More than a third of care residents who have contracted COVID-19 have died.[1] That’s more than 36 times higher than the rest of Australia’s population.If COVID-19 was tearing through schools or workplaces in such numbers there would be uproar and a call for ...
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Is there an alternative future for aged care?
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 »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 »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 »What does the outbreak of COVID-19 reveal about palliative care in aged care?
Across the world, the greatest number of COVID-19 deaths are in older people, with many residents in aged care facilities at risk of the disease. Complex health needs associated with multi-morbidity and frailty contribute to their risk. The hands-on provision ...
More »Healthcare managers needed to lead in complex times
Healthcare leadership has come under the spotlight in recent months, for reasons both good and bad. The coronavirus pandemic has demanded the best from our healthcare leaders, as much as from our politicians, and their decisions have both saved, and ...
More »Trauma informed care in a modern hospital setting
This article explores the relationship between physical trauma, psychological trauma and the integration of trauma informed care in a modern hospital setting. Traumatic physical injury is the leading cause of death in the first four decades of life. It accounts ...
More »Dancing in the face of death
Around the world, nurses are in the thick of inconceivable conditions. Their workplaces have become warzones against a mysterious disease that has rampaged nations and ravaged lives. Daily, healthcare workers witness horrific scenes of suffering and death. So why are ...
More »COVID-19: Can a nurse legally refuse to work?
Nurses are presently working amid the COVID-19 pandemic. But can a nurse legally refuse to work? Most nurses are employed pursuant to a contract of employment. This is a legally binding arrangement between the employer and nurse. It sets out ...
More »Pandemic highlights need for planning and protection: opinion
The global COVID-19 pandemic has widespread and insidious consequences that in many instances go beyond personal health and the ramifications of which may not yet be fully known. For some the impact may be as minor as struggling to buy ...
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