May 2020
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National Volunteer Week
This week is National Volunteer Week! Volunteers play an important part in helping Northern Health deliver outstanding health care for our community. We have over 350 volunteers across our sites who assist with a variety of roles including guiding, manning the library trolley and drinks cart, visiting patients for a chat, cuddling babies, helping with administrative tasks, helping with Q-Flow, Social Support Group and assisting with fundraising activities. The volunteers also partner with community groups such as Red Cross, Whittlesea City Salvos, Whittlesea Craft Group, Kangaroo Ground Knitters and local schools. Traditionally, Volunteer Week is an occasion where the volunteers…
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Residential In-Reach Program
Residential In-Reach is a program, operating through Northern Hospital, that works with local residential care facilities to try and prevent admissions into hospital and treat more residents within their homes. The program started in 2002 and provides clinical, specialist nursing, geriatric medicine and palliative care support as requested once a GP or a nursing home refers a patient to the program. “We can go out and provide clinical assessment and some level of support together with Hospital in the Home service, to facilitate patient stay in the facility. We know this can be the preference of patients and their families,…
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Fever Clinic team: looking after each other
When the pandemic started, our Fever Clinic was quickly up and running to be able to test our community members and provide a local hub for everyone suspecting they might have the virus. Madeleine Slaviero is a registered nurse who has been at Northern Health for three years, and is now a Fever Clinic nurse. Before the pandemic, she was a nurse on pool working at different campuses. “When I first heard I would be working at the fever clinic I was a bit anxious, just because there was a lot of unknowns when it all started. Over time, I…
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HIMs sharing their love for the job in times of COVID-19
This week is Health Information Management Awareness Week, to honour and celebrate health information management (HIM) professionals and to raise awareness of the profession and the contribution that the health information workforce makes towards healthcare. COVID-19 has highlighted the important role Health Information Services play in the health service’s response to the management and preparation for the pandemic. “When the planning for this pandemic started, the Health Information Services (HIS) team’s first task was to look at their business continuity planning from the medical records perspective and ensure that they are able to continue this essential service,” explained Terri Fiorenza,…
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When the midwife at your birth becomes your boss
In celebrating International Nurses Day this week, we share a story about one of our nurses, Stephanie Gray, who has a special connection with Northern Health. Not only does her mother and sister also work as nurses at Northern Hospital, but she was delivered by Debra Bourne, our Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer. “I was introducing graduate nurses in our lecture theatre and saw Steph at the back. I was the midwife for Steph and I was present at her birth and delivered her 24 years ago. It was an incredibly special moment to see her there,” Debra said. Stephanie…
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Happy International Nurses Day!
This year, the World Health Organization (WHO) has designated 2020 as the International Year of the Nurse and Midwife. Under the theme ‘Caring Together’, over the last few months, Northern Health has been showcasing the importance of nursing, in a series titled ‘Postcard to my Younger Self’, featuring senior nursing staff from Judy Sonneveld, Monica Dowling, Gavin Fahey, Luma Gashi to Valeria Konova-Tscholakow and Nazih Beydoun. The ‘postcards’ reflect the influence of our senior nursing staff and takes the form of advice to their younger self. Today on the anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birth, we surprised our nursing staff with…
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Accreditation ready any time
Before the COVID-19 pandemic started, Northern Health’s accreditation due date was scheduled for today, 11 May. On 25 March, the Australian Commission for Quality and Safety ceased all accreditation in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Maree Glynn, Director of Clinical Practice Improvement, explained the Commission understood the health services would be fully immersed preparing for the pandemic. “The National Standards describe the minimum standard of care expected for any patient. Organisations often see and prepare for accreditation as an event,” she explained. Dr Bill Shearer, Executive Director Quality and Safety, added that “event” is about showing that we do our…
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Postcard to my younger self: Monica Dowling
To celebrate the International Year of the Nurse and Midwife, we asked a selection of staff who exemplify the key qualities of a nurse/midwife to write a ‘postcard to their younger self’ and offer insight and advice. Monica Dowling, Nurse Donation Specialist and ICU Liaison Nurse Consultant, had this to say to her younger self: The day your nursing becomes routine for you is the day you need to challenge yourself with something new. Being uncomfortable in your role means you are learning something – embrace every opportunity. Starting out in nursing many years ago in Ireland, career progression came…