Australia is a signatory to a number of international agreements on human rights. The most important in relation to mental health patients is the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Article 14.1 says: State parties (including Australia) shall ensure ...
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Political correctness could obscure obese patient data
NSW Health recently warned doctors against using the term "obese" to preserve the dignity of patients, but a work health and safety manager has argued the term is important for patient admissions data. At the Australian College of Nursing's recent National ...
More »ED staff need more training to ‘work in the dark’: study
Weather events so severe that they shut down electricity supplies, like the one South Australia saw in 2016, aren’t common – but they could have dire consequences for those in the ED. That’s the reminder Dr Karen Hammad, a senior ...
More »Four Corners fallout: what some of aged care’s strongest voices make of the program
In the past, major ABC TV reports have had a lot of influence on the Australian public and on policy – for better or worse. Four Corners, for example, prides itself on its history of sparking debate and triggering inquiries, ...
More »New tool could shred nurses’ paperwork
The paperwork nurses have to complete could be dramatically cut, following the trial of a new streamlined patient risk assessment tool. University of Queensland researchers said it will improve management in Australia’s busy hospital systems and leave more time for patient ...
More »Royal Commission into aged care sector: nurses react
The government has decided to establish a Royal Commission into the aged care sector to address areas of concern regarding the quality and safety of services. Announcing the Royal Commission yesterday, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said it will be about ...
More »Taskforce releases blueprint for aged care workforce
We exist to inspire people to want to care, enable people to properly care and enhance life through care. Because how we care for our ageing is a reflection of who we are as a nation.” This is the vision ...
More »New aged care quality standards pass through parliament
Aged care bodies have today welcomed the passage through parliament of a new set of quality standards. Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Ken Wyatt said the standards would intensify quality compliance across residential, home and remote care. “Under ...
More »Sexuality ‘silenced’ after stroke
[Stroke] doesn’t change the essence of who I am or what I want, before and after. It only changes what I can do. It doesn’t change what I want. Australian researchers are reminding clinicians to talk with stroke survivors about ...
More »More nurses trained to spot autism in kids
Victorian nurses will monitor babies for early signs of autism during routine health checks under a new training plan. Minister for Early Childhood Education Jenny Mikakos recently announced the $1.1 million package, which will further deliver specialist training to maternal ...
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