Familiar findings
In June 2018 the Gosport War Memorial Hospital Report (GWMHR) was released. Themes within these findings are familiar, a reflection of past Inquiries into healthcare failures in acute and aged care across the globe. What happened at GWMH? From as early as 1988 concerns had been raised by staff regarding the use of diamorphine via […]
Respecting the meaning of culture and gender for older Greek women
The understanding of gender and culture is imperative in any welfare setting. The 2016 census identified that 37% of people aged 65 and older were born overseas. Of those in the 65 years and older population, the 2016 Census identified that to every 100 women, there were only 86 men (Australian Bureau of Statistics 2016). […]
Is it possible to be both a Nurse Unit Manager and Tasmanian Branch President?
Seven years ago, I joined Tasmanian ANMF Branch Council. I joined to find my voice. I joined to fulfil that desire to be an advocate for those who don’t have a voice. However, this action has led to an interesting deliberation. In my day-to-day work, I began hearing challenging questions from my peers and those […]
Inclusive healthcare for the members of the sexual and gender diverse community
Recent changes in socio-political ideology have allowed for a more open discussion about the views of contemporary Australian society in relation to diversity. The discussion surrounding the marriage equality postal survey in 2017 provided an opportunity for the Australian government and Australian community to openly show their support (or not) for same-gender attracted and gender […]
The worth of scalp cooling to prevent chemotherapy induced alopecia
Chemotherapy-induced alopecia (in this paper called ‘alopecia’) can instantly turn a person into a cancer patient. In the outside world, patients have to deal with the stigma of baldness should they choose not to wear a wig. Inside their homes, cancer patients will see their changed appearance in the mirror every day, reminding them of […]
Systemic reviews: If in doubt, refer to the instructions
Is full symptom assessment complete if only some of the items have been assessed? Clinicians often trust that the guidelines that underpin their practice are rigorous and dependable, but recently, systematic reviews – the pinnacle of the evidence hierarchy and most trustworthy source of evidence for clinical guidelines- have come under fire for problems with […]
Birthing on Country: Improving Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander infant and maternal health
Nyoongar woman and midwife Valerie Ah Chee started her midwifery training aged 41. It followed the birth of her youngest son Raphael who was her most complex at 28+4 days. He weighed 1,650gms and was in NICU for eight weeks. He was really tiny compared to his brothers. It started me on a journey of […]
ANMF Priorities 2019
In 2019, the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) will lead the way on a wide range of issues facing nursing, midwifery and the broader community. An impending federal election will see the ANMF ramp up pressure on federal politicians to legislate minimum staffing ratios in aged care through its national public awareness campaign – […]
Resilience: Learning to bend but not break in the ebb and flow of life
I was extremely fortunate to hear the inspirational and witty Malala Yousafzai speak in Melbourne last December. Malala gave such a powerful address and generously shared her remarkable story about her life under the Taliban regime in Pakistan’s Swat Valley. Malala who is now 21 started blogging at the age of 11 to campaign for […]
Nurse Practitioners: Barriers to practice
Jo Perks was one of the first nurse practitioners in Australia, gaining authorisation over a decade ago in 2005. Despite being authorised for many years Jo still experiences barriers in providing optimal care to her patients due to restrictions imposed on her practice. Having worked at Leichhardt Women’s Community Health Centre in Sydney with patients […]