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2009 CENA International Conference for Emergency Nursing
and as recently demonstrated the need for a disaster levelresponse which can affect the broader community. Thethreat to our health and security is both immediate andpotentially longer term: from the effect of fire on humansand properties, to the security of water, food supply and airquality. There is also the risk that health services may be inthe line of fire.
Within the context of an overview of the challenges whichawait us, both now and in the future, the purpose of this pre-sentation is to discuss the effects a bushfire, reviewing thetotal effect on society and exploring the consequences forhealth. The discussion will include the realities of a disas-ter response from a personal perspective; highlight the lessobvious health issues and the difficulties in providing healthcare.
Keywords: Bushfire; Human health; Disaster; Public health
doi:10.1016/j.aenj.2009.08.011
The pre-hospital role of nurses during the Victorian Bush-fires
Jamie Ranse1,2,∗, Brett Aimers2, Shane Lenson1
1 Emergency Department, Calvary Health Care, ACT, Aus-tralia2 St John Ambulance Australia, Australia
E-mail address: jamie.ranse@calvary-act.com.au (J.Ranse).
Like other health and support agencies, St John Ambu-lance Australia performed a critical function as part of thehealth response to the February 2009 Victorian bushfires.A number of nurses contributed to this response. This pre-sentation will provide an overview of the activities St JohnAmbulance Australia undertook during the disaster responseand recovery phases of the disaster, with a particular focuson the role of nurses and the lessons learnt from this expe-rience. Additionally, this presentation will report on theresults from a survey distributed to nursing members of StJohn Ambulance Australia following the disaster.
For the first time, St John Ambulance Australia volunteerhealth care professionals, particularly nurses, played a lead-ing and significant role in the provision of pre-hospital careto bushfire-affected Victorians during the disaster responseand recovery stages. This response included a primary healthcare role in Alexandra in the absence of adequate Gen-eral Practitioner coverage at the local hospital. St JohnAmbulance Australia sustained a pre-hospital clinical cov-erage for a seven-week period; pre, during and post thedisaster. During this period approximately 1200 patientswere managed by St John Ambulance Australia First Respon-ders and health care professionals. To enable this, healthcare professionals worked within national cross-boarder andscope of practice arrangements. Additionally, evidence-based clinical practice guidelines were utilised enablinghealth care professionals to work within their scope of
practice.A survey was distributed to nursing members of St JohnAmbulance Australia post the disaster. The aim of the surveywas to describe the pre-bushfire clinical background of nurs-ing members, their previous disaster training and education,
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nd their previous disaster experience. This presentationill outline the findings from this survey.
eywords: Bushfire; Nurse; Response; St John Ambulance
oi:10.1016/j.aenj.2009.08.012
t is HOT! HOT! HOT! The 2009 Adelaide heatwave—–tories, reflections and lessons learned
atthew Conaghty1,∗, Janice Elliott2,∗, Phillip Coward3,egan Wake3, Debra Henrys3
Emergency Department, Flinders Medical Centre, Flindersrive, Bedford Park, SA 5042, AustraliaRoom 3-34, Eleanor Harrald Building, Discipline of Nursing,chool of Population Health and Clinical Studies, Facultyf Health Sciences, University of Adelaide, North Terrace,delaide, SA 5000, AustraliaEmergency Department, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Northerrace, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia
In January and February 2009, the south eastern regionsf Australia experienced extreme heatwave conditions. Tra-itionally at this time of the year, Emergency Departmentsnticipate a decline in presentations and acuity, the pro-racted extreme temperature ensured that this did notccur.
This paper will describe the actions that were undertakeny the two major metropolitan Emergency Departments inetropolitan Adelaide (Flinders Medical Centre and Royaldelaide Hospital). The similarities and differences in expe-ience between the sites will be detailed.
Exemplars will be provided that depict the innovation,rt and creativity employed by the Emergency Departmentlinicians during what felt like an unrelenting environmentalmergency. The actions taken by the Emergency Servicesnd the department of Health to support and ensure theafety of the broader community will be outlined.
The narrative will also provide reflections upon thosectivities that were successful, those that were unsuccessfulnd in addition will seek to identify the barriers to success.hese will include acute infrastructure failure, communica-ion processes (both throughout the health system and theommunity), major events and staffing/skill mix.
The outcomes and the lessons learnt from this significantvent will be described.
eywords: Heat; Hyperthermia; Emergency nursing; Inno-ation; Creativity; Social environment
oi:10.1016/j.aenj.2009.08.013
RAL PRESENTATIONS 1C — Paediatrics
mergency personal response to families who have expe-ienced pregnancy loss and sudden and unexpected deathf an infant (SUDI)
orraine Harrison
SIDS and Kids, NSW, Rozelle, Sydney, NSW, Australia
SIDS and Kids NSW is a Non-Government Charitable Organ-sation that supports families who experience the death of aaby or child during pregnancy, birth and infancy, and offers
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ducation and support to all staff involved in the health andafety of babies and young children.
The role of the emergency workers involved in early man-gement of a family who have experienced the death of aaby or young child, or whose baby or child is being resus-itated, is crucial, and one that will be remembered by theamily for ever.
However it can be an extremely challenging time for thetaff. The death of a baby, infant or young child is proba-ly the most difficult situation that emergency workers everave to face, and this is invariably more complicated whent occurs in the rural setting.
Supporting those who are/have experienced Early Preg-ancy Loss in Emergency Departments can also be a veryhallenging & difficult role.
This presentation will outline the role of SIDS and Kids,xamine the definition and incidence of miscarriage, still-irth, neonatal death and sudden unexpected death innfancy (SUDI) including SIDS. It will present current researchutcomes, describe how to care for the carer, and explorehe role of emergency workers in providing bereavementupport.
It will highlight the management of families in themergency Department and pre-hospital setting who havexperienced pregnancy loss and sudden unexpected deathf an infant (SUDI).
oi:10.1016/j.aenj.2009.08.014
mproving patient safety in the Paediatric Emergencyepartment—–The use of oral syringes
enton O’Leary, Kay Best ∗, Kellie Rafter
The Children’s Hospital at Westmead, Hawksbury Rd, West-ead, NSW 2145, Australia
-mail address: fentono@chw.edu.au (F. O’Leary).
Objectives: To improve patient safety in the Emergencyepartment (ED) by introducing oral syringes that are incom-atible with intravenous (IV) lines, thus preventing thenadvertent administration of harmful oral medications orral re-hydration fluids.
Method: During 2006 oral syringes were introduced intohe ED after an adverse event but their regular use was notidespread.
An initial survey showed an ad hoc use among the staff.fter an intensive education program for all staff andemoval of IV syringes from areas that most commonly useral medications and re-hydration fluids a second surveyhowed a vast increase in the acceptance and use of oralyringes within the ED.
Results: The use of coloured oral syringes is now policyithin the ED for the administration of oral medications and
e-hydration fluids.
eywords: Patient safety; Oral syringes; Medication errors
oi:10.1016/j.aenj.2009.08.015
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CONFERENCE ABSTRACTS
aediatric Emergency Department New Graduate Pro-ram: A recruitment strategy or the start of somethingew?
adine Griffiths ∗, Jenny Major
The Children’s Hospital at Westmead, Cnr Hawkesbury Rdnd Hainsworth St, Westmead, Sydney 2145, NSW, Australia
The Children’s Hospital at Westmead is a tertiary referralaediatric health care facility providing services to approx-mately 260,000 children annually from across the state,ation and internationally. The Children’s Hospital at West-ead Emergency Department has approximately 50,000resentations per year.
In February 2008 the Director of Nursing at The Chil-ren’s Hospital Westmead proposed the development of ailot Emergency Department Twelve Month New Graduaterogram. The programs inception was in response to ongo-ng nursing vacancies in the emergency department and theesire to maintain a skilled nursing workforce. The pro-ram intended to recruit and retain staff in the Emergencyepartment by providing nurses with support, skills andompetence over a 12-month period to increase and sustainur local specialised practice knowledge.
The Emergency Department Nurse Education Team devel-ped a speciality program in collaboration with theew graduate program nurse educator, where participantseceived local Emergency Department education days inddition to the hospital wide new graduate program curricu-um. Successful completion of the program was measuredy the new graduate nurses ability to care for patients inhe ambulatory and short stay areas of the department,nd demonstrated competence and completion of a skillist including advance practice skills of application of POPackslabs, IV cannulation and tissue gluing.
This presentation will be a retrospective examination ofhe implementation and evaluation of the program explor-ng the provision of adequate clinical support, educationtrategies, the challenges, triumphs and the future of therogram within the emergency department. From a partici-ant perspective a brief summary of key themes identified instudy exploring the ED New Graduate Nurse Twelve Monthrogram experience in comparison to new graduates whootated through the department in their new graduate yearill be discussed.
eywords: Paediatric Emergency Department; Recruitment;ew Graduate Nurses
oi:10.1016/j.aenj.2009.08.016
RAL PRESENTATIONS 1D — Violence
qualitative descriptive study of the experience of triageurses regarding patient-related workplace violence
acqueline Pich
School of Nursing & Midwifery, University of Newcastle,niversity Drive Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia
-mail address: Jacqueline.Pich@newcastle.edu.au.
Within the Australian health industry nurses have beendentified as the occupation at most risk of patient-related