Pulse - 13

Registered Nurse Refresher Program Notre Dame has announced the release of a four-day course for Registered Nurses looking to upskill, develop and refresh their clinical skills, knowledge of pathophysiology and pharmacology, and relate this to the management of people experiencing illness. This new program is delivered over four days, with a total of 36 hours of structured online study, including daily contact with academic staff via live Zoom sessions. The program is available in four separate sessions over the coming months. Free online courses to upskill healthcare professionals In support of our front line healthcare workers, The University of Notre Dame Australia’s School of Nursing & Midwifery launched free online continuing professional development (CPD) short courses for any healthcare professional looking to refresh and upskill themselves in the management of the critically ill patient. Developed and presented by an expert nurse in critical care Dr Steven Hardman, the two courses covered key strategies for healthcare professionals to use while faced with the COVID-19 pandemic, including detecting and responding to acute clinical deterioration, respiratory assessment, oxygenation and basic ventilation strategies. Participants of these courses came away with a renewed understanding of what to look for in deteriorating patients, build confidence in responding to the key markers of deterioration, and how to communicate and work effectively as a team. Undertaking this course counts as eight CPD hours. Photo: Dr Steven Hardman presenting the first online continuing professional development (CPD) short courses which counts toward eight CPD hours. ON THE PULSE Congratulations Dr Benjamin Hay – Australian Awards for University Teaching (AAUT). Category: Innovation, leadership or scholarship that has influenced and enhanced learning and teaching and/or the student experience. Dr Benjamin Hay 10 NOTRE DAME SCHOOL OF NURSING & MIDWIFERY CATSINaM conference Flying to Sydney in late 2019 to be a part of the Congress of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nurses and Midwives (CATSINaM) conference was one of the most rewarding experiences I have been involved in. The CATSINaM was first developed to increase the recruitment and retention of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Nursing and Midwifery. During this week away, I learnt the depth of how important we as Aboriginal people are in healthcare today. Without Aboriginal nurses and midwives, there would be very little cultural safety, cultural sensitivity and awareness for our Aboriginal patients in our hospitals, and little understanding of how best to care for them. The conference held the theme of ‘connecting care through culture’ and this made me realise the significance it has on the delivery of our care each and every day. This experience time and time again extended my knowledge of the barriers in the healthcare system, especially surrounding Aboriginal healthcare workers, where there is a lack of support and where our voices often don’t get heard. This is why it was so rewarding to come into this environment surrounded by only Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people because together we built strategies on how to implement change and present a stronger voice for ourselves. I also learnt that despite the gap for Aboriginal people, we as students should be proud as we have worked extremely hard to be where we are and we are educated enough to then educate others. Driving change in the healthcare system is definitely tough but the resilience that filled the room was inspiring and it has given me hope that I can influence policy reform by the credibility I have achieved at Notre Dame. This conference has given me the confidence to rise to the challenges of our time and find a way to meet the needs and solve difficult problems by not dwelling on failures but be drawn forward by hope and a commitment to succeed. My goal is now to work in the preventative healthcare sector. In doing so, I will work in remote communities of WA to educate women on the importance of their antenatal care to prevent preterm births that force women to move off country while their infant remains in the NICU in urbanised hospitals. Believe me when I say I am truly grateful. Ashton Embry Bachelor of Nursing Student