In connection with the observance of International Nurses Day last May 5th, NSW Minister of Health Mrs Jillian Skinner said she is impressed by the range of local EOC innovations being led by nurses at hospitals around the state. These include:
· Concord Hospital Burns Unit – staff devised a process to significantly reduce the amount of skin harvested from a patient, resulting in less pain during recovery.
· Dubbo Hospital Medical Ward – nursing staff have changed their model of care to a team nursing model, which has resulted in improvements in nursing documentation, observation and fluid balance chart documentations.
· Cumberland Hospital (Acacia Unit – Mental Health Rehabilitation Unit) – by creating a sensory garden in the Acacia Unit, nursing staff were able to achieve very significant decreases in the number of aggressive incidents, staff injuries, episodes of seclusion and the use of restraint, as well as a 70% reduction in staff sick leave.
· Woy Woy Hospital Transitional Care Unit – staff designed a piece of equipment to help patients with upper limb impairments to care for their diabetes at home, reducing the likelihood of residential aged care admission. The unit also introduced Time To Get Active, a program of activities such as tai chi, yoga, indoor walking and interactive games for aged care patients to improve social engagement and mobility.
· Wyong Hospital Cardiac Care Unit – a survey of patients led the unit to develop a Common Cardiac Terms and Information brochure to help patients and families better understand the complex language of cardiology.
“These are fantastic examples of nurses leading local solutions at local hospitals to make a difference in our health system,” Mrs Skinner said.
NSW Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer Susan Pearce said International Nurses Day is a celebration of the skill and dedication of NSW nurses. Midwives were honoured on International Midwives Day (May 5).