The Lamp May 2009

lamp the

magazine of the NSW Nurses’ Association

TH YOU EN R EW GUI LAW DE T SI O NS IDE

Print Post Approved: PP241437/00033

volume 66 no.4 May 2009

YOUR RIGHTS

RESTORED

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The information contained in this document is current as at January 2009.

2 THE LAMP MAY 2009

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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

TH E YO U NE R GU W LAWIDE T SI O NS ID

E

volume 66 no.4 May 2009

Your rights restored 12 Cover

Notice

8

Nurses fear losing control of Nightingale Museum 8 Planned Op Theatres ‘too small’ 8 WA nurses miss out on assault protection law 8 Panic button phones for nurses 9 Obama loves nurses 9 Call for improved eating disorder treatment 9 Union membership on the rise 11 Colour-coded uniforms for UK nurses 11 UK’s RCN to adopt official position on assisted dying 11 US hospital trial of handwashing monitor

36 Summary of NSWNA Financial Report for the Year Ended 31 December 2008

THE LAMP PRODUCED BY Lodestar Communications T 9560 1223

NSWNA news

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

NSWNA education program

Obituary

11 What’s on

43 Lynette Clare Taylor: one of our finest nurses

Print Post Approved: PP241437/00033

News in brief

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

YOUR RIGHTS

Kerry Rodgers, NUM and NSWNA Councillor, Nepean Hospital

RESTORED

Photography by Fiora Sacco

Agenda 16 Government responds to Garling 18 Private jails risk to nurse safety

Industrial issues

37 Judith appointed to executive of Unions NSW

NSWNA matters 38 NSWNA Branch News

Lifestyle 40 Movie reviews

Regular columns 5

Editorial

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

23 Nurses hit by secret jail eviction 29 Coonamble fights merger 30 Frantic ED night shift ‘satisfying’, says Health Dept

6 24 44 47 48

Special pull-out

Competition

25 You and the new work laws

39 Win a luxury package to the Yarra Valley

Aged care

Special offers

32 Aged care group investigated for poor care

40 Win 30 double passes to see What Just Happened and 100 double passes to the preview of Is Anybody There?

Occupational health and safety 35 Don’t risk second hand safety

18

25

35

38

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. Professional members can subscribe to the magazine at a reduced rate of $50.

Individuals $70, Institutions $106, Overseas $116.

e c n e r e f n o c l a u n an

31 July 2009 y a d ri F y a D l Professiona PUT T HI DATE S YOUR IN DIARY

Nurses and midwives strive to perfect the exquisite art of caring

This year the NSWNA Professional Day will explore the concept of caring from a range of perspectives, essentials of care, role of carers, legal issues, midwifery care, allowing participants to reflect on this essential aspect of the nursing and midwifery role.

WHERE

MC

Friday, 31 July 2009 Angela Catterns Angela Catterns has over 20 years of broadcasting experience with a number of different ABC and commercial networks.

AJC Randwick Racecourse Alison Road, Randwick WHEN

TIME

8am – 3pm.

Registration 7am COST • NSWNA members $50; • Branch Officials and Students free of charge (limited numbers); • Non-members $75.

Speakers will include

Free parking on site.

Adjunct Professor Debra Thoms, Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer

The Hon. Justice Pat Staunton AM

Sue Pieters Hawke

Registration go to www.nswnurses.asn.au for registration form or contact Carolyn Kulling on 8595 1234 (metro), 1300 367 962 (rural) or email ckulling@nswnurses.asn.au NSW Health has agreed to one day’s leave being granted to nurses and midwives to attend the Professional Day on 31 July 2009.

Margaret Morris, Nurse Practitioner 4 THE LAMP MAY 2009

Hannah Dahlen

Janine Shephard AM

Note: Accredited Delegates to Annual Conference do not have to register separately

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E D I T O R I A L

BY BRETT HOLMES GENERAL SECRETARY

NSWNA welcomes stronger clinical leadership role g The NSWNA welcomes the State Government’s decision to beef up the clinical leadership role of Nursing and Midwifery Unit Managers.

T

he NSW Government has responded positively to the Garling Report recommendation to bolster the clinical leadership role of the Nurse/Midwifery Unit Manager. It has been made the centrepiece of the Government’s Health Action Plan for NSW, which they are calling Caring Together.

The plan also emphasises the importance of increased administrative support for nursing and midwifery managers by employing clinical support officers.

These were recommendations we made very strongly in our own submissions to the Garling Inquiry and we are pleased the ideas were picked up by the State Government.

The Government’s action plan outlines the areas of clinical leadership these nurse managers are expected to provide and should help ensure the role stays clinically focused.

The new clinical support officers should lessen the burden of administration.

Over the years increasing amounts of paper work have diverted NUMs/MUMs from patient care and staff leadership and, in some cases, compromised the quality of health care delivery.

The NSWNA also welcomes the establishment of an independent Community and Clinicians Advisory Council to provide advice directly to the Minister for Health and the Director-General on the implementation of this action plan.

It is also encouraging to see that an independent audit of the progress of implementation of Caring Together will be commissioned by the NSW Government and analysed by an independent panel.

A problem with terminology While the Association supports in general the changes proposed we have concerns

prudent to have prioritised the recruitment of the clinical support officers and other initiatives designed to alleviate the Nursing/ Midwifery Unit Managers workload and increase their ability to provide clinical supervision and management instead.

Coalition response to Garling

about the use of the term Nurse/Midwife In Charge. In particular we are not happy about the loss of ‘Manager’ from the title and the lack of consultation in regard to the implementation of these initiatives at a local level.

The NSW Government has responded positively to the Garling Report’s recommendation to bolster the clinical leadership role of the Nurse/Midwifery Unit Manager.

The display of full name and phone number of nurse and midwifery managers on posters could in some circumstances pose a risk to safety and could be counterproductive if they are bombarded with community enquiries without resources to deal with them.

We believe it would have been more

The NSW Coalition has released a policy document on health – Making it Work – which gives us a glimpse at the State Opposition’s approach to health reform. (see page 17).

The Coalition has picked up a key analysis in the Garling Report: the breakdown in relations between management and clinicians in our public hospitals. The State Government too starts from this point. It is to be welcomed that both the main parties recognise this key problem if we are to move forward in our public hospitals.

The Coalition proposal to publish information about health service management has merit. But while the State Government pledges to implement the bulk of Garling’s 160-odd recommendations, the Coalition centres on governance and is strangely silent about his operational recommendations.

Making it Work is a thin document. Its centrepiece is the abolition of the Area Health Services, which would be replaced by smaller health districts. It proposes bolstering the power of the medical profession in hospital management. Nurses are scarcely mentioned.

Nurses will be understandably wary of yet another major restructure of the health system with all the chaos and dislocation that goes with it. It is also questionable whether a return to old style hospital boards is a viable model for an increasingly large, complex and highly technical health system.n THE LAMP MAY 2009 5

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L E T T E R S

Sean Bent

Inadequate follow-up training for EENs Working as an EEN in a country NSW Hospital, I find it extremely frustrating that after doing the extra training to administer medications and stepping up to the extra responsibilities that come with it, I find it amazing that there is almost no additional training for EENs. Late last year I contacted the diabetes educator in our area asking about further courses/training. I was given an enthusiastic response at the beginning of the conversation but it quickly disappeared once I had informed the person I was an EEN. For most of us EENs, we are very happy to stay as such, without having to go on to do our university training to become an RN. PS: Love The Lamp.

Sean Bent, EEN, Goulburn Base Hospital

Del Hayden

Let down by NMB I graduated from a Masters Degree as a Nurse Practitioner in October last year.

I submitted all the required documents to the NMB for assessment to be authorised about four weeks later.

I was advised the process could take some time so I patiently waited. In early March I called and asked how my application was progressing. I was told that my application was successful and that I was now a Nurse Practitioner. I was elated and all the hard work both with the degree but also the actual NMB application process which is as hard if not harder than the degree itself.

I waited about 10 days and called again as no letter had arrived confirming my success. I was advised that I was definitely a Nurse Practitioner and that sometimes there is a delay in the letter coming but if it didn’t come within five days to call back.

6 THE LAMP MAY 2009

Ten days later I called again as nothing had arrived but this time a third person told me there was a problem and I was put through to a professional officer who told me I was not authorised as the committee that makes the decision had not yet met and were in fact meeting the next day to decide on my application.

I was devastated. I felt that the rug had been pulled from under me. It was like winning a race only to be told I hadn’t. I was speechless as to how two people on two different occasions, two weeks apart, could tell me I was authorised when I was not.

The committee did meet and my application was unsuccessful until I submit more documents.

The NMB is a professional organisation who have not acted professionally this time and have seriously let me down.

This episode has made me feel like throwing the towel in and give up.

I will of course continue especially given the support from my managers who after having been told by me that I was a NP put in motion a potential job.

It was very humiliating having to communicate with them that an error had been made by the NMB and I was NOT a Nurse Practitioner.

This letter is intended as a warning to other nurses to ensure that they get the names of the people they are talking to and assume nothing until it is in writing.

Del Hayden, CNS, Emergency Department St Vincents’ Hospital

Christine Zuvela

Research on hospital play therapy Parents and health professionals are invited to participate in a study regarding views on the role of play therapy and therapists for children who are in hospital.

On completion of the questionnaire participants will have the opportunity to enter into a draw with a chance to win one of two $30 gift vouchers from Borders as a gesture of appreciation for the time taken.

If you are interested, please email me at christinezuvela@yahoo.com.au to find out more details.

Christine Zuvela, Macquarie University Honours Student

Thanks NSWNA! As the lucky winner of the Hunter Valley Luxury Escape Competition, I wish to thank the NSW Nurses’ Association and Hunter Tourism for this fabulous prize and wonderful stay.

Michele Selby, RN, SDMH

TROUBLE Got something to say? THE WITH TUESDAYS

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.

Every letter published receives a 10-week 7-day trial subscription to the Herald!

Subscribe to the Herald today to save 37% off the newsstand price and enjoy the convenience of the paper delivered to your home each morning.

Visit www.subscribe. smh.com.au/lamp for more details.

You may be finding it hard to talk to our information officers on Tuesdays.

This is because Tuesday is the one day of the week when all our staff are in the office for staff and team meetings. These meetings are essential for information distribution and planning activities.

If at all possible, please don’t ring on this day as there can be considerable delays. But if you need urgent assistance, you will get it.

Our information department receives approximately 900 calls per week, and the phones are ringing hot from 8.30am to 7pm.

We are working hard to meet your needs and thank you for your patience.

Call 8595 1234 (metro) or 1300 367 962 (non-metro).

LETTER of the month LETTER of the month Jan Riley

The letter judged the best each month will be awarded a $50 Coles Myer voucher, courtesy Medicraft Hill-Rom. For details on the range of hospital beds, trolleys, mattress & care solutions call (02) 9569 0255 or visit www.medicrafthill-rom.com

More recognition for specialist practice nurses I write in response to the article ‘NSWNA-AMA agreement for practice nurses’ in the April Lamp.

It was with enormous interest that I read this article! As a practice nurse in a specialty dermatology practice, I have long now seen and envied the recognition and industry support that General Practice Nurses have achieved in the provision of primary health services.

I believe that to this point, practice nurses in specialty clinics have been invisible in the health care delivery debate. We don’t fit easily into an existing category (not public health, private but not private hospital, in clinics but not GP nurses). The traditional pay scale for ‘nurses other than hospitals’ is clearly inadequate as evidenced by our own

experience in attracting and retaining staff. Compared to GP nurses, specialist practice nurses are small in number and have too low a profile to be noticed.

In my experience in the private dermatology setting, specialist practice nurses work diligently and continually to maintain and expand their knowledge and skills so as to meet patient and specialty demand and expectation. The Australian Dermatology Nurses Association was established to enable us to focus on the specialist education we require to support the ever-expanding roles we are taking on. In non-metropolitan areas, where Consultant Dermatologists are few in number, catering for large geographical areas and broad population demographics, the well-trained dermatology nurses have

***Proudly Australian Made***

specialty skills and abilities that often straddle nursing and medical roles. Some of the education I access is from university medical schools, as nursing schools simply do not cater for what I need to learn to support my clinical work.

So, fair pay and conditions for specialty practice nurses and recognition for the skills and knowledge we have is a must. Thank you for involving us in your process. I look forward to assisting in any possible way and at the very least I will keep abreast of your achievements.

Jan Riley, NP Jan Riley won the prize for this month’s letter of the month, a $50 Coles Myer voucher.

The Edith Cavell Trust

Scholarships for the academic year 2010 Applications for the Edith Cavell Trust Scholarships are now being accepted for 2010. Members or Associate Members of the NSW Nurses’ Association or the Australian Nursing Federation (NSW Branch) are invited to apply.

Applicants should meet one of the following criteria: 1. Student nurses undertaking full-time courses leading to initial registration as a nurse.

2. Registered or enrolled nurses who wish to attend:

an accredited clinical nursing education course of six months or less, either full-time or part-time; an accredited nursing conference or seminar relevant to applicant’s clinical practice.

3. Properly constituted nursing organisations, faculties or schools of nursing or registered or enrolled nurses wishing to: attend full-time, relevant postbasic studies at an approved institution for a period or periods of more than six months;

undertake an academically approved research program in the theory and practice of nursing work; conduct or fund a relevant professional or clinical nursing educational program.

Applicants must be currently registered or enrolled with the NSW

Nurses’ Registration Board (or the Registration Board of the state where practising).

Applicants must use the official Edith Cavell Trust application form. Details of the Edith Cavell Trust Rules are available on request and will also be supplied with the application form.

For further information or forms, contact: The Secretary – The Edith Cavell Trust PO Box 40, Camperdown NSW 1450  Mrs Glen Ginty on 1300 367 962  gginty@nswnurses.asn.au  www.nswnurses.asn.au – click on ‘Education’ THE LAMP MAY 2009 7

Applications close 5pm on 31 July 2009

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N E W S I INN BBRRI IEEFF

NURSES FEAR

Planned Op Theatres ‘too small’

NIGHTINGALE

NSW Health Minister John Della Bosca has ordered an urgent review of planned operating theatres for Royal North Shore Hospital following revelations in the Daily Telegraph last month that only two of the 18 theatres conform to the national standards for major surgery.

RNSH Director of Trauma Dr Tony Joseph told Fairfax Radio that surgeons asked for an extra 10 operating theatres but were only granted six.

‘I understand from the surgeons that when the building was being designed they said we would need an extra 10 operating theatres to cope with the increased load and complexity of surgery,’ he said.

‘We’ve received another six, but ... they are far too small to do any of the complex or complicated surgery they need to do.’

Mr Della Bosca told Macquarie Radio he had asked the chairman of health infrastructure to urgently review the situation.

‘The design of these operating theatres has been the subject of extensive consultation with surgeons at Royal North Shore,’ he said.

The revelations follow the announcement last year that the preferred RNSH tenderer, InfraShore Consortium, was connected to Thiess P/L – the construction company responsible for the Bathurst Base Hospital renovations.

Design fiascos at Bathurst and Orange Base Hospitals last year were blamed on a lack of consultation with medical staff in the final stages of planning.

LOSING CONTROL OF

MUSEUM fight is brewing over the custodianship of the birthplace and spiritual home of nursing in Australia – the Lucy Osburn Nightingale Foundation Museum.

The museum is situated in the Nightingale Wing of Sydney Hospital (Australia’s first hospital) on Macquarie Street and has been the subject of an intense campaign in the past by nurses to preserve it from being taken over by politicians and other groups. Former Premier of NSW Bob Carr was involved in the decision to protect the Wing for the nurses of Australia.

Recent media coverage has revealed that the trust established by nurses in 1999, including the establishment of a nursing museum, is now dominated by doctors and non-nurses. Of further concern to nurses, the current curator has said on radio that although the trust’s original objective was to promote the history and development of nursing in Australia, she had changed that.

What has confused the issue is a $3 million bequest made to Sydney Hospital last November to display a valuable collection of pathology specimens at the site.

The specimens have ended up in the nurses’ museum, diluting its primary focus and objectives.

The Nightingale Wing is the oldest building at Sydney Hospital and its design was approved

by Florence Nightingale who dispatched Miss Lucy Osburn and five nurses at the request of Sir Henry Parkes in 1868 to commence the nursing profession in Australia.

The NSWNA is working to re-focus the Trust on its original aims and objectives and, on our request, has been invited to join the management committee along with the College of Nursing.

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WA nurses miss out on assault protection law New mandatory sentencing legislation designed to protect frontline workers in WA from assault will not be extended to nurses.

Discussing the bill at a press conference last month, WA AttorneyGeneral Christian Porter acknowledged it was ‘very, very difficult to draw that line’ in determining which categories would be covered by the new legislation.

Not only will the bill cover police

officers, but also ambulance and prison officers, and uniformed security guards employed by the Public Transport Authority.

Premier Colin Barnett and Mr Porter stressed the legislation was primarily about the police and those who were in ‘the greatest need of protection’.

Panic button phones for nurses Melbourne’s most at-risk nurses will carry mobile phones fitted with panic buttons when visiting outpatients with psychiatric illnesses.

In an Australian first, nurses from Melbourne’s St Vincent’s Hospital mental health clinic will be issued with the smart-phone technology for community visits at night.

Each year, there are more than 2500 incidents of nurses being assaulted and even raped by patients in Victoria, but the true figure is believed to be higher as some nurses do not report attacks.

Bryan Bowditch, Manager of St Vincent’s Crisis Assessment and Treatment Service, told The Age that nine phones, costing about $1000 each, would be made available to staff who are required to make night time house calls.

The panic button system uses GPS technology to automatically send prerecorded SOS calls for assistance, secretly open the phone line to record whatever is happening, and transmit the caller’s location to within 20 metres.

The ANF, which is planning a violence prevention seminar in May, said it believed all nurses were at risk of assault during every shift.

ANF Victoria State Secretary Lisa Fitzpatrick said the nursing profession was the second most dangerous after the private security industry, citing cases of nurses being raped when visiting patients at their homes.

‘The health and safety of nurses against violence and aggression is a very significant issue, particularly out in the community where … nurses do not have the same systems of protection in place as they do inside health facility wards,’ she told The Age. ‘We want to see an increasing risk-management approach taken by employers to recognise the work these nurses are doing.’

OBAMA

LOVES

NURSES s US President Barack Obama embarks on a path of major health reform in the United States, he has admitted a strong ‘bias towards nurses’.

During a public meeting last month, President Obama revealed that his youngest daughter Sasha came down with a potentially fatal case of meningitis when she was only three months old.

It was ‘very dangerous’, the President told the media as he expressed his gratitude to the nurses that helped his daughter in her time of need, saying that now he ‘just liked nurses’.

Obama told the Chicago Tribune that while the doctors did a terrific job, ‘frankly, it was the nurses who were there with us when she had to get a spinal tap, and all sorts of things that were just bringing me to tears.’

The President said the experience changed the way he viewed medical care, prompting him to promise to give nurses a voice in an upcoming healthcare summit.

Sasha, now seven, made a full recovery.

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US President Barack Obama

Call for improved eating disorder treatment The Australian College of Mental Health Nurses has called on the NSW Government to urgently address the lack of services for life-threatening eating disorders.

The College said anorexia nervosa is a mental and physical disease that affects up to 1% of adolescent girls, of which almost one third will attempt suicide.

Their potential to die is much higher than any other mental illness.

Bulimia nervosa, which usually affects older people, is twice as common and carries an estimated 10% suicide risk.

According to the College, the condition crosses every socio-economic group and has ‘by far the highest risk of suicide and mortality rate of any mental illness’.

With only four dedicated beds in NSW hospitals, the College said the Government must urgently invest in research, training for key health professionals and service development including prevention, early intervention and, most importantly, treatment.

The College’s chief executive, Kim Ryan, told the ABC there was an urgent need for specialised eating disorder beds and experts to deal with eating disorders.

‘People become so seriously unwell when they have eating disorders, and their potential to die is much higher than any other mental illness and I think that [point] seems to get lost,’ she said.

Union membership on the rise New ABS data shows there has been a lift in union membership of more than 56,000 workers. Excluding casual workers, almost one in four (24%) employees in Australia are members of a union.

The data shows there are more than 1,750,000 workers who are members of a union and that union members earn, on average, $96 a week more than non-members.

ACTU President Sharan Burrow said the new data was positive considering most of the Howard Government’s WorkChoices IR laws were still in place when the ABS survey took place.

‘This data shows unions are still relevant and strong.

‘In these tough economic times it is especially important for workers to be members of a union. Unions help protect jobs as well as workers’ wages and conditions. In the economic downturn, it is all the more important that workers support each other through their unions,’ said Sharan.

‘We are working hard to protect as many jobs as possible and to safeguard the wages, conditions and entitlements of employees affected by the crisis.

‘The lift in membership shown in the ABS data is welcome considering many union members are excluded from the results because they are deemed to be contractors rather than employees.

According to the ABS data, machine operators are the workers most likely to be covered by collective agreements, with 28%, followed by professionals with 25%, and community and personal service workers, 23%.

THE LAMP MAY 2009 9

o t y a d li o h y a d 8 Win a fabulous

a i n a m s a T g n i Breath-tak Ultra chic historic ser wines a t viced a d

Ultr win to in g apartme nts These luxu showcasing Tasma i

Switch to direct debit for a chance to win a fabulous, six-day World Expeditions walking holiday exploring Tasmania’s Cradle Mountain, Strahan and Lake St Clair. The prize includes two nights’ accommodation in Launceston at TWO FOUR TWO Hotel and return airfares (ex Sydney) for two.

Here’s how you can win • 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

Guided by experienced and friendly World Expeditions guides over the six-day trek, you’ll experience the beauty and peace of Cradle Mountain, discover a history of mining and railways, visit a 100-metre waterfall and spend a night in a charming fishing village.

At the end of each day of exciting trekking, you’ll settle down in comfortable cabins in Tasmania’s magnificent wilderness. For more details visit www.worldexpeditions.com and search ‘Cradle Mountain & The West Walks’.

Direct debit is not only the easiest and most convenient way to pay your membership, but switching over could win you a luxury holiday!

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

10 THE LAMP MAY 2009

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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.

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 member, will go in the lucky draw.

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N E W S I INN BBRRI IEEFF

Colour-coded uniforms for UK nurses Several UK hospitals have begun implementing colour-coded uniform programs to help patients identify frontline staff more quickly.

According to UK studies, patients and their families are finding it increasingly difficult to distinguish between staff members in the modern hospital setting when nurses, doctors, wardspeople, technicians, cleaners and even the general public can be wearing similar scrubs.

The system allocates different colours for different workers and includes a brochure in each patient’s admissions packet, plus a poster in the patient’s rooms showing the different staff positions and the colours worn.

‘Think about how quickly you can identify a police officer because of the blue uniform. The idea is to bring the same approach into the health care setting,’ said a spokesman from the uniform manufacturer Medline Industries.

Meanwhile, nurses at a major hospital in the US will now wear ‘solid white above the waist’ following the instigation of a dress code designed to ‘project an aura of professionalism and put the patient first’ according to Francis Hawthone, the vice president of medical services at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital in New York state.

‘We had patients asking, “who is my nurse?”,’ Ms Hawthone told the Albany Herald last month. ‘Our patients were finding it difficult to differentiate between nurses and the aides ... now our nursing staff stands out and can be identified easily.’

UK’s RCN to adopt official position on assisted dying The UK’s Royal College of Nursing (RCN) will adopt an official position on the controversial issue of assisted suicide following an intense debate over recent months.

According to the UK’s Nursing Times, the college commenced a consultation process and published a briefing document in February covering potential issues related to nursing practice

including summaries of political and legal positions on assisted suicide and ethical arguments for and against the practice.

Assisted suicide is illegal in the UK but the government’s position has been challenged several times in court.

Many people have strong views on assisted suicide.

The move follows criticism last November by a nurse academic who accused the RCN of ‘burying its head in the sand’ over the issue of assisted dying.

Martin Johnson, professor of nursing at the University of Salford, has called on the RCN to conduct research into what he believes will be one of the most pressing issues to face the college in coming years.

Mr Johnson claimed the RCN – which is officially against assisted dying – is ignoring work being carried out by support groups showing a significant shift in public opinion on the issue.

In a statement, RCN chief executive Peter Carter said, ‘Many people have strong views on assisted suicide, an issue which provokes compelling arguments and passionate support on both sides of the debate.’

US hospital trial of handwashing monitor A new device that monitors whether nurses and healthcare staff are regularly washing their hands is to be piloted in US hospitals.

According to the Nursing Times, the pager-style device, developed by the University of Iowa, can record whether staff use hygiene dispensers before entering wards and other rooms within the hospital.

The device was unveiled last month at a US scientific conference and is described by its inventors as a low-cost method of ensuring greater levels of hand cleaning by hospital staff.

Information stored on the devices, which are worn as a badge, can be downloaded multiple times allowing analysis of which staff washed their hands, where, and when.

Dr Philip Polgreen from the University of Iowa said more testing was needed, but that early studies suggested use of the devices in hospitals had increased the level of hand washing among staff.

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s

C O V E R S T O R Y

Your rights at work restored g The Rudd Government’s new IR system junks WorkChoices and restores your rights at work.

T

he new IR system introduced by the Rudd Government sets up a safety net of legallyguaranteed workplace standards, modernises awards, restores the independent umpire and puts collective bargaining at the heart of our workplace relations.

The new system overturns WorkChoices and was achieved after four years of vigorous campaigning by union members.

Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard, who shepherded the laws through Parliament and the Senate in the face of Opposition obstruction, said the Government was determined to deliver on its promise to get rid of WorkChoices.

‘We pledged to the Australian people we would deliver fairness at work. We said that the Senate should not underestimate the Government’s resolve to get this job done. Now it is mission accomplished.’

ENTERPRISE AGREEMENTS You still need a collective agreement to improve pay and conditions at your workplace.

MODERN AWARDS Modern awards set occupational standards.

We now have a new National Modern Nurses Occupational Award 2010 for the nursing profession.

Three tiers of job security The Federal Government has now set in place a system that provides a safety net and a mechanism for improving pay and conditions at three levels: c There is an improved safety net of 10 national employment standards that are enshrined in law and cover everyone under the national IR system. c There are modern awards that set occupational standards. Eg. a new Modern Nurses Occupational Award 2010 for the nursing profession. c Collective Agreements will continue to be the main avenue for improving pay and conditions at the level of

10 NATIONAL EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS There is now a safety net of 10 national employment standards that protect working Australians in the National IR system.

the workplace – now called ‘Enterprise Agreements’, not UCAs. The national employment standards cover conditions such as annual leave, public holidays, long service leave, the 38-hour week and unfair dismissal.

WorkChoices gave employers the opportunity to erode these fundamental conditions. Under the new laws these rights are legally protected.

Modern awards will contain, and

WHAT THE NEW IR LAWS DELIVER c

Genuine rights for workers to collectively bargain and be represented by their union.

c

Unfair dismissal protection for all workers — with workers in smaller businesses having a longer qualifying period.

c

A robust new safety net of awards and national standards, along with a fair and transparent process for setting minimum wages.

c

An industrial umpire with the power to safeguard workers’ rights.

12 THE LAMP MAY 2009

protect, minimum wage rates, hours of work, overtime and penalty rates, leave and superannuation.

A win for collective action NSWNA General Secretary Brett Holmes said the new laws are a very good outcome of the Your Rights At Work campaign.

‘These laws aren’t everything we wanted but they are a drastic improvement on WorkChoices. In the worrying economic environment that is evolving they give nurses and midwives important fundamental protections,’ he said.

‘But it is important to remember they are a safety net. Any improvements in pay and conditions still have to be won in a bargaining environment. In this economic climate nothing will be delivered to us on a plate. We will need strong workplace organisation and the effective mobilisation of nurses during bargaining campaigns if we are to improve our pay and conditions.’n

New nursing award

W

e have a new nursing award. The draft award released by the Australian Industrial Relations Commission in January (see March Lamp) has been made with some amendments, despite the protestations of employers.

The new Award will be operational from 1 January 2010.

The Award is a national award applying to nurses other than those engaged in schools and pharmacies. The award will cover registered nurses, enrolled nurses and nursing assistants.

The new Nursing Award contains the following provisions: c Minimum wage rates c Shift and weekend penalty rates c Overtime provisions c Consultation and dispute resolution process and your right to representation c New definition of nursing care: • giving assistance to a person who, because of disability, is unable to maintain their bodily needs without frequent assistance; • carrying out tasks which are directly related to the maintenance of a person’s bodily needs where that person because of disability is unable to carry out those tasks for themselves; and/or

• assisting a registered nurse.

Ten-hour break between shifts.

Five weeks annual leave for full-time nurses has been granted despite strong opposition from employer groups.

The AIRC under its new name of Fair Work Australia will have powers to make orders to ensure that no employee’s take home pay is reduced as a result of the transition onto modern Awards.

There will be other new modern Awards in the health industry such as the Aged Care Award 2010 which will cover nonnursing employees in aged care.

The new Award, combined with the Federal Government’s minimum entitlements in the new workplace laws, will provide a strong safety net for nurses.n

c c

Kerry Rodgers, NUM and NSWNA Councillor, Nepean Hospital ‘Although nurses in the Public sector have always felt somewhat protected from WorkChoices, the current economic crisis would be a perfect excuse for unscrupulous employers in the private sector, especially in aged care, to reduce nursing numbers or change to a cheaper classification of worker, which would put nurses’ jobs under threat and diminish the quality of patient care. That was a real threat under WorkChoices but the new IR laws will guarantee access to an independent umpire, which is an important safety net that ensures transparency for all workers. Nurses have a strong Union but many working in smaller companies don’t have protection.

That’s why we all fought so hard via the Your Rights at Work Campaign to abolish WorkChoices. I think it’s disgraceful the Liberal Party still won’t accept the Labor government’s clear mandate to get rid of WorkChoices. The Liberals still want to rob workers of their rights.’

THE LAMP MAY 2009 13

s

C O V E R S T O R Y

Liberals still wedded to WorkChoices g Fair workplace laws restored despite Liberal Party resistance.

N

ew workplace laws that strengthen the rights of employees and restore a balance of power in the workplace have finally been passed by the Senate, despite the resistance and obstruction from the Liberal party and independents who hold the balance of power.

At the last election Australian voters gave the Rudd Government an emphatic mandate to introduce its IR policy into law – a policy that was thoroughly publicised and debated before the federal election.

Malcolm Turnbull, aided until the last minute by Family First Senator Steve Fielding, insisted the definition of a small business be expanded to 20 in the protections for unfair dismissal. This would have reduced the rights of three million working people. Thousands of nurses, especially in aged care, would have been adversely affected. Labor

had clearly defined a small business as one with less than 15 employees in its election policy.

The eventual law passed sets the definition at 15 FTE until 2011 and 15 headcount employees thereafter.

ACTU President Sharan Burrow said the eventual passage of the Fair Work Law marked an historic moment in restoring workers’ rights.

‘After a decade of attacks on working

people by the Liberal and National Parties the tide has turned,’ she said.

‘While the Liberal Party remains hopelessly devoted to WorkChoices, the Australian people want workers’ rights restored.

‘Everyone involved in the Your Rights at Work campaign and all those who voted against WorkChoices will be relieved to see the laws pass through Parliament.

‘We can take pride in what we have achieved,’ said Sharan.n

POLL SHOWS CLEAR SUPPORT FOR BETTER WORKPLACE LAWS A national poll conducted by the ACTU in March showed the Liberal and National Party as way out of step with public opinion: c Almost seven in ten Australians (67%) wanted the Rudd Government to keep its election promise to get rid of WorkChoices and pass new, fairer IR laws as soon as possible. c 77% of Australians supported restoring unfair dismissal protections for all workers. c 74% supported collective bargaining rights for all workers. c Eight out of 10 Australians (80%) agreed that workers should have the right to be represented by the union of their choice, not a union selected by their employer.

Rebecca Van Kuyk, RN and Branch Official, Chesalon Nursing Home, Richmond ‘I’m very glad to see WorkChoices go. My current work agreement will end soon and the right to have a collective agreement with the security of basic standards is crucial for me. We’re a singleincome family with a twoyear-old daughter, and three quarters of my income is from shift penalties because I work nights Thursdays to Sundays.

We would be in real strife if I lost those penalties.’

14 THE LAMP MAY 2009

Workplace rights good for the economy g Leading American economists say better workplace rights should be an integral part of any economic recovery package.

‘Improved union rights and collective bargaining are crucial to economic recovery.’

From left: Kenneth Arrow, Nobel Laureate in Economics, Stanford University; Jeffery Sachs, Columbia University – ‘the most important economist in the world’, according to The New York Times Magazine; and Robert M. Solow, Nobel Laureate in Economics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

B

arack Obama’s election as President of the United States has not only seen a sea change in American foreign and economic policy. The new administration has also moved to reverse 30 years of relentless union bashing in the United States with the appointment of a Secretary of Labor, Hilda Solis, a solid union supporter.

Obama is also supporting the Employee Free Choice Act that aims to restore

some balance between employers and employees, which is currently heavily weighted towards business.

The passage of the Employee Free Choice Act is supported by a swag of leading American economists including several Nobel Laureates. They say the strengthening of workers’ rights is critical to rebuilding the American economy.

‘An important reason for the shift from broadly-shared prosperity to growing inequality is the erosion of workers’ ability to form unions and

bargain collectively. As economists we believe it is a critically important step in rebuilding our economy and strengthening our democracy by enhancing the voice of working people in the workplace,’ they said in a joint statement.

If the Act becomes law it will be a radical challenge to current employer attitudes.

‘Staying union free is a full-time commitment,’ says the training manual of the massive retailer Wal Mart – a position that is typical of US big business.n

Lyn Hopper, NUM and NSWNA Councillor, Manly Hospital ‘The new IR laws put us back on an even playing field. Unions have been fighting since the early 1800s to stop bosses bullying workers, and awards do that. They ensure minimum wages and conditions. A lot of workers, including nurses, were adversely affected by WorkChoices, especially the casual, non-professional workforce that is predominantly from a non-English speaking background and is least able to defend and assert its rights. AiNs in nursing homes were at great risk under WorkChoices because a lot of employers don’t care about their employees, as long as they’re making a profit. The new IR laws will protect the most vulnerable.’

THE LAMP MAY 2009 15

s

A G E N D A

Government responds to Garling g The NSW Government has taken on most of the recommendations of the Garling Special Inquiry into public hospitals. Now we need political and bureaucratic willingness to see these reforms through.

T

he NSW Government has accepted 134 of 139 recommendations, made by the Garling Special Inquiry into public hospitals, accepting the challenge to deliver the most comprehensive reform of the state’s health system to date.

At the centre of the reforms is a plan to return senior nurses to their clinical leadership roles within the health system by radically overhauling the role of the Nurse/Midwife Unit Manager.

The 41-page response entitled Caring Together: The Health Action Plan for NSW cites ‘reduced bureaucracy’ and a ‘refocus on patients’ as key to successfully implementing the changes recommended

by Commissioner Peter Garling.

The Government will spend $485 million over four years on a ‘suite of measures’ it plans to implement in three stages.

To get senior nurses back on the wards, the Government has announced it will spend $176 million on 500 wardbased clinical support officers to assist with administrative duties.

The plan aims to ensure that NUMs spend at least 70% of their time attending to clinical duties, and no more than 30% on administration, management and transactional duties.

Commissioner Garling’s recommendation of a new clinical designation for

RNs with over 10 years’ experience was supported ‘with modification’ by the Government. However, the Government continues to oppose the NSWNA’s claim for a new designation for RNs with more than eight years’ experience in the Industrial Relations Commission.

The Government will spend $176m on 500 ward-based clinical support officers.

The Government also supported Commissioner Garling’s recommendation to increase nurse practitioner and advanced practice positions, introduce better benchmarks for the delivery of postgraduate clinical education, and instigate a new badge system to identify all staff by name and designation.

The NSW Minister for Health, John Della Bosca, will also establish a Community and Clinician Advisory Council to support the implementation of the recommendations, and an independent body to audit and monitor progress.

NSWNA General Secretary Brett Holmes said it was absolutely essential that the clinical expertise of N/MUMs was properly recognised and utilised.

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‘It is a point we made very strongly in our own submissions to the Garling Inquiry and we are pleased the idea was picked up by the State Government,’ he said.

‘By outlining the areas of clinical leadership N/MUMs are expected to provide, the Government’s action plan should help ensure their role stays clinically focused. However, it is vital we provide the extra administrative support.’

Other key reforms include a clinician-led, state-wide hospital review to assess how to best match resources with community needs.

‘The review will involve some hard decisions that will have to be made for the good of the system,’ said Brett.

‘The rational, evidence-based findings of the Garling Inquiry demonstrated that, with our limited health budget, some rationalisation of services will have to occur in order to continue to offer those services safely,’ he said.

‘We hope the Government adheres to Commissioner Garling’s key point that any future assessment and reallocation of resources be a truly clinician-led process as opposed to the micro-management decisions of bureaucrats that clinicians and health workers have been subjected to in recent years.’

The Government has also set aside $12 million to re-introduce genderspecific wards – a seemingly small but important contribution to patient dignity – and allocated $50 million for a ‘culture change’ program, Caring Culture, aimed at improving respect and dignity for patients and staff. It will include a grievance advisory service with front-line advisors working in each Area Health Service.

GARLING SUPPORTS

NSWNA RECOMMENDATIONS c Re-design of the NUMs role. NSW Health has agreed that the clinical leadership aspect of the N/MUM’s role must be restored in the interests of quality patient care. Changes will be implemented to ensure that the N/MUM is recognised as the manager of the unit. c Restoration of clerical and other ancillary supports to allow nurses to nurse. The Government has allocated $176m over four years for 500 ward-based clinical support officers to relieve N/MUMs and nursing staff of non-clinical tasks and administrative burdens to allow them to focus on patient care. c More nurse practitioner positions. NSW Health has already introduced 82 Nurse Practitioners to provide advanced care, with another 64 currently in transition.

The Government said more positions would be created but no new numbers were provided. c More clinical initiative nurses in EDs. The Minister has announced 30 new Clinical Initiative Nurse positions in busier ED waiting rooms to initiate treatment (under protocol), improve communication on waiting times and help with admission paperwork.

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‘The objectives of the new Caring Culture program have the NSWNA’s full support,’ Brett said. ‘Mr Garling rightly identified workplace bullying as a problem in the health system and it is important that employers continually strive to reduce and even eradicate it.’

‘The NSWNA also welcomes the establishment of an independent council to provide advice directly to the Minister for Health and the Director-General on the implementation of this action plan and the work of the implementation teams being established at each local facility.

‘It is also encouraging to see that an independent audit of the progressive implementation of Caring Together will be commissioned by the NSW Government and analysed by an independent panel. On many occasions new plans have been announced and little effective monitoring has taken place. Hopefully, these measures will prevent that happening this time.n

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A G E N D A

The NSWNA joined other protesters at a rally in Hyde Park against the privatisation of prisons.

Private jails risk to g Union joins community opposition to privatisation.

T

he NSWNA has joined growing public opposition to the privatisation of two of the State’s major prisons, Cessnock in the Hunter Valley and Parklea in south–western Sydney.

Privatisation would make jails less safe for nurses working in the prison system, the NSWNA believes.

Poorer health outcomes for the prisoner population and the wider community are other likely results.

Nurses working in the prison system will remain employees of Justice Health, with no changes to their wages and working conditions, the Minister 18 THE LAMP MAY 2009

for Corrective Services and Public Sector Reform, John Robertson, told Parliament.

Mr Robertson had earlier met with NSWNA General Secretary Brett Holmes and organiser Michael Whaites, who presented him with arguments why Justice Health should not be privatised.

‘We congratulate the Government for making the correct decision concerning Justice Health, and we hope they will eventually see sense and abandon the entire privatisation project,’ Brett said.

Several international private prison companies, some with appalling performance records, may be lining up to tender for the two jails (see story overleaf).

Brett said private companies should not be trusted with a fundamental part of the justice and health systems.

‘Private companies have no real incentive to rehabilitate prisoners and

hasten their return to society – they earn more money if there are more prisoners, staying in prison for longer, and coming

‘Privatisation generally means a more dangerous working environment for nurses.’

NSWNA General Secretary Brett Holmes

back sooner. This is completely at odds with how the justice system should operate,’ he said.

He said the State Government aimed to save money through privatisation, yet significant savings could only be made by

NICE

nurse safety LITTLE cutting salaries and training, reducing the ratio of staff to inmates or reducing the quality and/or quantity of food and other provisions to prisoners.

‘None of these measures is likely to make nurses’ jobs easier in prisons,’ he pointed out.

‘Privatisation generally leads to fewer prison officers, meaning a more dangerous working environment for nurses, along with reduced capacity to provide adequate patient care.’

He said the Union had studied research showing private prisons generally perform worse than public facilities, with chronic understaffing and cost-cutting leading to increased escapes and assaults, more complaints and a greater likelihood of prisoner recidivism.

A US Department of Justice study showed that in comparable American

prisons, private facilities had a 49% higher assault rate on staff and a 65% higher assault rate on other prisoners.

Brett said private prisons were notoriously secretive and lacked transparency.

‘Nurses have enough problems in Government-run prisons where there is at least some public scrutiny and transparency,’ he said (see story page 23).

‘These problems would undoubtedly get worse in privately-run facilities, which are focused on profit and can often hide behind commercial-in-confidence provisions to prevent full public scrutiny of their activities.’

Brett said other states, such as Victoria, and other jurisdictions such as New Zealand, Canada and several American states had re-nationalised prisons after poor experiences with private operators.n

EARNERS Privatised jails are likely to be ‘good earners’ for the private operators, says Professor Phillip O’Neill, director of the Urban Research Centre at the University of Western Sydney.

Professor O’Neill says there are now over 10,000 people in the custody of the NSW Department of Corrective Services, up by 61% from 10 years ago.

Last year, each prisoner cost the NSW Government $73,000 on average.

Parklea held 813 prisoners as at June 2008, of whom 733 were in maximum security. Most were awaiting trial.

A five-year contract to run Parklea prison is likely to be worth about $300 million, Professor O’Neill estimates.

THE LAMP MAY 2009 19

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s

A G E N D A

Cessnock Labor MP Kerry Hickey

MPs rebel against own government welve NSW Labor MPs protested against their own government’s jail privatisation plan at a rally outside State Parliament.

Justice Health nurses joined prison officers at the rally, which coincided with a guards’ 24-hour strike against the privatisation of Parklea and Cessnock jails.

Bathurst Labor MP and Government Whip Gerard Martin told the rally: ‘We will take on the Executive Government

T

to defend the party platform. It’s there in black and white.’

Cessnock Labor MP Kerry Hickey told the crowd: ‘Prisoners are locked away under our rules, they should be reformed under our rules, not by some half-baked private company who wants to do nothing but make some money by slashing jobs and slashing reform processes.’

Writing in the Illawarrra Mercury newspaper, the former Labor member for Kiama, Bob Harrison, reminded readers that his party fought the then Liberal

Government when it legislated for the first privately-operated prison in 1990.

‘The Labor Opposition at that time regarded the issues of crime and punishment as going right to the heart of state legitimacy, whereby the administration of punishment and rehabilitation is rightly carried out by fully accountable and financially disinterested persons employed by society itself.

‘We saw it as being indefensible to use hapless prisoners for private or corporate purposes,’ Mr Harrison wrote.n

WHO WILL

very clear risk to community safety’ the Government found.

of meningitis, despite repeated pleas for medical assistance.

GEO

Serco subsidiaries have also drawn criticism closer to home. In late 2006, ALP Senator Kate Lundy drew attention to attempts by Serco Sodexho, which had won the Canberra Defence services contract, to use duress to force employees to sign AWAs. Serco Sodexho also sacked cleaners for refusing to sign AWAs. The company brought cleaners in from Wollongong rather than employ workers under a collective agreement.

BUY OUR PRISONS? Companies in the running to buy NSW prisons include:

Corrections Corporation of America CCA, the world’s biggest private corrections company, ran the Metropolitan Women’s Correctional Centre in Victoria until repeated escapes, severe contract breaches including inadequate staffing, a lack of proper security services, rampant illicit drugs and excessive lockdowns forced the State Government to reclaim control. The company’s ‘fundamental security and drug prevention failures presented a

The second biggest prison company in the US, GEO currently runs Junee Correctional Centre – the only privately-run prison in NSW. Junee has consistently been the subject of significantly more complaints to the Ombudsman than any other correctional facility in the state.

Serco British-based Serco has been criticised for running prisons with appalling disciplinary and safety records. In 2004, a 14-year-old boy died in a Serco-run children’s prison several hours after being subjected to the ‘nose distraction technique’ – part of the prison’s inmate control regime – in which pressure is applied to the nose with the deliberate intention of causing pain. The technique was later banned. At an adult jail in Scotland run by Serco, a prisoner died

Australian Integrated Management Services AIMS recently lost the Acacia Prison contract in WA due to serious under performance and budget blowouts.

The company was previously fined for problems relating to the detection of drugs in the prison, and the lack of meaningful work, education and training opportunities for prisoners.

THE LAMP MAY 2009 21

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I N D U S T R I A L I S S U E S

Nurses hit by secret jail eviction g Sudden mass transfer flouts directives on consultation.

D

uring the night of March 15, nurses at four NSW jails became unwitting participants in a secret operation to advance the State Government’s plan to privatise prisons.

Shortly before 11pm, two nurses on duty at Cessnock jail received an extraordinary instruction: Collect and pack all records for 110 patients within the next hour and a half.

While the nurses raced to locate, sort and pack files so nothing vital would be missed, inmates were loaded into vans, 20 at a time, for immediate transfer to three other jails.

All but a handful were driven to the John Maroney Correctional Centre at Windsor, where a lone receiving nurse struggled to get on top of paperwork and assess which of the new arrivals would need medication and treatment.

The clandestine operation was designed to prevent a picket line or similar protest at Cessnock by prison officers opposed to privatisation of Cessnock and Parklea jails.

‘And we couldn’t forward missing files and treatment charts for a couple of days because we weren’t told where patients had been sent to.

‘We had guys on opiate treatment programs who turned up at a new jail with one nurse on duty and no methadone or buprenorphine.

‘I had methadone clients used to getting dosed at 7am who weren’t dosed until after lunch and had consequently started withdrawing.’

John Kemp RN and NSWNA Branch Secretary at Cessnock Jail

‘Some patients who stayed at Cessnock had their files sent to Sydney by mistake. I had methadone clients used to getting dosed at 7am who weren’t dosed until after lunch and had consequently started withdrawing.

‘We try to build a rapport with these guys and when they’re sick like that they’re not in a friendly mood.’

The late-night mass transfer from Cessnock came just 10 days after Industrial Relations Commissioner Elizabeth Bishop directed the Department of Corrective Services to consult with Justice Health on NSWNA Assistant General Secretary significant workplace changes, Judith Kiejda including prison transfers, that might impact on the delivery of prison health services.

The sudden transfer caused distress NSWNA Assistant General Secretary to staff and patients who did not get Judith Kiejda said the Union went to the the care they were entitled to, said John Commission after the department failed Kemp RN and NSWNA Branch Secretary to consult with nurses when introducing at Cessnock jail. sudden changes at several jails.

‘While trying to get the paperwork ‘This ongoing failure to consult is together nurses had to attend to a patient regularly putting nurses at risk and is a with a heart condition who complained of clear breach of occupational health and severe chest pains, and get him transferred safety law,’ Judith said. to the local hospital,’ John said.

‘The department seems to think it is a ‘We keep files in several areas and law unto itself.’ there are several medication folders, and Following the Cessnock mass some were missed because of pressure to transfer, the Union went back to the get everything packed up quickly.

Commission, where the department gave

‘The department seems to think it is a law unto itself.’

undertakings to implement Commissioner Bishop’s earlier directives.

The department also acknowledged ‘the distinct and separate health charter under which Justice Health operates’.

Judith said privatisation of prisons would make it even harder to get authorities to abide by occupational

health and safety rules.

‘We have enough trouble ensuring nurses’ safety when a government department, answerable to elected representatives, is in charge. What chance will we have when it’s a private operator who hides behind “commercial in confidence”?’

Back in Cessnock, NSWNA members employed by Justice Health have been active in a well-supported community campaign to block privatisation.

‘If the jail is privatised, prison officer numbers will be reduced, with fewer officers to escort patients for treatment within the prison and to the local hospital.

That will affect our ability to provide care for our patients,’ John Kemp said.

‘If it affects our patients it’s going to affect the local area, because the work we do in jail is the sort of work people outside the prison system don’t like doing – like getting guys off illegal drugs and getting them healthy again to be released back into the community.’

The spectre of job losses through privatisation comes when Cessnock, recognised as the most disadvantaged local government area in the Hunter region, is already reeling from the loss of 90 jobs at the Bonds clothing factory.

‘There’s very little money in the town – just walk down the main street and see the empty shops. People are packing up and leaving,’ John said.n THE LAMP MAY 2009 23

s

Q & A

ASK

JUDITH

NSWNA ASSISTANT GENERAL SECRETARY JUDITH KIEJDA ANSWERS YOUR QUESTIONS ON THE NEW FAIR WORK LEGISLATION AND THE NEW MODERN AWARD.

Why do we still need an agreement?

I heard we’re getting a new Award so why do we have to bargain for a new agreement? Don’t we just get all our conditions and pay rises from the Award?

The new ‘modern’ award is different to the old ‘state’ awards. The modern Nurses Occupational Award, in conjunction with the 10 new ‘National Employment Standards’, provides you with the minimum conditions of employment. The way to improve conditions and pay rates is by getting an Enterprise Agreement.

Pay rises won’t automatically be part of the Award – unless you bargain for an enterprise agreement, you’ll have to rely on increases from the Minimum Wage Panel, part of Fair Work Australia which will adjust minimum wages every year. It can only adjust minimum wages in these four yearly reviews where justified by work value reasons.

Will the new Award reduce our pay?

I know that NSW nurses are among the best-paid nurses in Australia but when the new Nurses’ Award comes in 2010, does our pay go down to what other states get paid?

No, your pay will not be reduced when the new Award comes in. The new modern Nurses’ Award commences in January 2010 and will only apply to nurses working under the Federal System who aren’t already covered by a current agreement. If you are a nurse working in the Federal System and you are not under an Employee Collective or Union Collective Agreement then you will be covered by the new Federal Award.

Under the new laws, a court order can be made against any employer who tries to lower your pay as a result of the new Award minimum in 2010. The new Award also contains some improvements in minimum conditions including guaranteed minimum hours and rostering arrangements in writing for part-time employees, a 25% casual loading, and a minimum of five weeks annual leave plus an additional week for shift workers.

Are public health system nurses affected I work in the public health system. I know there is a new National Award for private hospital and aged care nurses. Does any of it apply to us?

A small part of the new laws cover all employees in Australia. These include minimum entitlements for: c Notice of termination

c c

Unlawful termination The ‘National Employment’ Standard for Parental leave.

The rest of the new laws don’t apply in the NSW public health system at this time.

Can an employer refuse union involvement?

I work for an employer who says they don’t want to involve the Union in our new agreement. I thought that with WorkChoices gone our employer had to let us have our union negotiate for members?

Your union is automatically a bargaining representative for any member who is intended to be covered by the agreement, unless that member has specifically advised the employer they do not want the union to represent them.

The current distinction in the laws between ‘union’ and ‘employee’ collective agreements is removed. Agreements are made between employers and employees.

Unions who are a bargaining representative for an agreement can apply to Fair Work Australia to be covered by that agreement.

However, if your employer refuses to bargain for an agreement at all, the Union can apply to Fair Work Australia for a majority support determination. This is a determination that a majority of employees want to bargain with their employer. n

Can you care for a child with special needs?

The Department of Community Services seeks permanent carers with compassion and common sense to provide safe, secure and loving homes for children with special needs. These needs vary for each child and may relate to diet or a physiotherapy program and access to medical services. A nursing or health background would be advantageous but is not essential.

24 THE LAMP MAY 2009

If you think you can provide a stable and loving home for a child with special needs, apply at www.community.nsw.gov.au/fostercare or call 1800 2 FOSTER (1800 236 783).

If in Sydney call Kate McIntyre on 8303 7644.

Carers receive training, support and financial assistance.

* not child’s real name

Like other five-year old girls, Julia* loves pretty dresses, music and sparkly toys. But Julia is visually impaired and developmentally delayed. There are many children like Julia with different needs, but all need the love and attention of a permanent carer, even on a part-time or shared basis.

You and the new work laws Australia gets new workplace laws from 1 July this year when the Labor Government’s Fair Work Bill comes into effect.

It will bury John Howard’s unfair WorkChoices and restore your rights in the workplace.

And it will create a new system of national awards including one for nurses.

+

3-way protection for nurses Safety net + New awards + Enterprise agreements AUTHORISED BY BRETT HOLMES, NSWNA GENERAL SECRETARY THE LAMP MAY 2009 25

+

3-way protection for nurses

1. Safety net for everyone The new laws provide a stronger ‘safety net’ of minimum standards.

Under WorkChoices there were only five minimum standards for pay and conditions. From 1 January there will be 10 minimum standards:

+ A 38-hour week and the right to refuse unreasonable overtime.

+ Up to 24 months’ unpaid parental leave. + Right for parents to request flexible working arrangements.

+ 4 weeks’ paid annual leave plus an additional week for shift workers.

+ 10 days’ paid personal/carers leave, 2 days’ compassionate leave and 2 days’ unpaid emergency leave.

WILL THE NEW LAWS APPLY TO ME? The Fair Work laws and new Nursing Award will cover the vast majority of nurses in aged care facilities, private hospitals, and private sector specialist services such as medical practices. Nurses employed by the State Government such as NSW Health Service, DADHC and Police will generally not be affected unless the State Government decides to refer its industrial relations powers to the Commonwealth.

However, all employees including NSW Health nurses will be covered by some parts of the Fair Work laws including minimum standards for notice of termination, unlawful termination and the national employment standard for parental leave.

26 THE LAMP MAY 2009

+ Unpaid community service leave. + Long service leave. + All national and state public holidays. + Notice of termination and, if employed in a business with 15 or more employees, redundancy pay.

+ Employers must provide new employees

2. New awards set minimum standards for nurses On top of the safety net are new awards that set basic standards for particular industries and occupations, such as nursing.

Awards will set minimum wage rates, types of employment, hours of work, overtime and penalty rates, allowances, leave, procedures for consultation and dispute resolution, etc.

Awards cannot provide less than the 10 ‘safety net’ standards but can go above them.

3. Enterprise agreements increase pay and conditions at your workplace Enterprise agreements provide a third, higher level of protection. They will be the main avenues for improving wages and conditions in your workplace, with the union as your bargaining agent.

If workers don’t push for an enterprise agreement at their workplace, they will not receive pay increases regularly unless covered by minimum wage yearly increases.

If you don’t get a collective agreement then there are no pay increases for RNs and most ENs who are not at minimum wage levels.

with an information statement about their rights.

A NEW NURSES’ OCCUPATIONAL AWARD A new Nurses’ Occupational Award starts on 1 January 2010.

It will only apply to nurses working under the national industrial relations system who aren’t already covered by a collective agreement.

If you are not employed in the NSW public sector and don’t have a current collective agreement then you will most likely be covered by the new Federal Award.

The new Federal Award will contain 10 ‘allowable matters’: • minimum wages • types of employment (full, part-time, casual) • arrangements for when work is performed (including hours of work, rostering, notice periods, rest breaks and variations to working hours)

• overtime rates • penalty rates • annualised wage or salary arrangements including averaging of hours (having regard to work patterns in an occupation) • allowances • leave, leave loadings and arrangements for taking leave • superannuation • procedures for consultation, representation and dispute settlement.

If your pay is above the minimum rates set out in the new Award, your current rates are protected. Under the new laws, a court order can be made against any employer who tries to cut your pay as a result of new minimum award standards.

Bargaining for a new agreement

Collective bargaining between employers and workers, represented by unions, will be the main way to get pay increases and better conditions.

The new name for a Union Collective Agreement will be ‘Enterprise Agreement’ from 1 July 2009.

Your employer must:

• Advise you of your right to have a bargaining •

representative, which is the NSWNA – unless you nominate otherwise.

Recognise and bargain with your bargaining representative.

Agreements may include content such as:

• Pay increases.

• Nursing workloads.

• Qualification and other allowances.

• Paid union training leave eg to attend NSWNA Annual Conferences.

Agreements must include:

• Provision for consultation in the event of • • •

major workplace change and representation for employees in that consultation.

Maximum length of four years.

A flexibility clause with safeguards.

A dispute resolution process, which must be conducted by an independent party (eg. Fair Work Australia) and must allow employees to be represented.

UNDER WORKCHOICES THERE WERE ONLY FIVE MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR PAY AND CONDITIONS. FROM 1 JANUARY THERE WILL BE TEN.

• Paid time off to participate in union activities.

• Union right of entry for orientations.

• Union participation in consultation or dispute settlement procedures.

• Paid parental leave.

These matters were very limited under WorkChoices and fines applied to any union requesting them.

New laws dump AWAs The old WorkChoices AWA contracts, which cut pay and conditions, have been abolished since 2008.

Workers still on AWAs will have the right to an enterprise agreement and to bargain alongside their workmates once their AWA expires.

THE LAMP MAY 2009 27

+ MEET THE NEW UMPIRES

Can your employer refuse to bargain?

If your boss refuses to bargain for an agreement at all, the union can apply to Fair Work Australia (FWA) for a ‘majority support determination’. FWA can decide that a majority of employees want to bargain with their employer, and order the company to start negotiations.

What if the employer is not bargaining fairly?

The Fair Work laws require all parties engaged in bargaining (including unions) to act in good faith. Th is means that unions and employers must: • Attend and participate in meetings at reasonable times • Disclose relevant information (other than commercial-in-confidence or commercially sensitive information) in a timely manner • Respond to proposals in a timely fashion • Give genuine consideration to the proposals of other parties, and provide reasons for responses and • Refrain from capricious or unfair conduct that undermines freedom of association or collective bargaining.

If the employer fails to do this, the union can ask FWA to issue a bargaining order.

28 THE LAMP MAY 2009

YOUR RIGHTS TO BE HEARD AND REPRESENTED From 1 January, all employees will have new rights to be consulted and represented at work, and new protections against unfair treatment.

It will be illegal to disadvantage anyone for joining a union or being active in their union.

Awards and enterprise agreements will provide for consultation and representation at work, and workers will have better access to advice because employers will no longer be able to stop union representatives coming into the workplace to talk to members.

If your employer refuses to bargain, the union can ask Fair Work Australia to issue a bargaining order.

New authorities will replace most of the current industrial relations bodies such as the Australian Industrial Relations Commission to safeguard workers’ rights.

Fair Work Australia (FWA) will be independent of Government and will:

•

Set and adjust award wages and make minimum wage orders

• •

Regularly review and vary awards

•

Supervise the taking of industrial action

• •

Approve agreements

Make bargaining orders and, in limited circumstances, make workplace determinations settling bargaining disputes

Conciliate and (in limited cases) arbitrate disputes

•

Deal with disputes about unions’ right of entry

•

Determine unfair dismissal claims.

The Office of the Fair Work Ombudsman will take over the work of the Workplace Ombudsman. The Office will be responsible for providing information and education and for enforcing the new laws.

Fair Work inspectors will be able to inspect documents and premises and prosecute breaches of the law.

Fair Work Divisions of the Federal Court and the Federal Magistrates Court will determine claims relating to breaches of the ‘safety net’ national employment standards, awards, agreements and workplace rights.

s

I N D U S T R I A L I S S U E S

Coonamble fights merger g Protest forces GWAHS backdown on merging manager positions.

N

SWNA members at Coonamble are celebrating a significant win following the Greater Western Area Health Service’s (GWAHS) back-down over plans to merge three health service manager positions in western NSW. Last month, nurses led more than 500 members of the local community onto the main street to protest the move that would have seen Coonamble, Gilandra and Gulargambone health services left with only one manager between them.

Because the health service manager doubles as the senior clinician, members were deeply concerned that Coonamble’s ED, which handles more than 4500 emergency presentations a year, could not cope as it is already operating on skeleton staffing.

‘It would’ve been bedlam,’ said Coonamble Branch President Wendy Copelin, EEN. ‘Without our on-site manager and senior clinician, we would have been left without any back-up for emergencies.

Due to the skeleton staffing, the NUMs already spend much of their time on the

‘Coonamble needs on-site management at all times due to its isolation.’

NSWNA Assistant General Secretary Judith Kiejda

wards covering the shortfalls. The merger would’ve left us struggling to cope.

‘The fact that over 500 members of our community turned out for the protest with only two days’ notice demonstrates how seriously the community takes this issue.

‘We are so proud of our community and ecstatic with the win. Coonamble has never seen anything like this before. The main street was closed and businesses shut for the rally.

‘We were simply not prepared to sit back. We made it clear to the GWAHS that we would march on Parliament if necessary.’

In what appears to be becoming standard practice for the GWAHS when contemplating restructures, nurses and community members had little or no

consultation prior to the announcement.

In fact, the Mayor of Coonamble told ABC News that he and the Council’s General Manager were led to believe by senior executives of the GWAHS that the NSWNA actually supported the plan.

NSWNA Assistant Secretary Judith Kiejda said Coonamble needs on-site management at all times due to its isolation.

‘Being two hours from Dubbo and over an hour from Walgett, Coonamble can’t afford to have its manager stationed at Gilandra almost 100 kilometres away,’ she said.

‘The Coonamble Health Service Manager is the facility’s expert clinician who assists whenever there are emergencies, retrievals, maternity deliveries and services needed for the indigenous community.

‘Given that planning for the Coonamble Multi-Purpose Service is well underway, the nurses are also concerned that a Health Service Manager spread over three towns would struggle to properly oversee the planning and development of this project. To date, the Coonamble HSM has had a pivotal role in this project.

‘When you add it all up it is clear Coonamble had a solid case for its own Health Service Manager,’ Judith said.n THE LAMP MAY 2009 29

s

I N D U S T R I A L I S S U E S

Frantic ED night shift ‘satisfying’, says Health Dept

Wha

g In its case against the NSWNA’s claim for increased night shift penalty rates, NSW Health has said increased penalties would be too expensive and change is unnecessary because everything is working okay.

N

SW Health has submitted its arguments against the NSWNA’s claim for an increase in night shift penalty rates, which begins its hearing in the NSW Industrial Relations Commission on 4 May. While the NSWNA’s case is based on current scientific evidence showing the deleterious affects of working night shifts, with submissions from top experts in the fields of sleep medicine and circadian research, the Department’s case is based on the standard positions that a penalty increase would be too expensive and that change is unnecessary because everything is working okay.

One of the Department’s key witnesses, an Area Health Service Director of Nursing and Midwifery, has made a submission stating that night shifts in Emergency Departments are satisfying because nurses have a heavy workload, while night shifts in medical wards are ‘likely to involve little more than doing basic observations on a regular basis’.

The argument is that ED nurses are ‘satisfied’ because their work is hard, and that, because their work is ‘light’, other nurses only complain about working night shifts because of a lack of job satisfaction.

The witness believes night shifts are so easy that nurses often choose to work nights because it allows ‘those who are studying to attend lectures during the day and to do some study during quiet periods’.

The NSWNA has presented medical evidence showing it can be hard to maintain a healthy diet when working night shifts.

However, the Department’s witness said: ‘In my opinion, there is nothing inherent about working night shift that is more 30 THE LAMP MAY 2009

likely to lead to nurses eating lollies or other unhealthy food during the shift.’

In his submission on behalf of the NSWNA, Dr Ron Grunstein, who is a global expert in sleep medicine, said working nights radically displaces the body’s natural circadian rhythm, thus disrupting natural eating patterns. A nurse working nights is likely to ask herself if a meal at 8am is dinner or breakfast.

Should she eat steak and vegies or a bowl of cereal with yoghurt? And at what time should she eat ‘lunch’, assuming she can find a place to buy a decent meal in the sleepy hours of the night?

Because many nurses care for their families during the day, it can be hard to find time to prepare meals before going to work.

Eating disruptions was a minor detail of Dr Grunstein’s medical evidence in relation to the disruption to circadian rhythms, which also increases the risk of developing breast cancer, cardiovascular disease, gastro-intestinal disorders and reproductive health problems. However, the Department has not responded to any of this evidence.

Instead, the Department and its witnesses have focused on relatively minor issues, such as arguing there is no evidence that increasing night shift penalty rates would help retain older nursing staff, and that working four night shifts in a roster is less detrimental than working seven.

‘If a nurse is required to work a large number of nights in a 28-hour period, for example seven or more, this is likely to have more negative consequences than a nurse working four [nights] or less,’ said a witness for the Department.n

Grant Isedale

SWNA members Karen Featon, Donna Garland, Dianne McCarthy and Grant Isedale have responded to the Department’s evidence as part of the Association’s claim before the NSW Industrial Relations Commission.

Here is some of what they had to say:

N

Night shifts on medical wards are ‘easy’ Donna Garland: ‘Medical Wards are some of the heaviest wards in the hospital with some of the poorest staff mixes. These units have an increased number of older patients, often with complex co-morbidities, and there is great pressure to discharge patients as quickly as possible. The current patients in medical wards are not light work for night shift workers in any respect.’

at nurses say

Donna Garland

Working four night shifts in a roster is less detrimental than working seven or more Karen Featon: ‘In my time working as a nurse, only on the very odd occasion have I known nurses to work seven nights in 28 days. I usually work nights night shifts per 28 day cycle and the disruption caused is very detrimental.’

Karen Featon

Dianne McCarthy

Grant Isedale: ‘I do not know of any department or unit in which nursing staff would have downtime on a night shift to study.’

There is no evidence that increased penalty rates will help retain nurses

There is nothing inherent about night shifts that cause unhealthy eating

Grant Isedale: ‘I believe younger nurses would be more willing to do night shift, and weekend nights in particular if there was higher remuneration available. Most of these nurses have family expenses, mortgages and child care to pay for so any extra money would be beneficial.

Older nurses would be more inclined to remain in the workforce if there was a reduced requirement for them to work nightshifts.’

Night shifts allow time for study

Karen Featon: ‘Working night shifts means that eating patterns are in turmoil, exercise routines are more frequently put on hold, and normal family and social life is disrupted.’

Donna Garland: ‘I have never heard these sentiments expressed by nurses or midwives. On the contrary, they express the opposite view that night shift impacts upon their ability to focus during lectures, to do assignments and to study in their own time.’

Dianne McCarthy: ‘If nurses are not well prepared in terms of bringing their own food then the choice in our facility is the vending machine food.

When you are tired, often take away, while not the healthy option, is the easy option.’

THE LAMP MAY 2009 31

s

A G E D C A R E

Aged care group investigated for poor care g A Government investigation of serious breaches of care

by BCP Health and Aged Care group reinforces the ANF’s national campaign calling for drastic reform of aged care.

S

erious breaches of care have sparked a full Government review into 15 nursing homes owned by aged care mogul Michael Manken’s BCP Health and Aged Care group.

Three of the group’s homes have recently been issued with serious compliance notices from the Aged Care Standards and Accreditation Agency (ACSAA) for failing to meet standards relating to staffing, catering, cleaning, pain management and infection control.

While Mr Manken repeatedly swears to the contrary, nurses working at his facilities have reported a pattern of radical cost cutting and redundancies over the past two years as the group has embarked on a massive expansion into the sector.

The Manken group acquired all but two of its 15 facilities in the past two years, receiving about $35 million in Federal subsidies last financial year.

When asked by the Sydney Morning Herald last month if he had slashed staff to cut costs, Mr Manken responded, ‘I am not saying I am … I don’t look at it like that.

‘I am committed to running the homes with best practice standards,’ he said, accusing the ACSAA of targeting him.

In a case that epitomises the

Lucille McKenna ran the facility from 1997 to 2007 and tendered her resignation three weeks after Mr Manken’s group took over. problems plaguing the aged care sector, and highlights the focus of the ANF’s national aged care campaign, Because We Care, seven of Mr Manken’s nursing homes have failed to meet accreditation standards – the latest at Palm Grove nursing home prompting the full Federal review into all of his facilities.

Federal Minister for Ageing Justine Elliot said last month that Palm Grove, Anita Villa and Martyn Claver nursing homes had been forced to address problems raised late last year, though new information relating to Palm Grove had triggered a fresh ‘review audit’, which began last month.

‘Any provider who puts profits at the expense of resident care should feel the full force of the law,’ said Ms Elliot.

The daughter of one Palm Grove

resident, Sarah Muston, told the Herald she was considering moving her mother out of the home after seeing on-duty RNs halved, and at least half the staff and a string of nursing directors leave in the past two years.

‘The staff here have done the best they could for six months with virtually no director of nursing,’ Mrs Muston said.

‘It was a good local nursing home run by good people. I am sad for the community that has changed.’

The former Director of Nursing at Palm Grove, Lucille McKenna, was saddened to hear about the situation transpiring at her former workplace.

Palm Grove had an exemplary reputation during the decade that Ms McKenna ran the facility from 1997 to 2007, though she tendered

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her resignation three weeks after Mr Manken’s group took over.

‘Palm Grove was once a nursing home of choice, a friendly and caring community for both residents and staff.

In the ten and a half years I was there we maintained an outstanding record – not a single external complaint during the whole period, and we had a perfect inspection record achieving the 44 standards every time,’ she said.

‘We also had excellent staff retention – of the 12 RNs working when I left I think only two or three are still there now.

‘Being owned by a charity, we weren’t driven by profit, though we were never in financial difficulty and maintained a surplus every year. Our aged residents are being used as a tool to increase the profits of shareholders and they deserve better.’

Ms McKenna explained that due to the shortage of aged care places, families of residents had few alternatives. ‘As the mother of one resident

‘Any provider who puts profits at the expense of resident care should feel the full force of the law.’

Federal Minister for Ageing Justine Elliot

told me, moving them is very traumatic,’ she said.

Ms McKenna, who has become a prominent voice in the ANF’s Because We Care campaign said, ‘This is why the campaign is so important, it will highlight the issues, while supporting the nurses who work in the sector.’

Aged care trainer and assessor Shirley Russ Shuley, a former employee at Anita Villa nursing home, and founding member of the Blue Mountains Quality Aged Care Action Group (QACAG), told a similar story to dozens of staff from other Manken facilities.

‘After taking over he called a staff meeting and told us there would be no changes but then said point-blank that his first priority was to his shareholders.

The first thing I noticed was smaller food servings but then nursing staff (mostly RNs) were cut, then kitchen, maintenance and laundry staff. Resident’s outings were also cut back,’ she said.

‘I was forced to take a redundancy but staff still there are working under enormous pressure and don’t want to “desert” the residents. It’s where they spend their last days and they become like family. If we do not speak for the elderly and frail, who will?’n

‘After taking over he called a staff meeting and told us there would be no changes but then said point-blank that his first priority was to his shareholders.The first thing I noticed was smaller food servings but then nursing staff (mostly RNs) were cut, then kitchen, maintenance and laundry staff.’

Shirley Russ Shuley, former employee at Anita Villa nursing home

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OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY

NSWNA officials and members at the launch of the ’Don’t Risk Second Rate Safety’ campaign.

Don’t risk second hand safety g All nurses needed for new OHS campaign

U

nions NSW has launched its ‘Don’t Risk Second Rate Safety’ campaign to ensure that the harmonisation of Australia’s occupational health and safety (OHS) laws does not water down workers’ protection in NSW. The NSWNA is asking its members to join the campaign to protect our high OHS standards.

Federal Labor went to the 2007 election with a policy to harmonise Australia’s OHS systems to decrease the burden of legislation on industry while promising to ‘uphold existing safety standards’. However, it appears the promise to protect worker’s safety is being compromised.

Karen Banton, widow of asbestos hero Bernie Banton, helped launch the campaign and warned that it would have been much harder for Bernie to win his historic OHS compensation from James Hardie if he had to fight under the conditions currently being recommended by the National OHS Legislation Review Panel.

Recommendations of contention include a diminished right of entry for unions, the possibility that health and safety representatives (HSRs) will need professional indemnity insurance to carry out their duties, the loss of union’s right to prosecute on behalf of workers, and the reversal of onus of proof from the employer to the employee (ie. workers will have to prove that injuries result from a breach of care on the behalf of the employer, instead of the current

requirement whereby the employer must show that every measure is taken to protect workers’ safety).

NSWNA Assistant General Secretary Judith Kiejda said OHS is not a ‘sexy subject’ but one that affects workers’ lives in fundamental ways.

‘An injured shoulder doesn’t just mean that a worker can’t return to her job. It also means she can’t lift the shopping bags at the supermarket, or lift her children or grandchildren to play

with them or give them a hug. Injuries at work affect every part of a worker’s life and we must do everything we can to protect the high standards of worker safety that our current OHS laws ensure,’ said Judith.

The OHS harmonisation process is still in its drafting stage and it is not too late to make a difference. The laws are scheduled to be drafted in June this year, made into an Act by the end of 2009, and fully enacted in 2011.n

WHAT YOU CAN DO c Unions NSW has an electronic petition that will be open until 16 May. The petition can be found in the ‘campaigns’ area of the Unions NSW website www. nswrightsatwork.com.au/ohs/ c NSWNA members are encouraged to write to their local Federal Member of Parliament. MPs are accountable to you and rely on your support for reelection, so letters from constituents are taken seriously. If you are unsure about who your local member is, or how to write him/her a letter, contact the NSWNA. c Raise the issue of OHS harmonisation with local media.

You might write a letter to the local paper, or call a radio station to discuss the issue. The more community awareness of the campaign, the better.

Karen Banton, widow of asbestos hero Bernie Banton, signed a petition to ensure NSW OHS is not watered down.

THE LAMP MAY 2009 35

s

N O T I C E

Summary of NSWNA Financial Report for the Year Ended 31 December 2008

T

he financial report of the New South Wales Nurses’ Association has been audited in accordance with the provisions of the Industrial Relations Act 1991, and the following summary is provided for members in accordance with Section 517 (2) of the Act, as applied by section 282(3) of the Industrial Relations Act, 1996.

A copy of the Financial Report, including the Independent Audit Report, will be supplied free of charge to members upon request.

Certificates required to be given under the Act by the Accounting Officer and the Committee of Management have been completed in accordance with the provisions of the Act and contain no qualifications.

INFORMATION TO BE PROVIDED TO MEMBERS OR REGISTRAR In accordance with the requirements of the Industrial Relations Act 1991 [NSW], the attention of members is drawn to the provisions of Sub-sections (1) and (2) of Section 512 which read as follows: 1. A member of an organisation, or the Industrial Registrar, may apply to the organisation for specified information prescribed by the regulations in relation to the organisation.

2 An organisation must, on the making of such an application, make the specified information available to the member or the Industrial Registrar in the manner, and within the time, prescribed by the regulations.

INCOME STATEMENT FOR THE YEAR ENDING 31 DECEMBER 2008 2008

2007

($)

($)

19,933,682

18,883,886

5,298,917

5,019,767

Income Membership Subscriptions NursePower Fund Subscriptions Other Income

2,644,943

2,657,313

TOTAL INCOME

27,877,542

26,560,966

(27,897,126)

(24,747,015)

(19,584)

1,813,951

Less total expenditure (DEFICIT)/SURPLUS FOR THE YEAR

BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2008 2008 ($)

2007 ($)

23,913,410

26,564,633

3,112,278

4,351,177

Non-Current Assets

27,825,069

27,362,289

AUDITOR’S CERTIFICATE

TOTAL ASSETS

30,937,347

31,713,466

We certify that the above Summary of the Financial Report is a fair and accurate summary of the Report, Accounts and Statements of the New South Wales Nurses’ Association for the year ended 31 December 2008. Our Independent Audit Report to the members dated 7 April 2009 on the Financial Report did not contain any particulars of any deficiency, failure or shortcoming as referred to in the Industrial Relations Act 1991 [NSW], as applied by Section 282 of the Industrial Relations Act, 1996.

Current Liabilities

2,721,230

2,318,540

Non-Current Liabilities

4,302,707

2,830,293

TOTAL LIABILITIES

7,023,937

5,148,833

23,913,410

26,564,633

DALEY & CO Chartered Accountants 98 Kembla Street Wollongong NSW 2500

Michael L Gleeson Registered Company Auditor Dated this 7th day of April 2009.

ACCUMULATED FUNDS Represented by: Current Assets

NET ASSETS

A copy of the Financial Report, including the Independent Audit Report, may be found on the Members page of the website www.nswnurses.asn.au or can be obtained upon written application to: Brett Holmes, General Secretary, NSW Nurses’ Association, PO Box 40, NSW 1450.

Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation.

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N S W N A N E W S

Judith appointed to executive of Unions NSW g NSWNA Assistant General Secretary elected Vice President of Union NSW.

N

SWNA Assistant General Secretary Judith Kiejda has been elected as Vice President of Unions NSW – the peak body representing unions in NSW. The NSWNA is an affiliate of Unions NSW and the appointment gives the NSWNA a continuing seat at the executive table and a stronger voice in

debate and decision making by the State’s peak union body.

‘I see my appointment as a vehicle to promote retention of public services,’ said Judith.

‘My motivation comes from deep concern about the Government’s plans to privatise two of the State’s major prisons, Cessnock and Parklea. Privatisation would make jails less safe for nurses working in the prison system, and it would likely result in poorer health outcomes for the prisoner population and the wider community.

‘If we are not vigilant, the writing is on the wall for the privatisation of many public services and possibly health services’ said Judith.

‘I hope my contribution will help not only retain what we have but build those services. We’re a big union and we can use our influence to help the community understand the importance of the public services, particulary in these uncertain times when the need for such services is at a premium.’n

GRAB A FABULOUS NSWNA NURSES’ PINK JOEY POU CH

ORDER FORM

Ease stress and boost efficiency with the fully endorsed Nurses’ Joey Pouch.

All your work tools will be easily at hand*.

NAME

NSWNA PINK JOEY POUCH @ $30 EACH

ADDRESS SUBURB

STATE

CONTACT NO (P) FAX

POSTCODE (M)

EMAIL

TO ORDER:

Fax the order form to: Glen Ginty on (02) 9550 3667 or Post to: NSWNA, PO Box 40 Camperdown NSW 1450 or Download merchandise order forms from our website www.nswnurses.asn.au

pink pouch half.indd 1

We’ll donate $5 from each pouch purchase to the National Breast Cancer Foundation. Please include $5 postage & handling.

Amount:

Total cost of order: $

Cheque Money Order Visa MasterCard EXPIRY DATE:

/

NAME OF CARD HOLDER:

SIGNATURE: *The Pink Joey Pouch does not come with work tools.

2:25:44 PM THE 27/4/09 LAMP MAY 2009 37

s

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

NSWNA Branch News

en across NSW have be g NSWNA members ing their union and ild bu th on m is th e activ rses’ rights. working to protect nu

Rowena Morrison RN recently started working at the Corner Youth Centre and will provide health care to young people in the Bankstown area.

Members of the newly-formed Forest View Nursing Home Chatswood Branch: (from left) Sunita Devi, Cherisse Morgan Leah Biag, Robert Paravich and Francisca Melville.

Grafton Base Hospital members supported colleagues and prison officers from Grafton Correctional Centre protesting the privatisation of prisons at the Stop the Cell Off rally last month: (left to right) Beverly Thomson RN, Helen Packwood Justice Health DON, Maree Dickson RN, Kassandra Packwood RN, Edith Ussher RN and Lee Green RN. Members at St George Hospital with NSWNA General Secretary Brett at a bbq to recruit new members to their NSWNA Branch.

38 THE LAMP MAY 2009

C O M P E T I T I O N

YARRA VALLEY The Lamp is offering members the chance to win a luxurious mid-week getaway package to the Yarra Valley.

Photo courtesy of the Cumberland Newspapers

n,

WIN A LUXURY PACKAGE TO THE

Members of the Central Coast Quality in Aged Care Action Group (QACAG): (left to right) Stella Topaz (NSWNA), Karen Wardrop, Jan Barkess, Marta Frasca, Sue Perdriau, Hazel Gosling, Debbie Lang and Kerrie Nunns.

Members of Tweed Heads Amaroo Nursing Home Branch celebrate 76% density in membership – a fantastic achievement for the aged care sector.

The Yarra Valley is filled with many attractions, making for an unforgettable food, wine and family fun experience. Less than an hour from Melbourne’s international airport, or less than three and a half hours from Albury, the Yarra Valley is the perfect destination for a mid-week escape.

The prize includes two nights’ accommodation for a family of four (or two couples) with continental breakfasts at the Yering Gorge Cottages*, nestled at the rear of a 255-hectare cattle and horse farm on the banks of the Yarra River. Relax in the comforts of the double bedroom self-contained cottage while enjoying views of the kangaroos and other native wildlife from the expansive deck, or walk down by the river to try to spot a platypus. Each cottage is equipped with the comforts of a spa bath.

The prize also includes a four-course lunch at De Bortoli Winery and Restaurant, set against the spectacular backdrop of the Great Dividing Range and the 162 hectare vineyard owned by the De Bortoli family. After lunch visit the Cheese Tasting Room and Cellar Door to discover the appeal of cool climate Yarra Valley wines and speciallyselected cheeses from around the world.

De Bortoli will also provide six bottles of De Bortoli Gulf Station wines as part of this month’s fabulous competition prize.

Wait there’s more … you’ll also win a family pass to Healesville Sanctuary, where you can experience amazing behind-the-scene activities of a working sanctuary. The sanctuary is renowned for the close encounters with Australian animals showcased in their natural habitats and is home to over 200 species including koalas, dingoes and Tasmanian Devils.

To enter this month’s Lamp Competition simply write your name, address and membership number on the back of an envelope and send it to: Yarra Valley Competition PO Box 40, Camperdown NSW 1450.

Competition closes 31 May 2009.

To help plan your next holiday, visit the website www.visityarravalley.com.au or phone the Yarra Valley Visitor Information Centre on 03 5962 2600 * Prize available mid-week (Sun– Thurs night) from 1 May to 31 October 2009.

THE LAMP MAY 2009 39

s

L I F E S T Y L E

What just happened g A wickedly-funny drama that satirises Hollywood, showing it to be a venal sinkhole of arrogance.

D

irector Barry Levinson, who has such films as Rainman, Good Morning Vietnam and the tv series Homicide Life on the Streets to his credit, has an enviable reputation.

This latest offering lives up to that reputation. Based on a memoir by Art Linson – a real life producer, What Just Happened is a withering comedy about the inner bowels of the movie business.

Ben (Robert DeNiro), a veteran Hollywood producer, does battle with every peril possible in a Tinsel Town Trials of Hercules. As he tries to keep his life together, he’s being torn many different ways – two ex wives, a troubled teenage daughter, a tough studio boss who wants him to save $15 million dollars by cutting the bad taste ending on an extremely violent gangland Britflick and the drug frazzled, self important director who refuses to tone down the excesses in film and in real life.

Bruce Willis and Sean Penn play cameo roles as themselves.

Willis causes tension by refusing to shave off a thick beard for a multimillion dollar action movie. He has tantrums, throws his weight around but it’s all cleverly spoofed.

Review by Elizabeth Fisher, RN, Inala, Cherrybrook

Here is Hollywood in all its back stabbing, hypocritical self-serving, narcissistic, self-sabotaging glory.

There are no likeable characters in the movie but Ben’s plight will actually strike a chord with everyone who ever felt their attention pulled in too many directions.

Unlike one of the characters who could only say ‘I liked the music’ in groping for a positive comment, I was engrossed with the film and found the music very evocative.n What Just Happened opens on 21 May.

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.

All Seasons Port Stephens Salamander Shores Hotel Why not indulge yourself and your loved ones with a one, two or three night Seaside Escape at All Seasons Port Stephens Salamander Shores Hotel. Enjoy a quiet beverage whilst sitting on your balcony taking in the beautiful views before moving onto the Shoreline restaurant to have wonderful dining experience.

All Seasons Port Stephens Salamander Shores Hotel is offering all nurses, and their family and friends, a red hot discounted rate for 2009.

Book a garden view room starting from $89* per night twin-share midweek and $119* per night twin-share weekend, plus a bonus complimentary upgrade (subject to availability).

To make a booking, please call our friendly reservation team on 02 4982 7210 and mention this special offer.

For further information, please visit our website www.salamandershores.com or email your enquiry to bookings@salamandershores.com

*Exclusions – not available over Long Weekends, School and Public Holidays. Based on garden view room.

40 THE LAMP MAY 2009

Is anybody there?

Review by O’Bray Smith, RM and Assistant Secretary, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital

g A quirky, moving film that will especially appeal to nurses and our quirky humour, says O’Bray Smith.

H

ave you ever wondered if other people understand a nurse’s sense of humour?

Ever sat in a movie theatre and realised you’re the only one laughing? As I sat in the theatre and laughed my way through this morbid movie I realised how special we are.

Screenwriter Peter Harness grew up in a nursing home ran by his parents.

It’s no wonder, then, how well he tells the story of Edward, a 10-year-old boy whose parents turn their home into a retirement home. Edward, exposed to death, dementia and loneliness, turns to the supernatural, going to extreme lengths to contact residents who have passed away, trying to make sense of death, hoping it’s not just the end.

Enter Michael Caine as ‘The Amazing’ Clarence, a magician with dementia who comes to live at the home. Clarence and Edward form an unusual friendship, trying to help each

other through their lonely existence.

Together they embark on a journey to settle old ghosts in Clarence’s past and along the way bring life to the depressing home and add spark to Edward’s parents’ failing marriage.

This movie is slow but heart warming. Grab a bottle of wine, some nursing mates and sit down to a movie written by someone who shares our sense of humour, who understands the importance of our elderly and who encapsulates our message ‘Because We Care’.n Is Anybody There? opens on 4 June.

GIVEAWAYS FOR NSWNA MEMBERS The Lamp has 30 double passes to see What Just Happened? and 100 double passes to the preview of Is Anybody There? To enter, email lamp@nswnurses. asn.au with your name, membership number, address and contact number.

First entries win!

Nurses – Adolescent & Mental Health The first of its kind in NSW, the Forensic Hospital is a 135-bed, high security mental health facility. We provide the ideal working environment for delivering innovative patient care and for ensuring your safety, and the safety of our patients and the community.

We are looking for Qualified Nurses (RNs or EENs) with Mental Health experience.

We are also interested in talking to Nurses who would love the challenge of helping to start up our Adolescent ward.

Located in Malabar in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, the hospital is a low rise, spacious campus with state-of-the-art facilities for male, female, adult and adolescent patients.

Our training is second to none and Justice Health provides ongoing opportunities for advancement and research in this specialised field.

If you are looking for a career that is truly special, then you should look at Justice Health.

Phone us and ask for a brochure or more information on: 1300 734 842 Or you can contact us through our website: www.jobsatjusticehealth.com.au Or come to our Open Day on: Friday 5 June 2009. You must be registered to attend.

Phone us or download an application kit.

The Forensic Hospital is a totally smoke-free environment

This is a unique opportunity to join our team – creating the culture in the Forensic hospital THE LAMP MAY 2009 41

The University of Sydney

Medication Administration Course FOR ENROLLED NURSES Registrations are now being accepted by TAFE NSW – Northern Sydney Institute for the Statement of Attainment in Medication Administration for Enrolled Nurses (entry conditions apply).

Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery

The Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery helps nurses build skills to develop interesting research career paths.

Take the opportunity to enrol in one of four research degrees:

Bachelor of Nursing (Hons) Master of Nursing (Hons) Master of Philosophy Doctor of Philosophy

You will be encouraged to conduct ground-breaking research, improve patient outcomes and conditions, and develop your own future.

Questions about what course would suit you?

Please contact: http://www.nursing.usyd.edu.au or 02 9351 0693

Participants who successfully complete this course are eligible to apply to the NSW Nurses and Midwives Board for Endorsement to administer medications.

July 2009 subject to demand

Venues:

Meadowbank, North Sydney, Northern Beaches

For further information on this course and many more contact:

GA2531385

Start date:

(02) 9942 0111 131 674 • www.nsi.tafensw.edu.au

Are you interested in Nursing Research? The opportunity to make a real difference.

Drug & Alcohol Nurses of Australasia 2009 Conference & Workshops 24 – 26 June 2009, Holiday Inn, Surfers Paradise The DANA 2009 Conference provides a professional forum for drug and alcohol nurses, and other professionals interested in the area, to come together and discuss innovations in the field, and challenges for the future.

Program topics include: 4 Addiction treatment in cyberspace 4 Prevalence and impact of the use of cannabis in adolescence: What's the situation and what are we doing about it?

4 Beating the blues: psychiatric comorbidity in opioid users 4 Bridging the gap between addiction treatment and the meaning of life: A challenge for the future 4 Evidence - informing practice - informing evidence at the Kirketon Road Centre – a primary health care model 4 Addressing Indigenous Substance-Related Harm: A Long Way to Go Held on the gorgeous Gold Coast, this is Australia’s premier event for the drug and alcohol nursing industry.

For more information or to register, go to www.danaconference.com.au 42 THE LAMP MAY 2009

NB: Mention this advertisement on your registration form to receive the Earlybird rate until 29 May.

DANA 2009 Conference Secretariat PO Box 457, Spring Hill QLD 4004 Tel: 07 3831 3788 Fax: 07 3831 9246 Email: e.fernance@guild.org.au

s

O B I T U A R Y

One of our finest nurses LYNETTE CLARE TAYLOR 7 June 1956 – 20 February 2009

W

ith the passing of Lyn Taylor on 20 February 2009, palliative care in western Sydney lost one of its finest practitioners – a dedicated nurse who had worked tirelessly with both patients and their carers to bring peace and dignity to the very ill.

Lyn’s distinguished nursing career commenced in 1977 when she started her general nurse training at Wollongong Hospital. Following registration three years later, Lyn joined the staff in the Orthopaedic Ward at the newly-opened Westmead Hospital. However, it was in the Haematology/ Oncology Unit where Lyn was appointed Nursing Unit Manager, a position she held for four years, that she began her concentration and specialisation in oncology nursing. During her time as Nursing Unit Manager, Lyn provided leadership for the oncology and bone marrow transplant patients and she was closely involved in establishing the haematology/oncology refresher course for registered nurses as well as writing and reviewing the policies and procedures that guided nursing practice.

Lyn spent a short time working in the community in Adelaide and soon realised the important contribution this aspect of care provided for patients. She decided that rather than stay in the acute setting she would concentrate on patient care in the home and in 1985 she took on the role of Community Palliative Care/Oncology Nurse for the Holroyd/Parramatta/ Baulkham Hills Local Government areas.

It was here that Lyn was instrumental in having the position regraded to Clinical Nurse Consultant. Lyn’s passion for palliative care and oncology nursing was

now well established and she remained in this field for the rest of her working life, taking on a CNC role in Baulkham Hills Shire and then in 2000 with the Sydney Melanoma Unit.

Lyn always believed in the value of ongoing education, not only for herself, but also for her colleagues, encouraging them to engage in additional learning opportunities. She was constantly working toward improving the care for her patients and many colleagues spoke warmly of the endless compassion and patience Lyn displayed in pursuit of better patient care.

Lyn had assisted in re-writing the Palliative Care Procedure Manual working in association with the Palliative Care Nurses’ Association and in conjunction with the NSW Cancer Council and The College of Nursing and had been involved with writing a booklet for nurses who are

dealing with patients who have been given ‘bad news’. She had also been actively involved with many Palliative Care/Oncologyrelated Committees across NSW as well as developing quality assurance tools and policies for the Community Health Accreditation & Standards Program (CHASP) and the Australian Council on Health Care Standards (ACHS).

Lyn was an elected member to the Nurses and Midwives Board of NSW and an advisor for the Board to the Nurse Practitioner project. She was also a Director of the Lions Club Scholarship Foundation.

Lyn worked tirelessly with both the Westmead and Royal Prince Alfred Hospital Melanoma Units to ensure that both Units provided an appropriate, timely and quality service for patients.

Working as part of the oncology and palliative care teams, Lyn was acknowledged by her patients for her boundless compassion coupled with the expertise and experience to help them through a most difficult time in their lives.

Lyn was recently rewarded with the inaugural Distinguished Service Award in recognition of outstanding service to patients and their carers by the Melanoma Institute of Australia.

Further acknowledgement of Lyn’s outstanding contribution to palliative care nursing has been the creation of the ‘Lyn Taylor Memorial Award’, which is to be presented annually by the NSW Palliative Care Association for leadership in palliative care.

Lyn was ‘a rare breed’ and she enriched the lives of everyone she met.

All her friends and colleagues feel so fortunate they were honoured to know and love her. n

By Kathy Baker, Adjunct Professor, UTS and UWS THE LAMP MAY 2009 43

s

B O O K S

SPECIAL INTEREST TITLE

Midwife on a Mission

Book me Medical Microbiology th

(6 edition)

By Patrick R. Murray, Ken S. Rosenthal and Michael A. Pfaller, Mosby Elsevier, RRP $155 : ISBN 9780323054706 This revised edition of the text Medical Microbiology provides an unbiased, up-todate, clinically-focused introduction to microbiology. It offers reliable, detailed discussions of the microbes that cause disease in humans. The text is supported by many colour photographs and drawings, summary boxes, and tables that reinforce key points. A consistent chapter format is used to address the etiology, epidemiology, host defences, identification, diagnosis, prevention, and control of all the microbial diseases

Merck Manual of Patient Symptoms: A Concise, Practical Guide to Etiology, Evaluation, and Treatment

By Robert S. Porter (editor), Justin L. Kaplan (senior assistant editor) and Barbara P. Homeier (assistant editor), Merck Research Laboratories (available through Elsevier Australia), RRP $45 : ISBN 9780911910117 This compact, convenient and thorough reference guide provides users with the means to quickly find information they need to evaluate, diagnose and treat patients. Professionals

will appreciate its succinctness, reliability, and portability as well as how it helps make the transition from textbook knowledge to practical experience.

Wong’s Essentials of Pediatric Nursing: Clinical Companion (8th edition)

By Marilyn J. Hockenberry and David Wilson, Mosby Elsevier (available through Elsevier Australia), RRP $39.95 : ISBN 9780323053549 Wong’s Essentials of Pediatric Nursing: Clinical Companion is an indispensable guide that includes the need-to-know information required to provide better care for children at all ages and developmental stages in a quick-reference format. Content on the procedures and diagnostic tests most likely performed, plus brief discussions of over 130 commonly encountered childhood illnesses and disorders, makes this the perfect companion for practice.

Human Centered Nursing: The Foundation of Quality Care

By Susan Kleiman, F. A. Davis Company (available through Elsevier Australia), RRP $43 : ISBN 9780803614857 Human Centered Nursing: The Foundation of Quality Care discusses human centred nursing, concentrating

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.

44 THE LAMP MAY 2009

PUBLISHER’S WEBSITES c Elsevier Australia: www.elsevier.com.au c Jones and Bartlett: www.jbpub.com c Triple D Books: www.tripledbooks.com.au c F. A. Davis Co: www.fadavis.com c Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Pty Ltd: www.lww.com c Merck Research Laboratories: www.merck.com

By Mavis Gaff-Smith, Triple D Books, RRP $30 : ISBN 9780980492019 (pbk) Midwife on a Mission is a fascinating account of Mavis Gaff-Smith’s travels as a volunteer worker among women in Mexico, Jamaica, Nepal, Thailand, Zambia, Kolkata and the Pacific Islands. A truly inspiring book that highlights the strength and resilience of the women she has encountered, while reflecting on the plight of these women and children in these developing countries. All profits from the sale of this book are being donated to them. on why nurses do what they do, how their lives are impacted by their patients, and how they can enhance human-centered aspects of care. The author, an internationally recognised expert in this field, explores the human interaction between nurses and patients. She offers a detailed method for studying the nature of nursing and a way for individual nurses to value their own nursing experiences and create possibilities for excellence in nursing care.

Australia and New Zealand Nursing and Midwifery Drug Handbook (4th edition)

By G. L. Lim (editor) and L. McKenna, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Pty Limited, RRP $62.70 : ISBN 9781920994075 Australia and New Zealand Nursing and Midwifery Drug Handbook (4th edition) provides nursing and midwifery students and practitioners with an up-to-date and comprehensive guide to all the major drugs currently available in Australia and New Zealand. The book emphasises the clinical aspects of drug administration and provides the detail required to administer and monitor drugs safely and effectively. This edition has been thoroughly updated to include 30 new drugs and to reflect the most recent changes and developments since the handbook was last published.

Midwifery considerations are a new feature of this edition with key drugs highlighted to reflect their importance to midwifery.n

THE LAMP MAY 2009 45

Great legal advice for Nurses

Bridging Course for Nurses

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

TAFE NSW – Northern Sydney Institute (NSI) in partnership with the Australian Catholic University (ACU) has developed a Bridging Course for Enrolled Nurses.

Free legal advice#

Completion of the Bridging Course enables Enrolled Nurses to qualify for enrolment in the second year of the Bachelor of Nursing Degree at ACU. Start date: 13 July 2009 Total hours: 120 (1 day per week) Location:

For further information on this course and many more contact:

GA2531384

North Sydney College with some laboratory sessions at ACU

(02) 9942 0111 131 674 • www.nsi.tafensw.edu.au

46 THE LAMP MAY 2009

#

Conditions apply

Call the Association information line on 1300 367 962.

Maurice Blackburn has offices in: Sydney T (02) 9261 1488

Newcastle T (02) 4953 9500

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

Appointments for regional members can also be arranged.

www.mauriceblackburn.com.au

CRoSSWoRD Test your knowledge in this month’s nursing crossword.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7 8

9 10 11 12 13

15

14

16 17

18

19 20

25

21

22

26

23

27

28

s 1.

7.

8.

9.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

17.

ACROSS After birth (10) Chamber of the heart (6) End of the finger (4) Red Nose Day raises awareness of this condition (1.1.1.1.)

Unit of sound (7) Supine position (5) Louse (3) Daze (4) Group of hormones related to cholesterol (7) Tissue that contracts to move the body (6)

24

29

20. Adolescent (4) 21. Keratinised epidermal filament on your head (4) 23. Surgically-created opening in the large intestine (5) 25. Respire (7) 27. Fluid that circulates in the body (5) 28. Penicillin, for example (10) 29. Rheumatoid arthritis, abbrev (1.1.) s 1.

2.

3.

4.

DOWN Organ that secretes insulin (8) Relating to the spine (6) Increasing (6) Removal of the breast (10)

5. Underarms (7) 6. Emergency transport (9) 10. Fat, ……. Tissue (7) 16. Give (6) 18. Murky, milky (6) 19. Find, uncover (6) 20. Shinbone (5) 22. Bone of the chest (3) 23. Injection (4) 24. Largest artery in the body (5) 26. Bath (3) Solution page 49

THE LAMP MAY 2009 47

DIARY DATES Conferences, seminars, meetings SYDNEY, HUNTER & ILLAWARRA 21st Annual ‘Leura’ SWAHS Palliative Care Conference Day 15 May, 8.15am–4pm, York Fairmont Leura, Blue Mountains. Registration: $130 Contact: Pat Stoddart, 4734 2018

Tickets: www.stickytickets.com/1570 Contact: Leeanne 0413 939 009

Bankstown Hosp. Info: Wendy Oliver, 9722 7300, wendy.oliver@sswahs.nsw.gov.au

Contact: (03) 9265 2100, info@grief.org.au, www.grief.org.au

15th Annual Heartbeat Cardiovascular Conf. 09 – ‘Essentials of Care, Governance and Technology’ 29–30 May, Novotel Brighton Beach Contact: Jessica Scicluna, 9211 6299, jessica@avantievents.com.au Website: www.heartbeat.org.au

Neurosurgical Nursing Prof. Develop.

Scholarship Committee Annual Conf.

2009 – The Future of Neurosurgery 26 June, Four Points by Sheraton, Darling Harbour. Contact: 9954 4400 or email nnpdsc@dcconferences.com.au

Australian College of Midwives NSW Branch Annual State Conf. 2009 ‘MIDWIFERY GOING FOR GOLD’ 7–8 August, Novotel Sydney Olympic Park, Homebush. Contact: 9281 9522, www.nswmidwives.com.au

Royal College of Nursing – Nursing and Health Expo 28 June, 10am-3pm, AJC Randwick Racecourse. Entry: Gold coin donation Contact: 1800 061 660, expo@rcna.org.au

The Cardiac Society of Australia & NZ (CSANZ) Inaugural Indigenous Cardiovascular Health Conference 16–17 Aug, Sydney Convention & Exhibition Ctr. Contact: www.csanz.edu.au

Sydney CAREX 2009 Aged Care Expo 15–16 July, Rosehill Racecourse.

Contact: Wayne Woff, (03) 9571 5606 Web: www.totalagedservices.com.au

INTERSTATE AND OVERSEAS

‘Urology Uncovered’ 30 May, St. Vincents Private Hospital Darlinghurst. Contact: Virginia, Ip 9515 3652, Virginia.ip@email.cs.nsw.gov.au

Aged Care Association of Australia – NSW Congress 2009 14–15 May, Sydney Star City Hotel Contact: 9212 6922, www.acaansw.com.au

AusMed Conferences • Wound Management & Skin Integrity 11–12 May/30 Nov–1 Dec, Quality Htl Cambridge, 212 Riley St. Cost $438.90 • ’Personality Disorders in the Workplace’, 12–13 June, 66 Goulburn St. Cost $495 • ‘Nurses: General Educ. Update’, 6–7 July, Quality Htl Cambridge. Cost $438.90 • Nursing Management of People With Adult Diabetes, 30–31 July, Quality Hotel Cambridge. Cost $438.90 Contact: Ausmed, (03) 9375 7311, www.ausmed.com.au

15th Annual Hunter Mental Health Conf. – Therapeutic Moments: From Little Things, Big Things Grow 15 May, Noah’s on the Beach, Newcastle.

Cost: $150. Contact: Kate Simpson, 4016 453, www.acmhn.org/nsw Post-Anaesthetic Nursing Care Seminar 16 May, The Glades Wedding & Conf.

Centre, Warners Bay. Cost $85-110.

Contact: Paula Hicks, 4947 5183 or 4947 5186, hicksp@ramsayhealth.com.au Hunter Breast Cancer Free Forum 09 ‘Love and Breast Cancer’ 24 May, 8am–3pm, Wests League Club

ACAT Nurses Special Interest Group 16 June, 1–3pm, Conf. Rm 2A / 2B,

Advanced Wound Management Course 11 May, 15 June, 13 July, 6–8pm, via videoconference from your hospital/ at RACP, 417 St Kilda Rd Melb. Cost: $60.50 pp/event.

Contact: (03) 9927 7777, events@gthevents. com, www.gthevents.com/edevent/EventDisplayV2.asp?PID=&ID=6224-01A

Australasian Rehabilitation Nurses’ Assoc. NSA/ACT Chapter Annual Study Day ‘Diversity in Rehabilitation’ 24 July, 8am-4pm The Epping Club Free to members, $50 non-members Contact: Amanda Buzio 9808 9687

Heart Foundation Conference 2009 ‘Hearts in Focus: Celebration, Collaboration and Challenges’ 14–16 May, Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre, Qld. Contact: www. heartfoundation.org.au/conference

Australian Centre for Grief & Bereavement – International Educator Tour 2009 Workshop 27–28 July, Sydney Vibe Hotel

lamp SUBSCRIPTION the

official magazine of the NSW Nurses’ Association

The Lamp is essential if you want to stay up to date with the latest professional and industrial nursing news in New South Wales. The full colour magazine covers vital information, current news, member stories and interesting features.

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Please return your complete form with your payment to: NSW Nurses’ Association • PO Box 40, Camperdown NSW 1450 Australia Fax +61 2 9550 3667 • Phone +61 2 8595 1234 Please email enquiries to gensec@nswnurses.asn.au Former members of the NSWNA: if you have been a member of the NSWNA, you are eligible for Professional Membership.

Financial and Professional members of the NSWNA receive a complimentary subscription to The Lamp.

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UPROAR OVER NEW ROSTERS IN HUNTER NEW ENGLAND

23/4/09 3:29:10 PM

Diary Dates

PO Box 40 Camperdown NSW 1450

the web – www.nswnurses.asn.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 May for June Lamp.

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.

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 information to: Editorial Enquiries Email: lamp@nswnurses.asn.au Fax: 9550 3667 8th Annual Australian Dermatology Nurses’ Assoc. Conf. ‘Back to Basics’ 16–17 May, Gold Coast Convention & Exhibition Centre, Broadbeach Qld Contact: Pam Viret (ADNA Secretary), (02) 8567 5209, pviret@bigpond.com 10th National Rural Hlth Alliance Conf.

17–20 May, Cairns Convention Centre Contact: http://nrha.ruralhealth.org.au, (02) 6285 4660 Hunter Breast Cancer Free Forum 2009 24 May, 8am-3pm, Wests Leagues Club Contact: Leeanne, 0413 939 009 Tickets: www.stickytickets.com/1570 National Australian Conference – Evidence Based Clinical Leadership 27–29 May, National Wine Ctr, Adelaide.

Contact: www.johannabriggs.edu.au Australian College of Mental Health Nurses Consultation Liaison Special Interest Group Conference 2009 4–5 June, Glenelg, SA. Contact: Jenni Bryant, (02) 4921 1211, Jenni.Bryant@mater.health.nsw.gov.au, www.sa-acmhn.org The Case Management Society of Aust. 12th National Conf. & Exhibition 18–19 June, Sofitel Melbourne Contact: (03) 9658 2399, www.cmsa.org.au Drug & Alcohol Nurses of Australasia – 2009 Conference 24–26 June, Holiday Inn, Surfers Paradise Contact: (07) 3831 3788 Australian Public Sector AntiCorruption Conference – ’Taking responsibility, fighting complacency’ 28–31 July, Brisbane Contact: (07) 3360 6060, info@apsacc. com.au, www.apsacc.com.au th

4 International Conf. on Community Health Nursing Research – ’Health in Transition: Researching for the Future’ 16–20 Aug, Adelaide, SA. Contact: (08) 8354 2285, www.healthintransition2009.org.au

NSWNA events Upcoming NSWNA Committee of Delegates (CODs) Meetings 19 May, 15 September, 17 November NSWNA 64th Annual Conference Conf.: 29 & 30 July • Prof. Day: 31 July

Reunions Morisset Hosp. 100 Years Centenary 9 May, Morisset Hospital

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

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.

Contact: Sue Lane, 4973 0222, www. hnehealth.nsw.gov.au/mental_health

Seeking interest. Contact: Rosemary Cuneo, 9953 5257, rjohno@bigpond.net.au

40th Anniv. Sydney Hosp. Hand Unit 15 May, Claffy Lect. Theatre, Sydney Hosp.

Contact: Ann Grealish, ann.grealish@ sesiahs.health.nsw.gov.au/ Kay Maddison, 9382 7574, pager 9382 7111 no 21599, kay.maddison@sesiahs.health.nsw.gov.au

Bankstown Hosp. 1969 nurses reunion 40th Anniv. of 1969 class of general nurses.

5 Sept, Dynasty Restaurant, Canterbury League’s Club, 7pm. Cost: ±$70.

Contact: Khing Sin McCotter, 0413 041 069, ksmccotter@optusnet.com.au

Western Suburbs Hospital Graduate Nurses Reunion 30 May, 11.30am, Ryde Eastwood Leagues Club. Contact: Robyn Daniel, 9644 9692

Mater Graduate Nurses’ Association Annual Reunion Mass & Lunch 18 Oct. Mass 11.45am at ’Our Lady Star of the Sea’ Kirribilli. Lunch 1pm, Vibe Htl, Milsons Point. Cost: $50 pp (before 31 Aug)/ $55 pp (after). RSVP by 11 Sept.

Contact: Jillian O’Brien, 9900 7549, matergrads@matersydney.com.au

Royal Newcastle Hosp. 25-Yr Reunion 1984 trainee student nurses welcome 30 May, 12noon, Beaches Htl/Merewether Contact: Anthony Dombkins 0434 565 674 David Berry Hospital Reunions Centenary Ball: 5 June, 8pm, Berry School of Arts. Centenary Garden Party: 7 June, grounds of David Berry Hosp., Tannery Rd. Contact: Rita Sullivan, 02 4264 6940, rita.sullivan@sesiah.helath.nsw.gov.au Prince Henry & Prince of Wales – May 1976, 30 Year Reunion 7 June. Contact: Vicki Joyce (Schubert), 0409 148 688, fvschubert@people.net.au RPA Hospital 1979 June PCB 20 June. Contact: Debra Furniss, debra. furniss@email.cs.nsw.gov.au or glenda. hodgess@email.cs.nsw.gov.au Albury Base Hospital June 1979 Group – 30 Year Reunion 20–21 June, Commercial Club, Albury Info: Judy Heather (Gabriel), 6025 1571 Blacktown Hospital PTS 1974–78 Date & venue: TBA (June, Sydney) Contact: Heather Chislett (Niven), 0438 246 441/4921 4227, hcchislett@hotmail.com/ heather.chislett@hnehealth.nsw.gov.au St Vincent’s Hosp. 40-Years Reunion PTS June 1969 Group. June, Sydney Contact: Carol Reidy (Taylor), 9489 3960, reidycarolyn@yahoo.com.au/ Chris Doig (O’Connell), 6920 7431, doigy@activ8.net RAHC PTS 1969 4 July, El Phoenician Restaurant, 6.30pm Contact: Robyn Hannan (Hadley), 0417 259 392, robyn@hantecsvs.com.au RNSH General Nursing July ’79 4–5 July. Looking for Sue McBurnie, Lyndall Jeffreys & Anna Friejs. Contact: Judy Watson (Charles), 0412 806 138, judycharleswatson reunion@live.com.au RPAH reunions July 1962–66 group

Wollongong Hosp. Grad. 40th Reunion 7 Nov. Venue: TBA. Seeking graduates Contact: Carolynne Macdonald, 4228 8936, jeltzz@ozemail.com.au Prince Henry & POW July ’79 PTC 30-Yr Date: TBA. Contact: Gill Longbottom, 0402 848 542/ Karen Mcguire(Gilliman), 0408 269 414/ Lynne Dive(Mccarthy), kl.dive@hotmail.com Bankstown Hospital PTS April 1979 Seeking interest. Contact: Mary T. Ehlefeldt, mtehl@optusnet.com.au St Josephs Hosp. Auburn – Feb ’77 PTS Seeking all nurses who commenced training February 1977. Contact: Cathy Kerr, rkerr@ambos.com.au

Other notices 2009 Safe Work Awards (Presented

by Workcover NSW). Designed to promote and recognise safer workplaces.

Entries open 23 March, close 25 May Visit: www.safeworkawards.com.au Nurses Christian Fellowship • International Nurses Day ’s service & choir: 12 May, 4pm, the Chapel, RNSH. Info: Diana, 9476 4440 • Prof. B/fast: 20 June, 9am, Coonanbarra Café, Wahroonga. Info: Jane, 9449 4868

Crossword solution

NSWNA Branch Officials’ and Activists’ Training Program

2009 Fairness at Work 2 day course for branch officials and activists c 6-7 May, Orange c 13-14 May, Killara c 14-15 May, Wollongong c 20-21 May, Liverpool c 27-28 May, Merimbula c 27-28 May, Penrith c 28-29 May, Bomaderry c 28-29 May, NSWNA (Camperdown) c 3-4 June, Newcastle c 3-4 June, Dubbo c 10-11 June, NSWNA (Camperdown) c 10-11 June, Central Coast c 17-18 June, Ballina c 17-18 June, Tamworth c 17-18 June, NSWNA (Camperdown) c 24-25 June, Wagga Wagga

New Delegates Program Half day, 1pm-4pm for new delegates c Tuesday 19 May and c Tuesday 15 September Venue: NSWNA Camperdown.

Negotiation & Advocacy Part 1 1 day, 9am-4pm for branch officials and activists c Wednesday 20 May c Wednesday 16 September c Wednesday 18 November Venue: NSWNA Camperdown

Negotiation & Advocacy Part 2 ‘The IRC, NMB and You’ 1 day – 9am-4pm Target group: those who have completed the Negotiation and Advocacy workshop in 2008 or Part 1 in 2008. c Wednesday 20 May c Wednesday 16 September, c Wednesday 18 November.

Venue: NSWNA Camperdown

Full details will be sent to branches via General Secretary Circulars.

For more informatioan contact Vicki Anderson at the NSWNA. Metro (02) 8595 1234 • Rural 1300 367 962 THE LAMP MAY 2009 49

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

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