Increasing number of complaints regarding vaccination

In the 2019-20 financial year, the Nursing and Midwifery Council of NSW received 30 complaints concerning vaccination and vaccination related issues - a significant rise compared to previous years. The majority of these complaints related to issues in general practice and the inappropriate use of social media.

Vaccination continues to be an effective means of reducing the mortality and morbidity rates related to vaccine-preventable diseases in Australia. Having trained health professionals is crucial in ensuring successful delivery of vaccination services to improve immunisation coverage rates nationally. The Australian National Immunisation Handbook 10th edition, which is endorsed by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA), provides evidence-based advice about the safe and effective use of vaccines and the public health benefits associated with vaccination. You can find a link to the handbook on the NMBA website along with their official position on nurses, midwives and vaccination.

The Australian College of Nursing is offering a short, flexible course for nurses and midwives to develop their understanding of vaccination. The course will help participants gain the essential attributes to be vaccination advocates and promote vaccination uptake nationally.  Additionally, if you are employed in connection with a vaccination program, completion of this course will make you eligible to apply to immunise independent of medical officers.

Avoiding the pitfalls of social media

It's important to be careful about what you like or post online - information published on social media is often impossible to remove or change and can be circulated widely, easily and rapidly. Inappropriate use of social media can result in harm to patients and the profession.

Common issues include breaches of confidentiality, defamation of colleagues or employers, violation of practitioner–patient boundaries or an unintended exposure of personal information to the public.

The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and National Boards have published a guide to help nurses and midwives understand and meet their obligations when using social media.

The guide is based on the idea that every practitioner should maintain professional standards and be aware of the implications of their actions when interacting online, just as when they interact in person.

Opportunity for Enrolled Nurses - We need you!

We are calling for expressions of interest from NSW Enrolled Nurses of all experience levels to become professional members. Professional members play a pivotal role in regulating nursing by:

• participating as a panel member for regulatory meetings and hearings; and
• contributing their professional advice and expertise to the panel.

Being a professional member can be a great developmental opportunity as you will be exposed to a wide variety of regulatory and practical issues. Professional members often transfer the experience gained from being a professional member to improve the culture and standards in their own workplace.

Meet the Council’s newest members 

The Nursing and Midwifery Council of NSW welcomed three new members in July 2020:

• Ms Lyn Francis - registered nurse and registered midwife.
• Associate Professor Vasiliki Betihavas – registered nurse.
• Ms Jayne Meyer Tucker – community member.

In this Q&A, the new members share a bit about their background and what inspired them to join the Council.

A great listen – Podcast with UK’s ‘Chief Nurse’

Anne Marie Rafferty, President of the UK’s Royal College of Nursing and Professor of Nursing Policy at King’s College London, featured on Julia Gillard’s podcast to discuss pertinent issues concerning nursing including:

• the incredible sacrifices nurses have made during Covid-19;
• why the heavily female-dominated profession is so undervalued, and
• how the pandemic should mark a turning point in how we treat nurses – especially since there is a shortfall of 6 million of them worldwide.

Are you 18-35? We need your help

Did you know that almost a third of practising nurses and midwives in NSW are aged 18-35? Australians in this age group also have the highest rate of COVID-19 infection.

As practitioners, you know that testing is the best way to protect yourself and others. But many people don’t. We need your help to spread the word to your family, friends and peers. Anyone with symptoms of COVID-19, even mild symptoms, should get tested at a COVID-19 testing clinic.

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