Earlier this week, our Metro North Facebook page featured a great patient story about Aunty Linda in our Rehabilitation Unit. If you missed it, you can access that post here.

Aunty Linda reminds us about the importance of sharing our stories and learning from each other. To help us do that, our Reconciliation Action Plan Working Group has put together a calendar of events and yarning circles for the rest of 2023.

These are important dates for everyone’s calendars.

10,000 Steps with REDDY Fun & Fitness

Redcliffe Hospital staff recorded more than 36,000,000 steps in this year’s 10,000 Steps Challenge.

Of the 127 staff who participated this year, the most impressive performance was from Evelyn Meyers, who logged more than 1.1 million steps – nearly enough to walk from Redcliffe to Canberra.

Thanks again to our REDDY Fun & Fitness team for coordinating the activity and getting everyone moving.

#IamRedcliffe Team of the Month – March

Congratulations to Dwyer Foulds from 5 East on being named our #IamRedcliffe Team of the Month for March.

Dwyer was recognised for the way she is always smiling, attentive to her patients, willing to help others, and the way her attitude inspires others.

Well done to all nominees for this month’s award, including Hayley-Maree Gray, Dr Richard Cheng, Gastroenterology, Clinical Directors Support Officers in West Block, Amarney Gould, Keith Von Dohren, Sandra Warden, and Michelle Hamilton.

Submit your nomination now for the April #IamRedcliffe Team of the Month.

#IamRedcliffe Staff BBQ

A reminder that on Tuesday after the Easter long-weekend we’ll be saying thank you to show our appreciation with a Staff BBQ.

All staff are invited to join us for a free BBQ lunch in the Staff Courtyard from 11am to 1pm.

April No Falls month

April No Falls is an Australia-wide campaign to improve patient safety and raise awareness of falls prevention. Here at Redcliffe, we’re encouraging wards and clinical areas to get involved with displays and activities promoting the importance of fall prevention. A range of posters and resources is available – and if you have any questions, talk to the Medicine Service Line office for more details.

Medication Safety

Pharmacy Director Ann Whitaker presented to our Staff Forum this week on how medication safety contributes to kind, safe and inclusive quality care every day.

Among the many important messages that Ann spoke about were:

• Treating medications with respect
• Involving the patient in all medication decisions
• Speaking up if you think something isn’t right
• Educating the patient on their medications, and
• Talking to a pharmacist if unsure about anything medication related.

If you have questions about Medication Safety, ask Ann.

Making it count

At our Clinical Council this week, we heard more about the direct relationship that our hospital budget and funding have with correct and accurate patient documentation.

Our Health Information Service team has some more tips on how we can make our clinical work count. This week’s tip:

Known underlying cause – If the underlying cause/causes are known, please document as ‘due to’ or ‘secondary to’.  Avoid ‘in the context of’

To find out more, talk to Health Information Services on 3883 7295.

Taking care of ourselves and each other

Lastly this week, as we head into the Easter long weekend – a word about how important it is for us to take care of ourselves, and each other. I encourage everyone to be familiar with the range of support services available to staff, including our Peer Responders, Staff Psychology Service, and Benestar.

Thank you to everyone who will be caring for patients over the Easter long weekend. For everyone else, I hope you’ll enjoy a well-deserved break with family and friends.

Louise.