Weekly Update

Dear CRANAplus Members,

In May, many of you will receive a membership renewal reminder. I hope that you will take the time to complete the form and continue your membership in a organisation that everyday works to represent you and the remote health sector. The strength of CRANAplus lies in our membership. The greater our membership, the greater the influence we have in Canberra and state and territory capitals around Australia. Each and every individual membership makes us a stronger organisation and increases what we can accomplish on behalf of the entire sector. Your membership makes a difference.

When you receive your reminder please take time to fill out the attached form (we’ll include a stamped self-addressed envelope for your convenience). Alternatively you can go on-line and register via our secure website or call our membership officer Helen who is available to assist you with any enquiries (08) 8408 8200.

Do you have the newly released second edition of the CRANAplus Clinical Procedures Manual? There is now a way to get a free copy! All you have to do is recruit five co-workers or colleagues to join (full memberships and they must mention you by name) and we will post you a copy of the CPM with our thanks.

Cheers,

Anne Marie Borchers
Business Manager

back to top

Your input is requested

Through involvement in the Nursing and Midwifery Stakeholder Reference Group, CRANAplus has been asked to provide input to the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing as they look for ways to address violence and bullying in nursing and midwifery.

CRANAplus President, Christopher Cliffe is asking members for their thoughts and input in establishing priorities for a national strategy on violence and bullying of nurses and midwives.

Please forward your input to publications@crana.org.au.
 

back to top

Meetings & Conferences

The 28th CRANAplus Conference
13-16 October 2010
Adelaide, SA

The Australian Practice Nurses Association 2nd Annual Conference 'Golden Opportunities'
6-8 May 2010
Gold Coast, QLD

Inaugural National Indigenous Drug and Alcohol Conference "listening, learning and leading"
16 May 2010
Adelaide, SA

Supporting Sisters and Aunties to Survive!
Spread the word about the supporting sisters and aunties to survive! A breast cancer summit for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women.
26 May 2010
Darwin, NT

Australia's Health 2010 Conference- The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare
23 June 2010
Canberra, ACT

Aboriginal Health Conference 2010
26 - 27 June, 2010
Perth, WA

2010 Primary Health Care Research Conference
Primary health care research and health reform: improving care
30 June - 2 July 2010
Darwin, NT

Australian Diabetes Society & Australian Diabetes Educators Association Annual Scientific Meeting
1-3 September 2010
Sydney, NSW

2nd Rural & Remote Mental Health Symposium "Winds of Change: New Perspectives on Rural and Remote Mental Health"
29-30 September 2010
Canberra, ACT

The 4th Asia Pacific Regional Conference of the International Association of Suicide Prevention
‘Suicide Prevention: A Dialogue Across Disciplines and Cultures’
17- 20 November 2010
Brisbane, QLD

back to top

Educational Opportunities & Scholarships

Interactive Lecturing and Presenting
6 May 2010
Alice Springs
Facilitated by Geoff White from Monash University, this workshop will introduce participants to the concept of 'interactive learning' as it applies to the planning of lectures and presentations that engage audience members via interactivity between them and the lecturer/presenter. The workshop is specifically focused on planning sessions that address 'lecturalgia' (painful lecture), a condition that "is a frequent cause of morbidity for both teachers and learners".

Dementia Resouce Guide
The Department of Health and Aging ‘Dementia Resource Guide’ is available on-line and can be downloaded by chapter. This guide has been developed to help people care for those who have dementia. The guide supports a holistic approach that considers the social, emotional, physical and spiritual needs of the person with dementia and those around them. CD format is also available on request.

CRANAplus/YNA Undergraduate Scholarships
Deadline - 31st August 2010
Each year CRANAplus in partnership with Your Nursing Agency (YNA) offer a total of six $1000 scholarships. These scholarships are available to students who as part of their undergraduate course of study in a health discipline at any Australian university, undertakes a remote location placement.

PHC: Making a difference
25-26 October 2010
This short course has been developed to strengthen health professionals understanding of the social, environmental, structural, political and philosophical issues that impact upon health care provision in remote Australia. The workshop will explore primary health care, its current status and potential in Australian health care as well as the recognition of the importance of integrating health promotion and prevention strategies in remote health settings.

Upcoming RHEF Broadcasts:
A Finger on the Pulse: Acute Coronary Syndromes
In 2009, a report by Access Economics estimated that there was nearly 90,000 heart attack and chest pain related hospitalisations in Australia, consisting of first time and repeat events. It was expected that just under 10,000 Australians would die from heart attack, the majority before they reached the hospital. It was estimated that heart attack and unstable angina together costs the community $17.9bn, of which $1.8bn is in direct health care costs.


A Sticky Issue: Otitis Media and Indigenous Children
Otitis media (middle ear infection) and subsequent hearing problems are a major health and development concern for many Indigenous children in Australia. In some remote Aboriginal communities, rates of tympanic membrane perforation exceed 60% and up to 50% of school children possibly require hearing aids. Studies have shown that in Aboriginal communities, the onset of otitis media frequently occurs within 3 months of birth and progresses to chronic suppurative otitis media in 60% of cases.
Tuesday 25 May 2010 | Channel 4 | 8:00 pm (AEST)
 

back to top

Articles of Interest

HEALTH DEBATE SHOULD NOT START AND END WITH HOSPITAL BED NUMBERS
There have been so many announcements, claims and counter-claims about health reform in the past six weeks that it has been difficult to keep up.

ARTIFICIAL HEART POSSIBLE IN THREE YEARS
The leader of a team developing a new artificial heart says the researchers are hoping to run animal trials by the end of the year.

ROUS WATER DENIES FLUORIDE ENVIRONMENTAL RISK
Rous Water says adding fluoride to the Lismore, Ballina and Richmond Valley water supplies will not impact on marine life.

NEW ENGLAND GETS ABORIGINAL DEVELOPMENT OFFICER
The New South Wales Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Paul Lynch, has visited Armidale to launch a program for Aboriginal development officers.

SUMMIT TO FOCUS ON FRESH FOOD IN REMOTE AREAS
A summit will be held next month aimed at closing the gap in Indigenous health by improving access to fresh food in remote communities.

MORE MONEY TO BOOST SERVICES FOR INDIGENOUS MUMS AND BUBS IN WA, VIC, SA, TAS (FED)
Indigenous babies will have a better chance of being born healthy and
staying healthy following the announcement of additional Rudd Government
funding for nine mothers and babies services.

FLU VACCINE MAKER DENIES 'BAD BATCH
The maker of the flu vaccine now implicated in a rash of child sickness across Australia - and possibly one death - denies that a "bad batch" is involved.

DISTRACTED NURSES MAKE MISTAKES: STUDY
A major study of how medicines are administered in Australian hospitals has found a high rate of "procedural failure and clinical error" by nurses.

NANOPATCH TIPPED TO REPLACE SYRINGE
Researchers have used nanotechnology to discover a far more effective and less painful vaccination technique than the syringe.

back to top