“Nurses don’t give up on our patients and we won’t give up on the global economy”

Two NSWNA officials are joining other nurses and midwives from around the world at the G20 meeting in Cannes, France this week.

NSWNA president, Coral Levett, and assistant secretary, Judith Kiejda, will join nurses and midwives from countries such as the USA, South Korea, France and Ireland at various “People’s G20” and “Labour Movement 20 (L20)” meetings and at a special media event on Thursday, 3 November, at which the ailing international economy will be “treated” with the FTT.

Watch the fantastic video below as nurses heal the world economy!

Don’t forget to enter our Nurse Uncut Christmas Contest! You could win an Ipad 2 worth $894!

A video by NSWNA member Frances Usherwood of public secotr workers rallying at The Domain in Sydney to protest Barry O’Farrell’s IR laws that will affect their pay and conditions.

Did you attend the rally?

You can watch the video below and share your thoughts on the rally in the comments section.

We want to hear from you!

Do you agree with the issues raised in the speech? What are your thoughts on the IR laws?

Image credit: NSWNA.

Check of some of the fantastic entries from the NSWNA 2011 Short Film Festival.

“Compassionate Gestures” by Barbara Merino focuses upon capturing the imagery of the unique relationship between the nurse and the relative that visits the patient frequently throughout the cycle of the patient’s illness and stay.

“Nurses Strike Train” is a film by Carolyn Guichard. The film profiles the historic event where 4,000 Nurses &midwives met at Sydney Olympic Park to fight for Nurse : Patient Ratios and Safer Patient Care.

You can view all the fantastic entries here.

Did you attend the screening this year? What did you think of the films?

Don’t forget to vote for your favourite nurse in our competition!

Today is Anzac day, the national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand. Anzac day is commemorated by both countries today, on 25 April, to honour members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) who fought at Gallipoli in Turkey during World War I.  It now more broadly commemorates all those who died and served in military operations for their countries.

The ANZACs called the nurses ‘front line angels.’

It took a long time to carry a wounded soldier to hospital because of the mud and cratered roads. To save time, some of the hospitals were built very close to the front line.

The nurses who worked in these hospitals were every bit as brave as the men. They too were cold and tired and sometimes their hospitals were bombed. But their job was to save lives. Many soldiers owe their lives to the ‘front-line angels’ who never left their side.

The below video by Peter Rees tells the harrowing and dramatic stories of the Australian and New Zealand nurses who served in the Great War.

The Other Anzacs: Nurses at war 1914-1918.

Did you attend a dawn service this year? What does ANZAC day mean to you?

Don’t forget to enter our latest contest – nominate your favourite nurse in celebration of International Nurses Day!

Carbon Tax is the hot topic of conversation at the moment, with rallies being held country wide for people to air their views.

Are you pro or anti carbon tax? Why?

Opposing sides of the debate aired their views at two separate rallies in central Sydney earlier this month.

ABC news reported that an estimated 4,000 people gathered in Hyde Park in the CBD to protest against the policy.
The crowd was addressed by opposition MPs, including Eric Abetz, as well as radio personalities.

In Belmore Park about 4,000 people rallied, although organisers said upwards of 8,000 people were in attendance to show their support for the policy.

Head of political advocacy group GetUp!, Simon Sheik, told ABC news that even though the policy has already been flagged they will keep pushing until a carbon price is implemented.

“We know in the past our governments have failed to deliver climate action, despite the best of their promises,” he said.

“That’s why it’s so important that we continue to mobilise as part of this campaign.”

Organiser of the rally protesting against the policy, Luke Jenkins, told ABC news it was frustrating that their cause has been hijacked along the way by other political interests.  Mr Jenkins says they have been unfairly labelled extremists.

“You know we all have our own political views. Sometimes we have to stand next to somebody who we don’t agree with and never would hang with on an ordinary everyday basis,” he said.

“But they are people themselves that have families and this will affect them, it’ll affect their household budgets.”

He told ABC the rally was in part about proving that plenty of ordinary Australians are opposed to a price on carbon.

Watch an excerpt from the pro and anti rallies below. Which side to do support and why?

Sources: ABC News youtube and ABC Upper Hunter
Image credit: Takver via flickr

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For those nurses that have trouble sleeping after a night shift do these suggestions in the below You Tube videos help you? How do you get to sleep after a night shift? Do you fall asleep as soon as your head hits the pillow or do you have some secret tips for drifting off?

Taquita Love is a pediatric hematology oncology nurse at Los Angeles Children Hospital, and a travel nurse. She regularily works night shifts in both roles. Taquita records nursing tip videos for Expert Village.

Tips for relaxing and getting to sleep after finishing a night shift.

Share your tips with us!

Image credit: Jeff Hill Photos.com via Flickr

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Watch the campaign video below to see the One2Four campaign from a nurses’ perspective.

Our nurses tell us why we really need mandated nurse to patient ratios. Patients are not getting the 100% quality care they deserve, and that nurses WANT to be able to give. They are not getting the same care as patients in Victoria.

Visit the NSWNA website for campaign updates!

CONTEST: Don’t forget to join our 2010 Nurse Uncut Christmas Contest! Joining is easy!

The strike action on Wednesday, 24 November was successfully organised and rolled out, big thanks to NSWNA and all the nurses who showed their support.

Here is a video from one of our members, Frances, of Brett Holmes, NSWNA General Secretary reading the resolution that was passed by 4,000 striking nurses at the day of action in Homebush.

Congratulations! Nurses have spoken for safe patient care and we will not stop.

Let’s stand up for our community at large and make our hospitals safe again!

What about you? Were you at Homebush? What was the experience like?

You can go to Nurse Uncut’s Facebook Page to view other photos and video from the strike action.

Why don’t you leave your comment on here as well as in our forum at Nurse Uncut to show your support and discuss this issue with other nurses?

CONTEST: Don’t forget to join our 2010 Nurse Uncut Christmas Contest! Joining is easy!

Another nursing tip from YouTube. This one is on central line dressing changes. What are the differences between this protocol and the one used at your hospital?

What are the rules and regulations for Australian dressing changes?

Tell us below!

Hi Nurses!

Check out our latest NSWNA TV Ad for the One2Four Campaign – it’s called “Buzzer” and it really emphasises why we need Nurse to Patient ratios!

Hospital management can get away with a lot of questionable and unsafe staffing arrangements because we do not have mandated, minimum nurse-to-patient ratios.

Ratios, with the right skill mix, are the way to quality, safe, patient care and the way to protect the health and well-being of our nurses.

Watch the video, then check out the ways you can help below.

“(N)urses deliver great care when they have time to spend with each patient,” NSWNA general secretary, Brett Holmes said.

“If it is good enough for the people of Victoria, it is good enough for the people of NSW.”

You can help us win this!

• By visiting One2Four – The way to safe patient care
• By registering your support at One2Four and leaving a comment
• By encouraging your friends to do the same. There’s a ‘send to friend’ button at the bottom of the One2Four website that you can click to share with your friends and networks

The future is in your hands – get active to win this!

Why don’t you leave your comment on here as well as in our forum at Nurse Uncut to show your support?