Australian Nursing Journal articles from June 2002

Australian Nursing Journal archives from June 2002

Time to address nursing's gender imbalance. (Editorial).(Brief Article)(Editorial)(Statistical Data Included)
June 1, 2002... Jill Iliffe The major feature for the ANJ this month looks at the gender balance in nursing. Between 1994 and 1997, the most recent statistics available, there was little change in the percentages of men to women in nursing, as figure 1...

Let's get on with the job in aged care. (Letters to the Editor).
June 1, 2002... Congratulations to Sally Moseby (The stress of aged care documentation', ANJ, May 2002, p.27) for so succinctly describing the stress for, and lack of trust of, professional nurses in aged care. This stress and lack of trust is engendered...

Triage nurses cop their share of verbal abuse. (Letters to the Editor).
June 1, 2002... I work in a busy suburban emergency department often afflicted by long waiting times, staff shortages, bed shortages and a high intake of psychiatric patients. The situation is always worse as we head towards winter and the worst place to...

Aged care violence ignored and trivialised. (Letters to the Editor).
June 1, 2002... As an RN Div 1, I worked for more than eight years in the aged care sector. During that time, the level of violence experienced by the staff in the facilities in which I worked escalated from occasional physical attacks to daily occurrences....

Condemning mandatory detention. (Letters to the Editor).
June 1, 2002... We, the Community Health Nurses Special Interest Group of Victoria, deplore the Commonwealth Government policy of mandatory detention for asylum seekers in Australia. As a group of nurses committed to promoting the health of the Australian...

Glutaraldehyde registers long overdue. (Letters to the Editor).
June 1, 2002... With reference to the articles about glutaraldehyde in the April ANJ ('Glutaraldehyde volunteers wanted', p.7 and 'Nurses sue over disinfectant exposure', p.16). The chemical has been in use in hospitals as a cold sterilising agent for 30 years...

What will we do when no one wants to nurse anymore?(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2002... Kudos to Sue Blott ('Nursing in 2002: A personal view', ANJ, May 2002, p.11) for her insightful submission to the Senate Inquiry into Nursing. I also made a submission to the Inquiry. While I have one-fifth of the nursing experience that...

Take care of the carer before they lose the ability to care. (Letters to the Editor).
June 1, 2002... I am recovering from post traumatic stress, after several violent episodes that occurred over a 10-month period in a remote NT community. All but one of these incidents was not directed at me personally, but it does not change the trauma...

Putting lives on the line to deliver health care. (Letters to the Editor).
June 1, 2002... A memorable night of sharing information was experienced by all parties on a study tour in January, when the Union Aid Abroad-APHEDA study group met with health workers and members of the Federation of Trade Unions Kawthoolei in Mae Sot,...

Ratio of aged care beds falls. (News).(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 1, 2002... Despite an increase in residential aged care places, the provision ratio per 1000 people aged over 70 years has fallen and the number of 'high care' residents in residential aged care has increased, according to two new reports by the...

Time to change the culture of occupational violence. (News).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... The launch of ANF Vic Branch's new zero tolerance campaign is the first step in the campaign to change community awareness and stamp out occupational violence against nurses, according to ANF Vic Branch Secretary Lisa Fitzpatrick. Speaking...

Allowance dispute: angry nurses stop work. (News).(Royal Hobart Hospital)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... More than 100 Royal Hobart Hospital nurses stopped work on 8 May to show their anger at the Tasmanian Government's decision not to pay qualifications allowances. Fourteen months after signing an enterprise agreement which promised the...

Health and aged care lose $900 million in Federal Budget. (News).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... The ANF gave the thumbs down to the 2002/2003 Federal Budget, saying it meant a major loss of funding for health and aged care. ANF Federal Secretary Jill Iliffe said that despite the spending measures announced for health and aged care,...

Private health rebate scheme loses millions in rorts. (News).(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 1, 2002... The Federal Government's 30% private health insurance rebate operated for more than two years without proper controls to stop consumers double-dipping and overclaiming an audit report has found. The Australian National Audit Office report,...

Nurses and rail safety in Victoria. (Briefs).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Nurses will have an important role to play under new Victorian rail safety legislation, according to a Victorian Government spokesperson. After 30 June it will be an offence for rail safety workers to perform rail safety work while impaired by...

Students to fill RN gap. (Briefs).(registered nurses)(Griffith Base Hospital)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Griffith Base Hospital (GBH) in NSW plans to recruit undergraduate nursing students during holiday breaks to help it cope with its RN shortage. According to press reports, GBH Director of Nursing Lynette Nancarrow is asking parents of nursing...

Drug problems and solutions on show. (Briefs).
June 1, 2002... The inaugural Victorian Drug Prevention and Services Expo in Melbourne on 27-28 June aims to demystify confusion and challenge common misconceptions about drug problems, their prevention and treatment The expo will showcase work to minimise...

Review targets medication safety. (Briefs).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... People having problems with multiple medications will receive more support as part of a new $48 million national program to reduce the estimated 80,000 people admitted to hospital each year because of medication mismanagement. The Homes...

Nursing's night of nights. (News).(South Australia Nursing Excellence awards)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... SA's nurses were formally recognised by the nursing industry at the SA Nursing Excellence awards in Adelaide on 10 May. ANF SA Branch Secretary Lee Thomas said the Branch had been fortunate to be involved in the judging and was the proud...

Solutions too late to avoid nurse crisis. (News).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... The WA Government has moved too late in tackling the State's shortage of nurses to avoid public hospital bed closures and elective surgery cutbacks this winter, according to the ANF WA Branch. ANF WA Branch Secretary Mark Olson, replying to...

Health professionals unite to condemn detention policies. (News).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... The ANF joined with other peak health professional bodies at the beginning of May to condemn the Federal Government's policy of mandatory detention of asylum seekers. In a submission to the Human Rights and Equal Opportunities Commission...

Nurse migrants welcome. (Briefs).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Nurses will be encouraged to migrate to Australia under a Federal Government plan to give them priority visa processing. Immigration Minister Philip Ruddock said in May that priority would be given to nurses ahead of other professionals when...

Where's the money? (Briefs).(nurses' legal costs in King Edward Memorial Hospital case)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... The WA Government has failed to honour its promise to cover the legal costs of nurses who gave evidence at last year's inquiry into obstetric services at the King Edward Memorial Hospital, according to ANF WA Branch Secretary Mark Olson. Mr...

The truth about refugees. (Briefs).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... A new booklet produced by the Centre for Refugee Research, University of NSW, counters the inaccuracies promoted during the current debate on asylum seekers. The truth hurts: Facts and stories about 'boat people' and asylum seekers is published...

A social charter for nursing. (News).(Queensland Nurses' Union )(Queensland Nursing Council )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... The Queensland Nursing Council and Queensland Nurses' Union (QNU, ANF Qld) have developed a draft social charter for nursing aimed at improving relations between the community and nurses. QNU secretary Gay Hawksworth said a statewide...

Endorsed, enlightened and enthusiastic. (News).(5th National Biennial Enrolled Nurse Conference, 28-30 April 2002)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... More than 130 delegates from Australia and New Zealand attended the 5th National Biennial Enrolled Nurse Conference in Melbourne on 28-30 April. Hosted by the Victorian Enrolled Nurse Special Interest Group, the conference provided a forum...

Nursing continues to make progress in East Timor. (News).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... ANF Federal Secretary Jill Iliffe travelled to Dill on 22 April to meet with East Timor Nurses Association (ETNA) officials. it is now 12 months since the ANF's three year sponsorship of ETNA commenced. After her visit, Ms Iliffe sald the...

New rules for subsidised medicines. (Briefs).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Anyone wishing to obtain Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme subsidised medicines now has to provide their Medicare card to pharmacists. Announcing the change on 1 May, Federal Minister for Health and Ageing Senator Kay Patterson said the move would...

First Step seeks volunteers. (Briefs).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Melbourne's First Step rapid detoxification program is seeking volunteers to help offer an affordable treatment option for opiate users in Victoria. Based in St Kilda, First Step has treated over 1400 people since June 2000 and now aims to...

Website focuses on hepatitis C. (Briefs).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... The Australian Hepatitis council (AHC) launched a new website in April to provide better information for people with hepatitis c, their families, friends and carers. AHC President Stuart Loveday said the site offered an informative and positive...

Applying for scholarships? (Briefs).
June 1, 2002... The Social Education and Research concerning Humanity Foundation is calling for applications for the seventh round of the Denis Freney Memorial Scholarships. The scholarships, of up to $5000, are for research writing or cultural projects which...

Women left with fewer birthing choices. (News).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Pregnant women have been left with little choice but to have their babies in hospital because independent midwives have been excluded from the Federal Government's insurance guarantee. Indemnity insurance has been guaranteed by the Federal...

Petition grows as public backs nurses. (News).(petition to improve nursing salaries)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... The latest phase of the NSW Nurses' Association's (NSWNA, ANF NSW) What's a nurse worth? campaign continued on 1 May, as members throughout the State collected more signatures for their 52,000-strong petition. The May Day events were part...

ANF NT Branch opens new office in Tiwi. (News).(Australian Nursing Federation, Northern Territory)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... The new ANF NT Branch office in Tiwi, Darwin, officially opened for business on 17 April. According to ANF NT Branch Secretary Paul Nieuwenhoven, the move has greatly improved facilities and will mean many more NT members will be able to access...

New talks delay mass resignations. (News).(Morling Lodge Nursing Home)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... ANF members employed at Morling Lodge Nursing Home delayed their threat to resign en masse on 1 May, after management agreed to return to the negotiating table, the ANF ACT Branch said. The nurses agreed to postpone their action after...

Calling all school students. (Briefs).
June 1, 2002... The ACTU's Worksite for Schools website is offering $250 to the secondary school student who can best describe their dream job in 300 words or less. The competition closes on 28 June. Visit: www.worksite.actu.asn.au, ph: 1800 620 362 or email:...

An expensive prank. (Briefs).(coworker joke causes injury to nurse)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... The NSW District Court ordered Macquarie Health Service to pay $287,000 damages in April to a Dubbo Hospital nurse who suffered back injuries when struck with a percussion hammer. Nicole Egan suffered the injuries in 1995 when she was hit on...

Mental health service disparity. (Briefs).(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 1, 2002... General hospitals shoulder the majority of rural and remote mental health care, a new Australian Institute of Health and Welfare report says. Mental health services in Australia 1999-00 shows the number of rural and remote general care patients...

A call to women of Australia. (Briefs).
June 1, 2002... A major conference will mark the centenary of suffrage for women of European descent and 40 years of suffrage for indigenous women. Trust the women: The women's constitutional convention 2002 will be held in Canberra on 11-13 June. Among other...

Making vacation dreams come true. (This Working Life).(Crossroads, Christian Fellowship with People with Disabilities)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002

The barriers to open disclosure. (Federal Professional News).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... The Australian Council for Safety and Quality in Health Care (ACSQHC) recently commissioned a project called Open Disclosure. Open disclosure occurs when health care providers acknowledge and apologise or express regret when an adverse...

Dutch euthanasia laws could implicate nurses. (World Briefs).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Nurses in Holland fear they could become unwitting accomplices to murder following a change in Dutch law that will allow doctors to carry out mercy killings and assisted suicides. A spokesperson for Holland's largest nursing union, New union of...

Is research consent informed? (World Briefs).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Patients involved in clinical trials may be doing so without fully understanding the implications, UK oncology nurses say. More than 250 specialist nurses were polled after a debate at the National Cancer Nursing Conference in London in April...

NZ RN rescues residents. (World Briefs).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... RN Elizabeth Gray burrowed through thick black smoke in a NZ rest home with a resident on her back and then went back inside to rescue seven more during a fire on 7 May. Fire fighters praised the actions of Ms Gray, but the nurse downplayed her...

Dying for a drink. (World Briefs).(contaminated water)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Half of the world's hospital beds are occupied by people suffering from diseases they drank, according to Human waste, a report released to coincide with World Water Day on 22 March. The report says contaminated drinking water kills an...

UK nurses expect big rise for role in reforms. (World News).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Nurses are pivotal to the UK Government's ambitious plans for upgrading the country's National Health Service (NHS) and must be the focus of clear investment, according to Royal College of Nursing, UK, General Secretary Beverley Malone. Dr...

Struggling for health and human rights in Burma. (World News).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Union Aid Abroad - APHEDA, the overseas aid arm of the ACTU, has linked with other international union bodies to put pressure on trade and investment out of Burma in the light of the country's continuing health crisis. Worldwide unions...

ICN releases ethical recruitment guide. (World News).(International Council of Nurses)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... The International Council of Nurses (ICN) issued a guide to the ethical recruitment of nurses in April in response to the 'abuse and exploitation' generated by the aggressive worldwide recruitment of nurses. 'We recognise the right of...

ANF welcomes $18 per week increase. (Federal Industrial News).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... On 9 May, the Full Bench of the Australian Industrial Relations Commission (AIRC) determined that full time employees covered by Federal awards would receive an $18 per week increase. The decision was in response to an ACTU claim -...

Oral care prevents pneumonia in nursing homes. (Research Update).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Improved oral care may help prevent deaths from pneumonia in nursing home residents, new Japanese research suggests. Researchers compared pneumonia rates between residents of 11 Japanese nursing homes who received regular teeth cleaning and...

A wider use for epidurals. (Research Update).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... High-risk patients undergoing major abdominal surgery will substantially benefit from combined intraoperative general and epidural anaesthesia and postoperative epidural analgesia, according to Australian-led research published recently in The...

Streaming patients improves waiting times. (Research Update).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Introducing separate streams for accident and emergency patients with minor injuries reduces lengthy waiting times without delaying the care of those with more serious injuries, according to new UK research published in Emergency Medicine...

High fish intake reduces heart disease and sudden death risk. (Research Update).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Higher consumption of fish and omega-3 fatty acids among women, is associated with a lower risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) and CHD deaths, American researchers say. Harvard School of Public Health researchers collected dietary data on...

Occupational skin diseases in nursing. (Clinical Update).(Statistical Data Included)
June 1, 2002... Introduction Occupational skin disease (OSD) is usually defined as any dermatological condition directly related to employment. It may also include cases where a pre-existing skin condition is aggravated by workplace factors. OSD is fast...

Not just women's business: men in nursing. (Feature).
June 1, 2002... What is it like to be a man in nursing? Are there stereotypes affecting the role of men in this female dominated profession and do they affect the way men see themselves and their career? Fiona Armstrong talked to men in nursing about the...

Issues across the lifespan: nursing ethics in Malaysia. (Distance Education).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Nurses in Malaysia were given a valuable professional development opportunity last month, when Monash University held an ethics in nursing practice conference at its Kuala Lumpur campus. Approximately 500 nurses from around the country...

Have you had your flu injection yet? (Distance Education).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Recent outbreaks of influenza in two aged care facilities in Victoria highlight the need for health care workers to protect themselves with an annual vaccination. In the two outbreaks, staff influenza vaccination rates were poor with only two...

eHealth 2002. (Briefs).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... The International eHealth Association will host eHealth 2002 in London on 18-20 September. The conference will focus on global health technology developments and their effects on health care, medical research and health education. For...

ECGs in the palm of your hands. (Briefs).(electrocardiogram)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... A new Australian development in EGG monitoring will improve diagnosis and treatment of cardiac conditions in community and remote locations. The three lead ActiveECG is a lightweight handheld cardiac monitor that works with Palm handheld...

Guidelines go electronic. (Briefs).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Therapeutic Guidelines has integrated its range of pocket titles into a single CD ROM. eTGcomplefe includes the whole range of Guidelines produced, including analgesia, antibiotics, dermatology, endocrinology, neurology and palliative care, and...

Sweep targets Internet health scams. (Briefs).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Australian investigators were part of a recent international Internet sweep designed to improve the marketing practices of websites promoting health products and to pursue fraudulent health businesses. The investigators examined over 1400...

Reducing the distance between health professionals. (Distance Education).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... The opening of the new Faculty of Health at the University of Newcastle in May has combined all the university's health professional courses in one administrative structure. Head of the School of Nursing and Midwifery Professor Kathleen Fahy...

Disseminating information with ARCHI. (Distance Education).(Australian Resource Centre for Hospital Innovations)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Nurses researching distance learning assignments or designing workplace projects will find invaluable information, contacts and resources through the Australian Resource Centre for Hospital Innovations (ARCHI). Based in Newcastle, NSW,...

Overcoming the challenges of learning by distance. (Distance Education).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... At the end of last year, the first 12 students from Adelaide University's graduate diploma in nursing science (high dependency nursing) course received their graduation certificates. For many, the graduation ceremony was the first time they had...

Mental health on the web. (Distance Education).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... A new web-based mental health resource based at Flinders University is part of an Australian initiative to broaden the range of national and international discussion on mental health issues. The Australian e-journal for the advancement of...

Will the role of the anaesthetic nurse be lost forever? (Issues).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... The Australian National Training Authority (ANTA) is undertaking a Health Technicians Project which proposes the introduction of non-degree vocational training for health workers in the area of anaesthetics. South Australian anaesthetic nurses...

Calendar.
June 1, 2002... Certificate In Natural Fertility Education 2, 9,23 June; 4,11 25 August; 6, 13 , 28 October Wise Woman Business, Kerry Hampton, Ph/Fax: (03) 9830 5280, Email: erryhampton@lprimus.com.au, Website: www.wlsewomanbusiness.com The New...

It's hard not to race in the fast lane of nursing. (The Federal President Reports).(Brief Article)(Column)
June 1, 2002... Two things happened last week that have inspired me to write for this month's column. The first was a chat I had with my colleagues about the little things that often get forgotten in the fast lane of nursing. Little things that mean a...