Staff News

TPCH Newsletter

November 2021

• New nurse navigator welcomed

  TPCH’s Internal Medicine Service has recently welcomed a new nurse navigator for rheumatology, Cheree Kimmins.

• Message from the Executive Director

  As we inch closer towards the end of the year, it’s important we remember to stop and reflect on everything we’ve achieved over the last few months.

• Message from the Executive Director Allied Health

  I would like to extend a warm welcome to the new Health Practitioner staff that have commenced over the past few months. We look forward to supporting you as you ...

• New name strengthens cultural connection

  TPCH’s new modular endoscopy unit, which opened earlier this year, was recently granted a special Indigenous name, highlighting its commitment to the journey of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients.

• TPCH hosts first ever home grown Adult ECMO training course in Queensland

  Thirty-two doctors and nurses from across Australia participated in the inaugural ECMO training course held 20 – 23 April 2021.

• Meet TPCH’s newest Cultural Capability Officer John

  TPCH is excited to welcome Cultural Capability Officer John Corowa, who will be educating staff and contributing towards our culturally aware hospital environment.

• Welcome Dr Sindia Madan, TPCH’s very first dedicated staff psychologist

  TPCH geriatricians have partnered with four hard-working medical students to conduct research aimed at helping improve patient outcomes for people with dementia.

• TPCH medical students instrumental in research study now published authors

  TPCH geriatricians have partnered with four hard-working medical students to conduct research aimed at helping improve patient outcomes for people with dementia.

• Ann keeping people with Parkinson’s disease connected

  TPCH Speech Pathologist Ann Finnimore helps patients with Parkinson’s disease to manage the speech, swallowing and communication difficulties that frequently develop as a result of this progressive neurological disorder.

• Group brings generations together

  TPCH’s Older Persons Mental Health Team (TPCH-OPMHT) has adopted a new direction for its consumer wellness group by looking at new ways to help address the feelings of loneliness and ...

• Sisters receive lifesaving heart valve procedures from top TPCH cardiology team

  Sisters Rita Cooper and Maureen Lowe share more than just their genetics – they now also share the same treating team, having undergone the same TAVI procedure by TPCH cardiologists ...

• IMS goes green

  Members of TPCH’s Internal Medicine Service (IMS) team went green last month, with a tree planting activity to help make the campus more environmentally friendly.

• News in Brief

  Short stories from November

July 2021

• A colourful wait for vaccination clinic

  Thanks to the creative efforts of students at the McDowall State School, waiting after a COVID-19 vaccination has just become more interesting.

• Sterile Stores Project

  TPCH Surgical Services are set to benefit from a works project to improve the storage of stock in the operating theatre.

• Healthy conversion for TPCH gardeners

  Who thought gardeners could get any greener? Well TPCH gardeners are proving they can do just that with the recent conversion of their gardening equipment from petrol to rechargeable battery ...

• Rola keen to roll on patient flow

  TPCH has recently welcomed Rola Tawbe to the role of Nursing Director of Hospital Wide and Clinical Support Services (HWCSS).

• PEARS marks sweet milestone

  TPCH’s cardiac surgical team has marked an important milestone after performing its 50th PEARS procedure last month. The ground-breaking Personalised External Aortic Root Support (PEARS) procedure is designed prevent fatal ...

• GEM@Home trial

  TPCH’s Geriatric Evaluation Management (GEM) Ward has commenced an innovative new trial to support patients to receive care in their own home and reduce hospital readmissions.

• TPCH welcomes new IHLO

  Sam Tochterman-Talbott has a passion for helping people. A proud Gamilaraay/Gomeroi and Bigambul man, and the eldest of seven children, Sam is a natural caretaker of those closest to him, a ...

• CF Unit brings exercise home to patients

  An innovative virtual exercise program introduced by TPCH’s Adult Cystic Fibrosis (CF) physiotherapy team is having great success with patients.

• New cardiac genomics service provides personalised medicine

  The recent introduction of a cardiac genomics service at TPCH is providing patients with greater access to personalised medicine through the early detection of inherited cardiac diseases.

• Super Saturday improves endoscopy wait times

  Staff from TPCH’s Endoscopy Service have gone above and beyond after recently hosting a Super Saturday to see more patients and improve endoscopy wait times.

• Message from the Chair of TPCH Clinical Council

  The Prince Charles Clinical Council members who come from across different hospital disciplines have been working with the hospital executive to deal with clinical service delivery issues especially during this ...

• Message from the Facility Services Director

  Currently, we are working with the Building Engineering and Maintenance Services and staff across the facility to undertake a range of improvement initiatives and projects.

• Message from the Acting Director of Nursing

  I would like to extend a warm welcome to the 30 new nursing staff who commenced at TPCH in June. We look forward to supporting them as they embark on ...

• Message from the Executive Director

  Welcome to the July edition of TPCH’s Staff Newsletter. Celebrating the achievements and work of our staff is an essential part of hospital life, particularly in the current environment, where ...

April 2021

• Message from the Executive Director

  Welcome to TPCH’s April staff newsletter. I am keen to keep staff well informed about all of the important activities and events planned for our hospital this year including some ...

• Patient Compliment

  Patient Compliment: Cognitive Assessment Management (CAM) Unit

• We honour Emeritus Professor Malcolm West AM

  The Prince Charles Hospital and Community has lost one of its legends. Emeritus Professor Malcolm West was a great teacher and mentor, master clinician, and well-respected researcher and academic who ...

• Bossy gives paw-fect pick me up for patients

  Patients recovering from orthopaedic surgery at TPCH are getting the paw-fect pick me up thanks to Ward 2D’s new therapy dog. Bossy, an eight-year old Labrador Dalmatian, visits the ward ...

• TPCH staff embrace health care service innovation

  When TPCH Nurse Navigator Jodie Huntley-Forde and Nurse Unit Manager Louise Perkins were selected as part of Metro North’s second cohort of 30 staff to commence the Graduate Certificate in ...

• New Nurse Practitioner candidates welcomed

  TPCH’s Internal Medicine Program has recently welcomed two Nurse Practitioner candidates. Ruth Brotchie and Elise Power are TPCH and Metro North’s new Nurse Practitioner candidates for Delirium and Cognitive Impairment, ...

• SEED funding success

  Two TPCH projects have been successful in Metro North’s recent SEED and LINK funding rounds, both supporting the introduction of novel care models to improve patient outcomes and the patient ...

• Elders bring community voice to TPCH

  TPCH’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Steering Committee has become the first within Metro North to welcome consumers, supporting the hospital to deliver more culturally appropriate care to patients. ...

• FRAIL team to strengthen care of older persons

  The introduction of a new specialist service is set to improve the care of frail older people presenting to The Prince Charles Hospital (TPCH). The Fast Review and Integrated Liaison ...

• TPCH kicks off vaccine rollout

  TPCH’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout kicked off last month with around 500 staff receiving their vaccination during the first week. Staff who received the vaccine were part of the Phase 1a ...

• New endoscopy suite sees first patients

  TPCH Endoscopy Service has reached an important milestone with the first patients being seen through the new modular suites last month. Intensive preparation was undertaken by staff to ensure the ...

• Message from the Executive Director Allied Health

  Welcome to all the new allied health staff who have joined TPCH this year. It’s great to have some new faces on board. Congratulations to those staff who have recently ...

• Message from the Executive Director Medical Services

  Last month we celebrated Doctor’s Day to acknowledge and honour the valuable service doctors provide to our patients and the community. At TPCH, we marked this international day of recognition ...

January 2021

• Message from the Executive Director

  Welcome to the new year as we look ahead to the challenges and successes of 2021. Even though this year has just begun, it has already been a very busy ...

• Endoscopy Unit Expansion

  Works have commenced on a building project to expand TPCH’s Gastroenterological and Endoscopy Service, allowing more procedures to be delivered to patients.

• Young doctor recognised for research efforts

  A young doctor at TPCH has been recognised for her research endeavours after becoming the recipient of two notable research awards.

• ACU/TPCH Clinical School cohort welcomed

  TPCH and Australian Catholic University (ACU) recently welcomed its newest group of Clinical School nursing students to the hospital.

• SMHRU celebrates 20 years

  TPCH’s Secure Mental Health Rehabilitation Unit (SMHRU) recently marked a major milestone when it celebrated its 20th anniversary with a special event attended by staff and clients of the unit.

• NAIDOC Week event celebrates culture

  TPCH staff came together late last year to celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history and culture during the hospital’s annual NAIDOC Week event.

• TPCH welcomes new junior doctors

  TPCH has kickstarted the new year with some new faces, with 24 medical interns recently joining the hospital as doctors.

• World-first treatment for silicosis underway at TPCH

  Clinicians and Researchers from TPCH and The University of Queensland (UQ) have developed whole lung lavage, a ground-breaking new treatment that provides hope to those suffering with artificial stone silicosis.

September 2020

• NOFEAR – A bold era in hip fracture research

  The establishment of TPCH’s Fractured Neck of Femur (NOF) service 10 years ago marked the start of a new era of care for elderly individuals with a broken hip.

• Tribute to Joanne Maguire – A Bright Star

  Having cared for her unwell husband at home, his passing left a big gap in Jo’s life. Not one to sit idly by, in 2002 Jo decided to put ...

• Three cheers for 46 years! Farewell Kathy

  On a Friday in November 1974, Kathy Muhling walked into Royal Brisbane Hospital (RBH) to enquire about job vacancies. Half an hour later she was asked to start on Monday ...

• TPCH Culture Council – driving positive change

  TPCH’s Culture Council is a group of staff whose focus is to help build a culture that focuses on the shared goal of caring for our people to the best ...

• MET training gets a boost

  Facilitators from intensive care, emergency department and various medical teams have joined forces to boost Medical Emergency Team (MET) training to improve staff skills in responding to ‘real’ emergencies.

• New direction for admin at TPCH

  Administration services at TPCH have a new direction with the recent appointment of six new Administration Managers who will provide improved support to clinical programs in the delivery of patient ...

• TPCH delivers another Australian-first

  Interventional cardiologist duo Drs Karl Poon and Dale Murdoch had just 10 seconds to save Nadeane Giles in a complex Australian-first heart procedure. Suffering from mitral stenosis, a severe narrowing ...

• Becoming culturally capable

  Henry Nona has a passion for culture. For the last eight years, Henry has been a Cultural Capability Officer, focussed on building vital connections between the Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait ...

• Fractured NOF service celebrates a decade of care

  The establishment of TPCH’s Fractured Neck of Femur (NOF) service 10 years ago marked the start of a new era of care for elderly individuals with a broken hip.

• Meet the Whole Lung Lavage team

  TPCH is home to the innovative Whole Lung Lavage team which is saving the lives of young people with silicosis, a disease which mainly affects stonemasons. The recent silicosis epidemic ...

• Message from the Executive Director

  Welcome to the second TPCH staff newsletter for 2020. A lot has happened since our last newsletter back in February as a result of COVID-19, so I am pleased to ...

• Paul praises TPCH COVID-19 health heroes

  When Paul Mahony left TPCH’s intensive care unit after 45 days, he was completely unaware of how close he had come to never seeing his wife of 43 years again, ...