April 2021
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New SPF Podcast: Our COVID-19 year
Northern Health’s Safe Practice Forum is back, but with a twist. Because of the pandemic, the traditional forum had to be put on hold, but is now returning in the form of a podcast. Topics and guest are still relevant, timely and offer our staff a chance to share patient stories, and personal experiences. Together with host, Dr Bill Shearer, Executive Director Transformation, Quality and Safety, these conversations help us as an organisation provide a safer and better patient experience. “Since we can’t get together, we thought we’d come to you via a podcast. We’ll be coming to you each…
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Northern gets the Wellbeing Grant
Earlier this year, Northern Health applied for a ‘Healthcare Worker Wellbeing Grant’, from the Department of Health and is one of few Metro Health Services that received this grant. “When we were filling out the application, we were thinking how we can make most of the funding if we received it. What we wanted to do was to use the grant to build a new wellbeing team. Part of the grant will be hiring 2,5 EFT – a team leader, wellbeing team advisor and a project psychologist,” explained Jade Ralston, Director People and Culture. The main reason for Northern Health’s…
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ED Registrars pass with flying colours
For seven ED Registrars, a lot was riding on the outcome of the Emergency Registrar Australasian College for Emergency Medicine (ACEM) Primary Exam. The exam tests student’s knowledge and understanding of the four basic sciences relating to emergency medicine – anatomy, pathology, physiology and pharmacology. There are two components to the exam, a written primary examination containing up to 360 questions made up of select choice, multiple choice and extending matching question, and an oral exam. Emergency Medicine Physician and Co-Director of Emergency Medicine Training Dr Raj Kathirgamanathan said students start studying and training nine months in advance. “It is…
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PreMETs coming to Medtasker
At Northern Health, Medtasker went live for inpatient routine clinical communication almost four years ago, and now the team is taking the next big step and adding the PreMET tasks, rolling out on April 13. “This is something coming in with high demand and a lot of people are quite excited about this. Staff will be now able to call a PreMET via their desktop, rather than having to call communications, saving valuable time. The staff will be able to call directly, with the right patient information,” explained Megan Farrell, ICT Support for Medtasker. Elise Sutton, Clinical Deterioration and Resuscitation…
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Egg-cellent time at the Children’s Ward
Easter has arrived early at Northern Hospital Epping Children’s Ward. Families were delighted with a special visit from Harcourts Real Estate, who donated bundles of chocolate eggs to eager children awaiting the arrival of the Easter bunny. Harcourts Director and Auctioneer Tony Lombardi said it was a humbling experience. “We are just trying to give back to the community that serves us so well,” Tony said. “It’s an extremely humbling experience to walk through and see some of the kids. It’s a little bit gut wrenching but at the same time it is great to see a little smile on…