From NZ media this week
Mental health workers protest against assaults
About 60 health workers took to Auckland streets today to protest against assaults on staff by patients at Auckland District Health Board's acute mental health unit.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/health/news/article.cfm?c_id=204&objectid=10733611
Nurses Support Mental Health Workers March Against Violence
The New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) supports the protest by PSA members working in mental health units across the Auckland region. PSA members are staging a protest in support of workers at the Auckland District Health Board’s, Te Whetu Tawera Mental Health facility who are facing unacceptable levels of violence in their workplace.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE1106/S00094/nurses-support-mental-health-workers-march-against-violence.htm
Seclusion issues raised after MH nurses’ street protest
Staffing levels and models of care are being investigated after mental health nurses took to the street this week to protest against assaults on staff at Auckland District Health Board’s acute mental health unit.
http://www.nursingreview.co.nz/pages/section/article.php?s=News+Feed&idArticle=21315
MH nurses back PSA colleagues
Reports of assault and violence on staff at Auckland’s acute inpatient mental health unit, are causing concern for nursing colleagues in the College of Mental Health Nurses and New Zealand Nurses Organisation.
http://www.nursingreview.co.nz/pages/section/article.php?s=News+Feed&idArticle=21314
Working Together to Improve Youth Mental Health
Organisations working together and a better recognition of the work of community agencies could go a long way to alleviating the youth mental health deficit highlighted in the Gluckman Report, says Youthline
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE1106/S00095/working-together-to-improve-youth-mental-health.htm
Healthline gives GPs ‘a speedy heads-up’
New Zealand’s free telephone health advice service – Healthline – just got better, with the introduction of a system which ensures callers can share important information with their usual family doctor (GP).
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE1106/S00099/healthline-gives-gps-a-speedy-heads-up.htm
Tariana Turia Speech: NZ Nurses Organisation - Matariki
I have been greatly looking forward to this event - to celebrate the wonder of Matariki in the best of company. For who could be better than nurses, midwives, kaimahi hauora, and healthcare workers to treasure the health and wellbeing of our whanau?
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1106/S00395/tariana-turia-speech-nz-nurses-organisation-matariki.htm
Nurse clocks off after 50 years
Phil van den Broek's commitment to Wanganui Hospital can only be described as outstanding.
http://www.wanganuichronicle.co.nz/local/news/nurse-clocks-off-after-50-years/3956797/
Hospital ready for its largest patients
The increasing number of extremely obese patients - some weighing more than 300kg - has forced Waikato Hospital to open…
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10734107
Hospital-quality-bid-criticised
An Invercargill doctor says projects designed to improve the quality of services in hospitals are in need of a shakeup.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/news/5180106/Hospital-quality-bid-criticised
DHB-colluded-union-claims
A scathing report by the union for hospital doctors and nurses accuses the outgoing Southern District Health Board chief and Queenstown Medical Centre of collusion.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/news/5191990/DHB-colluded-union-claims
Call-for-strategy-on-soaring-diabetes
New Zealand has "no strategy whatsoever" to deal with its burgeoning diabetes epidemic, experts say.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/5195213/Call-for-strategy-on-soaring-diabetes
Government-defends-efforts-to-tackle-diabetes
The Government has defended its efforts to curb diabetes after new research showed New Zealand has some of the highest rates in the world.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/5195213/Government-defends-efforts-to-tackle-diabetes
West Coast DHB Leading The Way With Telemedicine Initiatives
Further improvements are being planned for the delivery of medical support to the West Coast from a distance, giving improved and more equitable access to health care services.
http://www.voxy.co.nz/health/west-coast-dhb-leading-way-telemedicine-initiatives/5/93301
Prison Nurses Committed To Helping Prisoners Quit Smoking
Prisons around the country go 100% Smokefree on 1 July, but Kirstin Harrison, nurse team leader at the Auckland Region Women's Corrections Facility, expects it will be business as usual.
http://www.voxy.co.nz/health/prison-nurses-committed-helping-prisoners-quit-smoking/5/93344
Popular-Plunket-books-may-be-phased-out
Plunket books could be on the way out following a multimillion-dollar investment in new technology
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/5194965/Popular-Plunket-books-may-be-phased-out
Fewer-children-immunised-for-measles
A drop in the number of children being immunised in Nelson Marlborough has made the area's medical officer of health uneasy, given the Auckland measles outbreak
http://www.stuff.co.nz/marlborough-express/news/5190299/Fewer-children-immunised-for-measles
Govt eyes cash offer to get kids immunised
Parents could be paid to immunise their children after the Government agreed yesterday to consider a plan by Parliament's health committee
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10733956
From international media sources
Job satisfaction trumps pay in LTC nurse retention
Sometimes, it's not all about the money. Instead, job satisfaction and emotional well-being are better indicators of retention in long-term care facilities, particularly with nursing assistants, according to new research from Rice University, University of Pittsburgh, and Baylor College of Medicine, published in The Gerontologist.
http://bit.ly/jRePLA
Proposed bill to set nurse staffing levels, protect whistleblowers
Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) last week introduced legislation that would establish a federal minimum of nurse-to-patient ratios at all hospitals, according to a press release.
http://bit.ly/lpSEBO
New Incentive Programme Will Benefit Nurses, GPs, and Practices
Nurses, GPs, general practices and consumers will benefit from the Practice Nurse Incentive Programme (PNIP), which will begin operating on January 1, 2012. In the meantime, materials and information are being made available to general practices to help them transition from their current business models and to adapt to the changes involved with the PNIP.
http://bit.ly/msbj2i
NMC questioned on 'alarming' lack of language tests for EU nurses
More stringent language and competency tests for European nurses are needed to protect patients and avoid more failures in basic care, the Nursing and Midwifery Council has told MPs.
http://www.nursingtimes.net/5031304.article?referrer=e26
Health and wellbeing
Finding Calm Amid Crisis: Stress Reduction on the Job
A simple breathing exercise can help nurses find "calm within the crisis," says registered nurse Pamela Ressler. Nurse Diane Grove recommends a technique she calls a three-point body scan: Focus on your feet for a few moments, allowing your muscles to relax, then do the same for your jaw. Finally, breathe deeply, in and out, she says.
http://bit.ly/kRjfZX
Bullying's effect pervasive - study
Workplace bullies hurt not only their victims but the colleagues who witness it, a New Zealand study has found.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10733920
Articles of interest
Child health in New Zealand
Our alarming child heath in less well-off communities is costing us all.
http://www.listener.co.nz/lifestyle/health/child-health-in-new-zealand/
Supporting workforce development of nurses: Exploiting the synergies between technology in education and practice
The context of nursing is characterised by rapid technological change, bringing into focus the importance of advanced nursing education and life-long learning.
http://www.hinz.org.nz/uploads/file/2008conference/P30.pdf
Educational needs of practice nurses in mental health
This study provides information about the extent of mental health activities undertaken by practice nurses and identifies their educational needs.
http://www.rnzcgp.org.nz/assets/documents/Publications/JPHC/June-2011/JPHCOSPPrinceJune2011.pdf
Online resources
Worth checking out – a range of health titles available – particularly in the area of Patient safety and quality
More than 4,000 National Academies Press PDFs Now Available to Download for Free
The National Academies—National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, Institute of Medicine, and National Research Council—are committed to distributing their reports to as wide an audience as possible. Since 1994 we have offered “Read for Free” options for almost all our titles. In addition, we have been offering free downloads of most of our titles to everyone and of all titles to readers in the developing world. We are now going one step further. Effective June 2nd, PDFs of reports that are currently for sale on the National Academies Press (NAP) Website and PDFs associated with future reports* will be offered free of charge to all Web visitors.
http://notes.nap.edu/2011/06/02/more-than-4000-national-academies-press-pdfs-now-available-to-download-for-free
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