Australian Nursing Journal articles from October 2004

Australian Nursing Journal archives from October 2004

Make your stand.(editorial)
October 1, 2004... On 9 October, Australians will cast their vote in the federal election. This ANJ contains an outline of the responses the major political parties have given to the critical issues for nurses the ANF has raised during the election campaign. I...

Not valued.(mail)(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2004... I write in response to Wendy Graham's letter ('EN opportunities', AN J, August 2004, p.3). As an EN (RN Div 2) working in a rehabilitation ward, like many of my fellow ENs, I feel we are only wanted in rehabilitation to do the lowly tasks,...

Placement crisis.(mail)(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2004... A group of Queensland clinical coordinators from the tertiary and TAFE sectors are experiencing increasing difficulty in suitably placing nursing students for their practical education. Despite collaborative planning meetings and innovative...

What's to celebrate?(mail)(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2004... It is with dismay and a slight sting that I respond to 'Nursing celebrates 20 years of higher education', (AN J, Sept 2004, p.11). I completed my three-year hospital based nursing certificate 19 years ago, and until now I always considered...

Network.(Calendar)
October 1, 2004... Prince Henry's Hospital, Melbourne, October 1967 School October 2004. Our first reunion! Contact: Terri Flanagan (O'Loughlin) Ph. (07) 4635 1187 Email: t.flanagan@bigpond.com Prince Henry's Hospital, Melbourne, October 1964-t967 School If...

Awards honour Territory nurses.(NT)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... NT nurse Sharon Weymouth has been named Territory Nurse of the Year. Based at the Yirrkala Health Centre, about 600km east of Darwin, Ms Weymouth, was also declared Remote Nurse of the Year. Speaking to the Northern Territory News, Ms...

Rheumatic fever hits young Indigenous people.(news)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Indigenous children aged 5-14 account for over 50% of new cases of rheumatic fever in central Australia and the Northern Territory, and nearly 45% of Indigenous people having heart surgery for subsequent rheumatic heart disease are under 25...

Doctors condemn Iraq war.(news)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Fifty-four leading Australian doctors have joined together in condemning the Howard Government for taking Australia to war on 'false and misleading' grounds. Prompted by concern about the ongoing effects of the war in Iraq, they declared it...

Help poor with medicines.(news)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... A collaborative research project has been announced between welfare, consumer and pharmacy groups in an effort to identify strategies to help people on low incomes pay for medicines. To report in 2005, the project, involving the Australian...

ANF Federal Office Financial Report.(news)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... The ANF Federal Office Financial Report for the year ended 30 June 2004 is now available at www.anf.org.au. Members without internet access may obtain a hard copy of the report by applying in writing to: Finance Manager Australian...

Nursing policy key election issue.(NAT)
October 1, 2004... Over 70% of nurses will be influenced by the political parties' policies on health and nursing issues when they cast their vote in the October 9 election, according to two ANF surveys. The surveys, conducted through the ANJ in August and...

Medicare fraud costing billions.(NAT)
October 1, 2004... Rotting of the health system through false or duplicated Medicare claims could be costing taxpayers up to $2 billion each year, according to fraud investigators. The ABC TV Four Corners program has revealed rorting of the Health Insurance...

Aged care nurses win 5% increase.(NSW)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... The NSW Industrial Relations Commission (IRC) has awarded about 25,000 NSW nurses in aged care an immediate 5% interim pay rise. The interim pay rise applies to all nursing classifications in the aged care sector--registered nurses (RNs),...

Nurses to run national hotline.(news)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Both sides of politics are advocating a national extension to the phone triage systems running in WA, the ACT, NSW and Tasmania, in which nurses offer health advice or refer to other services if the person needs treatment. It is hoped the...

Scholarships for nurses.(news)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Scholarships worth up to $6,000 are available for nurses seeking re-entry to the workforce in either metropolitan or rural areas. Two programs, intended for registered or enrolled nurses in urban or remote areas, aim to remove 'some of the...

Trend toward low paid work.(news)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004

Smoking ban could save $1 billion.(news)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Investing in anti-smoking advertising could save $1 billion in health care costs, according to a new study in the Medical Journal of Australia. Study co-author, Associate Professor Susan Hurley, said reductions in tobacco use were clearly...

Correction.(news)(Correction Notice)
October 1, 2004... Page 22 ANJ August 2004 The statistics related to nurses per head of population should read 1,024 per 100,000, compared with 1,127 per 100,000 in 1095. The ANJ apologises for the error.

Rebate poor for health.(NAT)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Tim Howard Government's election sweetener of increasing tax rebates on private health insurance premiums for people over 70 has met with widespread criticism, with Labor and the minor parties vowing to vote against it in rim Senate. The...

Aged care system suffering.(QLD)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... The aged care sector in Queensland is failing to meet even the most basic needs of residents, according to reports published in the Courier Mail. Nurses al several nursing homes in the state have told how an emphasis on profits is leading...

Public hospitals to go private.(NWS)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... The NSW Government has remounted it will pursue a system of public-private partnerships (PPPs) to build and redevelop hospitals and provide a range of hospital services, as well its consultancy for work practices. The move could include...

Spotlight on mental health.(NAT)
October 1, 2004... The state and federal governments have been taken to task over their neglect of mental health services, with the Human Rights Commissioner calling on them to renew their efforts to address the shortfall in services. Reporting on the...

Action not words.(professional)
October 1, 2004... The National Review of Nursing Education was released just over two years ago to great fanfare, but what has happened since then? Have sufficient measures been put in place to prepare for the exodus of nurses when 40% of the nursing...

Wound bed preparation: clinical considerations.(Advertorial)(Advertisement)
October 1, 2004... Leading medical and health care company, Paul Hartmann Pty Ltd, is committed to investing in clinical education and training in wound management for nurses around Australia. As part of that commitment, the company is sponsoring a series of...

ACTU seeks better balance.(industrial)
October 1, 2004... While acting in the Federal Industrial Officer role, I attended the first day of hearings in the ACTU Work and Family Test Case held in Melbourne in early September: This case is about enabling workers to negotiate more flexible work...

Obese children face heart disease.(research)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Signs of vascular disease present in overweight and obese children could lead to strokes and heart attacks in adult life, according to researchers from the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney and Hong Kong. However, a second study by...

Reform act improves quality.(research)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... A review of USA legislation related to nursing homes found the law was effective in obtaining minimum staffing levels and bringing benefits to nurses and patients in aged care. The USA 1987 Nursing Home Reform Act (NHRA) legislated a...

CoQ reduces BP.(research)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... A systematic review of the use of the antioxidant Coenzyme Q has found it can reduce blood pressure and other symptoms of heart failure, as well as improve exercise capacity, although its definitive role in heart failure is not yet proven. ...

Honey heals infections.(research)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Honey can effectively combat antibiotic resistant infections, including MRSA, vancomycin resistant enterococci, and very resistant gram-negative bacteria, according to research presented to the recent Australian Infection Control Association...

Specialist care means less heart failure.(research)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... A team of researchers from Australia, Canada, Italy and Scotland studying heart failure management have found managed care from specialist terms of health professionals can improve survival rates by up to 25%. The team studied the results...

You be the judge: a comparison of health policies.(Federal Election 2004)(Illustration)(Cover Story)
October 1, 2004... A LIBERAL/NATIONAL AN AUSTRALIAN LABOR COALITION GOVERNMENT PARTY GOVERNMENT WHAT THE ANF WANTS: WILL PROVIDE: WILL PROVIDE: An increase in the The Coalition...

Developing a compassionate control strategy.(clinical update)
October 1, 2004... Introduction Incidents of violence and aggression in our hospitals toward health care practitioners, and in particular nurses, are increasing. (1,2) Almost every nurse in the public hospital system has been the victim of at least one...

The chance to change: to acknowledge 'anti-poverty week' in October, the ANJ spoke with Queensland RN Julie Boal about her work with people who are homeless and at risk.(working life)(Interview)
October 1, 2004... AN J: What does your work involve? JB: I am employed by St Luke's Nursing Service, a not-for-profit community nursing organisation, funded through Home and Community Care Services (HACC). My time is divided between a number of health...

More acceptance needed.(Complementary Therapy/Education)
October 1, 2004... Health professionals should be more accepting of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) and gain some basic knowledge about, commonly used CAM preparations, according to research published in the Medical Journal of Australia. ...

Health benefits of Tai Chi.(Complementary Therapy/Education)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Tat Chi appears to have a beneficial effect on balance, flexibility and cardiovascular health among patients with chronic health conditions, according to a review of previously published studies. Conducting an analysis of 47 studies...

Learning about complementary therapies.(Complementary Therapy/Education)
October 1, 2004... Current research into nurses' use of complementary therapies indicates they use therapies such as massage, therapeutic touch, reiki and aromatherapy to a far greater extent than other health professionals. According to a 2002 study by...

Acupuncture works for headache.(Focus Briefs)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... A large randomised trial in Britain has found the use of acupuncture is consistently effective in the treatment of headaches. Researchers assessed 401 patients to determine the effects of acupuncture on headaches, health status and number of...

Aloe vera prevents blood loss.(Focus Briefs)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... A trial has demonstrated small injections of a derivative of the juice of the aloe vera plant help to preserve organ function, prolong survival time, and increase systemic oxygen consumption even after massive blood loss, and in the absence of...

Drug-diet interactions.(Focus Briefs)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Although the use of dietary supplements is common among patients who take prescription medications, most potential drug-dietary supplement interactions are not serious. A USA survey of 458 outpatients found over 40% of those surveyed were...

Western medicine vs CAM.(Focus Briefs)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Many of the valid criticisms applied to alternative medicines could equally be applied to conventional medicine, a Melbourne academic has told a conference in Brisbane. Professor Marc Cohen, head of complementary medicine at Melbourne's...

Kinesiology and nursing: Margaret Dashorst, anaesthetic nurse, Royal Adelaide Hospital, South Australia and neuro-linguistic kinesiology and reiki practitioner.(Complementary Therapy/Education)
October 1, 2004... Nursing staff at the Royal Adelaide Hospital in South Austalia have started using aspects of kinesiology with positive outcomes. Kinesiology is a natural healing therapy based on the Chinese philosophy of the acupuncture/meridian system....

Foot screening education.(Focus Briefs)(National Diabetes Foot Screening Project Training Manual)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... The National Diabetes Foot Screening Project Training Manual, developed by the Australasian Podiatry Council and the National Association of Diabetes Centres, is designed to help health professionals carry out regular foot screening. Although...

Natural sleep.(Focus Briefs)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... UK nurses are successfully using the drug melatonin to help children with learning disabilities overcome sleeping disorders. While no detailed studies have been carried out into the effects of melatonin, nurses said it had been successful in...

Women choose CAM.(Focus Briefs)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... With more than 80% of women using alternative therapies during menopause, health professionals should incorporate information about complementary medicines into their practices so women can be better informed about treatment choices, a...

Benefits of glucosamine.(Focus Briefs)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... The Australian Government will contribute up to $500,000 toward a new research project investigating a complementary treatment for osteoarthritis. Glucosamine is a complementary medicine that shows a high degree of promise in the...

Saved by the drum.(Complementary Therapy/Education)
October 1, 2004... Participating in recreational music has the capacity to significantly reduce burnout and improve dropout rates among nursing students, according to research from the USA. Recently published in the International Journal of Nursing...

Therapy through music.(Complementary Therapy/Education)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Nurses and musicians are set to work together to investigate the therapeutic effects of harp music in palliative care in a new project in Victoria. The project team, involving the school of nursing at Deakin University, St John of God...

Holistic Nursing: a handbook for practice (4th edn).(books)(Brief Article)(Book Review)
October 1, 2004... Dossey, B., Keegan, L. and Guzetta, C. (eds) Jones and Bartlett Publishers, US $62.96 ISBN 0-7637-3183-8 Endorsed by the American Holistic Nurses Association, this book is written for students, clinicians, educators and researcher wanting...

The Politics of Medicare: Who gets what, when and how.(books)(Brief Article)(Book Review)
October 1, 2004... Gwendolyn Gray UNSW Press, $16.95 ISBN 0 86840 703 8 Gwendolyn Gray is a senior lecturer in political science at the Australian National University. A former nurse, she has studies Australian and international health systems for over 20...

Snoezelen study.(Complementary Therapy/Education)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Snoezelen is a multi-sensory therapy, which stimulates the clients' primary senses of sound, smell, vision and touch through the use of lights, music, aromatherapy, massage and tactile stimulation. This therapy (originating from two Dutch...

A spray a day.(Complementary Therapy/Education)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Personal spritzers are an effective way of using aromatherapy in an aged care environment, according to RN and lecturer at the Australian College of Natural Therapies in Queensland, Margo Hutchison. Ms Hutchison ahs been using spritzers in...

Rise and rise of CAM.(Complementary Therapy/Education)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... The use of complementary therapy and alternative medicine (CAM) has become widespread and is increasing rapidly, according to researchers. Research from the University of Adelaide shows Australians are spending more than $2 billion each...

Ethical issues in nursing practice.(Complementary Therapy/Education)
October 1, 2004... Registered nurses frequently experience disturbing ethical issues in nursing practice, a survey of almost 400 nurses in Victoria has found. According to the study's findings (published in the September issue of the Australian Journal of...

Calendar.(Calendar)
October 1, 2004... Distance education courses for RNs Conducted by the College of Nursing (incorporating the NSW College of Nursing) The College of Nursing, Locked Bag 3030, Burwood, NSW 1805 Ph: (02) 9745 7500 Childbirth education training programs ...

Spreading the word.(Ged)
October 1, 2004... I've been travelling a lot lately. It goes part and parcel with the job. I don't mind really. It's amazing how you get used to commuting by plane. But it makes for long days and sometimes long stints away from home. The kids are used to me...