Dr David Rosengren
Hi Team Royal,
After almost a year of hoping and waiting in anticipation, the COVID-19 vaccine has finally arrived at Metro North. As you know, I recently had the opportunity to receive the vaccine over in STARS alongside some of my frontline colleagues. The commencement of the vaccine is a huge step for Queensland and Australia, and we know many of you are eager to receive your vaccine. We will keep you updated as we roll out the vaccine to all staff over the coming weeks and months, in line with the National Rollout Strategy.
Throughout the past month, Team Royal has been hard at work doing what we do best – caring for our patients. The team up in 9A South were treated with a very special visit from one of their former patients, who wanted to say thank you to them for saving his life, while a new Nurse Ambassador program is helping patients feel safer and more supported while they recover from surgery.
In exciting news, a multidisciplinary team of staff have started Australia’s first dedicated clinic in optimising preoperative patients with diabetes right here at RBWH. The clinic will help the 25 per cent of RBWH inpatients who have diabetes to better prepare for surgery, before they arrive for their operation. I’m always impressed by the health innovations are staff come up with, and this is no exception.
On a more sombre note, this month we said goodbye to former RBWH Executive Director of Nursing and Midwifery Lesley Fleming and remembered Dr Michael Perera who passed away just over one year ago. For all who knew Lesley and Michael, please take the time to reflect, grieve and be kind to yourself and each other.
Finally, I wanted to leave you all with a quote from one of our patients, 87-year-old Laurie who has been a patient at RBWH since 1992. Laurie sentiment demonstrates that while patients may not always remember your name, they will always remember how you made them feel.
“The Royal has been absolutely fabulous. This hospitals attention during the pandemic has been colossal. We come up here, we’re met in the foyer, our hands are cleaned, the nursing staff look after us, the doctors look after us, the other staff look after us. Right from the day I came here when the pandemic first started there were people everywhere willing to help. It amazes me. I go to a lot of clinics here because of my eyes and my heart and I’ve had exceptional service. We feel like celebrities.”
Enjoy this edition of News at the Royal and have a great month.
Cheers,
David Rosengren
Executive Director
Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital