Aboriginal healers treat patients in SA hospitals

Aboriginal traditional healers are working alongside health professionals in Adelaide hospitals to treat patients’ physical, emotional and cultural health and wellbeing. The Northern Adelaide Local Health Network (NALHN) Aboriginal health team has developed the first formalised and clinical endorsed procedure to support Ngangkari healers working in a health setting, including mental health. “It’s another resource […]

Nurses help build capacity in the Pacific

Prior to undertaking advanced emergency training, nurses working in a small island nation in the Pacific called Kiribati had limited knowledge and were easily overwhelmed. Wind the clock forward and the hospital ED’s have designated emergency nurses ready to tackle challenges head on. Such as the time a patient arrived in cardiac arrest and nurses […]

Pain management for people with dementia

The purpose of this article is to shed some light on the importance of pain management, to examine major barriers and make some recommendations to improve the pain management in older generations with dementia. Pain management in older adults with dementia is paramount. The impact of pain on physical, psychological, social and spiritual components is […]

RFDS targets mental health

The Royal Flying Doctor Service will use $84 million it received in May’s federal Budget to expand its existing services and establish a mental health outreach program for Australians living in rural and remote areas. The iconic service has been around for 90 years and provides extensive primary healthcare and 24-hour emergency response to people […]

Dramatic drop in hand hygiene compliance

Healthcare worker compliance with national hand hygiene guidelines falls from more than 90 to 30% when they are not being observed, latest research shows. The national mandatory hand hygiene program was introduced in Australian hospitals eight years ago and requires a 70% compliance rate The University of NSW (UNSW) study monitored human and automated methods […]

NSW nurses and midwives demand mandated nurse to patient ratios

The NSW Health Minister was grilled on safe staffing by the state’s nurses and midwives at their union’s annual delegates’ conference last week. It came as the NSW Opposition promised nurses and midwives a new ratios system would be delivered if Labor was elected. NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association (NSWNMA) members expressed distress to NSW […]

Working in refugee health

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Newly arrived refugees and asylum seekers receive most of their direct healthcare from nurses, so it makes sense that we have an organisation representing nurses working in refugee health. Sandy Eagar, the national chair of Refugee Nurses of Australia says the organisation was founded in 2016 to bring refugee nurses together and provide a forum […]

Negligent care leads to manslaughter convictions

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A recent decision made in the Courts in England convicting a doctor of manslaughter has enraged many medical officers both in England and Australia; raising concerns that the court failed to look at the realities of practice in the public health system and the systemic wide failings that add pressure to an overworked and understaffed […]

Hospital safety under the spotlight

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New evidence showing wide variation in complication rates across Australian hospitals has called for a collective lift in safety performance and informing patients about the best and worst performing hospitals so they can make decisions about where they are treated. The Grattan Institute report – All complications should count: Using our data to make hospitals […]