Practice Nurse Update

Danni Steele November 08

Since starting here at the division in June 2008, it's been my pleasure to facilitate and offer continual professional development and support to all of our wonderful and dedicated practice nurses employed within the BDDGP region.

PN network events draw to a close for 2008

There is a wealth of knowledge and diversity of skills out there in "Practice Land", and the role of the practice nurse continues to develop and evolve at a rapid rate.

I wish to personally thank each and every one of you who have attended our presentations. Education sessions during the second half of the year have included:

• Immunisation Updates July 2008
• National Asthma Council Spirometry Training day
• Health Professions Act and CPD facilitated by our guest speaker Sarah Fagan from the Nurses Board of Victoria

…and most recently, the Gardasil Program and HPV register Update, including a comprehensive education package from Mary-Jane O'Sullivan from CSL. This included a pretty special venue and meal. Hope I can top this next year!

All supporting presentation materials, minutes and the odd photo will be available on our website, and I look forward to planning more sessions for all staff next year.

Read this right now!

GPV will soon be sending out information to divisions to disseminate to practice nurses to enrol in the Graduate Certificate in Nursing (General Practice) Program for 2009.

• Enrolments will close 30 January 2009
• Semester one starts 23 February 2009
• Cost per module (1-3) run through GPV will be $350 per module

GPV are encouraging all practice nurses who wish to gain higher education qualifications to enrol in this program (at this heavily subsidised rate).

At a national level, GPV will be looking into the development of a master program in the near future.

Let's beat the 'hundred day cough'

Why should we promote adult pertussis vaccination?

• Immunity to pertussis is lost ~10 years after INFECTION or VACCINE, so there are lots of adults in our community not immune to the disease
• Pertussis is highly contagious, and a person with pertussis will infect 80% of their non-immune house hold contacts
• Pertussis can be deadly to infants - newborns are at risk of infection, hospitalisation and death if exposed
• Maternal antibodies are of no help, therefore need to cocoon baby

Please think about and check the immunisation status, and promote adult immunisation to all adults including all health care workers, child care workers and parents to be.

Let your approach be vigilant each time these clients visit your clinic setting. Remaining proactive results in good health outcomes.

Have you got the right stuff?

The APNA Conference Committee is pleased to announce that registration for The Right Stuff Conference is now available online. The conference will be held in Melbourne from April 30 to May 2 next year.

If you do not wish to use the online form, a PDF version of the registration form is also available to download. This form can be printed, completed and returned to APNA via mail or fax.

Anyone wishing to present at the conference can also submit an abstract by January 15th 2009. Applicants will be notified via email or post of the success or otherwise of their submission. This is expected to take place by Friday 15th February 2009.

This article is available online at http://bddgp.org.au/article/2008/11/nurse-update

• Next: How Effective is Team Work at Your Practice?
• All November 2008 articles

Print this article