No images? Click here ![]() Message from the Chief Nursing and Midwifery OfficerDear Nurses and Midwives We have seen significant change in the status of the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia since I last wrote to you. The large outbreak in Victoria and low-level community transmission in New South Wales has seen strict restrictions and significant border closures. Throughout all of this our nursing and midwifery professions continue to provide exceptional care to our communities. We have seen nurses and other professionals come from interstate to assist in the response in Victoria and many more across the country have expressed interest in helping out. These outbreaks continue to impact all health professionals and provide challenging circumstances for us in our work. I am eternally grateful for the efforts of nurses, midwives, aged care staff, all other health professions, and support staff turning up every day to support and protect our community. I recently returned to Canberra after spending many weeks supporting our colleagues in health and aged care in Victoria during this outbreak. I am now in quarantine at home and experiencing the challenges of this, as so many of you have done recently. The photo below is a Victorian nurse braving the cold and snow to conduct COVID-19 screening. Our work is testing our physical and mental limits daily in the fight against this virus and I encourage you to take the time to look after your physical and mental wellbeing. There is information in this newsletter about available supports for your mental health. Throughout the pandemic, I have been regularly meeting with the Nursing and Midwifery Strategic Reference Group (NMSRG) to share information and knowledge with the professions. The NMSRG has a wide membership across the nursing and midwifery professions and our meetings allow me to provide updates from the Australian Health Protection Principle Committee and Infection Control Expert Group, both of which I am a member. There has been much discussion in the media about access to Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). I can unequivocally state, there is ample PPE available in the country and deliveries are scheduled for the remainder of the year to ensure adequate supply. Millions of masks and other PPE items have been supplied from the National Medical Stockpile to aged care facilities, disability service providers and Primary Health Networks for distribution. If you haven’t already, please take the time to refresh yourself on infection prevention and control protocols relevant to your area of work. There is also a training package available on the Department of Health website. As nurses and midwives we must stay vigilant and act safely in all aspects of our lives. Even when socialising with friends and family we can model safe behaviours to help slow the spread of COVID-19 - practice good hygiene and physical distancing and follow the rules for public gatherings, quarantine and isolation. Alison ![]() COVID-19 UpdateThe recent rise in community transmission of COVID-19 in Australia means some states and territories now recommend or require the use of masks. For people at increased risk of severe COVID-19 themselves because of older age or chronic illness, physical distancing is most important. If you cannot maintain physical distance, wearing a mask is an important protective measure. The main value of wearing a mask is to protect other people. If the person wearing the mask is unknowingly infected, wearing a mask will reduce the chance of them passing the virus on to others. For people who wear a mask it is important that it is worn properly. Key tips for yourself and in instructing others are:
If you would like to know more the Australian guidelines for the clinical care of people with COVID-19 is available here. Mental Health Resources The Australian Government has a raft of projects and resources available to support you and your colleagues as front line health workers. There is the factsheet: Coronavirus help when you need it - supporting your mental health online at the Department of Health as well as:
Celebrating the service of Nurses and MidwivesOn 8 June 2020, the Governor-General announced the Queen’s Birthday 2020 Honours List, recognising 933 Australians. Within those honoured the following nurses and midwives were recognised for their service: Member (AM) in the General Division:
Medal (OAM) in the General Division:
In his announcement the Governor-General said “This list recognises a group of outstanding Australians who have made a contribution to their community, to Australia globally or domestically. Their efforts have been noted by their peers, they’ve been nominated and assessed independently as worthy of recognition". Education program to help improve care with dementiaNPS MedicineWise has been engaged by the Commonwealth Department of Health to deliver an education program to support health professionals working in residential aged care. The focus is on person-centred care approaches and the role of psychotropic medicines in managing changed behaviours in people with dementia. As part of this program NPS MedicineWise will be hosting a free CPD-accredited one-hour webinar on Wednesday 26th August , 7-8pm AEST. The webinar will feature a panel of experts in the field of aged care who will use real-life case scenarios when discussing the challenges of optimising transitions of care in people living with dementia. Use this link to Register for the webinar DonateforLifeWith the potential impacts on hospitals, in particular Intensive Care Units and Emergency Departments, the Organ and Tissue Authority and DonateLife agencies are closely monitoring COVID-19 and its impact on organ and tissue donation and transplantation. Donation and transplantation clinicians are also collaborating nationally and internationally to consider the risk and benefits of transplantation in the COVID-19 pandemic environment. Life-saving heart, lung and liver transplants continued during the pandemic lock-downs and with kidney transplantation recommencing in early May all programs are now active. However, there are still around 1,700 Australians currently on the wait list for a life-saving transplant, and a further 12,000 people on dialysis. To join the Australian Organ Donor Register, or for more information about our national program visit donatelife.gov.au If you are already registered, you can do more. Talk to your family and friends. Tell them you want to be a donor. Encourage them to register too. National Pancreatic Cancer RoadmapCancer Australia is developing a National Pancreatic Cancer Roadmap to improve outcomes and survival for people with pancreatic cancer in Australia. The Roadmap will identify key priority areas for action over the next five years across the continuum of pancreatic cancer care and pancreatic cancer research. Cancer Australia will be seeking broad public consultation and collaborate with key stakeholders, including consumers, and build on the efforts and expertise of the non-government sector in the development of the Roadmap. For further information on this initiative, including how you can be involved, visit National Pancreatic Cancer Roadmap Open consultationsNursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA)The NMBA is currently consulting on its:
The consultation papers and avenues to provide feedback can be found at: NMBA Current Consultations Hurry as submissions close on Monday 31 August 2020. MailboxWere you forwarded this email? To subscribe to the CNMO newsletter, please click here. If you have any feedback or would like to contact the Office of the Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer, please email the CNMO mailbox. |