As you know last week I walked to celebrate and acknowledge the work and commitment of the Nurses and Midwives in Metro North. While it was a tiring week, I would absolutely do it again and to that end I have been working with the two Foundations and the Metro North Communications team to think about what it will look like next year.
2022 is proving to be as challenging as 2021. While COVID-19 is ever present and the associated ramifications that it has on our staff and patients continues to cause us reason for concern, we remain challenged with activity and the complexities of healthcare. I am always so pleased to lead what I see to be the most exemplary and professional workforce.
The last couple of weeks have certainly been very busy. While we learn to live with COVID and directions change I would remind every staff member to continue to look after yourselves and your family.
Colleagues, it has been a while since I have written to you. What a time we have been having! Between COVID-19 and flooding it has indeed been a challenge for all. I would like to thank each and every nurse and midwife for your continued commitment to the health service.
Here we are the end of 2021 and this will be my last message to you all before the end of the year. While the year has been a huge challenge for each and every one of us, it has certainly demonstrated to me the commitment, the dedication and the professionalism of our staff and for me as the Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer I could not be prouder of our Nurses and Midwives.
December is here and I suspect everyone is getting ready for the festive season, however that looks for you. We all celebrate this time of the year differently and for very different reasons but please take this time to reflect on the year that was and think about all the wonderful things that we have achieved, not only as a health service but also within Nursing and Midwifery Services. We have seen more graduates within our service than ever before and while I am so very impressed with them and the way they have embraced the challenges that have faced them, I am also so proud at how we as a health service and our more experienced nurses have supported them on their journey.
The Metro North Nursing and Midwifery ‘Dance Off’ was such a success in 2020 that it is now time again for us put on our dancing shoes and spread cheer, showing off our talents outside the ward once again before the end of 2021!
There is much happening in our health service presently. Clearly COVID-19 is looming, and I continue to encourage you to encourage your family friends to get vaccinated.
I hope the past couple of weeks since my last message have been positive for you all. We are very aware of how busy everyone is but with summer coming I am hopeful that you take the opportunity in your time away from the organisation to get some much-deserved rest and relaxation.
It has been a few weeks since I have written a communication to you and I apologise. The weeks just fly by and Fridays seem to come around awfully quickly! There is much happening, and I will try to highlight some of the challenges but also initiatives for Nursing and Midwifery Services across Metro North.
What a busy few weeks we’ve had at Metro North Health! It sometime seems like we are on a never-ending roller coaster and it’s never going to stop and let us get off. Our busy working lives coupled with the current pressures of COVID-19 and all the additional imposts that it poses makes for such unprecedented times.
Thank you to every single nurse and midwife in Metro North who has absolutely gone above and beyond to meet the challenges that have confronted us.
This week has been a little more controlled than previous weeks and I know that many of us are hopeful that this continues. I am, however, very cognisant of the busyness of our working lives and the fact that things can change so quickly. As you are aware Nursing and Midwifery has a very robust process for the reporting of and management of workloads.
This week I had the pleasure of attending the state-wide launch of the Clinical Supervision Framework for Queensland Nurses and Midwives. I am so proud to be the sponsor of the Office of the Chief Nursing & Midwifery Officer (OCNMO) Queensland Health who funded a Clinical Supervision Project which was led by Metro North Mental Health Nurse Educators Kobie Hatch and Cathy Boyle. The project team conducted a state-wide consultation to produce this framework, and also developed a four-day education and training program to train nurses and midwives as clinical supervisors.
Dear colleagues, As part of the celebrations for International Day of the Midwife on May 5 and International Nurses Day on May 12, this year we launched the for the first time the Metro North Nursing and Midwifery Awards. We held a virtual ceremony [...]
Dear colleagues, CNMO Alanna Geary with new nursing graduates Emily Mardiste and Lucy Mooney This week I had the absolute pleasure to work beside some of my clinical colleagues from Community & Oral Health Services in the provision of COVID-19 vaccinations at [...]
Dear colleagues, Current Workloads Our current level of activity is high and I am acutely aware of the issues in Metro North Health in all directorates. Firstly, I would like to thank you for your care, compassion and commitment. It is outstanding and, as [...]
Dear colleagues, This week we welcomed 40 new graduate registered nurses into Metro North. It was an exciting day for everyone as these nurses have come to initially assist with the vaccination response to COVID-19 and the requirements for screening and then will be [...]
I returned from leave on the 1st of February after having a very welcome break over Christmas and New Year. It was an exciting time for my family. While COVID had kept us apart, my Melbourne based sister was able to travel in one of the brief [...]