OCT 2022
VOL. 11, ISSUE 1, PAGE 2
FROM MY DESK TRACEY GRAY, DIRECTOR NURSING AND MIDWIFERY, RNSH
Welcome to the first edition of our refreshed newsletter. We have been in hiatus for several months due to the pandemic providing limited time for the creation of a regular publication. During this time we have taken the opportunity to review and revise the format of the newsletter with the help of our first guest editorial board. Thank you to Selina Hole, CNE ICU; Phillippa Weaver, Blood CNC; Allyson Waird, Aged Care CNC; Cheryl Finch, CNE 9A; Mary Cameron, NUM Maternity; Tracy Morton, NUM 7B who have all helped to shape the first edition. Feedback on the newsletter is welcome and if you feel strongly enough you can be prioritised for the next guest editorial board as we will rotate this responsibility to add a different flavour to the content each month. As you know we have been working through the COVID pandemic since I first accepted the role of Director Nursing and Midwifery, RNSH in January 2021. My overarching concern since then has been that I may not know what it is like to be a DONM outside of a pandemic with the associated challenges that face nursing and midwifery and all of health as a consequence. When I heard recently from Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, General Director of the World Health Organisation that COVID deaths have reached an all time low since March 2020 and that this signals the potential end of the pandemic I breathed a sigh of relief. I am sure you feel the same. COVID numbers at RNSH have similarly decreased and whilst we still face staffing shortfalls due to vacancy, the number of days each week and the degree to which we are short staff seems to be easing somewhat. These are good positive signs. I attended the 6th Women in Healthcare Leadership Summit recently. This was the first one since COVID started. All attendees relished being able to meet in person and re-establish connections whilst making new ones. The prevailing thread through all of the leadership talks was how do we lead the system out of a pandemic into a new normal, recognising that there has been some damage done during the last couple of years. Surgery wait times have blown out, people have neglected their health needs, mortality associated with chronic illness has increased and staff are tired and many have decided to reduce their hours of work or opt for less stressful jobs. Some have taken early retirement. The other prevailing thought was that there is an emerging understanding of the need to promote health and wellbeing in everyone – patients and staff. Health and wellbeing must start with health professionals because we are important to the future of the health system. Self-care must be promoted like never before whilst also emphasising the need for leaders to remain positive. You can only do that if you look after yourselves first. As nurses and midwives we should recognise that many of us have a tendency to put others first. We are carers but ironically often not of ourselves. Please reflect on this and take action if necessary so you have the energy to help others, whether that be your family, your staff or your patients. It was also my great pleasure to recently attend what was once an annual event impacted by the pandemic. The Graduate Nurses of RNSH (the last graduates were in 1987), hold a luncheon and invite all past graduates and ex nursing and midwifery staff of RNSH to attend. They have a Facebook page for anyone who is interested. I was surprised to see so many people there – over 100 current and past employees, including the oldest graduate in the room who was 100 years old. All of these women (and the one man present) have a strong affinity for the hospital and for nursing and midwifery in general. I reminisced with nurses I worked with during my career who are retired now and relived some of the wonderful memories I have of the interesting, sometimes challenging and often fun times I have had during my career. Despite the challenges I have not regretted a minute and now have the absolute pleasure of being the DONM at such a great hospital serving all of you. We will get through the rebuilding of the health system together. Thank you for your continued commitment to leadership. Just remember to put your own oxygen mask on first before you help others.
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