, almost exclusively in the not-for-profit sector, aged care bargaining still leaves us with enormous challenges. Many employers in the for-profit sector continue to refuse to engage with the NSWNA, with the notable exception of the Hardi group.

‘Work is underway with the federal office of the ANF and the other state and territory branches to prepare and run a national aged care campaign highlighting the importance of qualified nurses for quality outcomes, the need to close the wages gap, and licensing of all aged care workers.’

Brett said the constant campaigning has translated into growth for the union.

‘I am glad to be able to report that in contrast to last year’s report the NSWNA has recorded an increase of 808 members in the financial membership for the 12 months to 30 June. This brings the NSWNA financial membership, to 30 June 2008, to 51,744.’n THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2008 15

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ANF fights for work rights, quality aged care and nursing award

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Federal Secretary of the ANF, Ged Kearney

n her address to the NSWNA Annual Conference, ANF Federal Secretary Ged Kearney outlined to delegates an action packed year of campaigning.

She said the ANF had joined unions Australia-wide in pushing the Federal Government for a quicker windback of WorkChoices.

Another important focus for the ANF is campaigning to maintain nursingspecific awards. ‘The future of your nursing award is under threat because of a united campaign by other unions and a number of aged care employers to replace nursing awards with generic industry awards.’

The Federal Government has asked the Australian Industrial Relations Commission (AIRC) to review state and federal awards and some unions and employers argue that nursing should be brought into general awards covering particular industries such as aged care.

‘ANF believes the best way to protect nurses’ wages and conditions is by having a nursing award. The ANF believes that industry awards would disadvantage you and reduce patient and resident care standards,’ said Ged.

Congratulations LIFE MEMBERS

16 THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2008

The ANF is asking all nurses to help save their award by signing a petition calling on the AIRC to reject the push to scrap nursing awards and to ensure that nurses’ minimum wages and employment conditions are protected by nursing awards. The petition can be downloaded from the ANF website: www.anf.org.au The ANF is also launching a major national aged care campaign to put pressure on the Federal Government to ensure an appropriate mix of qualified nurses. ‘We need to ensure that aged care residents are cared for by an appropriately skilled workforce and that there are enough people caring for them,’ said Ged. ‘Nurses working in aged care are at breaking point because of impossible workloads and a lack of support, there is no incentive for them to stay in an industry which continually offers chronically poor pay and conditions.

‘We urge the Australian Government to act to solve this crisis in aged care by ensuring minimum staffing levels and skill mix, closing the wages gap for nurses, and ensuring the licensing of all aged care workers.’n

The NSWNA congratulates our new Life Members, announced at this year’s Annual Conference: (from left) Dorte Penon, Pam Tremlett, Sheila Petty, Lynne Day, Valda Wiles, and Peter Harris.

Thank you for many years of service fighting to protect your fellow nursing colleagues.

David Harrigan, Director of Labour Relations, United Nurses of Alberta Union NSW Minister for Health Reba Meagher

Minister supports a bigger role for nurses

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SW Minister for Health Reba Meagher told the NSWNA Annual Conference that she will step up her campaign for nurses to have expanded roles in our hospitals in recognition of their enhanced skills.

‘As our population ages, and gets sicker, we need to look at better ways to meet that increasing demand and nurses and midwives should be central in any new approach,’ she said.

Ms Meagher said she fully supports the development of the National Primary Health Care Strategy by the Federal Government.

‘I have told Minister Roxon I agree with her suggestion that the time is right to extend prescribing rights for the Medicare and Pharmaceutical Benefits Schemes to nurses and I will continue to advocate for reform in this area,’ she said.

The Minister touched upon the 7.95% pay rise just agreed on for public health system nurses and midwives.

‘We have now increased wages by

59% since 1999 and our nurses and midwives in NSW are again the highest paid in the country.

‘All of it deserved, of course,’ she said.

‘I agree the time is right to extend prescribing rights for the Medicare and Pharmaceutical Benefits Schemes to nurses.’

Ms Meagher said the State Government is trying hard to train, recruit and retain more nurses and midwives.

‘This is a major challenge for us in the face of a national and international shortage of nurses,’ she said.

‘But we are making ground. The NSW nursing and midwifery workforce is now over 43,000, an increase of more than 9,000 since 2002, and I look forward to that number continuing to grow.’n

INNOVATIVE EBA ADDRESSES NURSE SHORTAGES avid Harrigan, Director of Labour Relations, United Nurses of Alberta Union, told NSWNA delegates of his union’s success negotiating an Enterprise Bargaining Agreement in 2007 that goes some way to addressing severe nurse shortages.

The Agreement delivers a 5% wage increase for each of the three years of the agreement, additional shift premiums, lump sum payments of about 2% more in each of the three years, 2% extra pay after 20 years service in a move to encourage experienced nurses to continue working, special weekend worker arrangements and other pilot projects that enable flexible work practices.

For example, the provision for seasonal part-time employment enables nurses to work full-time some months of year, then move away to a warmer climate for the rest of the year, while earning a part-time wage all year.

Under special weekend worker arrangements, nurses who nominate to work every weekend work only 80% FTE but are paid a full-time wage.

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NSWNA 63 RD ANNUAL CONFERENCE

Vigilance still needed in aged care

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here has been a lot of movement in industrial relations since the federal election with the roll back of the worst excesses of WorkChoices.

But the bulk of changes to the IR laws are not scheduled to kick in until 2010.

In aged care, some employers continue to take advantage of the parts of these remaining laws that allow them to evade genuine talks with their employees.

There is a small but growing number of employers attempting to use ‘Employee Collective Agreements’. The key difference between a (non-union) ‘Employee Collective Agreement’ (ECA) and a ‘Union Collective Agreement’ (UCA) is that an employer must negotiate on the content of a UCA with unions representing employees, while an ECA only requires an employer to ‘confer’ with staff and unions.

The Aged Care workshop at the NSWNA Annual Conference discussed the importance of developing communications networks and of building workplace organisation and strength in order to counter these employer tactics.n

‘With the current staff shortages the key issues for us are workloads and pay parity with the public sector.We also need greater recognition of ENs and the retention of at least one RN per shift. Nurses in aged care have to join the union if they want to get a decent agreement.’

Katja Jackman, EEN, Port Macquarie Catholic Care of the Aged

LOOKING TO LIGHTEN WORKLOADS ighty-six delegates from across the state took part in lively discussions about reasonable workloads issues in our public hospitals at a lunchtime workshop at Annual Conference.

The workshop was an opportunity for delegates to discuss barriers to achieving reasonable workloads and to look at possible solutions.

The Association will look at the information and feedback from the workshop and develop a variety of approaches to support members who want to take

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18 THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2008

advantage of the tools available to achieve a reasonable workload.

NSWNA Assistant Secretary Judith Kiejda said the Association will be particularly vigorous in its pursuit of workload issues that have been identified.

‘We intend to explore sustainable options to ensure nurses have reasonable workloads. We will support branch officials and our members on Reasonable Workloads Committees and make sure they feel confident in pursuing their legal entitlement to a reasonable workload,’ she said.

NSWNA PROFESSIONAL ISSUES CONFERENCE

Towards inspirational leadership g This year’s Professional Issues Conference on 8 August offered delegates a dynamic day of presentations and debate, exploring inter-generational issues and how we can enhance our understanding of different generations and work towards inspirational leadership.

INSPIRING YOUNG WORKERS

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o find solutions to skills shortages – and nowhere are they more acute than in nursing – we need to understand different generations at work and to effectively manage their differences, one of Australia’s most respected commentators on generational differences and leadership told the Conference.

Avril Henry is author of Inspiring Tomorrow’s Leaders Today: Breaking Down Generational Barriers At Work.

She has explored the challenges involved in managing different generations in the workplace in order for organisations to effectively recruit and retain employees.

Avril said the biggest obstacles to retention in the health system are command and control management systems and inflexible rosters.

‘We wonder why people are not coming and not staying,’ she said.

Avril said there is also a deficit in ‘soft skills’ training. ‘We don’t invest enough money in management development skills.’

It is important to understand there are three different generations now in the workforce with different worldviews arising from different economic and social experiences, said Avril. The biggest mistake made by managers – usually

baby boomers – is to lump the younger Generation X and Generation Y together.

Gen X (born around 1965 to 1980) is the pessimistic generation. ‘They are hard to get to know. They play their cards close to their chests.’

The biggest obstacles to retention in the health system are command and control management systems and inflexible rosters.

Gen Ys (born around 1980 to 1994) will have five careers and 29 different employers during their lives. ‘If they like their jobs they will stay two to three years. If they don’t they will stay days to weeks,’ said Avril.

‘This is scary for baby boomers who are driven by economic insecurity and job insecurity.

Avril said Generation Y have witnessed the impact of recession on their parents’ generation so are not loyal to organisations.

Avril Henry

‘They say organisations shaft people. They say organisations don’t care about people as human beings. But they are loyal to the team. They are looking for a sense of connectedness. They don’t have extended families. Their extended families are the team at work and their friends.’

All this presents challenges for managers to hold on to these young workers in a tight labour market.

‘They will follow a good manager.

Their number one motivator is inspired leadership. They want to be respected for creativity and their technical skills. When they are connected they have a sense of belonging. That is when they will stay.’n THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2008 19

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NSWNA PROFESSIONAL ISSUES CONFERENCE

HEALTHY WORK CULTURES HELP RETAIN NURSES

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eter Sheahan, a leading expert in workforce trends and generational change, delivered a dynamic presentation to Conference exploring the culture of health care and how this impacts on the retention and attraction of younger nurses.

‘For Gen Yers to stay, they need to be inspired, they need to like their job, they need to feel respect, recognition and reward, they want some control over their work and career,’ said Peter.

He said the culture of health care does not help encourage young people to stay. ‘It tends to be very centralised and managers are not particularly collaborative.

‘If young people are not getting what they want, they’ll move on. Gen Yers

move around 20 times in their career. Retention of younger nurses is more of a problem than attraction.

Peter said workplace culture determines how you feel about your job. ‘People tend to blame the system for bad workplace culture but culture starts within.

Culture is made up of people.

If culture is toxic that’s not the fault of the system but the people working within it.’

Peter challenged delegates to take responsibility for changing the culture at their workplaces.

‘Have courage. Be an early adopter of change,’ he said.n

Peter Sheahan

SA SECRETARY’S TIPS FOR INSPIRATIONAL LEADERSHIP

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Elizabeth Dabars

20 THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2008

t 28, Elizabeth Dabars, Secretary of the SA Branch of the ANF, has achieved extraordinary success in her careers in nursing and the union movement at a young age. She shared with delegates her thoughts on inspirational leadership.

Elizabeth started nursing as a personal care assistant in aged care.

‘It taught me the importance of listening,’ she said.

‘Early in my career I got involved in the union. Someone said, you should join, I reckon you’d be a good workplace rep. That was it – I was hooked.

‘I realised what a powerful structure the union is through which the community can achieve things by working together.’

Elizabeth soon became an RN and gained legal qualifications. She worked at the SA Branch of the ANF as an industrial officer, then legal officer before being appointed General Secretary earlier this year.

Elizabeth said she has been immensely inspired by her predecessor at the SA Branch of the ANF Lee Thomas, as well as NSWNA and ANF National President Coral Levett and NSWNA General Secretary Brett Holmes.

‘I notice that good leaders keep engaging with the people – especially the young people – in their organisation, and they create and allow opportunities for people to grow,’ she said.

‘They respect their colleagues, recognise the achievements of others and demonstrate the courage to allow change.

Importantly, they don’t take themselves too seriously,’ said Elizabeth.n

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‘The Conference has helped me better understand that different generations have different values. It will help me prepare for my clinical placement. Being a nurse is not just about clinical work. It’s also about building relationships with your colleagues.’

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‘We don’t include young people in “big picture” thinking and we don’t put enough into inspiring them as our future leaders.This problem is indicated by the fact we had so few younger nurses at the Conference.They are flat out working the floor.They are only given time off to improve their clinical skills development.’

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‘We all need greater understanding of the issues working across three generations.

We’re operating with big ‘L’s on our heads.

The Conference has given me greater understanding of Gen Yers.’

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‘I thought the Professional Day was fantastic and the speakers were really good, particularly their ideas about bridging the generation gap and the retention of nurses.

They offered some great insights.’

THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2008 21 Clai re Waite, RN, RPA

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I N D U S T R I A L

I S S U E S

‘We often feel isolated in the private sector. It’s important to get organised at work and build the membership so you are not alone negotiating with management.’

Jillian Thurlow, EEN, Lake Macquarie Private Hospital

‘I don’t think many private hospital nurses know how vulnerable they are.When the current agreements expire we could lose all our hard fought conditions. Nurses in the private sector need to build membership to hold on to those conditions.’

Jan Shanks, RN, Hills Private Hospital 22 THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2008

‘I think the key issues are the retention of experienced ENs and, obviously, parity with the public sector. Given the profits in the private sector, why are we having to fight for parity? We should be setting the benchmark.Workloads are always an issue, especially given the use of skeleton staffing.’

Jane Cooper, RN, Figtree Private Hospital

N URSES L A IT P S O H E T A IV R P N ATTENTIO

Want a pay increase? … it’s in your hands g Many facets of WorkChoices are likely to remain.

This means negotiations with private hospital employers – now under way – will be carried out in a WorkChoices environment.

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ith many private hospital union agreements expiring in September or October, NSWNA General Secretary Brett Holmes says pay talks will be conducted in the transition period between WorkChoices and the Rudd Government’s new IR laws.

‘That means we can’t be complacent and think that WorkChoices is gone and the employers will welcome our claim with open arms,’ he said.

‘If the experience of employees in other industries – Telstra and Qantas being high profile examples, as well as for many nurses in aged care – some employers will take advantage of what laws are available to them to stop people acting together to improve their wages and conditions.’

So far, the three major employers of private hospital nurses in NSW – Ramsay, Healthscope and Healthe Care – have indicated to the NSWNA they are prepared to negotiate Union Collective Agreements.

‘We can’t be complacent and think that WorkChoices is gone.’

‘To achieve our goals of parity with the public health system in wages and conditions we have to be organised with branches in as many private hospitals as possible and strong communication networks,’ said Brett.n

PRIVATE HOSPITALS INDUSTRY CLAIMS greements in private hospitals will be negotiated employer by employer, but the industry claim that will be tailored by members as bargaining starts with your employer, is: c 5% p.a. pay increase; c responsibility for employer to provide reasonable workload; c increase in on-call allowance and in charge of shift allowance; c a continuing education allowance

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c c c

c

for nurses and midwives who have attained a hospital certificate or post graduate qualification in their specialty; an additional 3.8% for experienced nurses; expansion of existing enrolled nursing classifications; improved clinical career paths and salary rates for CNS/CMS, CNE/CME and NE/ME; increased night shift allowance to 25%.

WHAT YOU

CAN DO TO HELP c Make sure your contact details are up to date.

NSWNA needs your mobile number, email address and award classification so we can get campaign material to you fast. c Encourage all your friends and workmates to be NSWNA members – there is strength in numbers.

They can join online or by phone today. c Make contact with your NSWNA branch officials and offer to help them organise campaign activities in 2008. If you haven’t got a branch at your workplace contact the NSWNA. c Come to meetings at your hospital or in your local area.

THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2008 23

AV]^ till you 2`]^ Members

Members – $20 for every new member you sign up!

The Association’s Recruitment Incentive Scheme has been updated which means you will get $20 for every new member you sign up!

AbO` @SQ`cWbS`a * Gai Pickering is one of our recruiters who has been acknowledged as a Star Recruiter because she has signed up 60 + new members.

Gai works at St George Hospital and has been signing up new members for many years. In fact Gai has signed up almost 500 new members since 1995!

24 THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2008

There are always new grads, overseas and other nurses being employed at public and private hospitals, aged care and community centres, as well as other facilities. Why not invite them to become members of the NSWNA?

A] USb Pcag

Sign up 5 new members and you get $100!

Sign up 20 new members and get $400!

You now have a choice of either David Jones or Coles Group & Myers Gift Cards * want more application forms? * want our recruitment DVD/video ‘Why Join?

Get the full details of how the Association’s Recruitment Incentive Scheme works.

For more information EMAIL: lridge@nswnurses.asn.au WEBSITE: download forms from our website www.nswnurses.asn.au PHONE: (02) 8595 1234 (metro) or 1300 367 962 (rural)

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I N D U S T R I A L

I S S U E S

Want a pay increase? … it’s in your hands (from page 23)

BEWARE

Not all ‘collective agreements’ are good for you

P

rivate hospital nurses can learn from their colleagues in aged care. In that sector some employers have avoided negotiating with employees through their union by ambushing staff with an ‘employee collective agreement’.

Union Collective Agreements deliver higher pay increases and better working conditions A Union Collective Agreement (UCA) is the only reliable way to improve private hospitals nurses’ wages and conditions if you are covered by the federal industrial relations system. c A Union Collective Agreement (UCA) means that employees – supported by their union – negotiate collectively with management. c By working together, employees have greater bargaining power, combined

PROTECT YOURSELF AGAINST EMPLOYER TRICKERY

Until all aspects of WorkChoices are overthrown – and this could take until 2010 – it is important that we are on guard against employer tactics aimed at weakening our ability to improve wages and conditions. Here are some signs to look for that your employer is getting organised:

with expert advice from NSWNA officials. UCAs are more likely to provide access to the independent umpire, the Australian Industrial Relations Commission, which will act to enforce conditions if required.

Nothing ‘collective’ about Employee Collective Agreements There is a second type of collective agreement that makes union involvement difficult called an Employee Collective Agreement (ECA). c Don’t be fooled into accepting an ECA, as the law doesn’t require your employer to negotiate with you – only to ‘meet and confer’. c ECAs are only required to have the five minimum conditions set by the Federal Government. These nonunion agreements may look good at first, but they are the first step to cutting pay and conditions.n

‘It’s important to push for a Union Collective Agreement so you have the union behind you when you’re negotiating your new agreement.’

Linda Jennings, RN, Hills Private Hospital

SIGN

WHAT TO DO

Surveys

1. Call the NSWNA before you complete any survey.

2. Write on the survey that you would like a Union Collective Agreement.

Your employer is asking you to complete a survey that asks questions about your workplace and possible changes.

Meetings with Human Resources or other managers ‘Exciting changes to the organisation and your working conditions’ may be really good, but they might also mean a new agreement that decreases your wages and/or conditions.

Suddenly there are a lot of visits by Human Resources or your owner Maybe they’re just taking an interest in the place. Maybe not.

1. Call the NSWNA. 2. Attend the meeting and take notes.

3. At the meeting ask if there is going to be a new agreement and if so is the employer going to negotiate a Union Collective Agreement.

Call the Association and ask for information about Union Collective Agreements to be sent to your workplace.

THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2008 25

Switch to direct debit & win two days of sheer indulgence at one of Australia’s most luxurious hotels

The prize includes two nights in a Park Hyatt Opera Room with stunning harbour views including breakfast and $200 towards dinner at the hotel’s Harbour Kitchen and Bar, a $150 spa (or beverage) voucher, plus valet parking.

Don’t risk your membership lapsing from changing workplaces. With direct debit you are always protected on the job.

Switch your membership to direct debit, sign up a new member on direct debit or convince a colleague to convert to direct debit and you will automatically go into the draw to win two nights of supreme luxury at one of Australia’s finest hotels, 26 THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2008 the Park Hyatt Sydney.

• cancel your payroll deductions and start paying your fees through direct debit and you will go in the lucky draw and/or • convince your colleagues to convert from payroll deductions to direct debit and you, and each of your colleagues who switch to direct debit, will go in the lucky draw and/or • sign up a new member using the direct debit method of paying their fees and you, and the new DRA 30 DEC WN member, will go in the EMBE 2008 R lucky draw.

Membership Application forms or Direct Debit forms can be downloaded from our website www.nswnurses.asn.au Alternatively call the NSWNA on 8595 1234 (metro area) or 1300 367 962 (non-metro area) for more information.

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I N D U S T R I A L

I S S U E S

‘Responsive rosters’ threat goes statewide c New software being explored by NSW Health may allow statewide roll out of ‘responsive rostering’.

O

fficially, the introduction of a controversial new ‘responsive rostering’ system in the Hunter New England Area Health Service has been suspended pending the result of a joint union/ management research project.

On 21 June the HNEAHS and NSW Nurses’ Association appeared before Deputy President Harrison of the NSW Industrial Commission. Both sides agreed that implementation of the ‘responsive rostering’ project would be suspended while a joint consultative committee carried out research into the current request-based roster systemwith the assistance of academic experts.

But the threat remains that ‘responsive rostering’ may go statewide with the backing of NSW Health at a senior level.

Consultants employed by HNEAHS to promote the new rosters in the Hunter New England Area say they are also helping NSW Health to obtain Treasury funding for statewide rostering software to replace the current rostering system, which they say is outdated and fragile.

Canadian-based consulting firm

Workforce Edge has been engaged by NSW Health to develop ‘a business case to secure funding for a state-wide rostering software to replace legacy systems’, according to the company’s website (www.workforce-edge. com/work.html#NSW ). ‘The business case will represent the interests of the Area Health Services across the state, as well as the Department of Health and the NSW Health Support Services organisation, and will be submitted to Treasury for review and approval,’ the website says.

NSWNA General Secretary Brett Holmes said he is concerned the implementation of this new software would enable roster reform in Area Health Services across NSW, such as the responsive rostering proposed by HNEAHS. By its own admission, Workforce Edge Consulting says its project includes ‘development of responsive rosters for all nursing units in the largest hospitals in the Area’.

Workforce Edge claims its findings and recommendations led HNEAHS to decide to introduce responsive rostering. ‘Once the new technology is in place, it would be left to the discretion of each AHS Chief Executive as to whether they would use the technology to implement roster reform in their AHS,’ said Brett. ‘I have strongly raised my concerns with NSW Health. They have acknowledged the risk of rolling out the new system and cannot rule out that it would be utilised for roster reform,’ he said.n

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‘I have strongly raised my concerns with NSW Health.They have acknowledged the risk of rolling out the new system and cannot rule out that it would be utilised for roster reform.’ NSWNA General Secretary Brett Holmes

ABN: 68 014 575 993 Locked Bag 3030 Burwood NSW 1850 Phone: 9745 7525 www.numsociety.com.au

DATE Friday, 17 October 2008 VENUE ANZ Stadium, Millennium Room, Sydney Olympic Park, Homebush Bay, NSW FOR REGISTRATION, PLEASE CONTACT: lsaunders@nursing.edu.au Tel Direct: 02 9745 7525 • Fax: 02 9745 7502

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A G E N D A

Reprieve for Aboriginal health service g Community action stalls plans by GWAHS to axe frontline Indigenous health service.

T

he Greater Western Area Health Service (GWAHS) has postponed its planned decimation of services to the remote Aboriginal town of Goodooga following fierce community backlash.

ContinentalTravelNurse.ai 7/3/08 NSWNA member and Goodooga

Health Service RN Martha Waaka was initially devastated by the announcement but has since resolved to dig in and fight with the community to retain the service.

‘The community is frightened. It’s an ageing population here and people are very scared of what will happen if someone gets sick or has a heart attack,’ she said.

In July, the GWAHS gave the Goodooga Health Advisory Committee and staff two weeks notice of its plan to close the town’s primary health care service, leaving it without a registered nurse, ambulance or emergency services 10:51:46 AM and replacing it with a telephone service.

The announcement has sent shock waves through the local community.

At a time when governments around the country are channelling resources into reducing the Indigenous life-expectancy gap, the GWAHS’ move has stunned Aboriginal groups and local politicians.

Steve Gordon, the NSW Aboriginal Land Council representative for the North West Region, called the planned cutback another ‘kick in the guts’ for Aboriginal people living in remote communities. ‘[This] means people who need urgent care will have to make a more than 150 kilometre round trip to Lightning Ridge,’ he told the Koori Mail.

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The community of Goodooga protest the proposed cuts to their health service.

‘It flies in the face of repeated statements by the State and Federal Governments that they were going to do more, not less, to improve Aboriginal health standards and life expectancy.’

The GWAHS has appointed an independent facilitator, Professor Shane Houston, to review the service’s future but has made no commitment to retaining the service.

Meanwhile, Martha Waaka has little confidence in the assurances of the GWAHS following the closure the town’s hospital in 1998.

‘That was pretty foul. It was like a dawn raid when we had only one bed occupied. The client was moved out and then they shut us down.

‘They gave us all these pieces of paper promising no future reduction in services, no removal of the RNs and so forth, and now they say they can’t take responsibility for what happened before.

‘With our doctor being the second oldest person in town, at 80 years of age, this is a disaster just waiting to happen.’

Martha described the effect on

nurses’ morale as terrible and the prospect of a phone service as inadequate.

‘The GWAHS has no standard of practice regarding telephone triage and if I was on the other end of that phone I wouldn’t pick it up as I’m not trained and therefore not covered if something went wrong.

‘... people who need urgent care will have to make a more than 150 kilometre round trip to Lightning Ridge.’

‘I’m sure it all makes perfect sense to the bureaucrats but these are real people with real needs.

‘I was planning on moving to the Northern Territory soon but if we win, no, when we win, I’ll commit for another three years because if I go you know what will happen – without an RN they can close it all down.’n

LIONS NURSES’SCHOLARSHIP

Looking for funding to further your studies

in 2009?

The trustees of the Lions Nurses’ Scholarship Foundation invite applications for scholarships for 2009.

Nurses eligible for these scholarships must be resident and employed within the State of NSW or ACT. You must be registered or enrolled with either the NSW Nurses and Midwives Board or regulatory authority of the ACT, and must have a minimum of three years’ experience in the nursing profession in NSW or the ACT. Applicants must also be able to produce evidence that your employer will grant leave for the required period of the scholarship.

Details of eligibility and the scholarships available (which include study projects either within Australia or overseas), and application forms are available from: The Honourary Secretary, Lions Nurses’ Scholarship Foundation 43 Australia Street, Camperdown NSW 1450 or contact Ms Glen Ginty on 1300 367 962 or gginty@nswnurses.asn.au www.nswnurses.asn.au Completed applications must be in the hands of the secretary no later than 28 November 2008.

THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2008 29

s

SERVICES TO

MEMBERS

Union Shopper saves nurses $$$

W

hen you consider the many benefits of belonging to a union it can be easy to overlook one of the best perks of membership – Union Shopper.

Join the hundreds of members who have saved many thousands of dollars on everything from cars, electrical items and cameras to whitegoods, widgets and world holidays.

Next time you are considering a purchase, all you have to do is look for the best price you can find for the product or service, then call the staff at Union Shopper and give them the details. They will set about hunting down the best deal they can find using their Australia-wide union buying power.

It is without doubt the simplest and easiest way for busy nurses to find the best prices for nearly anything they’re looking for, without all the legwork.

Union Shopper uses the combined bargaining power of union members across Australia to access discounts on a wide range of products and services. It is a not-for-profit, 100% union-owned organisation working exclusively for

Licia Thomas, an RN at Bathurst Hospital, saved a whopping $651 on a new sewing machine.

Janet Watson, a Canterbury Hospital midwife, saved $397 on a pair of Kelvinator air conditioners.

union members. In other words, each union’s membership (that’s you) owns this great service.

To access the service simply phone Union Shopper on 1300 368 117, quote your NSWNA membership number and tell them what product you’re interested in. They will get back to you with a price usually within four business hours.

To find out more about Union Shopper visit their website at www.unionshopper.com.aun

Patricia Rawnsley, a Nurse Educator from Campbelltown Hospital, saved an incredible $3,720 on a new car.

C O M P E T I T I O N This month The Lamp is offering members the chance to win a $750 voucher from Union Shopper.

To enter simply write your name, address and membership number on the back of an envelope and mail it to:

Members can use this voucher towards any major electrical item from almost any major retailer in Australia.

Union Shopper Competition PO Box 40 Camperdown NSW 1450

So if you’re looking for a new frost free fridge, a reverse-cycle air conditioner or perhaps a widescreen plasma television and home entertainment system, then this is your chance to save yourself an absolute bundle!

Competition closes 30 September 2008.

30 THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2008

"IG 3AVINGS FOR 5NION -EMBERS

NSWNA General Secretary Brett Holmes and his wife, Wendy Smith, a Nurse Educator at Liverpool Hospital, used Union Shopper to purchase whitegoods for their new kitchen last year saving them nearly $1,000.

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Q & A

ASK

JUDITH

WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR RIGHTS AND ENTITLEMENTS AT WORK, NSWNA ASSISTANT GENERAL SECRETARY JUDITH KIEJDA HAS THE ANSWERS.

Leave for blood donors I regularly give blood and last time I was at the clinic they advised me I might be entitled to special leave. I asked my NUM but she was unaware of any leave.

If you are a nurse employed in the NSW Public Health System you may be entitled to leave to give blood. NSW Health has a policy directive ‘Special Leave’ (PD2006_ 095) that states: ‘7. Blood Donors Staff employed in the NSW Health Service may be granted special leave to donate blood to assist in building up supplies for the Australian Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service.

The amount of leave granted is restricted to the time reasonably necessary to: c travel to and from the local Blood Collection Centre; and c recuperate after the employee has given blood.

Leave of absence is subject to the employer being satisfied that all essential services can be maintained during the employee’s absence.’

ADO entitlements Our NUM has advised us that we can only have 12 ADOs per year and that she will be rostering us all one per month. Can she do this?

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Full-time employees are entitled to one ADO in each 28-day roster cycle. There are 13 such cycles in the year. However, you are not entitled to an ADO during annual leave. The number of ADO’s will therefore depend on whether you take annual leave in a year or not. The Department of Health Policy Directive, ‘Payroll Procedures – 38Hour Working Week – Allocated Days Off, Annual Leave & Debiting of Leave’ (PD2006_094) states: ‘8. Allocated Days Off … ... where no annual leave is taken in any one year (eg during the first year of employment) an employee will be granted 13 ADOs in that year and 11 in the subsequent year.’

Your NUM should be following the above requirements. The policy directive goes on to say: ‘Accurate records need to be maintained so that both management and employees are able to ascertain that the correct number of ADOs have been granted in any particular year. In order to ensure that only 12 ADOs are granted, in one of the 28 day roster cycles during the year in which the employee takes some part of her/his annual leave, no ADO is to be granted during the remaining part of that cycle during which the employee is rostered for duty.’

Therefore, it is important that documentation is maintained and accessible by the employees, and where annual leave is taken in blocks less than four weeks that an ADO is forfeited in the 28-day roster cycle.

As with all leave matters, it is recommended that all employees keep a work diary that records all shifts worked and leave taken, as well as all pay slips, which will assist with any discrepancies that may occur.

No salary sacrifice for casuals I work as a casual in the NSW public health system and want to salary sacrifice to superannuation.

My employer advises me that as a casual I am unable to salary sacrifice.

Is this correct?

No, this is incorrect. Salary sacrifice to superannuation is allowed as per Salary Sacrifice for Superannuation Guidelines published 30 April 2008. Point 3.2 states: ‘Casual and Temporary Employees may salary sacrifice superannuation contributions.

The amount to be salary sacrificed will be nominated by the employee as a percentage of their earnings for each engagement’.n

The NSW Nurses’ Association gratefully acknowledges the sponsorship provided by the following companies for our Annual Conference held at the AJC Randwick 6 - 8 August 2008: c c c

First State Super Maurice Blackburn MembersEquity Bank

c c c

HESTA Super Fund Health Industry Plan Medicraft Hill-Rom

Offset Alpine Printing • Scott & Broad Pty Ltd • Computershare Document Services • Commonwealth Bank • Angel Mah-Chut Architects • Fuji Xerox The Association also thanks the following companies for their contribution and assistance: ABC Tissues • ACTU Member Connect • Bio Oil • Forte Brands • L’Occitane • Nivea • Pacific Brands • The Child Health Programme • The Nuance Group • Virtual Communities THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2008 31

POSTGRADUATE COMMUNITY AGED CARE NURSING SCHOLARSHIPS You may be eligible to apply for a scholarship under the Postgraduate Community Aged Care Nursing Scholarship Scheme

ARE YOU? An Australian citizen or permanent resident of Australia?

A registered/division 1 nurse with a current practicing certificate?

Currently working in the community aged care sector?

Able to demonstrate a commitment to nursing within the community aged care sector?

Undertaking postgraduate studies in the 2009 academic year?

Participating in an educational program or conference in the 2009 academic year?

If you answered yes to the above questions and would like to apply for a scholarship, please contact the Fund Administrator.

For further information please contact the Fund Administrator: Freecall: 1800 551 201 Email: scholarships@rcna.org.au Website: www.rcna.org.au 32 THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2008

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N S W N A M A T T E R S

Direct Debit the way to go! g NSWNA member Doug Green knows he’s on a winner with Direct Debit.

D

irect Debit holiday winner Doug Green spends much of his day on the phone helping injured and sick travellers get home, so when he got the call from The Lamp he couldn’t have been happier.

‘I can’t tell you how much we need this holiday. Hopefully we won’t need my travel service on the trip!’ he laughed.

‘At first I thought it was a joke as I’d just got off the phone from a customer

who’d had a car accident in Margaret River. Lucky I didn’t hang up.

‘My wife Caroline is also a nurse and we’ve had only one night away from our kids in 13 years so we’re going to thoroughly enjoy this.

‘We adore our kids but, honestly, eight days on the Margaret River ... it’s no contest! To win this trip through the Direct Debit promotion was an unexpected, but wonderful, surprise.’

Doug and Caroline have used the Direct Debit method to pay their membership fees for some time and, even without the holiday, see it as the best way to maintain their membership.

‘Being a firm supporter of the NSW

Nurses’ Association, I like to know my monthly contributions are complete and up to date. Direct Debit offers me the means by which I can guarantee that my membership remains current.

‘It also provides a secure and convenient payment method that protects us from the frustrating omissions and accumulated deductions that sometimes occur with payroll processing.

‘My wife and I have always enjoyed the support and guidance of the Association throughout our combined 40 odd years in the profession. Now we can also enjoy the delights of the Margaret River region of WA, thanks to the NSW Nurses’ Association.’n

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Chifley Financial Services Limited (ABN 75 053 704 706) is an Australian Financial Services Licensee (AFSL 231148) and an APRA Registrable Superannuation Entity Licensee (RSEL: L0001120). Chifley Financial Services Limited is co-owned by Unions NSW, the Local Government Superannuation Scheme and the Energy Industries Superannuation Scheme.

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THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2008 33 Schlanger Advert1.indd 2

19/10/07 3:50:56 PM

www.anf.org.au/cpe

Photos: Rhonda Milner | Belen L Mendez

The ANF CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION WEBSITE provides services to all NSWNA members, which includes online e-learning topics available at discounted rates.

Current topics include: t Wound Care Update t Basic Life Support Update t Drug Calculations and Administration t Respiratory 1 - Upper Airway Obstruction t Respiratory 2 - Respiratory Failure t Cardiac 1 - Chest Pain Assessment and Management t Cardiac 2 - Acute Coronary Syndrome

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST? NSWNA members receive a discount on all on-line topics. Each topic costs $7.70 for members or $22.00 for non-members.

Payments can be made on-line using either Visa, MasterCard, Dinners Club or American Express.

WHAT DO YOU GET? Each topic offers an in-depth self directed learning package (tutorial) as well as an interactive assessment. The assessment is marked upon completion by the website and you are allowed three attempts. Your highest score will then appear on your continuing professional education record.

The site also provides a printable professional education record and portfolio builder. A professional record of all on-line and face to face courses, workshops or seminars that the member has completed, can be updated, viewed and printed at any time.

WE ARE LISTENING TO YOU! If you believe there is a specific topic that should be included you can suggest it on-line.

CONTACT US | Jodie Davis | Federal Education Officer | 02 6232 6533 | cpe@anf.org.au 34 THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2008

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L I V E S O F

N U R S E S

Joanne sets her goals … on court and on the ward g Joanne Day juggles hats as NSW Netballer of the Year and RN in the busy intensive care unit at RPA. How does she do it?

smpimages.com

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Joanne sets up another shot at goal for the NSW Blues.

hen NSWNA member Joanne Day won Netball NSW’s 2007 state league player of the year, her only regret was falling excruciatingly short of the state title with her Eastwood-Ryde team mates.

A year later, the talented 24-yearold goal-attack for the NSW Blues and the Eastwood-Ryde Woodies is poised to realise that dream.

It was a thrilling race to last year’s finish-line, which saw The Woodies contest their first division-one grand final in more that two decades.

Joanne’s team defeated Sydney University in extra time before knocking off the Hunter Jays in a semi-final thriller and going on to push the mighty Sydney Storm all the way in the Cup decider.

Joanne hopes that experience will help them over the line this year.

It has been a long and hardfought road for The Woodies. During the past six years the team, based around the same five core players, has charged through the division rankings (from fifth to first) with a string of courageous victories.

Now, with just two games to go in the 2008 State League Waratah Cup competition, The Woodies are sitting third on the table and look set for another serious tilt at the title – scheduled for the second Saturday of September.

‘We peaked a bit early-on then had a mid-season dip, but we now seem to be building at the right end of the comp,’ she said.

After the state league it will be full steam ahead for Joanne in the Australian National League competition with the NSW Blues.

So how does a busy young RN juggle two netball competitions and a demanding career?

‘Easy, no social life,’ Joanne laughed.

‘Well, that’s not entirely true, I love nursing and netball so I’m pretty happy.

One balances the other out – and my boyfriend lives in Brisbane.

‘Before meeting me he’d never seen a game but he’s a keen supporter now. I suppose he has to be! Anyway, he comes to my games and enjoys them.’

‘I mostly do 10-hour shifts in the ICU from Monday to Friday but I have a really supportive NUM who understands my passion.’

Joanne works full-time in the general intensive care unit at RPA and juggles her shifts so she can keep up her six days-aweek commitment to the sport.

‘Playing two competitions, I train Monday, Thursday and Friday and play Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday,’ she said.

‘I mostly do 10-hour shifts in the ICU from Monday to Friday but I have a really supportive NUM who understands my passion.

With a schedule that regularly sees her going straight from competition to nightshift, or vice versa after a quick nap, time management is crucial for Joanne.

‘There are ways around [shiftwork].

I help my NUM out whenever I can and I don’t whinge if I’m tired. A good boss wants to help you. I’ve been playing since I was eight and I’m now 24 so it’s in my blood and I think she recognises that.’

At this stage Joanne is happy to dedicate most of her life to nursing and netball and sees her combined passions as ultimately creating a healthy work/life balance.

‘I was just talking with a colleague about the impact of nursing on our health and lifestyles. There is no doubt that shiftwork impacts on us but to cope I eat well and exercise a lot so usually I feel great.’n THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2008 35

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M E M B E R S

I N

A C T I O N

Best dressed ‘Pope’ John Watt with Elizabeth Lyons.

Too hot to trot g On 6 August NSWNA delegates set aside the serious business of Annual Conference and kicked up their heels for a night of good chat, dancing, frolicking and general fun at the yearly delegate’s dinner at Randwick Racecourse.

T

hemed ‘A Day at the Races’, this year’s Conference Dinner was a fine excuse for delegates to let loose their inner filly or stallion. We had plenty of fine ‘goers’ – who were nose to nose with a dashing set of jockeys and smart spectators in the glamour stakes. Also spotted were a dragon boat (with noninflatable crew) and a handful of colourful Sydney racing identities. There was even a Pope or two left over from the previous gig at the Racecourse.

There were a few standouts at this year’s fine racing set: Sharon Pippen and Lyne Dine from Campbelltown Private Hospital took out best dressed female for their interpretation of a picnic on a spring flower bed; and John Watt from Sydney Children’s Hospital took out best-dressed male for his impersonation of the Pontiff.

Nurses from Nepean, Campbelltown, Rylstone and Bega won the first best dressed table, while nurses from Clarence, Coffs, Tamworth, Albury and Barraba collected the other gong. Gwen Simpson from Grafton Base Hospital scored the lucky door prize while nurses who tried

to claim the prize with furniture tags torn off the seats can expect a call from the AJC. Delegates hit the dance floor with a vengeance courtesy of an ABBA friendly DJ. NSWNA President Coral Levett was spotted wielding her whip while rumour has it Judith and Brett will have to negotiate a backlog of claims on their dance cards next year.n

‘Gary the Racecaller’ calls the shots.

Judith, Coral and Brett call the action.

36 THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2008

Pope Jane Cooper bestows her blessing upon lost pilgrim AnneMarie Whelan.

Dianne Lang from Imlay District Nursing Home boogies the night away.

Best dressed femmes Lyne Dine and Sharon Pippen show their winning form.

Brett welcomes a best dressed table to the podium.

Charles captures the President’s attention again!

Second best dressed crew, NSWNA Officers Michael Whaites, James Peake and Warren Williams.

THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2008 37

THE WAY AHEAD… ACT Health offered fully funded Post-Graduate Diploma in Mental Health Nursing in Canberra First Semester Intake – 2009

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CT Health, through Mental Health ACT, has developed a programme for Registered Nurses (RNs) to gain post-graduate nursing qualifications through the Post-Graduate Diploma in Mental Health Nursing Programme.

With 1 in 5 people experiencing a significant mental health issues in their lives and as many as 25-30% of people admitted to general wards of hospitals having significant mental health problems, there is a need for skills in the area of mental health. The PostGraduate Diploma in Mental Health Nursing Programme offered by Mental Health ACT is an excellent means by which RNs can build their knowledge and skill-base in this area and provide holistic care.

The programme is both clinical and academic and provides RNs with the either part-time or full-time paid employment for 12-18 months in Canberra while they

undertake the designated tertiary Post Graduate Diploma course. During the programme, RNs rotate through the various services provided by Mental Health ACT, including bed-based, community, crisis, young people, forensic, and consultation liaison.

RNs are well supported with mentoring by Nurse Educators, CNCs, and experienced seniors RNs; and regular group study days.

Benefits for RNs who undertake the Mental Health Post-Graduate Programme include: • You will be paid while you study; • You are guaranteed a full-scholarship to cover university course fees; • You will be well supported as you learn how to provide appropriate care to people with a mental health problem; • You can fast track your nursing career; • You will be eligible for a qualification allowance upon completion.

Please note, no previous experience working in mental health is required. Newly graduated nurses are also encouraged to apply.

If you are interested in finding out more about this programme, please contact: Catherine Hungerford, Nursing Clinical Support Officer, Mental Health ACT Email: catherine.hungerford@act.gov.au Ph: 02 6205 3661.

Applications close on 9 October 2008.

ACT Health.indd 1

12/8/08 10:07:32 AM

The College of Nursing creating nursing’s future Student Handbook 2009 now available The College of Nursing offers a wide range of courses, as well as other programs of study, for enrolled nurses, registered nurses and allied health workers. Graduate Certificates on offer can largely be undertaken by distance education.

Child and Family Health* for registered nurses and midwives

Breast Cancer Nursing

Mental Health Nursing, general stream*

Critical Care, cardiac stream*

Mental Health Nursing, child & adolescent stream*

Critical Care, cardiovascular stream

Neonatal Intensive Care Nursing*

Critical Care, emergency stream*

Cancer Nursing*

Paediatric Nursing Studies, general stream*

Critical Care, intensive care stream*

Semester 1 Graduate Certificate courses commencing February 2009

Paediatric Nursing Studies, oncology stream*

Critical Care, neurosurgical/neuromedical stream

Acute Care, medical/surgical stream (Dubbo)*

Other programs of study

Acute Care, renal stream (Dubbo)*

Rural Nursing Studies (Griffith)* for registered and enrolled nurses

Acute Care, orthopaedic stream* Advanced Nursing Aged Care* Cancer Nursing*

Perioperative Nursing

Neonatal Special Care Nursing* for registered nurses and midwives EN Perioperative Practice Program*

Child and Family Health* for registered nurses and midwives Clinical Management for registered nurses and midwives Paediatric Nursing Studies, emergency stream* Paediatric Nursing Studies, intensive care stream*

Critical Care Nursing, cardiac stream*

Semester 2 Graduate Certificate courses commencing July 2009

Critical Care Nursing, cardiovascular stream

Acute Care, medical/surgical stream*

Stomal Therapy Nursing

Acute Care, neurosurgical/neuromedical stream*

Other programs of study

Critical Care Nursing, emergency stream* Critical Care Nursing, intensive care stream* Critical Care Nursing, neurosurgical/ neuromedical stream

www.nursing.edu.au 38 THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2008

Acute Care, renal stream* Advanced Nursing

On-campus subjects are conducted at the College’s Burwood (NSW) campus unless otherwise stated.

For more information, or to obtain your copy of the Handbook, please call 02 9745 7500 or email: sas@nursing.edu.au

Paediatric Nursing Studies, general stream*

Rural Nursing Studies (Grafton)* *These courses include one on-campus subject.

The College of Nursing

s

R E T I R E M E N T S

Farewell, Sue, thanks for 53 years CONGRATULATIONS, SUE LONG, ON 53 YEARS OF NURSING SERVICE.

S

ue Long commenced her nursing career in March 1955 working as a Ward Cadet at the Royal Newcastle Hospital, then as an Assistant in Nursing at Newcastle Western Suburbs Maternity Hospital from 1959-1965. From 1965 until late 1967, Sue worked at the Macksville and District Hospital as an AiN before commencing her nursing training at the Prince Henry Hospital in February 1968.

Shortly after completing her training in 1971, Sue moved to the Operating Theatre where she spent the best part of the next 37 years. In August 1979, Sue started at what was then Mosman and District Community Hospital, now known as Mosman Private Hospital. Sue remained there until the closure of the Operating Theatres in December 2004.

During that time she ran an extremely well managed department, possessing a very professional attitude and was committed to quality patient care, patient advocacy being a high priority. Sue’s excellent interpersonal skills were evident in the rapport and loyalty of the staff and

Medical Officers, many of whom she still maintains friendships with, as was evident at a surprise retirement gathering held by those colleagues on 1 June.

Sue may have left the profession but those friends she met along the way will forever surround her.

Following the closure of the Mosman theatres, Sue took up a position at the Prince of Wales Private Hospital as CSSD Manager till her retirement on 25 April. Sue’s vast peri-operative nursing experience was an absolute asset to the CSSD department. She revolutionised CSSD processes, underwent major CSSD renovations and earned the respect of her team. The theatre team valued her professionalism, motivation, leadership and above all her friendship. We wish her well in her retirement.

Sue possesses a well-developed sense of humor, no doubt contributing to her longevity in what can be a very onerous vocation. She has many friends who she continues to keep in touch with and anticipates enjoying her retirement by travelling, playing golf, gardening, the odd long lunch and perhaps writing her memoirs.

Sue may have left the profession but those friends she met along the way of what truly was an inspiring career in nursing will forever surround her.n

By Mary Lougher, Nerida Russell-Green and Chris Corbett.

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L I F E S T Y L E

WALL•E g You’ll be entertained by this futurist film about a robot sent to clean up the earth, who ends up fighting for the survival of earth and humans – and finding love along the way. With all the usual drawcards of an entertaining Disney creation, this film is deeper and more thought provoking than most.

W

ALL•E is a cute little creature who will win your heart with his animated eyes and dreamy ideals of love and a better life. Set 700 years in the future, the earth we know is a very different place. Having been taken over by a huge conglomerate named Buy n Large, the earth is overrun with rubbish and junk. WALL•E’s job is to sort the junk and compact it into cubes, which he stacks into huge towers. With the help of his friend and companion, a survive-anything cockroach, he goes about his day-today business sorting and keeping what he finds appealing. He spends his nights entertaining himself with scenes from ‘Hello Dolly’ and dreaming of love.

There is little left on earth and all the humans have escaped to a cruise-liner like space ship named the Axiom where people do little for themselves and are more inactive and obese than ever. Sent to earth from the Axiom is Eve, an egg shaped robot with the bluest eyes and her job is to find life on earth in any form.

WALL•E shows her his home and his one green plant stem growing slowly in an old boot. This transports them both back to the

Axiom where they have to fight to save the small green plant and the future of all the humans hoping to return to earth.

In true Disney style, the good guys fight the good fight and in the process, WALL•E and Eve find love.

While WALL•E will be a huge hit because it is a Disney creation, this story is deeper and more thought provoking than most. Kids will love WALL•E even if they don’t completely understand the story.

Adults will find it an easy watch and a change from the usual Disney films.

After seeing a preview for this movie last year I was really excited to be finally seeing it. My 10-year-old son Jacob is already counting down until its release in September. Environmental issues are so important and it really does make you think about that extra piece of paper, the excess packaging and the plastic bags we use all too often. Will the world ever get as bad as it is in WALL•E? I for one will be remembering to get my reusable bags out of the boot of the car more often. The film is not in your face saying what we should do, but it’s more of an example of what might happen and it does make you think.n WALL•E opens on 18 September.

Review by Nicole Davenport, RN, Sydney Children’s Hospital The Lamp’s rating

GIVEAWAYS FOR NSWNA MEMBERS THE BLACK BALLOON DVD release on 24 September The Black Balloon is a heart-warming Australian drama starring Toni Collette and Gemma Ward. A coming of age story about fitting in, discovering teenage love and accepting your family.

It’s not easy being Thomas Mollison.

He’s turning 16, and his autistic brother Charlie embarrasses him. So do his wacky parents. When his pregnant mother (Collette) is confined to bed rest, he is put in charge of Charlie and with the help of his new girlfriend Jackie ( Ward), Thomas faces his biggest challenge yet.

The Lamp has 100 double passes to see the preview of Caramel, 20 double passes to WALL•E and 10 DVD packs of The Black Balloon. To enter, email lamp@nswnurses.asn.au with your name, membership number, address and contact number. First entries win!

WANTED We are seeking closet film buffs to share with other nurses their views on the movies they love and hate. It’s a chance to see previews of next month’s new releases.

Please contact us with expressions of interest to be part of our movie review team. Call Editorial Enquiries now on 02 8595 1219 or email lamp@nswnurses.asn.au

40 THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2008

Caramel g This beautiful, gentle film set in Beirut transcends cultural barriers as it explores the universal themes of love, families and friendships.

C

all me old fashioned, but I’m a sucker for a film about human relationships with well performed and rounded characters, and Caramel fits the bill admirably.

This beautiful, gentle story is set in Beirut and centres around the lives of four friends who meet together at a beauty parlour. The great thing about the film is that really it could be set anywhere as its themes transcend all cultural and religious barriers. The four women’s life journeys and associated problems and difficulties are universal in their scope and nature.

Layale is a rebellious soul fixated on her taboo affair with a married man.

This man only wants to conduct the relationship on his own narrow terms, and she knows she wants so much more.

She persuades herself that she is in love, and tries to make the affair more than what it is. This only serves to frustrate and disappoint her further. Her guilt eats away at her and she alienates herself from her family. Meanwhile, she is admired from a distance by a quiet, thoughtful, young man, who finds himself falling in love with her.

Nisrene is engaged to be married but

her joy is overshadowed by the impending revelation that her fiance is not her first lover. Given the cultural setting, this knowledge, if revealed, may have ominous repercussions for her.

Rima has an inner turmoil of her own, which begins to resolve when she finds herself attracted to one of her customers at the beauty salon.

Jamale’s life is unravelling. Her domestic situation is less than blissful, and she is also struggling to become a successful actress. Unfortunately, she is in denial over her advancing years, and no amount of makeup, hair colour or clothing can turn back the clock.

Rose and Lilli are secondary characters but no less interesting or important. They have their own story to tell. The ageing Rose has put her own opportunities for love and marriage on hold in order to care for the delightfully demented Lilli. Her life is one of sacrifice and yearning but the bond between the two women gives Rose a sense of fulfilment she longs for. Her quiet dignity and selfless heart are perfectly portrayed.

The strength of the friendship that these women have gives them the ability to support one another through individual

Reviewed by Sue Baker, RN, Tamworth Hospital Operating Theatres The Lamp’s rating

OUR REVIEWERS & TIPSTERS RECEIVE A DELIGHTFUL ABC CLASSICS CD – FOR UPLIFTING ENJOYMENT! Gifts so good, you won’t want to give them away.

There is an ABC Shop near you. For locations visit abcshop.com.au or call 1300 360 111.

Ask about our rewards program.

adversity and new beginnings in an environment where they are constrained by strict cultural mores.

There are some wonderful moments in the film, full of gentle humour, such as old decrepit Lilli’s incessant collecting of parking fines, which she insists are letters from her lovers. The volume collected would lead us to believe there are many!

Caramel is a heart-warming film but I suspect it would mostly appeal to the girls, being predominantly about female friendships. It’s thoroughly worth a viewing.n Caramel opens on 18 September.

THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2008 41

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L I F E S T Y L E

SPECIAL INTEREST TITLE

Anti-Cancer: A New Way of Life

Book me Psychosocial Care of Cancer Patients: A Health Professional’s Guide to What We Say and Do edited by Dr Katherine Hodgkinson and Dr Jemma Gilchrist, Ausmed Publications, RRP $79.95 : ISBN 978-0-9775153-9-4 Psychosocial Care of Cancer Patients is full of practical tips and strategies to address those challenging situations that nurses come across regularly in their clinical practice, plus how to ensure they look after themselves at the same time. This book was developed out of a desire to support and guide health professionals to provide compassionate, high-level psychosocial care to all those affected by cancer.

Nutritional Assessment (4th edition)

by Robert D. Lee, DrPH, RD and David C. Nieman, DrPH, FACSM, McGrawHill Professional, RRP $105.31 : ISBN 978-007-244106-2 Nutritional Assessment describes the four major methods of nutritional assessment (dietary, anthropometric, biometric, and clinical) in an understandable and contemporary way.

It thoroughly covers assessment of the hospitalised individual, but also serves as an invaluable resource to the nutrition professional working in such areas as public health and community nutrition, corporate health, and sports medicine.

Guide to Nursing Management and Leadership (8th edition)

by Ann Marriner Tomey, Elsevier Mosby, RRP US$52.95 : ISBN 978-0323-05238-2 The 8th edition of Guide to Nursing Management and Leadership offers indepth coverage and practical management strategies for a wide range of workplace issues such as delegation, diversity, evidence-based practice, stress management, quality improvement, legal issues, and recruitment and retention. A detailed analysis of today’s nursing environment prepares you to successfully manage in the midst of a nursing shortage and an emerging multigenerational workforce.

Initial Management of Head Injury: A Comprehensive Guide

by Ben Selladurai and Peter Reilly, McGraw-Hill Publishers, RRP US$85.50 : ISBN 9780074717752 Initial Management of Head Injury provides comprehensive guidance for non-neurosurgeons on managing patients with head trauma for better patient outcomes. Targeted at emergency physicians, paramedics, general physicians, and clinicians who are part of trauma care teams, this text gives the non-neurosurgeon all the information needed to enable them to make accurate decisions for optimal initial care to save lives, which may otherwise be lost or irretrievably impaired.

WHERE TO GET THIS MONTH’S NEW RELEASES These books are all available on order through the publisher or your local bookshop. Members of the NSWNA can borrow any of these books and more from our Records and Information Centre.

For borrowing information, contact Jeannette Bromfield, 8595 2175, jbromfield@nswnurses.asn.au or Cathy Matias, 8595 2121, cmatias@nswnurses.asn.au Reviews by NSWNA librarian, Jeannette Bromfield.

PUBLISHER’S WEBSITES • • • •

McGraw-Hill: www.mcgraw-hill.com.au Elsevier Australia: www.elsevier.com.au Scribe Publishing: www.scribepublications.com.au Ausmed: www.ausmed.com.au

42 THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2008

by Dr David ServanSchreiber, Scribe Publications Pty Ltd, RRP $35.00 : ISBN 9781921372087 Anti-Cancer is the fruit of Dr David Servan-Schreiber’s experience in the field of cancer, both as a doctor and as a patient.

First confronted with cancer when he was working as a medical resident, the author tells his personal story as well including chapters that focus on the disease and its mechanisms from a purely scientific and medical angle.

He looks in particular at the relationship between a body and its cancer, at the immune system, the new blood vessels necessary for cancer growth, and the roles played by environmental toxins, nutrition, emotions, and physical activity in containing cancer.

More importantly he examines what we can do every day to lower our chances of developing the illness, and also what to do to increase the chances of recovery from it.

AACN Essentials of Critical Care Nursing

by Marianne Chulay and Suzanne M. Burns, McGraw-Hill Medical Publishing Division, RRP $105.00 : ISBN 9780071447713 Covering basic to advanced critical care concepts, AACN Essentials of Critical Care Nursing provides an essential foundation for the nursing care of critically-ill patients. It is the ideal reference for nurses beginning their critical care experience as well as experienced nurses who may use the book as a user-friendly resource for both essential and advanced concepts.n

AUSMED

Health Care Education

18 & 19 November 2008

30 & 31 October 2008

13 & 14 November 2008

New Online Registration System, improved searching & simpler to use

Conferences To register contact:

www.ausmed.com.au

Tel: (03) 9375 7311 Fax: (03) 9375 7299 Ausmed Conferences, PO Box 4086, Melbourne University, Parkville, Vic 3052 All prices include GST. Ausmed accepts Visa & Mastercard.

Credit Card banking fees apply: $5 per study day / $7 per national conference

BuildeBook

TM

from $5.50 per chapter

buildebook.com THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2008 43

$)0,/-! /& 039#(/4(%2!09 n !USTRALIA .EW :EALAND !SSOCIATION OF 0SYCHOTHERAPY Applications are invited from mental health practitioners for the ANZAP Diploma in Adult Psychotherapy commencing in March 2009 in Sydney.

It is a three-year part time course which aims to prepare candidates for the practice of Intensive Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy.

The focus of the course is psychoanalytic theory and practice, the growth and development of practising therapists with 1) a theoretical strand of interactive seminars for which extensive reading material is provided on individual CDâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2) a clinical strand involving supervision-individually and in small peer groups, of audiotapes which allow a microanalysis of the therapeutic process 3) seminars on six Saturday mornings, an annual retreat, and the annual conference complement the course structure with a variety of clinical and theoretical presentations by experts in the field.

Personal Therapy is mandatory â&#x20AC;&#x201C; part of which should be concurrent with the course.

The Conversational Model, an integrated model based in a psychology of human relatedness, is the predominant model taught. This model is well researched as treatment for Personality Disorders, with outcome studies published both in Australia and internationally. Developed by Russell Meares in collaboration with the late Robert Hobson, it incorporates trauma theory, linguistics, neurophysiology, memory, infant research and developmental theories with a Psychology of Self.

Comparison with other psychoanalytic models is undertaken.

An experienced and psychoanalytically trained multidisciplinary faculty, consisting of psychiatrists, general practitioners, psychologists and social workers provide supervision and seminars. Invited lecturers provide seminars from time to time.

An orientation seminar over three hours will be presented in September 2008. All interested persons are invited free of cost. Details will be available nearer to the date.

Applications close on 15th November 2008 Interviews will be held in the week commencing 1st December 2008 Application fee: $325 and $250 refundable if you are not called for interview For further info and application forms please contact the Course Administrator Ms Lorraine Taylor Tel: (02) 8399 3787 Fax: (02) 9209 4323 Email: info@anzapweb.com www.anzapweb.com ANZAP has run courses successfully in Melbourne, Canberra, Townsville & New Zealand. A course is current in Hobart.

44 THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2008

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N U R S I N G

O N L I N E

Brave new world of mental health n the past decade there has been a significant growth in the literature and evidence based practice development, which suggests mental health services can be delivered safely without reliance on seclusion and restraint. The evolution in mental health service delivery is being supported in Australia with the establishment of the National Mental Health Seclusion and Restraint Project, which aims to reduce and, where possible, eliminate the use of seclusion and restraint in public mental health services. This month Nursing Online highlights some of these initiatives.

I

Trieste Mental Health Department The Trieste Mental Health Department is a public, community-based mental healthcare service that evolved directly from the pioneering de-institutionalisation experiences of Franco Basaglia and his collaborators in the 1970s. Recognised for years as one of the most advanced public mental healthcare services in the world, the Trieste MHD continues to remain a leader in innovative approaches to mental healthcare aimed at the emancipation and social reintegration of persons suffering from mental disorders. c www.triestesalutementale.it/

english/index.htm

A British Perspective on the Use of Restraint and Seclusion in Correctional Mental Health Care John C. O’Grady, MB, ChB, FRC Psych Policy and practice in the safe management of disturbed and violent behaviour as applied in USA and UK correctional facili-

ties is examined in this article. Certain differences emerge and are discussed, particularly relating to physical restraint. The paucity of evidence to support particular interventions is highlighted through a review of a UK systematic analysis of world literature on best practice.

J Am. Acad. Psychiatry Law 35:439–43, 2007 c http://jaapl.org/cgi/

reprint/35/4/439

Pennsylvania State Hospital System’s Seclusion and Restraint Reduction Program Gregory M. Smith, M.S.; Robert H. Davis, M.D.; Edward O. Bixler, Ph.D.; Hung-Mo Lin, Ph.D.; Aidan Altenor, Ph.D.; Roberta J. Altenor, M.S.N.; Bonnie D. Hardentstine, B.S.; George A. Kopchick This study examined the use of seclusion and mechanical restraint from 1990 to 2000 and the rate of staff injuries from patient assaults from 1998 to 2000 in a state hospital system. Records of patients older than 18 years who were civilly committed to one of the nine

state hospitals in Pennsylvania were included in the analyses. Two databases were used in each of the nine hospitals: one identified date, time, duration, and justification for each episode of seclusion or restraint and the other identified when a patient was hospitalised and the demographic characteristics and the diagnosis of the patient. Rate and duration of seclusion and restraint were calculated.

Reports from compensation claims were used to determine staff injuries from patient assaults. The study found that the rate and duration of seclusion and mechanical restraint decreased dramatically during this period.

Psychiatric Services 56:1115–1122, 2005 c http://psychservices.psychiatryonline.

org/cgi/reprint/56/9/1115.pdf

Seclusion Practice: A literature review Dr Angela Livingstone The Victorian Quality Council (VQC) and Chief Psychiatrist’s Quality Assurance Committee (QAC) have formed a partnership to support the development and implementation of the Creating Safety: Addressing Seclusion Practices project to enable clinicians to apply best available evidence to clinical practice.

The project aims to strengthen and support safety in adult acute mental health inpatient units and to minimise, wherever possible, the frequency and duration of the use of seclusion. This literature review was prepared to support the project.n c www.health.vic.gov.au/

creatingsafety/litreview.pdf THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2008 45

Agitated, Disruptive–Even Assaultive Patients?

We can help!

Are you concerned about the risk of violence in your hospital or care institution?

Are you prepared?

Since 1980, the Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI) has been teaching health care professionals proven methods for managing difficult or assaultive behaviour. To date, over 5.4 million individuals—including thousands of nurses and other health care professionals—have participated in the highly successful CPI Nonviolent Crisis InterventionSM training course.

This course not only teaches staff how to respond effectively to the warning signs that someone is about to lose control, but also addresses how staff can deal with their own stress and anxiety when confronted with these difficult situations.

For further details on the CPI Nonviolent Crisis InterventionSM training course, call us toll-free at 1800 55 3247, visit www.crisisprevention.com, or email us at info@crisisprevention.com.

International Headquarters: 3315-H North 124th Street, Brookfield, WI 53005 USA Toll-free: 1800 55 3247 (Please ring before 9:00 a.m. Tues.–Sat.) Fax: 0015 1 262 783 5906 Email: info@crisisprevention.com • www.crisisprevention.com

Great legal advice for Nurses

Join us at an upcoming training course: 20–23 October 2008 Melbourne, VIC

27–30 October 2008 Sydney, NSW Priority Code: LA800

M

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Maurice Blackburn are proud to be the lawyers for the New South Wales Nurses’ Association.

Free legal advice#

#

Conditions apply

Call the Association information line on 1300 367 962.

Maurice Blackburn has offices in:

.URSES 7ANTED &OR 3POILING

Sydney T (02) 9261 1488

Newcastle T (02) 4953 9500

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New offices in: Parramatta T (02) 9806 7222

Canberra T (02) 6214 3200

Visiting Offices Camperdown T (02) 9261 1488

Wollongong T (02) 9261 1488

www.mauriceblackburn.com.au 46 THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2008

39516

Appointments for regional members can also be arranged.

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CRoSSWoRD Test your knowledge in this monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nursing crossword.

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23.

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Essential, vital, needed (9) Test, assessment (5) Relating to the heart (7) Sterilising, washing out (9) Single bacteria (9) Becomes infected (9) Relating to the stomach (9) Type of abnormal pregnancy (7) An opening in the abdomen, often as a result of colostomy (5) 24. The thing at the back of your throat (5) Solution page 49 THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2008 47

DIARY DATES Conferences, seminars, meetings SYDNEY, HUNTER & ILLAWARRA Acute Care Seminar ‘Working Together – Achieving More‘ 12 Sept, Wollongong Hosp. Cost: $50 incl. lunch. Contact: 4222 5120, Kylie.

Mackenzie@sesiahs.health.nsw.gov.au 15th State Conference for Enrolled Nurses ’Full Steam Ahead ... The Patient Professional’ Call for abstract.

18–19 September, Penrith RSL Contact: 1300 554 249 or email garozn@optusnet.com.au 14th International Holistic Health Conf.

19–21 Sept, Swiss Grand Resort Bondi.

Contact: Anna Ryan, (03) 8699 0582, admin@aima.net.au, www.aima.net.au NSW Baby Friendly Health Initiative (BFHI) Workshops in Queanbeyan 22 & 23 Sept. Cost: $120/day or $220 for both. Contact: Amanda Gear, 0408 658 643 or Elizabeth Steinlein, elizabeth. steinlein@sesiahs.health.nsw.gov.au Paediatric Enteral Feeding Seminar 25 September, 8am–4.30pm, Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick Contact: rachel.messenger@sesiahs. health.nsw.gov.au/ www.sch.edu.au UTS Postgraduate Info Evening 1 Oct, UTS Ultimo. Contact: Kate Kirk, 9514 4694, www.nmh.uts.edu.au (UTS Faculty of Nursing & Midwifery).

Hope Healthcare Yearly Palliative Care Seminar – ’Sexuality in Palliative Care’ 10 October, Neringah Education Centre, Wahroonga. Cost: $60 Contact: Angela Doran, 9488 2200 NSW Midwives’ Association Annual State Conference – ’Midwives Business: Peeling back the layers’ 17–18 Oct, Novotel Pacific Bay Coffs Harbour. Contact: Alex Weston, 9281 9522, admin@nswmidwives.com.au 100th Year of St George Hosp. Training 18 Oct, St George Leagues Club Kogarah Contact: Joan Wagstaff, 9771 2508 Australian Asthma Conference 2008 20 October, Australian Technology Park

Info: 9265 5443, asthma2008@tourhosts. com.au, www.asthmaconference2008.com 12th BMDH Nursing and Midwifery Research Festival 22 Oct, 10am – 2pm, Blacktown RSL Club. Cost: full day $60 and half day $30 Contact: Sonia Jones, 9881 1705, sonia_jones@wsahs.nsw.gov.au

10th National Congress of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Nurses (CATSIN) 10–12 September, Mercure Grosvenor Hotel, Adelaide, SA. Contact: Susan Day, (02) 8850 8317

Midwives on the Tweed – Educ. Day 27 October, Tweed Heads Bowls Club Info: midwivesonthetweed@hotmail.com

26th Council of Remote Area Nurses of Australia (CRANA) 11–15 September, Cairns, Qld Contact: www.crana.org.au

Nurse Practitioner Forum – Lismore Wine & Cheese: 6 November, 6– 8pm.

Workshop: 7 Nov, 9am–4pm. Cost: free for NCAHS/ $50 for non-employees.

Contact: Anne Moehead, 6620 2612 leanne.wright@ncahs.health.nsw.gov.au Mental Health Consultation Liaison Nurses Association of NSW and ACT 8th annual conference 14 Nov, Harbourview, North Sydney Abstracts closing date 19 September.

Contact: mhclna.org.au th

35 Clinical Oncological Society of Australia Annual Scientific Meeting ‘Driving Improved Cancer Outcomes’ 18–20 Nov, Sydney Convention Centre Contact: www.cosa.org.au NSW BFHI Workshop (Baby Friendly Health Initiative) 22 Nov, 29 Douglas St, Stockton. Cost: $120 Contact: Elizabeth Steinlein, elizabeth. steinlein@sesiahs.health.nsw.gov.au RNSH Cardiology Department Annual Conf. – ‘The Beat Goes On‘ for multidisciplinary health professionals 28 November, Citygate Hotel ,Sydney Contact: Carol Morgan, 9926 8852, cmorgan@nsccahs.health.nsw.gov.au

2nd Palliative Care Nurses Aust. Conf.

12–13 Sept, Hilton Hotel Adelaide, SA. Contact: www.plevin.com.au/pcna2008/ welcome.htm Australian College of Midwives Breathing New Life into Maternity Care 18–20 September, Sheraton Hotel, Perth Contact: www.acmi.org.au Royal College of Nursing Australia Annual Conference 2008 25–27 September, Sheraton Perth, WA. Contact: (02) 6283 3400 Aged & Community Services Australia National Conference 28 Sept – 1 Oct, Adelaide Convention Ctr Contact: www.alloccasionsgroup/ACSA 34th Annual International Conf. of the Aust. College of Mental Health Nurses 6–10 October, The Sebel, Melbourne.

Info: AST Management, (07) 5528 2501 International Society of Aeromedical Services (ISAS) and Flight Nurses Australia (FNA) Conference Date: 9–11 Oct. Contact: www.flightnursesaustralia.org./events.htm

INTERSTATE AND OVERSEAS

National Enrolled Nurse Association (NENA) Conference 16-17 October, Perth Sheraton Hotel Contact: (03) 5913 1092, www.nena.org.au

National Association of Childbirth Educators Inc (NACE) 3–5 September, Melbourne.

Contact: Melinda Eales, meales@tpg. com.au, www.nace.org.au

4th Annual Nurse Practitioner Association Conference 26–28 October, Telstra Dome Melbourne Cost: $525 by 1 Sept. Contact: (03) 6231 2999 or www.cdesign.com.au/anpa2008

BARGAINING WORKSHOPS 48 THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2008

Transition Care Forum – Melbourne Date: 10–11 Sept. Contact: (02) 9808 9236 Web: www.rehab.med.usyd.edu.au/tie

2008 Discharge Planning Association ’Critical Actions‘ 24 October, Rydges Hotel, North Sydney.

Contact: Margaret Blackwell, abacus@abacusevents.com

COLLECTIVE To enquire or register for the Collective Bargaining Workshops, phone Tim Shaw on 8595 1234.

The Psychogeriatric Nurses’ Assoc.

Australia Inc. Biennial Conference 5 Sept, The Marque Hotel, Canberra ACT Contact: James R Turner, 0417 068 303 www.pgna.org.au

•

•

Your New Agreement in Aged Care Free 1 day workshop for all aged care nurses Liverpool Hospital Education Centre, 22 October Mercure at Central (3 mins walk from Sydney Central Station), 29 October Your New Agreement in Private Hospitals Free one day workshop for all private hospital nurses and midwives. Mercure at Central (3 mins walk from Sydney Central Stn), 8 October

2nd Australasian Mental Health Outcomes Conference 24–26 Nov, Crown Promenade Hotel (Melbourne). Registration: $800.

Contact: (02) 9265 0890or email amhoc2008@meetingplanners.com.au

Reunions Griffith Base Hospital Reunion 6 September, Ex-Servicemen Club Griffith Contact: Brenda Bowen, 6969 5630, brenda.bowen@gsahs.health.nsw.gov.au Allandale Reunion 45th Anniversary Dinner & dance, 20 Sept, Cessnock Supporters Club, 6pm-12mn. Cost $40.

Info: Arthur Dow, 4990 2517/ Alan Lindsay, 4990 5109/ Warren Pockett, 4990 5109.

St Joseph’s Auburn Graduate Nurses’ Reunion 4 October, 12 Midday, Dooleys Lidcombe Catholic Club. Cost: $45 includes lunch Contact: Mary Rigby (Cameron), 4733 3862, rigbyfamily@ozemail.com.au Scott Memorial Hosp. Scone Reunion 4 Oct, 6.30 for 7pm start, Scone Bowling Club. Cost $25pp. RSVP by 12 September Contact: Jan McPhee, 6545 1690/ Leigh Schalk, 6540 2100 Cowra District Hosp. 50th Anniv. Dinner 11 Oct, 7pm for 7.30pm start, Cowra Bowling Club. Cost $35pp. RSVP by 24 Sept.

Contact: Wendy Hyde 63402332, wendy. hyde@gwahs.health.nsw.gov.au Royal North Shore Hospital CJ Cummins Psychiatric Unit – Inaugural Reunion For All Current and Ex-Staff 11 Oct, 2pm, The Kirribilli Club Contact: Evelyn Kelly, 0411 331 023 or email gladesville@yahoo.com.au Marrickville District Hospital Reunion 18 October, The Masonic Club (169 Castlereagh St, Sydney).

Contact: Evelyn Kelly, 0411 331 023 or email gladesville@yahoo.com.au Wallsend District Hospital Graduate Nurses Association 50th Reunion 25 October. Contact: Margaret, 4953 2321 or Judi, 4953 0725 Annual Reunion of the Prince Henry Hosp. Trained Nurses Association (PHHTNA) with Golden Girls 1958 25 Oct, Chapel: 11.30am. Lunch: 12.30pm, Nursing & Medical Museum, Prince Henry, Little Bay. Contact: Lyn Smith, 9387 4412 Royal North Shore Hospital 30 Year Graduation Reunion PTS 10/75 25 October. Venue: TBA. Info: Frances Levy, 9617 0210/ 0418 435 63 Mater Hospital Crows Nest, 30 & 40 Year Reunion (Sept ’78 – Sept ’81 Groups & Oct ’64 – March ’65 Groups)

Diary Dates

26 Oct. Contact: Christine Kirby (30-year reunion), 0414 550 419, ckirby@nswnurses. asn.au/ Patricia Purcell (40-year reunion), 0416 259 845, patricia@ppms.net.au Sydney Hospital Group 78/2 Seeking interest in 30-years reunion Contact: Carolyn Moir, 9346 1418 or email cmoir@bcs.org.au Prince Henry Hospital Training Class of October ’66 – Seeking interest to Oct reunion (graduated March & June 1970.

Contact: Janis Montgomery née Coconis, 0423 179 974

Social events Kenmore Hospital Museum, Goulburn 13–14 Sept & 20–21 Sept, 10am–4pm/ by appointment, Kenmore Hospital, 197 Taralga Road, Goulburn. Historical tours at 11am & 2pm. Admission/tours: $2 pp.

Contact: Leoné Morgan, 0438 212 587/ 4821 2587, lemamo@bigpond.com.au

Other notices Prince Henry Hospital Trained Nurses’ Association – History Week 08 ‘By the Water’s Edge‘ Event 10 Sept, 1pm-4pm, Prince Henry, Little Bay. Contact: Lyn Smith), 9387 4412.

Nurses’ Christian Fellowship • Annual General Meeting, 6 September, 10am, 5 Byfield St, Macquarie Park Contact: Jane, 9449 4868 • Mental Health Workshop, 17 October 5 Byfield St, Macquarie Park Contact: Diana, 9476 4440 • Annual Conf. ‘The Light Still Shines in a Suffering World‘, 14 Nov, 9am, Macquarie Hosp. Contact: Margaret, 0407 110 538 ACAT Nurses Special Interest Group 21 Oct/ 2 Dec, 2B Conf. Rm, Bankstown Hosp Info: Wendy.oliver@sswahs.nsw.gov.au

Diary Dates is a free service for members. Please send diary date details, in the same format used here – event, date, venue, contact details, via email, fax, mail and the web before the 5th of the month prior, for example: 5th of August for September Lamp.

Send information to: Editorial Enquiries Email: lamp@nswnurses.asn.au Fax: 9550 3667 PO Box 40 Camperdown NSW 1450 Please double-check all information sent is correct. The Lamp cannot guarantee that the issue will always be mailed in time for the listed event.

Due to high demands on the page, some dates too close to publication or too far in the future may be cut.

Only Diary Dates with an advised date and contact person will be published.

Diary Dates are also on the web – www.nswnurses.asn.au Special Interest Groups Special Interest Groups is now part of Diary Dates. If you are a special interest group, you now must send information about your event as above.

Send us your snaps If you’re having a reunion, send us some photos and any information from the night, and we’ll try to publish them.

Crossword solution

Young Carers NSW – looking for Camp Volunteers Under Age 25 4–8 October, a Blue Mountains camp for young people. Would suit AiNs/ nursing students.

Contact: Maura, 9280 4744

THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2008 49

8677 0999

Master of Science in Medicine (Psychotherapy) Course 2009 – 2011 / University of Sydney The University of Sydney, through the Department of Psychological Medicine, Westmead/Cumberland Campus, is offering a 3-year part-time course of training in psychodynamic psychotherapy, leading to a Master of Science in Medicine (Psychotherapy) degree. For the first time this program is being made available to non-medical graduates in the health sciences. This course provides a unique opportunity to students to gain in-depth training in psychodynamic psychotherapy and an academic qualification that is recognised by major professional psychotherapy organisations in Australia.

Intensive supervision of the candidates' own psychotherapeutic work forms the major component of the course work. Lectures, seminars and supervision take place on Thursday mornings. A treatise is required at the end of the course for completion of the degree.

The course is open to Psychologists, Social Workers, Mental Health Nurses and allied practitioners with a basic degree in the health sciences who have clinical experience working in the mental health field and who are professionally registered with professional indemnity allowing them to practice in NSW. The number of places on the course is limited.

Course Fee: $4,620 per semester Applications Close Definitely on 12th December 2008 Interviews will be early January 2009 Inquiries and application forms can be obtained from: Dr F Gerull / Professor R Meares + 61 2 9840 3335 Fax: +61 2 9840 3572 E: Friederike_Gerull@wsahs.nsw.gov.au http://conversationalmodel.googlepages.com/ 50 THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2008

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Call Mike (02) 9808 3166 Austwise Tax Accountants and Reg Tax Agents 34/ 99 Anzac Avenue, Cnr Victoria Road, West Ryde NSW 2114

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THE LAMP SEPTEMBER 2008 51

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