Volume 10, Issue 2
Page 4
TV Wellness Channel – newly updated and extended version (90mins)
Pictured above (left to right): Suzy Russell, Vanya Ripley, Caryl Barnes
The role of Consultation Liaison (CL) Psychiatry CNC was introduced at RNSH in 2016. The newly appointed CNC (Suzy Russell) observed that a general hospital admission in itself may cause or exacerbate stress and anxiety for many reasons such as, an unfamiliar physical environment, lack of privacy, lack of sleep and loss of autonomy and independence. Additionally, acute care settings are time pressure environments in which clinicians must find innovative ways to complement their own therapeutic efforts. It was for these reasons, a mindfulness focused TV Wellness Channel was conceptualised as a means of providing stress reduction techniques and relaxation strategies which could be freely accessed by all patients with an overall aim of improving their hospital experience. Initially, encouragement came from CL Psychiatrist Dr Jeff Streimer, the previous NSLHD DONM (Anthony Dombkins) and the RNSH DONM (Claire Harris). A research mentor program scholarship, supervised by
Marg Fry and Roz Elliott supported the CL CNC to transform the project into research. Results from an ethics approved feasibility study demonstrated overwhelmingly positive feedback from staff and patients. Specifically, patients reported lower states of anxiety and a mitigation of the adverse effects associated with physical distancing and isolation in an acute care general hospital setting. The project team included Suzy Russell (Project Lead), A/Prof Caryl Barnes (CL Psychiatrist), Vanya Ripley (General Medicine CNC), and Rosalind Elliott (CNC- Translational Research Co-ordinator). Since conception of the TV Wellness Channel the RNSH CL Psychiatry Team and the Department of General Medicine have been successful in obtaining a NSLHD Innovation Program Grant which funded the initial project. The project was then expanded across RNSH funded by the 2019-2020 Ministry of Health Nursing Innovation Scholarship and donated funds
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online