BPA infrastructure work well underway
The Have your Say BPA staff survey gave us a lot of meaningful actions and things to think about, especially in the area on how we can improve the environment and amenities staff have access to.
Work is underway to improve some of the staff break rooms, tea rooms, rest areas and shade sails at:
• Sandgate Dental Clinic
• North Lakes Health Precinct
• Zillmere Residential Transition Care
• Aspley Community Health Centre
• Brighton Health Campus.
The planned improvements are expected to be finished mid-year.
Pulmonary and cardiac success
We are working with the Australian Catholic University to increase cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation programs in Metro North.
Now, through the great work of our Complex Chronic Disease Team we are seeing a significant reduction in wait times and better access to these important life-changing programs.
Who doesn’t like an ice-cream?
Our Interim Care crew are always thinking of ways to make their patients’ stays more enjoyable.
Recently, they started an ice-cream cart on a Friday delivering a waffle cone/ice cream to patients’ rooms. It has become a great discussion piece with the patients deciding which flavour ice cream we will try each week.
So far, the firm favourite has been boysenberry swirl followed closely by old fashioned rum and raison. Beth (pictured) was very keen to have her photo taken because her favourite food is ice-cream.
Tutu and art style @ Kippa
Our Kippa Ring Vaccination Clinic celebrated International Tutu Day and the birthday of Registered Nurse Mary Jackson and took a photo of all the staff wearing their tutus.
It was very popular with the children coming for vaccination and also a way to bring fun into the workplace.
And, while parents were completing paperwork, they have been providing kids with chalk so they can be entertained drawing on the sidewalk. This has proven extremely popular.
There has been some fantastic art drawn on the pavement that has brought smiles to the children, their families and the staff.
And the accolades keep coming:
“Please pass on my appreciation to the staff at the Kippa-Ring Children’s vaccination clinic. My words can’t express my gratitude. Thank you for going above and beyond.
“In particular thank you to Naomi Roder (right) and our nurse Mary Jackson (first left) for taking such great care of our boys. Your dedication, aptitude and professionalism was greatly appreciated.
“Let’s just say having two neuro-divergent boys, anxiety was high but in the end the boys agreed 8/10 for the experience – 10 being not getting a needle at all. So exceptional work.”
Care at end-of-life welcomed
End-of-the life care in the home is decreasing hospital presentations and inpatient length of stay, while increasing opportunities for people to receive end-of life care in the place of their choice.
The Care at End-of-Life Project Team under the Healthcare Improvement Unit, Clinical Excellence Queensland put forward funding to enhance access to palliative care at home services for people under 65 years of age.
Metro North Community Palliative Care Service (CPCS) received a non-recurrent $500,000 to provide this care in the home, by increasing their Clinical Nurse, Registered Nurse, and Occupational Therapy staffing to support the project.
The team employed four Assistants in Nursing to provide hygiene and respite cares.
This project is improving access to personal care services and in-home respite for clients under the age of 65 years as many do not qualify for the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
And our patients are very happy about the service:
“It’s great, you can’t even imagine how hard it would be to leave him. I’m so grateful I can go to the dentist to finish my root canal treatment.”
“This service has been a life saver for my dad and myself as I have no support and no other help. I feel comfortable and supported with the service.”
“Was very grateful from all the care she received, the respite enabled Amanda to go out and refuel so that she was able to look after her loved one until the end of his life at home.”
Connecting care – Staff profile
Name: Adrian McShane
Role: Manager Corporate Services
Tell us what you do with your team that supports teamwork and wellbeing?
We encourage a consultative approach to centre management. I am privileged to be supported by a motivated and engaged Corporate Services Facilitator and Centre Managers, and Senior Admin officers who regularly step up, together with great facilities management teams who have pride in their centres.
I value their input and initiative in developing improvements and performance in facilities management and client services. We work in a stressful industry but laughter is great medicine.
I hope providing opportunities for team members to have to input into the process and management of their respective facilities recognises the value they contribute and gives them a sense of control and wellbeing in delivering great client services.
Three things you do to support your own wellness?
- Try to avoid overworking each day! – Effectiveness and initiative can be inversely proportional to the office hours committed each day.
- I am an introvert. I like to spend sometime in the workplace and at home, in solitude for clarity and reflection.
- Focus on the bigger picture and celebrate the small gains. Sometimes we have big wins but generally healthcare is about constant, continuous and incremental improvements.
Meet my pet or favourite thing?
The boys!
Something others may not know about you?
I enjoy gardening.
Most useful wellness resource that you have come across and why?
My swimming pool – tune out and relax the body and mind.
Discharge coordinator improves rehabilitation flow
Brighton Rehabilitation have commenced a dedicated discharge coordinator position which was benchmarked with other Metro North facilities to evaluate the impact on length of stay on patients.
Discharge Coordinator Project Officer Emma Glenn said she has seen how valuable discharge planning is for patient centred care and how this enabled safe and effective discharges home.
“This is an exciting opportunity to research and evaluate processes throughout the service to improve efficiencies,” Emma said.
“This not only has potential for positive outcomes of patients but also increasing the skill set of clinicians in a supported environment.”
As a unique 42 bed inpatient rehabilitation unit the Brighton Rehabilitation team have been continually working on improving efficiencies within the unit to ensure better patient flow.
Historically there have been mixed models of discharge planning and which led to delays, gaps in service referrals, inconsistent communication to patients and families, and impacts on clinical availability.
FAST FACTS – Oral Health
Each year more than 10,000 vulnerable school kids received fun oral health education, dental screenings and preventative fluoride varnish treatment to help protect their smiles.