RAH Researcher Spring Raising funds for life-saving medical research at the 2020 Royal Adelaide Hospital Nursing Scholarships. Help our nurses improve patient experiences and care. See page 4 Amanda Fleming, Accredited Nurse in General Medicine (left) and Bernadette (Bernie) Fernandez, Nurse Unit Manager for General Medicine (right) providing patient care at the Royal Adelaide Hospital. Researcher Profile Dr Stuart Callary “Personally, I would like to say a sincere Dr Stuart Callary is Senior Medical thank you to all Scientist for the Department of donors to the RAH Orthopaedics and Trauma, Royal Research Fund.” Adelaide Hospital and a Senior Lecturer at the Centre for Dr Stuart Callary Orthopaedic and Trauma Research, University of Adelaide. His research Welcome and a warm ‘thank you’ to our wonderful donors and supporters. focusses on improving outcomes for patients undergoing total hip Despite the many challenges we have all faced this year, your commitment replacement (THR) and surgery has not wavered. We all feel so very fortunate to have your continued to treat lower limb fractures. support for the Royal Adelaide Hospital (RAH) Research Fund. He has just received the Royal Adelaide Hospital (RAH) In this issue of RAH Researcher, This is a time in history when we have Many of you, as former nurses yourselves, Research Fund’s three-year the team has carefully collated a relied heavily on the combined efforts of will particularly enjoy our journey ‘back in range of entertaining and informative our frontline workers and ‘behind the time’ on pages 8 and 9 as we explore how Mary Overton Fellowship. stories that I’m sure you will enjoy! scenes’ teams to keep our community safe. nursing uniforms have changed over the So as a special tribute to the many people years. It’s hard to imagine our 2020 nursing Celebrating International Year of the Nurse who impact our lives every day, in this team sporting starched white caps with and Midwife 2020 has provided us with an issue we go behind the scenes and talk to streamers! What is unique about your research? How will your research make a My research could reduce the likelihood of hip ideal opportunity to shine a spotlight on the ‘quiet achievers’. My research uses a special x-ray real difference? replacement patients having to undergo the incredible dedication of our frontline I encourage you to take a moment to technique called radiostereometric In Australia, 35,000 patients have revision surgery, usually caused by implant workers. To support this great work, we You’ll hear about the RAH Facilities Team recognise the many ways the RAH analysis (RSA), which measures implant THR surgery every year.1 New implants loosening, fracture, dislocation or infection; will be offering Nursing Scholarships to on page 15; our volunteers on page 7 and Research Fund is able to make a difference, movement 20 times more accurately continue to be introduced and early improve the assessment of new implants and enable our nurses to have a greater impact read a fascinating first-hand account of thanks to your generosity and kindness. than normal x-rays. clinical assessment is vital. surgical techniques and; improve mobility and and improve patient experiences at our how the COVID-19 Screening Clinic was set So as I love to say, make yourself a cuppa, function for patients after surgery to treat hospitals in South Australia. up at the RAH in just 18 hours on page 6. pop your feet up and enjoy the read. If a patient has received an inferior I am very excited to expand pelvic and leg fractures. On page 3 you’ll meet talented Researcher, performing implant it is important to measurements of implants and fracture Nurses devote their lives to care Dr Stuart Callary and on page 10, we determine this sooner rather than later fragments under weight-bearing loads How important is the RAH Research Fund? – to avoid pain and compromised mobility. using our novel RSA technique. We are for others and are always there share a research update from Associate Personally, I would like to say a sincere thank Professor Shilpa Jesudason, whose Using RSA, we can determine if a hip international leaders using these very you to all donors to the RAH Research Fund. for you and your family when implant will become loose within two sensitive measurements. Results from complex research study, INJECT was Julie Raynes The RAH is an internationally renowned centre you need them most. We hope generously supported by our donor years. We are currently monitoring over our clinical studies have enormous for orthopaedic research and this research Fundraising Manager 400 total hip replacement (THR) patients potential to explain why some you will now be able to show your community after a report in our CALHN and opportunities such as the Mary Overton support in return. last issue of RAH Researcher. with RSA measurements. implants become loose and some Fellowship would not be possible without fractures do not heal. such financial support. 2 1 Source: Australian Orthopaedic Association National Joint Replacement Registry 20th Annual Report, 2019 3 different countries, she has frequently had Amanda Fleming is another passionate nurse “We would sincerely ideas she believes would make her patients who cares deeply about making her patients appreciate any gifts feel even better. feel comfortable and happy. Amanda has worked her way up to the qualification of from donors towards “As part of our planning for patient discharge, Accredited Nurse at the RAH after beginning Nursing Scholarships, we discuss the care and support that is her nursing journey with a VET Course in Year so we can further improve needed upon returning home, with both the 11 and 12. patient and their family. I’d like to have a patient experience.” special ‘after care’ package to add to this “Every day is different in the General Bernadette (Bernie) Fernandez, process, such as more resources to help Medicine ward – you never know what the Nurse Unit Manager for General Medicine patients understand how to take good care day will hold,” she said. at the Royal Adelaide Hospital (RAH) . of themselves, along with extra telehealth follow up calls if needed. Her next goal is to achieve her Registered Nursing qualification, which will take a “I would also like to have a wardrobe of further two years of study. “I have always comfortable clothes available for those been fascinated with the complexities of the patients who do not have family who can heart and brain, so maybe one day I might be provide a fresh set of clothes and working in the Neurology ward or Intensive appropriate footwear during their stay in Care Unit,” she said. hospital and at discharge. It would be a real Nurses Bernadette (Bernie) Fernandez (left) and Amanda Fleming (right) providing patient care at the Royal Adelaide Hospital. comfort to patients to know they can leave Amanda says that each nurse in General the hospital in new, clean clothes.” Medicine has a ‘portfolio’ responsibility and Nursing Scholarships spends time considering ideas to improve patient care and experience. Help our nurses improve patient experiences Amanda Fleming, Accredited Nurse in One of Amanda’s most recent Thank you for General Medicine. initiatives was a palliative care box Our nurses have patient care and enabling our nurses to make an even greater so Bernie knew this was what she wanted to developed to provide extra comfort your generous for palliative care patients on her ward, experience at the heart of impact on the health of our state, for you do with her life, too. and your loved ones. containing relaxing music on CDs, support. everything they do, and many “I have always had a passion for helping other a special blanket and essential oils. nurses have fantastic ideas to Dedicated nurses like Bernadette (Bernie) people and making a difference in their lives. When Amanda recently added these Fernandez, Nurse Unit Manager for General I enjoy bringing happiness to those in need,” little touches to the room of a patient improve patient care even further. Medicine at the Royal Adelaide Hospital said Bernie. in her care, she said the patient and When you support the (RAH) and Amanda Fleming, Accredited family were extremely grateful. RAH Research Fund and our To help make some of these ideas a reality, Nurse in General Medicine are “I love working with my new Nursing Scholarships, and celebrate International Year of the Nurse enthusiastically waiting for the opportunity team to bring joy and “I would love to see the palliative care and Midwife 2020, South Australian nurses to suggest their own ideas. box as a special feature across all wards, your generosity will change now have the opportunity to be awarded comfort to my patients and for those times when patients and lives, helping support Nursing Scholarships to develop new For Bernie, a career in nursing was ‘meant make them feel better.” families need additional comfort and innovations and advances in patient care. to be’. Both of her parents are health a few touches that feel like ‘home’,” South Australians in our The best ideas, chosen by a highly qualified professionals, and her two sisters are nurses, Bernie says that over her many years of said Amanda. hospitals and community. panel, will be funded for development, nursing, working across different wards in Click here to donate today! 4 5 “Since the day we opened on 5 March, we have swabbed over 15,400 patients.” Craig Robinson Gaynor and Lorraine Volunteers with Craig Robinson, Outpatient and Ambulatory Care Nurse Manager, Central hearts of gold Adelaide Local Health Network (CALHN). The RAH COVID-19 Clinic Calm at a time of crisis When Craig Robinson, Outpatient and Infection Prevention Control Unit, Clinical and we had to adapt and improve as Ambulatory Care Nurse Manager, Central Worker Health Service and the RAH Stores we progressed.