Message from the Acting Executive Director

Community awareness of the Caboolture Satellite Hospital Minor Injury and Illness Clinic continues to grow as the number of patient admissions reaches 40 to 50 per day, with some days being as high as 60 presentations.

This is a bigger number than was anticipated when the service modelling was undertaken but well done to everyone who is providing great service to the community.

The multidisciplinary model, which underpins the service delivery, ensures that patients requiring urgent care are seen quickly and efficiently with the triage process recognising the treatment urgency and guiding the treatment pathway.

As this lovely weather supports the sporting season, several young people have presented with musculoskeletal injuries and it’s great to see the physio team involved as an intrinsic part of this multidisciplinary model.

Recently, a teenager presented with hip pain. After being triaged and reviewed by the nursing team, he was then assessed by the doctor and x-rays were ordered. The physiotherapy team reviewed the x-rays and noted an avulsion fracture of his hip – where a small piece of bone had separated from the main bone.

This collaborative teamwork meant the patient was seen and diagnosed as quickly as possible and the correct follow-up care through the Metro North orthopaedic team could be planned.

As a result, patient care and outcomes were improved as an agreed treatment plan was developed. The result also demonstrates the respect, trust and skill levels which exists within the Minor Injury and Illness Clinic team. Well done everyone!

Welcome aboard!

Several new staff have joined the Caboolture Satellite Hospital Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Services recently.

Welcome to Stephanie Archibald, who has been appointed to the role of the Community Engagement Officer (Female). Stephanie is Bigambu/Gamilaroi woman and previously worked as a Ngarrama midwife at Caboolture Hospital and CKW Directorate Fit Testing Coordinator.

Karen Mitchell has been appointed to the role of Nurse Navigator. Karen is a Wiradjuri women and has worked in Indigenous Health for many years as a Care Coordinator with IUIH and ATSICHS Brisbane.

Karen is looking forward to working in the Nurse Navigator role to ensure Mob get referred and linked in to access health care meeting the community’s needs.

Raelene Heness who has been appointed to the role of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Senior Health Worker. Raelene is a proud Gunngari woman and previously worked as a Senior Mental Health Worker with the Mental Health Homeless Health Outreach Team.

2023 CKW Research Symposium – call for presentations

The 2023 CKW Research Symposium will be held at the Caboolture Hospital Education and Skills Centre and online via Microsoft Teams on Tuesday 17 October from 9am to 1pm.

The Symposium will include research and quality improvement presentations and posters from the current and previous year, culminating in a keynote address by A/Prof Dylan Flaws.

Presentations are invited from staff, collaborators, and students on:

• Research and quality improvement study concept (planned or in progress) – five-minute presentation and one minute Q+A

• Research and quality improvement study results (completed) – eight-minute presentation and two minutes Q+A

• Submission of e-posters (PDF or PPT) is also welcome

To register your interest to present, please fill in this Microsoft Forms link by Friday 15 September. Posters should be submitted by 8 October.

For symposium guidelines and further information please visit the RDU website

Thanks for supporting Jersey Day!

I was so happy to see so many CKW staff supporting Jersey Day!

I have a confession to make in that I forgot to wear a jersey but please know I am so chuffed to see so many of you wearing them today on such a wonderful occasion.

This special day was born from the legacy of teenager Nathan Gremmo.

Nathan donated his organs and tissues in 2015 at the age of just 13, saving the lives of six people.  While his passing would be so traumatic for his family and loved ones.

The lives that he saved is a true testament to the wonderful legacy of organ donation and to a clearly very courageous young man.

Jersey Day is a such a great way to encourage your workmates to join the Australian Organ Donor Register.

With around 1800 Australians waiting for a transplant, it’s more important than ever to register and to tell your family.

Registering on the Australian Organ Donor Register is easy, it only takes one minute of your time with your Medicare card, at donatelife.gov.au or three taps on your MyGov app.

For more details, contact CKW Donation Specialist Nurse Barb Williams via email or phone 0404 092 737.

Hope In A Suitcase

In the lead up to Queensland Child Protection Week in early September, Caboolture Hospital’s Child Protection Unit is again hosting a donation drive for the ‘Hope in a Suitcase’ initiative.

Their aim is to give every child entering the foster care system a suitcase of their very own to ensure they have a safe and secure place in which to pack their belongings and take with them wherever their journey may lead.

The suitcases are filled with essential items such as toiletries, underwear, a set of pyjamas and a change of clothing.

They also include something to cuddle for the younger children, a toy, a book to read, a journal or colour-in books and pencils to encourage creativity and provide a distraction.

The Caboolture Hospital Child Protection Unit is hopeful that each department in the hospital can choose and age group and donate a suitcase (or a few!) and donate items.

Suitcases should be hard shell (42cm height) on wheels with duffle bags for teenagers.

Contact the Child Protection Team to collect full suitcases. For further details, contact Nadia in the Child Protection Unit. Phone 5433 8573 or
email CPU-Caboolture@health.qld.gov.au

What a compliment!

Congratulations to Caboolture and Kilcoy Advance Care Planning Facilitator Desre Arnold who I received this lovely card for a lady she had been working with. Such wonderful recognition!

I also really enjoyed this compliment that came across my desk for Dr Chong and the team at Kilcoy Hospital:

“Dr Chong was amazing both in clinical knowledge, bedside manner and upbeat attitude.

“All nurses involved in my care were just as attentive, humorous and professional.

“I would hope they get this feedback as far too many people are quick to abuse a poorly done job but not take the time to applaud a great job and team.”

Have Your Say Survey

As you would have heard, the directorate level Have Your Say staff survey results have come back and been presented to respective executives at each directorate/facility.

These briefings provided an opportunity for senior and executives at each facility and directorate to gain insights into the overall employee sentiment, to understand what we are already doing well and identify the potential areas for improvement.

In September, work unit reports will be distributed to facilities and directorates through operational leadership teams and reports shared with line managers of each work unit.

A work unit will receive a quantitative report if more than five respondents from that team have answered the survey and will receive narrative feedback only if they have 10 or more respondents.

The aim is for all the full reports to go to directorates at the same time for distribution to managers and their teams.

Reminder

The Caboolture Hospital Central Courtyard will be closed from 4pm Monday (4 September) for professional cleaning. It will be open again as normal on Tuesday (5 September).

Finally,

As I get older, I realise just how fast the years go by.

It seems like yesterday that I was a child, then a student nurse, a young wife, a new mother and now a grandmother.

If I have learnt anything in my six decades, it is that life is short and while wealth is wonderful, health and wellbeing are far more important.

I try and be grateful for what I have and that includes my health, but sometimes when I walk through some of our clinical areas, and I see the vulnerability of the patients and their families who require our services, it challenges me to consider what we can do to make their experiences better.

I am so aware of how hard each staff member works at CKW. The roles we have can be difficult and sometimes it is tough to not take some of our criticisms and complaints personally.

So, my challenge to all of you, is to remember all the good things that you do. Take pride in our compliments and continue to strive to ensure all patients and families have an opportunity to positively feedback on our service but remember when patients and/or families seek answers, provide feedback which is not positive or complain, it is done for a reason and it is our job to learn from their experiences.

Negative feedback can be just as educational (possibly more so) as positive feedback.

The weekend is once again here so I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.  The weather is amazing…enjoy!

Stay safe,

Alanna.