Today we celebrate the wonderful team of nurses that we are blessed to have support our community’s needs at Caboolture Hospital, Kilcoy Hospital and Woodford Corrections Health.

International Nurses Day recognises the contribution of nurses across the world, and it has delighted me to hear of so many CKW teams recognising this day in their own way.

All our nurses have such a valuable role in the delivery of patient and family-centred care, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It is at times a challenging job but it is a rewarding job as well.

You help create an environment where patients feel safe and assured that they are receiving the best possible care.

I know many of you were celebrated this week for your exemplary service during our Nursing and Midwifery Awards. I was disappointed that I could not attend this year due to leave, it is always a wonderful celebration and I always value the opportunity to thank you all personally. So, I send a virtual ‘thank you’!

Please take a moment and say thanks to our wonderful nurses for their vital contribution to patients and their families, today and every day.

Artwork donation

I was delighted to officially receive this Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artwork for Caboolture Hospital recently. It tells a remarkable story.

It was created by 24 members of our community with each person choosing a panel and same sized copy of the original art piece to replicate. Uncle Alan Parsons developed the original artwork, assisted with paint mixing, art skills and techniques, such as using acrylics.

The final painting is something special. It symbolises the inner being of a person with radiating circles of energy linked and connected to each other, radiating energy and power. The outermost ring has been fractured and is being repaired by many hands working together, healing the person with whom they have connected.

The artwork was assembled during Mental Health Week by Connections Inc.  last year. I was lucky enough to attend, and for the short while I was there the power of this activity and the connections it created was palpable. This magnificent piece of artwork know takes pride of place at the Caboolture Hospital Mental Health Ward 1.

Thank you to Uncle Alan and everyone involved in this remarkable project.

Staff Shout Outs

Congratulations to the CKW staff who received a Metro North Staff Shout Out in April. Each recipient has already received an official congratulatory email, but I wanted to celebrate their success with all of you as well! Learn more about Staff Shout Outs.

• Judith Nugent – Mental Health Ward 2 – It is such a pleasure to work with Jude! She is always friendly, professional and well-informed. It is obvious that she has vast experience in mental health nursing and we, her colleagues, are the beneficiaries.

• Kersha Jacobs – Kersha demonstrates excellent leadership in her role as a team leader and clinician. Kersha manages the residential care pathway for the hospital and balances compassionate care for patients and families with excellent patient flow outcomes for the hospital.

This month, we’re also recognising Staff Shout Out champions – exceptional members of the Metro North community who embed the Metro North Values in their workplace and have been recognised by their peers more than once in the past 12 months.

At CKW, our champions are Maternity Unit Manager Stephanie Webster (individual) and Patient Support and Operational staff (team). Congratulations!

What a compliment!

Our security team is tasked with maintaining a safe and secure environment for patients, visitors, and staff. However, one of the team recently went above and beyond, taking the time to provide reassurance and comfort to a young service user in the emergency department waiting room who was anxious and too scared to get an x-ray.

According to the feedback received from the father of the child, the officer engaged with the child in a friendly and approachable manner and managed to ease his fears about the procedure. After which, the young person willingly walked into the procedure room with his father thanks to the officer’s comforting presence and words.

This type of behaviour exemplifies our core values of empathy, compassion, and exceptional service.

It is a testament to the quality of our security personnel and the positive impact they can have on the hospital experience of our end users and their families.

CKW Staff Excellence Awards nominations extended

The CKW Caring Together Staff Excellence Awards – sponsored by QSuper – celebrate staff who make a significant contribution and demonstrate a strong commitment to the Metro North Values – respect, teamwork, compassion, high-performance and integrity.

Nominations have been extended to 5pm Wednesday 17 May. Nominate now.

Finally,

International Day against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia on Wednesday (17 May) helps to improve the lives of LGBTQIA+ young people across Australia.

Visit www.idahobit.org.au for more details and how you can be involved to help build a world free from discrimination.

Take Care,

Angie.