At Northern Health, we recognise the importance of ensuring our staff feel valued and appreciated in the workplace.

During Employee Appreciation Day in March, we asked for staff input via Idea Scale, on how you wanted to be appreciated.

A number of recognition ideas were submitted, which generated 92 votes and 101 views. Some of the themes that came out of these suggestions included more frequent staff raffles and other tokens of appreciation like free staff carparking, coffee cards and other vouchers.

As a result of your feedback, Northern Health is pleased to launch the ‘Lucky to Have You’ initiative, launching 1 September 2023.

‘Lucky to Have You’ is a new monthly Employee Appreciation Raffle that will offer all staff a chance to win one prize from the selection below (to the value of $140):

• One month of free onsite staff carparking
• Coffee vouchers
• Movie tickets
• Coles Group voucher
• Dining voucher
• Airbnb voucher

The raffle will be drawn on the first of each month, with your employee number as your ticket.

Winners will be contacted by People Experience to arrange their prize selection and collection, and announced via the Intranet.

“‘Lucky to Have You’ aims to demonstrate our thanks and appreciation for your contribution to Northern Health. We know our staff are our most valuable asset and work hard to deliver quality health care in the north. So, we have committed to showing our appreciation all year round, to ensure our people feel valued, not just on Employee Appreciation Day, but every day,” said Bianca Fazzari, People Experience Business Partner, People and Culture.

This is not the first time Northern Health has hosted free staff employee raffles. Himansu Asija, Talent Acquisition Partner, People and Culture, was the winner of the recent My Voice Raffle in June. He used his winnings to book a trip to Bright and Hotham.

“I haven’t won many raffles to date, but I am greatly pleased about this one,” he said.

“The only thing I am able to express is my sincere gratitude towards Northern Health. It gave me an opportunity, as I otherwise wouldn’t have planned a trip to Bright and Mount Hotham. It was quite a refreshing experience and we had fun there.”

The first Lucky to Have You raffle will be drawn this Friday, 1 September 2023. For more information, including a raffle schedule, please visit the Intranet.

 

#WeAreNorthern

Meet Monique Hatfield, Manager Health Information Services and Ward Clerks, Bundoora Centre.

Q. Firstly, what’s your coffee order?

A. Skinny cappuccino, but I drink more tea than coffee!

Q. What do you like most about your role?

A. Working with all the amazing staff in Health Information Services, across all sites, and knowing I can never predict what the day will bring.

Q. What do you find challenging?

A. Dealing with my three teenagers! And also, making time to do things I enjoy like walking my dog (a boxer named Atlas), reading, listening to podcasts and meditating.

Q. What do you see yourself doing in the future?

A. I am open to whatever the future brings (but hopefully that includes travel and seeing lots of stand-up-comedy).

Q. If you were a superhero, who would you be and why?

A. Superheroes are over-rated. Everyday heroes are the ones that deserve our admiration and applause (but if I had to choose one it would be Superman because he can fly).

Since 1977, amidst a world of evolving medical breakthroughs and ever advancing technologies, one dedicated pharmacist has stood unwavering at Northern Health. Starting at PANCH as an intern after her studies, this pharmacist’s commitment to the health and wellbeing of the community has remained steadfast across four decades.

As we delve into the extraordinary journey of Kathryn Brett, we unravel the remarkable stories, the countless lives touched and the transformative impact that comes with dedicating oneself to a single institution for over 44 years.

Q: How does it feel to be retiring after all this time?

It feels very strange. I’ve been thinking about it seriously for a couple of years, but just in the last six months, I feel that it’s time to move on, while I’m well and fit, just to step back and enjoy myself. It will be very hard though, a bit of an adjustment, I can imagine.

Q: You have been at Northern Health since PANCH. Tell us a bit more about that?  

Yes. Wow! I was at PANCH where I worked many years, full time in all areas of the pharmacy, but mainly on the wards. I really liked the clinical pharmacy side.

There was a tiny little satellite pharmacy in the back corridor on the third floor of PANCH, where a few of us worked on the wards and that was just the beginning of ward pharmacy services, and it was great. I worked with all the wards, I worked with intensive care for a couple of years, which I really enjoyed. Then I had my first daughter and came back part time, and I’ve been working part time ever since.

In the last 10 years, I was in the Dispensary and have been working in the Outpatients area with all the specialist clinics like Haematology, Oncology and Infectious Diseases.

Tell us about your job, what is it like to be a pharmacist?

Being a pharmacist is very interesting but challenging at the same time. I work predominantly with patients and because these patients were coming back every month, I got to know them, and they got to know me. It is sometimes a problem-solving job, and it is fun. These patients would often confide in us things they wouldn’t confide even to the doctors. It’s been very rewarding in that sense.

Q: What have been some of the changes in pharmacy throughout the years?

Oh wow, you wouldn’t believe it! I come from the dinosaur age. When I first started, we all wore white starch coats and we had manual typewriters, would you believe it? No computers, manual typewriters, not even corrector ones, so if you made a mistake, you had to start again. Later, we got electric typewriters, which was pretty exciting. When I was on maternity leave, the first computers came in, and they were basic computers, no internet. I was quite scared about coming back because I hadn’t used computers before.

We also had reference books, big books and paper journals for our references. So, in that sense, technology has changed enormously. But the basics of pharmacy hasn’t changed. A lot has developed throughout the years and today we have many new positions around the hospital for pharmacists in specialised areas, which is fantastic.

Q: Can you tell us what have been some of your fondest memories throughout your career span of 44 years? I’m sure there’s been plenty.

I’ve worked with some great people, a lot of different people, a lot of different pharmacists. You work with them for a few years and then they’re off. Sometimes you see them again, sometimes you don’t, but they’re really good friends. In the last 10 years, I’ve really enjoyed working in such a multicultural department with a huge number of nationalities. It’s just been really fascinating. I’ve learned so much from them all and I really enjoyed that. I was about the only one who didn’t speak a second language. We’re a good team and we always try and go the extra mile to help people. Our job is often unseen actually, unseen, unheralded, but I think we do an important role and I’m extremely proud of that.

Q: Have there been any challenges along the way?

Oh yes, many challenges. The workload was enormous. We would get to work at 8.30 am every morning and the phone would start ringing. We had people coming to see us and not everyone was always patient. The usual challenges, working with lots of different people and lots of different departments.

I also worked with many young colleagues, younger than my children, which was great, but we were on different wavelengths. So, it was very interesting. They’ve kept me young and I think I’ve passed on a bit of wisdom to them.

Q: Did you ever think years ago you’d still be here today at Northern Health?

I never thought about still being here, but I always wanted to be a pharmacist, so that’s what I would do. Only once did I have a very small retail job after hours and I didn’t like it. Hospitals are much more interesting.

Q: What are your retirement plans?

I already booked a trip to Europe in October. My husband is still working, and he is going to keep working, but I hope to do a fair bit more travel, a bit more exercise, more Pilates, more walking, and just catching up with family.

Today is Kathryn Brett’s last day at Northern Health, marking the end of a remarkable journey. Director of Pharmacy, Vinod Chellaram, farewelled his colleague on behalf of the Pharmacy department with a heartfelt message.

“Congratulations on your retirement after an incredible 44 years of dedication! Your hard work and commitment have made a lasting impact on our team. Countless generations of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians have benefited from your teaching and guidance. Wishing you a wonderful new chapter filled with relaxation, joy, and fulfillment. You will be deeply missed, but your legacy will continue to inspire us all. Best wishes for a happy and fulfilling retirement!”

From all of us here at Northern Health, farewell and thank you for your unwavering dedication and exceptional service!

Featured image: Kathryn Brett, Pharmacist.

In partnership with the Cognitive Institute, Northern Health launched the Speaking Up For Safety (SUFS) program last year to enhance the physical and psychological safety of patients and staff.

The program consisted of one-hour workshops to equip staff with the skills and confidence to escalate concerns around patient safety and/or staff safety with assertiveness and respect.

Over the past few months, each division has had the opportunity to attend a SUFS session. During these sessions, staff were educated on the Safety CODE (Checks, Options, Demands, Elevates) – a proactive tool that enables staff to speak up before mistakes happen to prevent unintended harm to patients and staff.

Staff have been encouraged to use the Safety CODE at every team meeting, clinical handover, huddle, shift commencement and conclusion, ward walk-around and at every critical moment.

A recent experience in the Broadmeadows Inpatient Unit (BIPU) demonstrated how the Safety CODE can be successfully used.

A consumer was admitted to the BIPU for treatment, and staff provided consumer education and used engagement strategies to gain rapport and enable the consumer to feel safe to take oral medications.

During a consultant review, the consumer was prescribed an injectable medication, which the consumer initially refused and threatened harm to others. The team gathered to discuss the plan and the Safety CODE was raised with the consultant.

After discussing options, a plan was made to ensure all staff felt safe and further escalation wasn’t required. The staff were able to work with the consumer to provide treatment is a safe space, which resulted in improved health outcomes.

Tamara Cannan, Nurse Unit Manager, said it was encouraging to see her staff feel safe to use the Safety CODE and to know that everyone’s voice is respected and acknowledged.

“Working together as a team, utilising the Safety Code at BIPU, has improved staff confidence in raising concerns resulting in improved consumer outcomes and reduction in restrictive interventions,” she said.

Evelyn O’Rourke, Social Worker, said the Safety CODE is great for empowering staff to feel safe at work and to ensure the best care possible for consumers. While Simba Harawa, Mental Health Intensive Care Area Response Clinician, said the team discussed options which helped the, feel valued.

Featured image: BIPU staff.

This week is Speech Pathology Week and the theme is ‘Communicating for Life’. During this week, the aim is to help raise awareness about communication disability and the role of Speech Pathologists.

Speech Pathologists assess, diagnose and treat communication disorders and swallowing and feeding difficulties. At Northern Health, the Speech Pathology Department consists of 43 clinicians in the Paediatric and Adult teams working across Northern Hospital Epping, Bundoora Centre, Broadmeadows Hospital and Craigieburn Centre.

The Paediatric team supports infants and pre-school aged children in the Neonatal Unit and Children’s Ward with feeding, swallowing and communication concerns. The team also works in outpatients; joint feeding clinics with dietetics, communication clinic, the Multidisciplinary Developmental Assessment Clinic (MDAC) and the Northern Autism Spectrum Disorder Assessment Clinic (NASDAC).

The Adult team services all those over the age of 18 years. Their patients present with communication or swallowing difficulties resulting from a range of medical conditions including stroke, brain injury, cancer or progressive neurological diseases (PND). The Adult team provide inpatient services across the acute, subacute and palliative care wards, through to home and centre-based services including the Community Therapy Service (CTS), Early Stroke Discharge (ESD) program and specialist clinics such as the PND, Asthma and Allergies and Dysphagia Clinic.

Lauren Ramsay, Allied Health Assistant (AHA), is celebrating 16 years at Northern Health this year. Lauren was one of the first AHAs to complete competencies in Speech Pathology, and last year, became the Department’s first Speech Pathology (single discipline) AHA, joining the acute Speech Pathology team at Northern Hospital Epping.

“Working in Speech Pathology as an AHA can be so rewarding. I am extremely passionate about giving our patients every opportunity to communicate when they are cannot due to deficits related to illness. This was my motivation to apply and move into working solely in Speech Pathology last year, after working across different disciplines for the previous 15 years,” she said.

Lauren further says we often “presume” people can’t understand us when they are not able to speak or reply as we expect.

“This quite often is not the case and I love having the opportunity and available time to find ways for these patients to communicate with, by using aids such as pen and paper, communication boards, apps on phone’s/tablets and speaking with families. Seeing a patient’s face light up when they know they are being heard is pretty special.”

Speech Pathologists are active members of the multi-disciplinary team. They often work alongside Dietitians, as their roles can overlap when they are supporting patients who experience a change in their swallowing function.  Speech Pathologists also have strong working relationships with physiotherapists, occupational therapists, social workers, psychologists, doctors (such as ENTs) and nurses as the treating team work to achieve the best outcomes for patients.

Post COVID-19 and in the last 12 months, the team is proud to have secured additional Speech Pathology EFT for the Early Stroke Discharge (ESD) program. This has allowed them to work towards the implementation of best practice for early, high-intensity aphasia rehabilitation, and improved communication and swallowing outcomes for patient’s post-stroke.

They also established the Outpatient Dysphagia Clinic at Northern Hospital Epping. This clinic provides specialist assessment for people experiencing difficulty swallowing, with access to same day instrumental swallowing evaluation, including Videofluoroscopic Swallowing Studies (VFSS) and Fibreoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES).

Furthermore, the purchase of dysphagia rehabilitation equipment and technology for the inpatient rehabilitation unit at Broadmeadows Hospital, including the Iowa Oral Performance Instrument (IOPI) and Surface Electromyography (SEMG) software, will allow the implementation of advances in outcome driven evidence-based dysphagia rehabilitation.

In 2023, the team is looking forward to the roll out of the Electronic Medical Record (EMR) and the change in diet code from “Soft Dental Diet” to “Easy to Chew” that will come with the EMR. They are also looking forward to integrating the IOPI and SEMG into their patient’s dysphagia rehabilitation regimes and seeing improved outcomes in swallowing function for these patients.

The Speech Pathology Department at Bundoora Centre is in the process of setting up a new space to promote the Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices. These devices are communication aids that support or replace spoken and/or written communication. Moving into a more accessible space will help provide outpatients with progressive neurological diseases the ability to trial and select the best option for them.

Thank you to our Speech Pathology team for all your hard work and dedication!

Pictured in featured image: Speech Pathology teams across Northern Health. 

When the Electronic Medical Record (EMR) goes live, there may be planned downtime for system maintenance and in the unlikely event of unplanned downtime.

To ensure we continue providing quality patient care and keep our patients safe during downtime, wards will be equipped with downtime boxes and 724 laptops as a part of the Business Continuity Planning (BCP).

In case of downtime (Code Yellow), an announcement will be made via Public Announcement. When you hear “EMR go to downtime packs”, locate the 724 downtime device and the EMR downtime box.

The laptop will show a subset of historical patient data and will display data up to the point when the EMR became unavailable. It is important that you:

• Never shut down the 724 downtime laptop
• Never disconnect the data cable
• Perform daily routine checks

When the EMR is unavailable, areas affected will return to paper documentation. The downtime boxes will contain relevant forms and paperwork to allow staff to record patient information. The box will be located on units or wards. Each area will have one box that contains 24 hours’ worth of paperwork.

The downtime box will be managed by unit managers. If restocking of forms and paperwork is required, this will be liaised with ward clerks and Health Information Services.

To identify patients that are back on paper documentation, their wristbands will be replaced by ‘downtime wristbands’.

Post downtime, there will be a notification to inform staff that the EMR is back on. From there, staff will perform retrospective documentation, such as entering new medications, FBC information, new and ceased medication etc. To aid you in this process, you can follow the instructions on the action cards.

The downtime boxes and devices are being rolled out to inpatient locations progressively throughout August. Make sure you find the time to familiarise yourself with the box location, downtime box instructions and checklist.

Featured image (left to right): Avon Ong, ED Equipment Nurse, Hannah Dozzi, EMR Analyst, Teneille Holland, ED Clinical Nurse Unit Manager, Sarai Abel, EMR Application Manager.

#WeAreNorthern

Meet Eve Kodermann, Occupational Violence and Aggression Coordinator, OH&S.

Q: You’ve been with Northern Health since PANCH. Tell us about your journey?

A: I started as a student nurse – School ’54 on 30 July 1984. It was a hospital-based training that provided me with great foundations into nursing. As a new student, we were expected to live in the nurses’ home. It was not to everyone’s liking, but it was convenient. Many changes and improvements occurred during my journey.

In 1986, there was the 50-day Nurses strike, following changes in industrial relations, where the nursing award resulted in lower classification in pay and qualification allowances removed. As a union member, we were not allowed to work and were not paid. Being a student nurse, it meant that we missed out on placement and had to make this time up.

There were changes in uniform – nurses caps were removed, culottes replaced dresses, then we were allowed to wear trousers and now scrubs.

Infection control practices changed – all staff were able to use gloves with the onset of AIDS/HIV (prior to this only the surgeons wore them because gloves were expensive at the time), and so, hand hygiene practices were established. Now we have products like Avagard, which make things a lot easier, but even back then we always cleaned surfaces before and after procedures and all items were kept clean at all times.

Manual handling – no such thing as ‘no-lift’. We did a lot of manual lifting of patients – shoulder lift, cradle lift. There were no slide sheets or pat slides. As a result, many of us now suffer from some form of back pain or other ailment.

Patient ratios were higher – 1:10 for the day and evening, higher at night. Patient acuity is much higher and more complex now.

I completed my grad year at PANCH, left for six months to complete my Post Basic Certificate in Geriatric Nursing in Bendigo, and returned to work in the Emergency Department (ED). In 1991, I completed my Post Basic Certificate in Accident and Emergency Nursing at PANCH (my photo is still in the ED back corridor). I had since worked part-time with RDNS, and the newly created Hospital in the Home (HITH) at PANCH.

In February 1998, PANCH closed, and Northern Health was born. I continued in ED until October 2017. My roles were as Registered Nurse (RN), then Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) and Associate Nurse Unit Manager (ANUM) where I worked many years on nights. During this time, my portfolio was Infection Prevention, so I completed my Grad Dip in Infection Prevention. I was also a Health and Safety Representative so decided to do my master’s in occupational and environmental health. From 2017 until June 2019, I worked in Nursing Workforce as an ANUM.

I was asked by the then Director of OH&S to apply for the newly created role of Occupational Violence and Aggression Coordinator (OVA), and here I am today. My role in the OH&S is predominantly OVA, but I had worked briefly in Injury Management/Return to Work, and a bit in OH&S.

Q: What is the best piece of career advice you ever got?

A: I cannot think of anything specifically, but what I would say is – believe in yourself, ask questions (no such thing as a silly/stupid question), never be hesitant to try something new, as it may mean missed opportunities, and I have had many. Remember, ‘nothing ventured, nothing gained’.

Nursing is a profession which allows you to branch out into many different fields and professions. Your skills are invaluable. Never be afraid to try something new.

Q: We know you are a dog lover. Tell us more about it?

A: I have grown up always having a dog. I cannot imagine life without one around me. As an only child, many times they were my companion. As an adult, I have adopted dogs. There is always that unknown of what they had experienced previously, you also question some of the names they have been given by the shelters. The dogs know they have a second chance, and they are a bit different in the bond that you have. I currently have two. I say I am their therapy human, and they are my therapy dogs.

Q: What’s on your bucket list?

A: I would like to go to Canada in the summer, I last went when it was -25 degrees. I have seen where my mother grew up in Poland, and where her mother grew up in Ukraine. I would love to see where my father grew up in Slovenia.

Q: What’s your favourite place on Earth?

A: I do not really have a favourite place; I am a homebody at heart. I prefer the mountain/rural terrain where the climate is cooler, and night sky is clearer – I love to star gaze.

The nature of the work performed in a hospital environment often involves transferring patients, with an increased risk of staff sustaining an injury due to hazardous manual handling.

Hazardous manual handling is often the cause of workplace injuries known as Musculoskeletal Disorders. Manual handling accounts for almost half of all workplace injuries at Northern Health The impact of a workplace injury on a staff member cannot be underestimated and it impacts all areas of life.

In 2021, an external review of patient manual handling was commissioned at Northern Health. The findings of this report have been incorporated into the updated Manual Handling/No Lift program.

Contemporary approaches to manual handling incorporate risk-based thinking. This involves staff incorporating a dynamic risk assessment approach to patient handling. This includes taking into account the situation at time of transfer, and assessment of the manual handling risks prior to commencing all patient transfers, to determine the safest way to perform the patient transfer.

At the core of the updated Patient Manual Handling /No Lift training and assessment program, staff are encouraged to ‘Stop, Think, Assess, Implement, Review’ (STAIR).

 

Training and assessments have been updated to incorporate and encourage risk-based thinking using the STAIR approach. Major updates to the Manual Handling/No Lift include:

• eLearning modules updated to include all components of STAIR
• annual training and assessment of staff updated to include competencies to assess STAIR
• scenario based training utilising relevant local scenarios
• scenario library where trainers can select scenarios for training and assessment purposes
• the ability to determine and incorporate area specific manual handling procedures and tasks specific to the area being assessed
• introduction of lead trainers
• new Manual Handling/No Lift -TRAINER module.

The OH&S department has introduced a mechanism whereby manual handling training and assessment can be tailored to an areas manual handling needs. This has now led to areas such as the Community Programs, PSA’s, Speech Pathology, Dietetics and Nutrition now being able to participate in manual handling training and assessment of staff in a formalised manner.

Vicki Petrou, OH&S Consultant, recently held 10 Manual Handling/No Lift education sessions for lead trainers as part of the updated program rollout.

“We are grateful to the lead trainers and trainers for taking on these very important roles. We currently have 271 trainers and lead trainers across Northern Health,” she said.

The final piece of the rollout involved the release of the updated Patient Handling/No Lift -Practical Competency Assessment for staff on 1 August 2023. OH&S are currently in the process of collecting competencies for all areas.

“I am happy to provide ongoing in-service training locally for staff to explore risk-based thinking, STAIR, and work through scenarios. To date, I have been extremely impressed with how staff at Northern Health have embraced these in-services. I look forward to providing many more of these,” Vicki said.

“We are also grateful to Nurse Unit Managers and Managers for their invaluable support, guidance and input. I am grateful to the OH&S Team for their continued support and to the Director OH&S for his infectious passion for manual handling and the many whiteboard sessions.”

Featured image: Vicki Petrou, OH&S Consultant.