Monday 23 October is the start of our annual TPCH Charlies Week celebrations, our hospital’s official birthday week.

TPCH Week is an opportunity to come together as the fantastic team we are and celebrate the great work we do here. It’s also a chance to have some well deserved fun!

We know staff are busy, so we’ve organised a range of morning, day time and evening events to accommodate everyone.

And the best thing is that there’s still time to register and get involved. More information.

View TPCH Week Program

Support TPCH Giving Day

The Prince Charles Hospital’s Giving Day is next Wednesday 25 October as part of TPCH Week, and staff are encouraged to support this important annual hospital appeal.

This year, the Common Good needs to raise $100,000 to support identified equipment and projects of need for TPCH Children’s Emergency Department and Paediatric Ward.

Staff can volunteer to join our telethon team, or fundraise and help make the biggest impact.

You can also decorate your ward and be in the running to win the prize for the best decorations!

Staff will also have the chance to pat cute puppies and raise money for our Children’s Services at the same time! For all the dog people like myself out there, there will be 15 adorable pooches joining in Giving Day celebrations outside The Café for The Common Good, and for just $5, you can jump in the pen with them for some cuddles. The pups will be available for a visit between 8.30 a.m and 3.00 p.m.

During Giving Day, there will also market stalls, food trucks and the Charlie’s Fitness Challenges at 10 am, 12 pm and 2 pm which staff are encouraged to register for.

It’s set to be a great day and we look forward to showing our support as a hospital community.

Looking after your health

While spring has sprung and the weather is getting warmer, it doesn’t mean respiratory viruses including COVID-19 have disappeared. In fact, we’ve seen increase in staff with COVID-19 within the last week.

So remember the following important infection control practices:

• If you are unwell with respiratory symptoms you should not be coming to work;
• Test for COVID with a RAT; and if COVID positive please notify TPCH Contact Tracing Team via email: TPCHContacttracing@health.qld.gov.au
• Mandatory exclusion period for health care workers positive with COVID is 5 days from the onset of symptoms.
• If COVID negative, stay home until you no longer have respiratory symptoms.
• Always clean your hands – 5 moments of hand hygiene protect staff as well as patients
• If you wish to wear a mask while working, please make sure you wear it properly.

Executive update

Congratulations Food Services

This month we are recognising the contributions of our dedicated Operational Services staff. So it was very timely to receive the good news of our Food Services team being acknowledged for their skills and expertise at the annual Institute of Hospitality in Health Care Conference in Adelaide this week.

Congratulations to Cook Peter Wright-Hofmeister and Site Coordinator Rahul Raj who teamed up for TPCH, competing against public and private hospitals to win the culinary competition component of the conference. Their winning meal was a delicious herb crusted barramundi with spinach fondant potatoes, radish, pea puree and citrus beurre blanc. Sounds fabulous!

Peter and Rahul’s accolade is testament to the high-level service provided by our Food Services team here at TPCH, which contributes to the improved health and nutrition, and the overall experience of our patients. A big thanks to Sally Barrimore who also flew the flag for TPCH with her presentation on TPCH’s on-demand texture modified meals. The team’s attendance at the conference was supported by TPCH’s Study Education Research Trust Account funding.

ECMO Course

This week, Director of Operations, Surgery and Critical Care, Melanie Dubbelde attended the introductory session of TPCH’s ECMO training course. This is the third year this course has been delivered by our ICU team and it was great to see participants from others states and as far away as Japan in attendance. TPCH is one of only a few centres around the world that can provide this training, which strengthens our ICU’s standing as an internationally recognised heart and lung recovery unit. Congratulations to ICU Director, Dr Jayshree Lavana and the whole ICU team for organising another successful course.

Executive walkaround

This week, Director of Operations EPIC Karlene Willcocks visited the Rehabilitation and Acute Stroke (RAS) Unit.

Karlene had the pleasure of chatting with some staff, as well as with patient Leslie who spoke in great detail to A/NUM Roslyn Blasl and her about his challenges with palm trees and his special interest in making model vehicles. Leslie was happy with his care and is looking forward to getting back on his feet again soon. We wish you a good recovery Leslie!

FAST FACTS

Because we’re focusing on our health, this week we’ll profile our Infection Management Service.

Did you know?

• Infection Management Service incorporates Infectious Diseases and Infection Control, a team consisting of Infectious Diseases Consultants, Advanced Trainee Infectious Diseases Registrar, Clinical Nurse Consultant and Clinical Nurses.
• The Service provide a specialised infection management service to TPCH, as well as to inpatient Mental Health Units at TPCH; Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs Service; Pine Rivers Community Care Units; Nundah House and Kallangur Satellite Hospital.
• The Staff Vaccination Clinic administers approximately 3,600 vaccinations to TPCH staff each year.
• Infectious Diseases provided 850 patient consults in the last 12 months.
• In the last 12 months, 15,186 hand hygiene moments were collected by Hand Hygiene Auditors across TPCH, with 7,766 collected by Infection Control staff.

Staff profile

Because it’s National Mental Health month, today we will profile Advanced Indigenous Mental Health Worker, Kim Walker. In this role, Kim is involved with undertaking activities to ensure culturally appropriate and responsive care is provided to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander consumers who access Metro North Mental Health Services.

Having previously worked in probation and parole, telephone counselling with Kids Helpline and with the Institute for Urban Indigenous Health’s Partners in Recovery program, Kim is passionate about making a difference to the health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander consumers. This includes shattering the stigma of mental health through support and education. For Kim, it is important for the identified workforce to walk alongside non-Indigenous staff members in the journey towards health equity.

Outside of work, Kim spends time with her four children, cheering from the sideline of their rugby union games.

Today’s quote

“Without appreciation for yourself, others and life itself, there is no growth.” – Rasheed Ogunl

Tami.