A number of human factors influence the way managers within organisations address patient safety concerns. One is wilful blindness. The phenomenon of wilful blindness has been described by Heffernan (2011, p. 3) as “shirking” the “opportunity for knowledge, and a ...
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National strategy needed to tackle chronic pain
Daily self-management of chronic pain is the key to reducing disability and facilitating return-to-work, but more needs to be done in terms of national policy, health experts say. Research on the topic was published by the Australian Healthcare and Hospital ...
More »Pressure injury focus downgraded in new standards: peak body
Wound experts have taken umbrage with the new edition of the National Safety and Quality Health Care Standards. The peak body for wound care and management, Wounds Australia, voiced its concerns that the new set of standards will lead to ...
More »ED stats a wake-up call on nurse-to-patient ratios: union
The NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association (NSWNMA) is calling for improved nurse-to-patient ratios on the back of figures showing that the winter season was the busiest quarter on record for emergency departments in NSW public hospitals. In its most recent ...
More »Preparing nurses for pandemics, global terrorism, hospital fires
A roof collapses at a party. A fire breaks out in a hospital. A terrorist sets off a bomb at a concert. The number and severity of casualties may be overwhelming and the University of Sydney is working to ensure ...
More »Increasing Choice in Home Care rollout ‘needs more work’
More work needs to be done on the rollout of the government’s Increasing Choice in Home Care (ICHC) program, Leading Age Services Australia (LASA) says. Announced in the 2015-16 Budget and commenced on 27 February 2017, the ICHC reforms aimed ...
More »Criminal acts of employees: are nurse managers legally responsible?
Nurses and managers should be aware of a recent High Court of Australia decision concerning liability for the criminal acts of an employee. Vicarious liability is the legal notion of a relationship between an employer and employee (with some exceptions) ...
More »Nurses should know about vicarious trauma: clinical nurse specialist
Dealing with sensitive information when caring for distressed drug and alcohol clients and the resulting emotional toll and exhaustion leaves nurses at risk of a range of health issues, a clinical nurse specialist says. Ravina Raidu, from Drug Health Services, ...
More »Patients with medical injury sound off on hospital reaction
People who have experienced a medical injury need to be heard by clinicians and feel that the hospital is taking steps to address the issue, say researchers. Senior law lecturer at UNSW Sydney Dr Jennifer Moore said this might involve listening ...
More »Eating away at anxiety: the foods that can help
Anxiety is the most common mental disorder in Australia. It is estimated that one in seven people in any 12-month period will be affected by an anxiety disorder. The disorder presents in many forms, including generalised anxiety disorder, posttraumatic stress ...
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