Advocacy

HIV/Hepatitis Scare

Wednesday, June 16th, 2010 by ara-c2009

Recent reports suggest patients have been infected with HIV after having had an endoscopy as a common denominator combined with the use of unhygienic instruments, I find the fact that patients have been exposed to such a great health risk like HIV or hepatitis totally irresponsible. 

 spear-nurseWhy do we have problems like this which we all know are preventable??  If only people followed the infection control protocol on how to udisinfect and sterilize equipment used in invasive procedures like endoscopy. 

In the clinical setting I don’t know how a HIV positive patient can be ‘handed over’.  In the UK where I worked previously, it is permitted to write in the handover sheet “High Risk” which means that the patient is HIV positive.  The actual word HIV is not written in case somebody misplaces their handover sheet due to confidentiality issues.  Here in Australia I don’t know if it is usual practice to record in the handover sheet that the patient is HIV positive or not?

  • Do you have anyway of communicating when there is a risk of blood exposure from a HIV positive patient in your place of work?  
  • Do you think there is a risk of not recording anything on the handover sheet to warn us in case we need to take their blood or do cannulation for the patient? 
  • Do you think its fair that while preserving patient’s confidentiality our own safety is compromised?
  • What can we do to protect ourselves and other allied health professionals from such a risk?

It’s good if we are working in the same unit and know from the start that a patient has HIV or Hepatitis but what if we don’t know and the person who handed the patient over forgets or did not know as well?

Don’t you think a simple warning like ‘high risk’ or ‘blood prick precaution’ or simply putting a ‘yellow’ word in the handover sheet instead of infectious will be enough to protect our health and those of others who are not yet infected?  

What do you think? Any suggestions from the Department of Health?

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You save lives, but do you save your own?

Saturday, May 15th, 2010 by Bernhard

We work strange hours, double shifts, split and rotating shifts. Sleep patterns are gone, and we lose track of dates. Our biorhythms are most likely shot. In emergency we ask every ‘neuro’ case ‘what is the date?’ and they think it’s because we are testing THEM!?   Would we  actually pass a mini-mental ourselves?

n1475294987_30116405_3259

Here we are, advocating health, but how do we appear to the patients, their families, to our colleagues? Are we a picture of health ourselves, enough to inspire those around us into thinking that we practice what we preach?   Do You?  Does the nurse next to you look healthy?  Would you want to look like them?

Or, do you escape down the back stairs for a quick ciggie?! – one of the deadliest of poisons –  slow, pervasive, and accumulative. Are you immune to the adverts about dangers of cigarettes, or do you know they are “just propaganda!” ?

Do you drink Coca-Cola and soft drink? ( did you know they are deadlier than the cigarettes?) You may as well be drinking ‘German Beer’ – (see photo German beerat right)

There are so many dietary habits that will kill you, slowly, but surely. They will cripple you, and the DNA changes they cause will crucify your children, and send them into genetic Hell! – but still some of us persist, in the false belief that everyone is lying about the effects.

Why is it that I now look after more people younger than me (I’m 57) , yet they  all suffer from ‘end-stage’ diseases of the old?    Most claim they eat a healthy life, but can’t fathom that their diets, habits, lifestyle  (toxin exposures via employment etc) have any dangers..  Why am I so much healthier than most of the nurses who are younger than I am?

How can we as nurses just plod along, and ignore our own personal health and the futures of the health of our family members?  Our Image is paramount!  Would you let a doctor attend to you if you noted that all the plants in his practice are wilted and dead?     If he weighed in at 160kg and was breathing his last,  how much would you believe a word he said?

And in that same line of thought, if the patient and family noted you were in a foul mood, moaning, whining, about anything including the rotten day you had, how ‘confident’ will they then feel about how ‘good’ you will look after their issue?

Get your house in order!

What are your thoughts, concerns, advice, and what have you done to promote true health.

Does your work environment happen to be conducive to health?

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International Nurses Day – what it means to me…

Friday, May 14th, 2010 by niknak30

I have always enjoyed the celebrations of International Nurses Day whatever it is that the hospital does. This year I was on night shift and we were all given

international nurses day

international nurses day

coffee vouchers for the local coffee shop as well as a breakfast for all the nursing staff of bacon and egg rolls, juice, coffee, yoghurt and fruit. It was a simple yet nice recognition of the work we do.

I have seen this week many notifications on Facebook about appreciating nurses and I am always chuffed when people comment that nurses do a great job.

We are fortunate that we work in a field in which we have choices in regards to the type of nursing we do whether it be:

  • paediatric
  • geriatric
  • midwifery
  • surgery
  • medical
  • neonatal
  • mental health
  • palliative care,
  • community
  • inpatient
  • outpatient…

The list goes on.

I am also very aware that not all nurses have the skills required to do each job well. For myself, I am not the right person to look after the elderly or adults. I just know that I would not be the best nurse I can be in that role.

I am sure I could make sure they received their medications, were clean, wounds dressed or whatever was required but I know my heart is not in that. Other people often say to me that they do not know how I look after sick children…. my standard response being that I wouldn’t do anything else.

On this International Nurses Day I am reminded that nursing is not just about completing tasks, it is about being an advocate for your patient, serving the community, caring and most of all being the best nurse we can be. Be proud of the job that we do, be proud of what role we play in the community and feel valued by the people who we look after, whether they show it or not.

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The New Australia Health System – what’s in it for nurses?

Monday, April 26th, 2010 by patience

So it looks as if the health system is going to get yet another shake down! Are you wondering what it means for all us frontline health workers?

nurse discussion

From my 35 years experience working in the health system I can tell you it probably means lot’s more bureaucrats overseeing the same old system and jealously protecting their individual patches!

Historically the reforming of health always goes something like this:

  • there’s a re-composition of top-heavy Corporate Governance sectors into new departments and authorities
  • more management positions are created to “organize the change-management process” and these departments and people are given catchy new names that reflect the new “transparent” system
  • old management positions are “reclassified” so they resemble something that doesn’t look so bureaucratic as well as to ensure that defunct managers aren’t professionally and financially disadvantaged
  • Frontline clinical services find themselves with the same pay, extra tasks to carry out and less people to do the new tasks
  • And finally clinicians will be reporting to another layer of management and sending triplicate pieces of paper to get essential equipment ordered, linen delivered and receive stationary supplies priced at 3 times the amount you can get it at K-Mart!

Sadly, it seems to me that whenever the health system looks like it’s in a really critical condition, the powers-that-be decide to reform the system rather than trying to examine, evaluate and improve the system that is already in place. We have had so many Reforms and restructuring to the health system that many health workers have Health Reform Burn-Out.

Do I sound cynical? You bet I am.

I’ve seen it all before, only this time the reformed health system looks as if it might just turn into one monstrous national shuffling juggernaut that will relentlessly swallow up enormous amounts of tax-payer money just doing the same old things.

I hope I’m wrong.

I have been reading through the COAG Communiqué that was released this week. There is no surprise to see that the “new health system” retains a medical model that favours the all powerful medical profession.

The COAG Communiqé lists over 2000 new medical positions to be funded over the next decade.

And where are the extra nurses in all this planning?

You might imagine from this Communiqué that our health system hinges solely on the medical profession.

Well there are 136 additional mental health nurses mentioned as well as some 800 allied health positions. It appears that the nursing profession got the short end of the funding stick again!

But where are the nursing voices to argue this – why weren’t we included in this brave “new world” health system. Why are nurses so silent?

As I trawled through the 13 or so pages related to the “new health system” there appears to be little said about nursing or new nursing positions.

There is some token recognition of “the hardworking doctors, nurses and other health professionals”.

Even though the Communiqé lists exciting plans for Aged care, mental health and primary health care services – most of it is medical profession lead and nurse’s voices remain silent.

Where are our nurse leaders and our political voice in all this planning? Nurses know just as well as the medical profession what needs to happen in any reform of the health system – yet we remain silent in these discussions.

Nurses can’t wait to be invited into the discourse, we must demand to be included.

The COAG Communiqué continues with much fine rhetoric of meeting “community expectations” and addressing “lack of coordination” and “improved efficiency’s” and “transparent reporting”.

There’s no mention of the ensuring that the reforms include a strong emphasis on clinical governance and the importance of ensuring that the knowledge and the experience of the frontline health workers is heard and respected.

Disappointingly the COAG Communiqué is essentially a political manifesto about money – the distribution of the GST spoils as it were.

However to be fair, there are some fine ideas in it – especially regarding the Commonwealth Funding of Primary Health Care services and better funding for aged care and mental health services. How it will translate into a health realty that genuinely benefits the health needs of ordinary consumers or health workers is yet to be seen. The best of plans are often muddled by the bureaucrats that don’t want all the proposed changes and are perfectly content in their fiefdoms.

So, in the meantime, I’ll continue to work in an overcrowded office and an under-resourced service while I await with bated breath to see the arrival of the 2010 glossy New Health System Monographs containing the smugly, smiling faces of the Prime Minister, Minister for Health, the state Premiers and any other politician who can get their visage onto the inside front page of the said Monograph – telling me all about the wonderful things that our New Health system will do over the next decade.

The interesting thing about all that is that there’ll probably be another health reform before any of it happens!

What’s new at Nurse Uncut?

Nurse Uncut looking for 3rd group of Nurse champions – do you want to be a part of the team?

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ANZAC Day is a special day to me

Sunday, April 25th, 2010 by niknak30

Anzac Day is a day that I will always respect as an important day for Australia.

My paternal grandfather served in World War 2 and growing up as a child I remember being fascinated with his war medals and hearing stories of his life.

anzac day

anzac day

He at times was reluctant to say much (perhaps because I was young) but I know that with my older brother (6 years older) he shared many a story.

One of my favourite photos of my grandfather is of one Anzac day when he went with my brother and cousin to the dawn service in Sydney.

My grandfather died when I was 11 and I never got the opportunity to share with him the experience of the dawn service and that makes me sad.

I have since reserached his time at war through the National Archives and I am grateful we have access to such information.

My son never knew his great grandfather Papere however it has always been passed on to him that he was one of the men who served for his country and the right to our freedom. It has also always been an important part of his schooling that Anzac day be remembered and I am glad that the younger generations are learning of this importance and learning to respect the day.

Anzac day should be a day to cherish the service of those before us and appreciate all that they did for us. It pleases me that the shops are not allowed to open (I personally think it should be all day not just until 1pm) because I believe that there is so much more to Anzac day than just a public holiday.

What about you? Have you got special memories and moments to share about ANZAC Day and what it means to you?

Image credit: Poems.net.au

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Red Cross Reviews Their Ban on Gay Men Donating Blood

Thursday, April 15th, 2010 by shoils

I was reading an article which was explaining that the Red Cross is going to review their ban on allowing gay men to donate blood. Call me ignorant but I had no idea that gay men were not allowed to donate blood. To me, this thought is absolutely ludicrous.
donating blood

I understand the concern about blood born diseases and that the risk in gay men is higher due to their choice of lifestyle, but does this not also include the heterosexual community? I know a lot of heterosexual males and females that lead a very promiscuous lifestyle, and on the other hand, I have gay friends that have been in a monogamous relationship for longer than I have.

The Red Cross should not be looking at sexual orientation but rather lifestyle choices such as promiscuity or monogamy. Blood screening should be standard on everybody and whether you are gay, straight, bisexual or transsexual should not make an ounce of difference. Many heterosexual men and women are contracting the HIV virus whether it be through IV drug use or unprotected sex so why are they banning gay men? Is the blood of a gay man not the same as a heterosexual one? Is it of less value?

As far as I can see, the Red Cross is losing a lot of potential blood donors that could be saving many many lives. There is such a shortage of blood donors so why are they banning a population of people who potentially would increase the supply of much needed blood.

The Red Cross is supposed to help people by providing supplies that are vital for life, what difference does it make what your sexual orientation? Would they decline a money donation from a gay man, Or clothing and other forms donations? I think not, so why blood?

The story and review was sparked when a Tasmanian man ( Mr Michael Cain) entered a Red Cross blood bank to donate blood and he was told he could not donate blood after answering  the standard questionnaire. The current policy is that any male who has engaged in male to male intercourse with in the last 12 months is not allowed to donate blood. The reasons the Red Cross gave on this policy was because “HIV has a small window period in it’s early stages where it cannot be detected.” But once again what does this have to do with sexual orientation I say. This can be applied to anyone (homosexual and heterosexual alike) having promiscuous unprotected sex.

Now this all happened in 2004 so why has it taken 6 years for the Red Cross to come around? Whilst the Red Cross where not found to be discriminatory directly or even indirectly their logic was found to be archaic and unfair. Mr Cain opened their eyes to the fact that gay men can also be considered low risk, in fact in some cases the risk could be lower than in some of the donors that are currently donating regularly.

Australia has the safest blood in the world, as far as donated blood goes. The screening of donated blood is so rigorous that the risk of contracting a blood born disease is very minimal. It is time to open the doors to all walks of life, and identify that the risk is not because of sexual orientation but how many sexual partners you chose to have in a short space of time and if you chose to have safe sex. Lets stop singling out our gay community because it is getting old and tired.

What do you think about this issue? Do you think that gay men should be allowed to donate blood like the rest of us? Do you think it makes a difference if you’re gay or straight?

image source (fotosearch.com.au)

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Young People Residing in Aged Care Facilities

Monday, February 1st, 2010 by shoils

I was recently reading an article on Nine MSN about the real need for nursing homes for young people with high care needs. This got me thinking: How many people have I looked afteyoung person in wheel chairr in my time working in residential care that have not been elderly?

I have only looked after a handful of residents that were under the age of 60. Nevertheless, I have to agree with this article. I remember talking to senior management about this need only to be told that it was not profitable to set up a home for the young. I was told that the government does not fund young people that require high care thus the fees that would be charged to the family would be so high that no-one would even consider entering the home. But, the truth remains that there are young people that require high level care and they are forced to share an environment with elderly, demented residents. You can just imagine what this would do to their mental state. Many would become depressed, isolated and suffer major self esteem issues.

Just imagine if you were 30 years old, and you have been in an accident / had a CVA / suffer end stage MS. You would require high level care and the only place you can go to is the local nursing home, where the staff are only familiar to the needs of the elderly, so they treat you as if you were a demented elderly person. Your pride, dignity, whole sense of self is taken away from you because the government only provides you with one option of care (apart from home care, which is not always possible).

The young residents I have looked after were lucky in some ways. By entering our home, they had two young managers (both of us are in our early 30’s), and so too are the support staff. The mean age in our home is 38. We allowed them to remain in their rooms for most of the day, we ensured the family provided companions to sit with them throughout the day to keep them company. We allowed them to come out after all the elderly residents had gone to bed to do their activities, socialise or watch TV on the plasma, we took them to the RSL club up the road for a few drinks and get out like young people do. We reflected their needs as young people in their care plans and ensure the care was carried out, but how many other places do this?

So, why don’t we have nursing homes for young people? Why doesn’t the government recognise this need and provide the relevant funding? I think that the government needs to made aware of this issue, and it is problematic. There are more young people requiring high level care as people are suffering strokes younger and younger due to obesity and smoking related problems. People are getting dementia younger and younger that is related to substance abuse. I would love to work or manage a home for young people who require high care, as they too deserve a place where they can be cared for with respect, kindness and an understanding for their needs. The families deserve piece of mind knowing that they can place their wife, brother, sister, or husband in residential care and that they will not deteriorate due to depression or a lack of love for life.

What do you think? Is it worth starting to campaign for this cause? What do you think we can do? Let’s help these young people and show them that they too can have good quality of life.

Photo source (gettyimages.com)

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Why I’m still a Nurse after 17 years

Sunday, December 20th, 2009 by ara-c2009

It was 1988, when I finished high school or secondary school in the Philippines. As I am aware of the hardship of life at an early age, I’ve always aimed to help my parents by finishing a course that can help me lift them from poverty.

I’ve thought of taking midwifery, as back then, it’s only a two-year course and I thought, after finishing the course I can quickly land a job that can help my family sustain the studies of my other brother and sister, (by the way, I’m the third  in a family of five).

My  eldest sister who  graduated a year aheadCopy of Picture 009 of me had already chosen midwifery so I thought I have to choose another course so I decided on nursing.

One factor that led me to choose nursing was  I am a very shy person and I thought one way to overcome it, is by choosing a course that demanded social interaction. And I wasn’t wrong.

Nursing is a natural instinct, I guess. For everyday, we encounter a chance to care for others. The only difference that distinguishes me, as a nurse is the way I respond to that chance.

I graduated in 1992, but  even before my graduation, just the fact that I’m a student nurse, almost all my relatives and neighbours came to our house to have their Blood pressure (BP)  taken, so you can see I have so many opportunities to practice taking OBS.

When I passed my Board Examination and was registered, there were  even more “patients” asking if I can do their insulin injection, some people asked about health advise.  These had left me with feeling of appreciation that  at least in my special way I can help them. Of  course, I have always advised them to seek further professional help if needed.

Whenever I go to work, taking public transport, I am always  amazed, when somebody asked me how I’m doing. Out of courtesy, I will respond with, “Sorry, have we met before?” The person was actually a relative of one of the patients that I looked after.

It’s amazing how people remembered what you have done for them and thanking you for that. No amount of money can buy the satisfaction that a true and sincere “thank you” can bring.

Nursing, let us admit is not a lucrative job. It is demanding and exhausting for those who really lived up to the expectations of the profession. It’s even demeaning for those who are always skeptical about nurses. But in my opinion, this is the closest profession to heaven.

My work as a nurse in general medical-surgical unit, helps me mould my competencies in general nursing. The opportunity to work in the UK helped me enhance my knowledge in Haemato-oncology cases. This also inspired me to carry on in the same line of expertise when together with my husband and two kids, we decided to migrate to Australia in 2007.

It’s been almost 17 years since I became a nurse but it always seemed that there is more to learn, each day a new challenge, each patient… a new chance to do good to others.

Nursing may be the most demanding job but surely it is the most rewarding…that’s why I’m still staying…because it’s a part of me.

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Maternity Leave Benefit – Why is Australia Lagging Behind?

Thursday, December 10th, 2009 by shoils

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) paid maternity leave is a basic human right which conforms to international standards. So why is it that in our wonderful advanced country many people still have to take leave without pay?
Mia in HospI am currently on maternity leave for the second time in 2 years. The first time I went on leave I was prepared for it. Knowing that I was not going to have an income for 12 months my husband and I saved every penny we could. For 2 years I didn’t take any holidays and I accrued 8 weeks of holiday pay, I forfeited some Rostered Day Offs to have some more paid time off (with the approval of top management of course) and I was all set to take leave for a year. Half way through my maternity leave I got pregnant again and this is not something that we had planned for particularly in a financial manner.

This was a real eye opener as to what my rights were as a nurse and as a manager working for my provider. I learned that if I went back to work for a short period of time I would be entitled to another 12 months unpaid leave. There was no option of extending my leave for a further 12 months if I didn’t return back to work.

Now some of my friends that work in finance (for a bank) and retail (in a large department store) they not only get 12 weeks’ worth of paid maternity leave but they were able to extend their leave by a further 12 months, giving them essentially 2 years’ leave all up. Now I ask you, is that fair?

Australia has one of the lowest levels of workforce participation for women aged between 25 and 44 in the Organisation for Economic Co-orperation and Development (OECD). We are ranked 23 out of 24 OECD nations.

The Australian Council Trade Unions (ACTU) states that according to the employers the cost of replacing staff- including recruitment and skills acquisition appears to be at least $10,000 and more for higher salary/skilled areas. Overseas experience shows that women with paid maternity leave are more likely to return to work (up to 90%) than those without, giving employers a real saving on the bottom line.
Without a government funded scheme, paid maternity leave in Australia has been left to the individual employers, thus currently 2/3 of working women have no paid maternity leave.

Now NSW Health does have a paid maternity leave Policy but it only applies to: Area Health services/Chief Executive Governed Statutory Health Corporation, Board Governed Statutory Health Organisations-Non Declared, Public Health System Support Division, Public Health Units, Public Hospitals ( guess I am out of luck working in a private nursing home) The policy reads:

“Full time and part time employees who have completed 40 weeks continuous service are entitled to 14 weeks paid leave. Paid maternity leave can be taken at full pay over 14 weeks or ½ pay over 28 weeks. Full time and part time employees who are entitled to paid leave are also entitled to a further period of unpaid maternity leave of up to 12 months from the date of the birth of the child.”

(NSW Health 2006. www.health.nsw.gov.au/policies/)

What about the rest of us that don’t work in the public health system? Are we worth nothing? I have worked for the same company for 10 years, do I really have to use my long service leave (which I worked so very hard for I may add) if I chose to have a baby? Do the rest of us have to wait to see if Kevin Rudd keeps his promise on government funded paid leave in 2011?

How do we compare to the rest of the world? Lets have a look…….
According to Equal Opportunity For Women In The Workplace Agency (ESWA), these are some of the international comparisons:-

  • Canada gets 55% pay for 17-18 by the insurance;
  • China gets 100% pay for 90 days paid by the employer;
  • France gets 100% pay for 16-26 weeks paid for by social security;
  • Germany gets100% pay for 14 weeks paid by social security up to a certain amount then the rest by the employer;
  • The Netherlands gets 100% pay for 16 weeks paid by social security;
  • The UK gets 90% for 6 weeks, then a flat rate by social security; and
  • finally the USA together with Australia gets no pay but the USA however only gets 12 weeks of maternity leave as opposed to our 12 months.

When we look at each industry only a small percentage pay their valued employees maternity leave.

  • Education (56.4%) get maternity leave, this is quite astounding considering that the area is dominated by women;
  • Personal and other services (37%);
  • Property and Business services (33.5%);
  • Finance and Insurers (30.1%);
  • Mining(29.5%);
  • Health and Community Services (24.9%);
  • Cultural and Recreational Services (19.4%);
  • Manufacturing (15.4%);
  • Transport and Storage (7.4%);
  • Retail Trade (7.2%);
  • Hospitality (5.2%);
  • Wholesale (4.5%) and
  • Construction (4.2%).

It seems to me that the average hard working employee is very much under rated and frowned upon if we chose to start a family or expand our family. Granted that in our profession the majority of employees are women and the cost of paid leave would be enormous, but at the end of the day it IS cheaper than finding and training new staff for the position.

We should not be forced to use our long service leave, or for fit our holidays for 2 years or stress about finances because we chose to have a baby. It is time that our government and employers give us young fertile women a fair go and step up to the plate like the rest of the world.

It is time for mandatory paid Maternity/Parental Leave!

How do you feel about this topic?

What are or were your experiences when you went on maternity leave or Parental leave (for the blokes)?

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Why Choose Aged Care?

Thursday, November 12th, 2009 by shoils

This is a guide for those who are about to embark on a nursing career outside of University or for those of you who are thinking of a career change.

Why choose aged care, you ask?

When you think of aged care, what comes to mind? Old helpless people, showers, making beds, smelly nursing homes (the types you see being sanctioned on TV)? Let’s face it. who wants to work in a nursing home? We are told it is where you go to end your career not start your career. Well, put aside your stereotypical thoughts and keep reading.

Aged care nursingThere is such a shortage of young energetic nurses in this field. In fact, it is very rare that you will find a new grad going down the aged care path. The situation has gotten so bad that even the universities have changed their curriculum.

Once upon a time (not that long ago), you used to do a semester of aged care in first year. That was your basic nursing skills taught right there. How to make a bed, shower, simple wound management, TPR’s BP, etc. When I went to have a look at what universities are doing now… some universities don’t even have gerontology in their core subjects, it is an elective, and all of the universities don’t teach gerontology until 3rd year when you have already made up your mind where you would like to head with your career. Most new grads don’t even know that you can do a new graduate program in aged care. Believe it or not, yes, yes you can (I did it 8 yrs ago through aged care career pathways).

No wonder no-one chooses aged care as a career. Why would you when other specialities are portrayed more exciting?

Well, I’ll tell you why. No matter what field you work in, you will end up looking after the elderly, unless you specialise in midwifery or paediatrics. 80% of hospital patients are elderly. I found that out during my training when most of the wards I visited were full of geriatrics anyway. The other thing is when you work on a ward let’s say orthopaedics for arguments sake, you specialise in that field, you concentrate on that area only see the patient for a short time, then send them on their merry way hopefully never to see them again.

When you work in an aged care facility, you have to know it all. It is exceptionally comprehensive. The patients (or residents) have a multitude of issues. And, they are there for the long haul, so as an aged care nurse, you need to have knowledge in everything, otherwise, you are not providing holistic care.

The type of things you need to know are: mental health nursing, neurology, wound management, drug and alcohol rehab nursing, orthopaedics, respiratory, cardiac, urology, gastroenterology, pharmacology, palliative care, rheumatology, emergency medicine, gynaecology, diabetes management, stoma management and much more. Now, on top of all this, you also have to have some insight and knowledge into some of these allied health areas such as: OT, physiotherapy, speech pathology, dietician, social working and counselling, OH&S, fire safety officer.

As I mentioned before,  it is very comprehensive. For those of you who think you would lose skills working in an aged care facility, well it is the opposite. It may not be as technical as acute care nursing, but honestly, the only thing you don’t do that the hospital staff do is cannulate and work a drip pump, otherwise, we do everything hospital staff get to do. We also get slightly more of a say in what treatments our residents get as opposed to hospital patients. You get to work very closely with GPs, and they discuss with  you what is the best treatment you resident needs, rather than telling you what your patient’s treatment will be. The buck basically stops with you. You are the advocate for the resident.

The relationships you build with the residents are remarkable. How many people can say they have 44 grandparents (or however many are in the home)? Each and every resident touches your heart. For me, I get very attached to the demented ones (don’t ask me why but they just make me laugh the most). I’m sure, you get attached to patients on the ward, but the reality is, they are just in the acute setting for a very short time. Some of our residents have been with us for many years, so you can just imagine the bond you develop with the resident and their family.

Last but not least… It is incredibly (and surprising to many) how rewarding it actually is. It is true nursing the way it was supposed to be. Caring for every aspect of the patient not just one area. When you get a thank you from a resident or a relative, and their face lights up, you get this warm and fuzzy feeling that you just can’t beat. You have made their life that little bit more bearable and made them comfortable in the final moments. I can tell you there is no greater honour and nothing more special.

When choosing your specialty as you are about to graduate from Uni,  or you are seeking a new area to nurse in, don’t forget there is a specialty that greatly needs you and you may just enjoy embarking on the journey of aged care nursing.

Do you have any thoughts or questions about aged care nursing? What are your feelings about it?

source of photo: (www.abc.net.au/reslib/200707/r163434_602202.jpg)

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