Weekly Update

Dear CRANAplus members,

Welcome to the penultimate Friday Flyer for 2009. The Alice and Adelaide office staff are ‘tidying up’ those end of year projects ready for what is shaping up to be an even busier new year.

Libby Bowell and Caitlin Steiner have joined us this week in Adelaide (via Exmouth REC and St Helen’s MEC) to meet with their FLEC administrative team. They have overseen the restocking of the FLEC equipment making ready for a very busy course schedule in 2010 and looking at ways to offer future course participants the best service possible.

Courses are booking steadily with a few vacancies left for the February 12-14 courses. REC in Mt Gambier SA still has 9 places and MEC in Bruny Island Tasmania has 4 places still available.

Due to our office closure over the Christmas holiday period if you choose to register for a course you are able to do this online. Your registration will be processed when the office opens in January. Think about a FLEC course as the perfect gift for a family member or friend, graduate or colleague.
The new improved CRANAplus Magazine should be arriving in your post box by the start of the year.

Happy Holidays,

Anne-Marie Borchers

Business Manager, CRANAplus

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New Courses Launched

Midwifery Up-skilling Course
The new Midwifery Up-skilling (MIDUS) course has been developed out of an identified need by midwives working in remote and isolated areas for a program that will address maintenance of their skills in maternity care and ensure they retain currency of practice in midwifery skills and knowledge.

Eligibility:
Midwives working in remote and/or isolated areas.
GP’s working in remote and/or isolated areas whose practice includes care of pregnant women.

The MIDUS course is endorsed by CRANAplus and the Royal College of Nursing, Australia and attracts 20 CNE points.

Advanced REC Course

A new advanced Remote Emergency Care course has been created to extend the competencies of experienced remote health practitioners to an expert level. This course aims to meet the specific needs of practitioners working in an isolated setting that may need to take a lead role in the management of care of a critically injured or unwell patient.

Eligibility:
Registered nurses, remote area nurse, paramedics with emergency or critical care qualifications or who have successfully completed the REC course. GP’s who have relevant qualifications or who have successfully completed a REC or an equivalent remote emergency based course.

The Advanced Remote Emergency Care course is endorsed by CRANAplus and the Royal College of Nursing, Australia; it attracts 20 CNE points.

Click on the course titles for schedules and details.
 

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NHMRC NICS Public Release

Emergency Department Stroke and TIA Care Bundle
The Emergency department stroke and TIA care bundle is now available on the NICS website.

The care bundle has been developed by the National Institute of Clinical Studies to support emergency departments to implement evidence-based recommendations for acute stroke and TIA patients.

The care bundle is based on the National Stroke Foundation’s Clinical Guidelines for Acute Stroke Management, and has been endorsed by the National Stroke Foundation, the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine, the Australian College of Emergency Nursing and the College of Emergency Nursing Australasia.
Printed copies of the summary for clinicians and the poster are also available via on-line order from the NICS website.

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Educational Opportunities

Continuing Professional Education Scheme for Rural and Remote Nurses
This scheme is available for both registered and enrolled nurses to undertake postgraduate Continuing Professional Education courses and for attendance at conferences held within Australia (as presenters or delegates). Recently re-entered nurses are encouraged to apply under this scheme to further skill themselves for their specific work place. Scholarships are worth up to $10,000 each for up to two years of study. Applicants must be Australian citizens or permanent residents and they must be able to demonstrate that they are practicing in a rural or remote area of Australia and also hold a current practicing certificate. For clarification of your eligibility under this scheme please contact us by email: scholarships@rcna.org.au or on free call number 1800 117 262.

Remote Health Practice Program
Applications close 4th January, 2010
Postgraduate Nursing Programs:
Graduate Certificate in Remote Health Practice (GradStart: 2GC072)
Graduate Diploma in Remote Health Practice (GradStart: 2GD042)
Master of Remote Health Practice (GradStart: 2CM054)

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Articles of Interest

AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT MEDIA RELEASE
Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs: Coordinator-General for Remote Indigenous Services (six monthly report) What we do recognise is that we have a very very big job in front of us. We also want to make sure we get the houses built, and that we get the employment targets delivered.
 

AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT MEDIA RELEASE
First report into Remote Indigenous Service Delivery. The Coordinator General's report details the performance of Governments in meeting its commitments to implement the National Partnership on Remote Service Delivery to help close the gap in remote Australia. To continue to support the roll out of the COAG Remote Service Delivery Strategy, Government Business Managers and Indigenous Engagement Officers are being employed to provide on the ground support in all 29 priority locations.

Coalition of National Nursing Organisations (CoNNO) Position Statement
Undergraduate Nursing Education in Australia
This position statement has been prepared by the Coalition of National Nursing
Organisations (CoNNO), a coalition of more than 50 national nursing organisations that represent the nursing profession and its many areas of specialist practice. The final version of the CoNNO Position Statement for Undergraduate Nursing Education signed off at the CoNNO meeting held in Sydney in October.

Further Delays for Health Overhaul
The Federal Government's health deadline has been pushed back another few months.

Fitzroy Crossing Alcohol Restrictions Work
The Commissioner for Young People and Children says alcohol restrictions have had a positive effect in Fitzroy Crossing but more needs to be done.

Qld Needs 14,000 Nurses: Union
The Queensland Nurses Union (QNU) says the state will need 14,000 more nurses in five years and that nurses are leaving aged care in droves.

Qld Health Considers Rural Health Models
The Office of Rural and Remote Health has been operating for less than a year and says it already has more than 110 doctors training to be rural specialist doctors.

Dengue Outbreak Forces Blood Ban
The Townsville blood service in north Queensland has introduced restrictions on blood donations after the declaration of a dengue fever outbreak.

Swine Flu Warning as Second Wave Hits the North
A leading health professional says not enough Australians are getting the swine flu vaccination and the country needs to act now to avoid a second wave of the disease.

Dentists Favour Focus on Poor Over a Universal Scheme
Dentists are lobbying the federal government to dump plans from its top health reform body for a $3.7bn universal dental scheme, arguing instead for a smaller program focused only on the poor.

Children Buck Health Trend
Children at the remote Looma Aboriginal community in Western Australia are staking a claim on a healthy future after defying the national trend of rising diabetes and obesity.

Locals Bite Back Over Township Dog Plague
A remote Aboriginal community says it has found a solution to the severe dog problem plaguing it and many other communities.

Hope for Technology to Boost Rural Doctors
Forty-four of the western New South Wales region's smaller hospitals are being equipped with new technology to provide support for rural doctors.

Sex Diseases Affecting Young Children
A Northern Territory health report says six children under the age of 10 were found to have sexually transmitted infections in the first half of 2009.

Community Cabinet Hears Indigenous Welfare Worries
Health, education and environmental issues dominated talks at last night's federal Community Cabinet meeting in Townsville in north Queensland.

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