A nurse who started a charity from a granny flat in her parent’s backyard to reduce hospital waste has taken out one of the Australian nursing profession’s most prestigious honours.
Brisbane’s Claire Lane MACN was today named the 2022 winner of the Health Minister’s Award for Nursing Trailblazers, a national award recognising nurses whose leadership has led to innovative solutions addressing key challenges facing our health and aged care systems.
Claire received the award for her work with Save our Supplies, a for-purpose organisation that collects excess clean usable medical supplies from hospitals.
Working with Rotary, they redirect the supplies to areas of need, including developing nations, war-torn areas like Ukraine and Flood impact regions of Australia.
The announcement was made at the Australian College of Nursing (ACN) National Nursing Forum in Darwin by Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care Ged Kearney.
ACN CEO Adjunct Professor Kylie Ward FACN congratulated Claire on becoming the fourth nurse – and third successive from Queensland – to win the Health Minister’s Award for Nursing Trailblazers.
“Claire is an exceptional woman and nurse who has used her leadership, expertise and passion for social impact – characteristics our profession prides itself on – to make the world and future a better place,” Adjunct Professor Ward said.
“She not only created an innovative solution to address one of the biggest challenges facing our healthcare systems, but has gone above and beyond to use it to improve the health of people across the world.
“She exemplifies the mission of the Health Minister’s Award for Nursing Trailblazers, showcasing to Australians the leading role nurses’ skills and expertise play in shaping the lives of those we care for.
Assistant Minister Ged Kearney noted the honour she felt as a nurse to announce the recipient of the Health Minister’s Award for Nursing Trailblazers. She also reflected on “how proud she was to have been a nurse” and that she wanted “every single nurse to be proud of what you do every day for all Australians”.
-
Continuity of Care under COVID-19
Series 3, Episode 1
Under the COVID-19 pandemic, the Australian Healthcare system has handled the public health crisis by monitoring and responding to challenges in supply chains, testing & tracing of new infections and stock piling of essential equipment.
The public has largely responded by practising social distancing, understanding how hand hygiene can spread contagion and recently installing the COVIDSafe mobile application. Public health messaging has been largely effective and literacy improve, to combat the dangers of misinformation.
To open up access to medical advice during the pandemic, in March the Australian government issued MBS item codes for telehealth consultations, for advanced practice nurses as well as GPs and other specialists.
According to AMA President Dr Tony Bartone, as of mid-May 2020, around 10 million Medicare-funded telehealth services have been provided, either over the phone or via video, a significant majority of which have been provided by GPs and other specialists since the Medicare telehealth items were introduced in March.
However in recent months, the health system has mounting concerns on:
- a reduction in general practice visits for testing, investigation or immunisation
- lower rates of elective procedures resuming since being halted
- reduction in laboratory testing
- reduction in treatments and diagnosis of chronic and acute conditions
- access to, and continuing to take medications
Those with pre-existing conditions have been urged to keep appointments and routine treatments to maintain their health.
Industry has taken action such as the newly formed Continuity of Care Collaboration (CCC). The 15 health organisations forming CCC are an Australian first national communication collaboration of Peak Bodies, Industry and Healthcare Organisations coming together to stress the importance for people to continue monitoring their health and maintaining their regular care.
This Australian Health Journal episode on the continuity of care was produced with commentary from the following health industry associations and organisations: APNA – Australian Primary Health Care Nurses Association, RACGP, Medical Technology Association of Australia (MTAA), West Cessnock Medical Practice, Consumers Health Forum of Australia, Medicines Australia
-
Mission to raise awareness of sarcoma and need for clinical trial funding
Sarcoma, a rare and aggressive cancer, remains the deadliest cancer for children and young adults, accounting for nearly one third (30%) of cancer-related deaths among those aged 15–24 and one tenth (10%) of those aged 0–14. Further, still severely under-diagnosed, sarcoma only accounts for one sixth (15%) of all cancer diagnoses in the 15 – 24 age group, and less than a tenth (8%) among children under 10.
-
Unleashing the potential of Paramedic skills and knowledge
According to a prominent paramedicine academic and researcher, paramedics have the potential to provide much-needed care in the community, changing the traditional healthcare model. Research points to paramedics having a wider healthcare workforce impact based on their ability to identify and fix problems 24/7.
Dr. Brendan Shannon is Head of Postgraduate Programs in the Department of Paramedicine at Monash University and a member of The Australasian College of Paramedicine. His interests including refining healthcare models, to ensure underserved communities receive requisite care. These alternative care pathways, like outreach programs, can work out of hospitals to provide care in underserved communities with social and complex chronic conditions.
