Enhancing clinical placement learning for nursing and midwifery students: A national quality assurance project
The National Placement Evaluation Centre (NPEC) was established in 2018 to provide an Australian national approach to monitoring nursing and midwifery student evaluations of their professional experience placements (PEP). The lack of a national monitoring system was questioned in a review of nursing.1 Initially funded by the Council of Deans Nursing and Midwifery Australia and […]
Targeting unnecessary use of medical consumables
Designing material waste out of our clinical workflow improves efficiency while reducing the environmental and financial cost of healthcare without compromising patient outcomes. This case study demonstrates how our knowledge on the ward can target unnecessary use of medical consumables and advocating how an apparent small change can lead to a big impact. Working as […]
What a time to be an ANMF member as we celebrate our proud 100-year history
From humble beginnings of some 700 members over a century ago, we now mark a national membership of over 326,000, making us the largest union in the country. This year is especially important as we reflect on ANMF’s proud history and all it has achieved over the past 100 years to improve the working lives […]
The ANMF leadership is in good hands
This is my last article for the ANMJ, as I am standing down as ANMF Federal Vice President. Usually in my articles I write about something I am passionate about, such as critical thinking, vicarious trauma, or burnout amongst people in our professions. But today I want to tell you about the ANMF Federal Executive/Council, […]
Decades of advocacy for NPs
In the late 80s, early in my grad year, I recall telling my mum I was puzzled that the most experienced nurses were the furthest from the bedside. Pathways to promotion led away from clinical practice to management and education roles. The 90’s saw the introduction of Clinical Nurse Specialists and Clinical Nurse Consultants, followed […]
Developing digital health capability in residential aged care
Recommendation 68 of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety Report1 outlined implementation of digital technology and My Health Record into residential aged care facilities (RACFs). Progress on implementation of Recommendations2 focus on My Health Record (MHR) and several funded projects to support registration of MHR and electronic medication charts.2 Further projects are […]
A big heart
This article discusses reflections from staff and family (who consented and contributed to this article); and provides an insight into clinical collaboration to assist a person accessing voluntary assisted dying (VAD) to become an organ donor. The NSW Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) Act (2022) allows an eligible adult to access medical help to end their […]
Embracing Forensic Nursing: Bridging Healthcare and Justice
As a nurse practitioner, I love working in the unique niche area of forensic nursing. This specialised area allows me to apply clinical nursing skills alongside forensic science principles for patients who experience acute and potentially long-term consequences associated with violence, particularly after sexual assault and or domestic violence assault. This role balances my passion […]
The crisis of gendered occupational violence and aggression
The global crisis of gender-based violence is inseparable from occupational violence and aggression (OVA) experienced by the healthcare workforce. As most of the healthcare workforce are nurses, midwives, and care workers, the majority of whom are women, there are undeniable gender-based patterns inherent in both linked phenomena. Women face greater risks of violence and aggression […]
Gender assumptions and the value of work
The recent Fair Work Commission aged care work value decision confirmed that the work of aged care sector employees and nurses has been undervalued on the basis of gender assumptions.1 The decision sets out a fascinating history of how and why gender-based assumptions about the value of women’s work has permeated Australia’s industrial relations system […]