Welcome to the College of Nurses – News Update.
No. 173, Wednesday 9 October 2013
From NZ media this week
GP AND COMMUNITY NURSING DATA ADDED TO NZ SHARED VIEWER
The Shared Care View (eSCRV) electronic health record being used by clinicians in New Zealand's Canterbury region has completed stage one of its rollout, with general practice and community nursing data now accessible.
http://www.pulseitmagazine.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1608:gp-and-community-nursing-data-added-to-nz-shared-viewer&catid=68:allied-health&Itemid=333
Eight put names to nurses' staff-level pledge - so far
Less than half of the 20 candidates standing for the Waikato District Health Board have signed a pledge supporting safe staffing levels at hospitals and equal pay for health care assistants.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/news/9237316/Eight-put-names-to-nurses-staff-level-pledge-so-far
Primary schools waging war on scabies
Scabies, school sores and boils are being targeted by nurses as part of a pilot programme to be launched in six primary schools this month.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/9242556/Primary-schools-waging-war-on-scabies
School children could be prepped for nursing
The New Zealand Nursing Council says it may need to target children in primary schools to set them up for careers in health care.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/te-manu-korihi/223710/school-children-could-be-prepped-for-nursing
Mental health unit assaults climbing
Assaults on staff and patients at mental health units throughout the country are rising, with doctors and nurses calling for urgent action.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/223561/mental-health-unit-assaults-climbing
On balance, classes brilliant
Rotorua's Margaret Kelly can't say enough about a local programme designed to help the elderly stay balanced, upright and safe.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/rotorua-daily-post/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503438&objectid=11133892
New fast-track diagnostic tool cuts hospital admissions for chest pain
A new fast-track cardiac diagnostic tool trialled at Christchurch Hospital is already cutting down the number of unnecessary hospital admissions involving people presenting with chest pain.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE1310/S00031/new-diagnostic-tool-cuts-hospital-admissions-for-chest-pain.htm
Clinicians and researchers partner to tackle major health challenges
The Health Research Council of New Zealand (HRC) has awarded more than $750,000 in funding for four research partnership projects that will help improve New Zealand’s health care services in the short term.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE1310/S00016/clinicians-and-researchers-combine-to-tackle-challenges.htm
Public health
Mortality data makes grim reading for men
It will happen to us all eventually, but health experts say unless Kiwi men make lifestyle changes they will vastly outnumber the women knocking on death's door.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/9254194/Mortality-data-makes-grim-reading-for-men Social health
School health centre hubs 'will help fight poverty'
Free healthcare for pupils and their families in low-decile secondary schools is being praised by a teachers' union as the answer to keeping communities above the poverty line.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/9232253/School-health-centre-hubs-will-help-fight-poverty
Free healthcare in schools 'may reduce days lost due to asthma'
Asthma Foundation medical adviser Dr Tristram Ingham says free healthcare for pupils and their families in low-decile schools will help the extensive burden of asthma and respiratory disease in New Zealand, which is strongly related to the effects of poverty. "It is about delivering primary health and support services to the community where it is needed and to break the cycle of poverty," he said.
http://www.voxy.co.nz/health/free-healthcare-schools-may-reduce-days-lost-due-asthma/5/169578
Fight against child poverty
Te Puna Oranga general manager Ditre Tamatea writes the following article about the fight against child poverty.Te Puna Oranga is Waikato District Health Board’s (DHB’s) Maori Health service and has been operating within the Waikato region for 10 years. Within this time, it has built a reputation as one of the leading specialists in developing targeted strategies and initiatives to contribute to Maori health gain. Te Puna Oranga - led by general manager Ditre Tamatea, serves one of the largest Maori populations (82,000) in the country and covers a widespread and largely rural geographical area. While our unit’s primary intent is very focused on Maori health gain, as a secondary intent we seek to support all vulnerable groups whom have a need; as such, many of Te Puna Oranga’s projects don’t just benefit Maori but other groups as well. Inequalities are unjust no matter where they may be found, our motivation is based upon a desire to address health inequalities for Maori and other disadvantaged groups.
http://www.voxy.co.nz/health/fight-against-child-poverty/5/169564
Fears elderly will suffer from review
Elderly and disabled state house residents will be subjected to tenancy reviews under proposed social housing legislation, despite concerns about the impacts on their health.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/9232261/Fears-elderly-will-suffer-from-review
Financial strain 'isolates' region's elderly
South Canterbury senior citizens are isolating themselves because they don't have the money for social visits or to meet doctor and dental appointments.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/timaru-herald/news/9232440/Financial-strain-isolates-regions-elderly
Volunteer visits easing isolation of elderly
The best thing you can give an elderly person is time, according to an Age Concern spokeswoman in Rotorua.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/rotorua-daily-post/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503438&objectid=11133582
International media
Public health nurses must rise to growing care need
The last time you got a flu shot, had your school nurse examine your child’s vision, or had questions about an elderly parents’ care, did you thank your public health nurse?If you didn’t, it’s OK.
http://www.dailyprogress.com/opinion/guest_columnists/public-health-nurses-must-rise-to-growing-care-need/article_8285ddce-290b-11e3-8b65-0019bb30f31a.html
Stress on nurses putting patients at risk, warns RCN
Royal College of Nursing survey finds that four out five nurses questioned still went to work last year despite feeling unwell
http://www.theguardian.com/society/2013/sep/30/stress-nurses-patients-risk-rcn
Legislature Fails To Advance Nurse Practitioner Scope-of-Practice Bill
Last week, the California Legislature chose not to advance a bill (SB 491) that would have allowed nurse practitioners to operate without physician supervision at certain medical facilities to help curb the state's physician shortage, the Los Angeles Times reports (Mason,Los Angeles Times, 9/1).
http://www.californiahealthline.org/articles/2013/9/3/legislature-fails-to-advance-nurse-practitioner-scope-of-practice-bill
Innovative Nurse Brings Care to Caregivers
A nurse-led program not only helps reduce stress among caregivers, it also illuminates the importance of nurses being able to conceptualize, develop, and implement such programs.
http://www.healthleadersmedia.com/content/NRS-296866/Innovative-Nurse-Brings-Care-to-Caregivers##
Nurse stages heart attack drill in community business
A young man walks into a barbershop and sits down for a trim. He complains of chest pain, then tells the barber his arm feels numb. The customer slumps, then waits as the barber takes action.
http://www.kcnursingnews.com/features/article_91898eed-5341-5ab6-b888-d378685f0391.html
Regulator cautions nurse who voiced concerns on Facebook about his hospital
'He did not escalate his concerns through the proper and appropriate channels', panel told
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/regulator-cautions-nurse-who-voiced-concerns-on-facebook-about-his-hospital-8852056.html
Music intervention lowers anxiety, sedation in ICU
Among ICU patients receiving acute ventilatory support for respiratory failure, use of patient-preferred music resulted in greater reduction in anxiety and sedation frequency and intensity compared with usual care, according to a study.
http://news.nurse.com/article/20130520/CRT02/305200048#.Uk0tDNImAaM
Vaccination Opt-Outs Found to Contribute to Whooping Cough Outbreaks in Kids
Several factors may be contributing to recent whooping cough outbreaks, but parents’ refusal to immunize their children is one
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=vaccination-opt-outs-found-to-contribute-to-whooping-cough-outbreaks-in-kids&WT.mc_id=SA_DD_20131003
P.A.R.T.Y. Program - Prevent Alcohol & Risk-related Trauma in Youth at RBWH with RACQ
The Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital's P.A.R.T.Y. program is a free trauma prevention presentation for school students. It's a powerful reality check for teens as they're shown the consequences of poor decision making. Watch the day-in-the-life of two students as they explore the hospital wards, hear from specialist trauma surgeons and get hands-on experience of life as a patient. For more information about the program visit www.rbwhfoundation.com.com.au
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZsuX7zlgMXg&feature=youtu.be
Work and management
Winning New Networking Contacts in 6 Steps
You know networking is one of the most effective ways to land a job. When you have a referral, it's more likely that someone will review your résumé, and you are statistically more likely to win an interview when someone you know suggests your name for an opportunity.
http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2013/10/02/winning-new-networking-contacts-in-6-steps
Health and wellness
Beyond stress is a Wellington based organization that works to resolve and prevent workplace stress and bullying through personal coaching and workplace education programmes
Workplace Bullying
Our unique perspective on the nature of Workplace Bullying gives rise to our powerful methods for resolving it.
For the person on the receiving end, being bullied is a profound shock. Managers,
co-workers and family change the subject, productivity drops, happiness plummets,
sickness and days off increase.
Simply using the word raises hairs on the back of the neck – appropriately enough, for talk of ‘bullying’ generates high emotions and deeply instinctual reactions.
At Beyond Stress our success with bullying comes from understanding the brain’s danger-monitoring functions and the body’s instinctive reactions. We have over 20 years experience in human learning and we know how to create a trustworthy pathway and re-activate skills that have been shut down Our services for this important area of workplace experience operate at two levels:
• Personal Coaching empowers individuals moving on from the experience of being bullied. Our ‘Workplace Mojo’ support group meets monthly to provide a supportive community environment as personal coaching clients translate new skills back into the workplace
• Beyond Work Stress: Coaching For Groups educates staff on the underlying causes of stress at work, and provides innovative strategies on how to beat it.
http://www.beyondstress.co.nz/
Articles of interest
CLINICAL QUERIES: Performing a clinical breast exam
Nursing2013
September 2013
Volume 43 Number 9
Pages 68 - 68
What's the correct procedure for performing a clinical breast exam (CBE)?-K.P., N.Y.Shara Mills, MSN, RN, ACNS-BC, CCM replies: A palpable breast mass, which could be a cystic or solid lesion, is a frightening finding for a woman.1
Fear of cancer is usually the primary concern: Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in U.S. women after lung cancer.2,3
http://www.nursingcenter.com/lnc/Static-Pages/CLINICAL-QUERIES-Performing-a-clinical-breast-exam
Complementary and Alternative Therapy Use in Breast Cancer: Notable Findings
Journal of Christian Nursing
December 2013
Volume 30 Number 4
Pages 218 – 225
ABSTRACT: Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is prevalent among women treated for breast cancer but poorly understood in some ethnic groups. This exploratory descriptive study characterized CAM use for treatment and general health among African and European American women with breast cancer. African American women reported higher CAM use and marked emphasis on faith among other differences from European American women. Implications for practice are discussed.
http://www.nursingcenter.com/lnc/Static-Pages/Complementary-and-Alternative-Therapy-Use-in-Breas
Online resources
Talking to children and teenagers when an adult has cancer
This booklet provides support and advice to anyone wondering how to cope with children and teenagers when an adult has cancer.
http://be.macmillan.org.uk/be/p-20644-talking-to-children-and-teenagers-when-an-adult-has-cancer.aspx
Publications and Reports online
Report on the Performance of General Practices in Whānau Ora Collectives as at June 2013
This report focuses on the performance of general practices in Whānau Ora collectives – using results from the software package HealthStat, which collects an anonymous summary of patient health information from general practices in Whānau Ora collectives.Although not all collectives include general practice providers, the data collected for this report can help highlight any changes in performance over time for health providers in the collectives.The report includes results for key HealthStat indicators identified by the Ministry of Health, Te Puni Kōkiri, and Tumu Whakarae (DHB Māori Managers) as strongly associated with morbidity and mortality for Māori.The Ministry publishes these performance reports on a quarterly basis.
http://www.health.govt.nz/publication/report-performance-general-practices-whanau-ora-collectives-june-2013
New publications from the Ministry of Health
National Cancer Programme: Work Plan 2013/14
The National Cancer Programme brings together the work of the Ministry of Health (the Ministry), district health boards (DHBs) and regional cancer networks to implement the Government’s priorities for cancer.This high-level work plan for 2013/14 covers the national priorities for cancer. The Ministry’s business plans, the DHBs’ annual plans and the regional cancer networks’ annual work plans all include more specific detail on the work that each of these groups are leading.This work plan focuses on cancer-related initiatives led by the Ministry, the DHBs or regional cancer networks. There are established links with initiatives being led by the National Health Board, Health Workforce New Zealand and the National Health IT Board.The National Cancer Programme work plan is organised under four focus areas that align with the Government’s vision of Better, Sooner, More Convenient Health Care. The work plan outlines the activities for the 2013/14 that will contribute to the National Cancer Programme’s vision of all people easily accessing the best services, in a timely way to improve overall cancer outcomes.
http://www.health.govt.nz/publication/national-cancer-programme-work-plan-2013-14
The above information has been collated for the College of Nurses Aotearoa (NZ) Inc by Linda Stopforth, SNIPS and is provided on a weekly basis. It is current as at Tuesday 8 October 2013
If you have any feedback about content - what parts are most useful or what you would like added - please email admin@nurse.org.nz
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