WORKPLACE AGED CARE MENTAL HEALTH REGULARS VIOLENCE SCHOLARSHIPS ‘Shocking tales Your rights and entitlements at work p.35 Armband of neglect’ Bob’s legacy: support for Nurse Uncut – your stories p.36 protest widens junior mental health nurses What nurses and midwives said p.37 page 12 page 18 page 22 Nursing research online p.39 THE MAGAZINE OF THE NSW NURSES AND MIDWIVES’ ASSOCIATION VOLUME 76 NO. 11 DECEMBER 2019 / JANUARY 2020 TENTERFIELD FIGHTS TO KEEP NURSES Print Post Approved: PP100007890 Join the health fund that’s all about you. Nurses & Midwives Health is dedicated to caring for the carers. And as a member of NSWNMA, you’re eligible to join! When you’re a member, you’re part of our family. So that’s why your family members are also welcome to join us. For your free, side-by-side comparison, and our latest offers, visit nmhealth.com.au or call 1300 344 000 Eligibility criteria and conditions apply. Nurses & Midwives Health Pty Ltd ABN 70 611 479 237. A Registered Private Health Insurer. NMH-NSWNMA-11/19 DIABETES UPDATE EVENING for nurses Your NDSS agent in NSW & ACT is Learn while you earn CPD points Wednesday 12 February 2020 Coffs Harbour Wednesday 11 March 2020 Albury Tickets Thursday 19 March 2020 Miranda $20 More dates and locations available on our website. Diabetes NSW & ACT is offering a diabetes evening workshop (including a light dinner) for nurses working within a hospital, medical practice, community health or aged care setting. The training will provide participants with an increased understanding of diabetes and the services available to their patients. This session is suitable for Enrolled Nurses and Registered Nurses. CPD points for this seminar will be available with the Australian College of Nursing (ACN) and Australian Primary Health Care Nurses Association (APNA). For more information or to register visit diabetesnsw.com.au/events or call 1300 136 588. The National Diabetes Services Scheme (NDSS) is an initiative of the Australian Government administered by Diabetes Australia. The NDSS agent in New South Wales and the ACT is Diabetes NSW & ACT. CONTENTS Contacts NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association For all membership enquiries and assistance, including The Lamp subscriptions and change of address, contact our Sydney office. Sydney Office 50 O’Dea Avenue, Waterloo NSW 2017 (all correspondence) T 8595 1234 (metro) 1300 367 962 (non-metro) VOLUME 76 NO. 11 F 9662 1414 E [email protected] DECEMBER 2019/JANUARY 2020 Join the health fund that’s all about you. W www.nswnma.asn.au Hunter Office 8–14 Telford Street, Newcastle East NSW 2300 Nurses & Midwives Health is dedicated to caring for the carers. And as a member of NSWNMA, you’re eligible to join! NSWNMA Communications Manager Janaki Chellam-Rajendra 1300 367 962 When you’re a member, you’re part of our family. So that’s why your family members are also welcome to join us. T For all editorial enquiries, letters and diary dates T 8595 1234 E [email protected] 50 O’Dea Avenue, Waterloo NSW 2017 Produced by Hester Communications T 9568 3148 Press Releases For your free, side-by-side comparison, and our latest offers, Send your press releases to: visit or call F 9662 1414 E [email protected] nmhealth.com.au 1300 344 000 Editorial Committee Brett Holmes, NSWNMA General Secretary Judith Kiejda, NSWNMA Assistant General Secretary O’Bray Smith, NSWNMA President Eligibility criteria and conditions apply. Nurses & Midwives Health Pty Ltd ABN 70 611 479 237. Michelle Cashman, Long Jetty Continuing Care A Registered Private Health Insurer. NMH-NSWNMA-11/19 Richard Noort, Justice Health Liz McCall, Byron Central Hospital 8 Diane Lang, South East Regional Hospital, Bega Valley COVER STORY Town fights to keep nurses, doctors Printed by A man’s death throws the spotlight on a Ovato Print Pty Ltd 37-49 Browns Road, Clayton VIC 3168 rural hospital starved of resources. Advertising Danielle Nicholson T 8595 2139 or 0429 269 750 F 9662 1414 WORKPLACE VIOLENCE REGULARS E [email protected] 12 Armband protest widens 5 Editorial Information & Records Management Centre Nurses don grey armbands and badges To find archived articles from The Lamp, or to to highlight workplace violence as survey 6 Your letters borrow from the NSWNMA nursing and health 26 Competition collection, contact: Adrian Hayward, Coordinator. reveals the problem is commonplace but 28 News in brief T 8595 2175 E [email protected] under-reported. The Lamp ISSN: 0047-3936 32 NSWNMA Education WORKPLACE VIOLENCE General Disclaimer 35 Ask Judith The Lamp is the official magazine of the NSWNMA. 14 Violence widespread but under-reported 36 Nurse Uncut More than a quarter of NSWNMA members Views expressed in articles are contributors’ own and 37 Facebook not necessarily those of the NSWNMA. Statements of were physically assaulted in a six-month period. fact are believed to be true, but no legal responsibility is 39 Nursing Research Online accepted for them. All material appearing in The Lamp AGED CARE and Professional Issues is covered by copyright and may not be reproduced 18 ‘Shocking tale of neglect’ Crossword without prior written permission. The NSWNMA takes no The Aged Care Royal Commission 41 responsibility for the advertising appearing herein and it 43 Book Club does not necessarily endorse any products advertised. has delivered a scathing indictment of Australia’s aged care system. 45 At the Movies Privacy Statement 46 Diary Dates The NSWNMA collects personal information from MENTAL HEALTH SCHOLARSHIPS members in order to perform our role of representing WORKPLACE AGED CARE MENTAL HEALTH REGULARS VIOLENCE SCHOLARSHIPS Bob’s legacy: support for junior Your rights and entitlements at work p.35 ‘Shocking tales 22 Armband of neglect’ Bob’s legacy: support for Nurse Uncut – your stories p.36 their industrial and professional interests. We place protest widens junior mental health nurses What nurses and midwives said p.37 page 12 page 18 page 22 Nursing research online p.39 great emphasis on maintaining and enhancing the mental health nurses privacy and security of your personal information. Up to 20 mental health nurses will have Personal information is protected under law and the opportunity to take part in a mentoring THE MAGAZINE OF THE NSW NURSES AND MIDWIVES’ ASSOCIATION can only be released to someone else where the law program in 2020, named in honour of Bob VOLUME 76 NO. 11 DECEMBER 2019 / JANUARY 2020 requires or where you give permission. If you have concerns about your personal information, please Fenwick, a mental health nurse who tragically contact the NSWNMA office. If you are still not satisfied died in a workplace incident in 2011. that your privacy is being maintained, you can contact the Privacy Commission. NEW GRADUATE PROGRAM 24 The virtuous circle Subscriptions for 2019 The Lamp spoke to Catherine about how Free to all Association members. Professional members can subscribe to the magazine at a reduced rate of $30. the new graduate program works, and how TENTERFIELD Individuals $84, Institutions $140, Overseas $150. it helped her build her nursing career. FIGHTS TO KEEP NURSES Print Post Approved: PP100007890 69,008 Avg Net Distribution per Issue On the cover The Lamp is independently audited under the AMAA's CAB Total Distribution Audit. Stacey Butler and Kimberley Druitt Audit Period: 01/04/2018 - 31/03/2019 Image by Sharon Hickey THE LAMP DECEMBER 2019/JANUARY 2020 | 3 Registered Nurses working in OPPORTUNITY FOR CAREER DEVELOPMENT NSW Public Mental Health Services What is it? The Program aims to encourage less experienced mental health nurses to take the opportunity to be mentored by a more experienced colleague, assisting them to achieve their mental health professional practice goals. BOB FENWICK Who can apply? Any registered nurse currently working in NSW public mental health services is MENTORING eligible to apply. Mental health nurses with less than two years’ experience or working in NSW rural and remote areas as well as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander nurses currently working in mental health are all strongly encouraged to apply. GRANTS What will each mentoring grant include? n Matching with a mentor in a Local Health District (LHD) other than their own for PROGRAM up to five consecutive days to pursue their mental health areas of interest. n Being provided with travel, accommodation and meal allowance, while remaining a fully paid employee of their regular mental health service during their placement. Seeking mentors for the Program Can help If you are a senior mental health nurse, you can help build the specialty of mental towards your APPLICATIONS OPEN health nursing by nominating yourself to become a mentor. Simply use the Mentor CPD hours 1 FEBRUARY 2020 Details Form or contact the Program Manager for more information. CLOSE 15 MARCH 2020 How do I apply? More detailed information about the Program (including a video interview of past Applications are open to registered nurses who participants) can be found on the NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association website want a unique opportunity to further their mental www.nswnma.asn.au health nursing career by participating in this innovative Program. 2020 EXPRESSION OF INTEREST FORMS WILL BE AVAILABLE FROM 1 FEBRUARY 2020. If you require more information contact the Program Manager by email: [email protected] or contact Matt West on 1300 367 962. Reproductive and sexual health for everyone, everywhere. Family Planning NSW delivers reproductive and sexual health education for nurses and midwives. Our highly popular education program will enable you to step up to the next stage of your career or to advance your skills. 2020 Education Program “The structure of the learning was comprehensive Contraceptive Implant (Implanon NXT) Insertion and Removal Training for Nurses and Midwives and done really well in an easy to follow format.