The coronavirus has been described as a cunning and invisible enemy by virologists and politicians. They should know what it takes! As its genetic code compels it to continually reproduce to survive, the virus effectively seeks out whatever opportunity it ...
More »Author Archives: Michael Fine
Should COVID-positive aged care residents be transferred to hospital?
Aged care providers are equipped to deal with the flu and gastro, not unprecedented worldwide pandemics. That’s why Aged and Community Services Australia (ACSA) chief executive Patricia Sparrow believes all residents who test positive for COVID-19 should be transferred to ...
More »Beyond COVID-19: How can we prepare the nursing workforce for the new reality?
As a former nurse, it breaks my heart to know that more than 600 nurses have lost their lives fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the past month, as part of the Future of Healthcare webinar series, I have spoken to ...
More »Paid pandemic leave announced: union says it won’t reach all workers
Victorian aged care is struggling to contain the COVID-19 outbreak tearing through the system, with 952 active cases linked to aged care, including workers, and 87 facilities having active outbreaks, according to figures released by the state government. About 80 ...
More »Aged care workers to get pandemic leave
Casual aged care workers will be eligible for paid pandemic leave after a Fair Work Commission decision to try to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The ruling grants paid pandemic leave to staff working in residential aged care under the ...
More »Family of St Basil’s resident told father was fine, in reality he was in hospital fighting for life
The COVID-19 crisis in Victorian aged care homes is worsening as the St Basil’s aged care home has been evacuated and residents taken to private hospitals, according to the Nine papers. St Basil’s had been taken over by the federal Government ...
More »Experts call out activewear company’s anti-virus claims
Clothing company Lorna Jane has been fined $40,000 for claiming it sold "anti-virus activewear". The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) last week issued three infringement notices totalling $39,960 to the Brisbane clothing company for alleged unlawful advertising in relation to COVID-19. ...
More »Check twice, click once: The legal implications of incorrectly sending patient information via email
Nurses are required to maintain patient confidentially due to their legal, moral, ethical, employment and professional duties as they are trusted with a patient’s most intimate and personal information. This trust is often a challenge to maintain when working in ...
More »Aussie researchers testing gown fabrics, 3D printed mask seals
Australian researchers are testing fabric samples from gown manufacturers to find out how to best keep healthcare workers safe from COVID-19. The Medical Device Research Institute (MDRI) team, based at Flinders University, is testing the fabrics for resistance to bacteria, viruses ...
More »Aged care residents dying at 3 times the normal rate in the UK during pandemic
Aged care residents died at three times the normal rate in the UK during the COVID-19 peak in April, according to official government statistics. On April 12, 1300 people died in care homes in comparison with 407 the previous year ...
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