australasian neuroscience nurses’ association

1. australasian neuroscience nurses’ association BRAINSTEM www.anna.asn.au November, Volume 4/2004 Hello members!! Welcome to another edition of Brainstem and yes the final for this year! It’s hard to comprehend that Christmas is just about on top of us and we’ll be welcoming the new year in.. As always with a new year, changes happen and certainly for the ANNAEXECUTIVE, they have. The new executive had handover on the 27th of November. On this day, the group got to know each other, talked about the history of ANNA and exchanged ideas on how we can continue to promote and facilitate the growth of the Association for you. I’d like to welcome our new executive members: Tracy Desborough – ANNA President; Sharon Eriksson – Vice President; and Cheryl Trudinger – Conference Convenor. Since there are so many new faces within the Executive and State delegates, I’ve decided to dedicate this edition of Brainstem to our ANNA representatives. Hopefully this will give you the opportunity get to know your delegates and see what is happening out there for you…. Cheers, Rochelle Australasian Executive President Tracy Desborough Email: tdesborough@doh.health.nsw.gov.au Phone: (02) 43 203 851 Vice President Sharon Eriksson Email: erikssons@sesahs.nsw.gov.au Phone: (02) 8382 8113 Treasurer Angela Lownie Email: lownie@500cc.com Phone: (02) 9476 4521 Secretary Rochelle McKnight Email: annaexecutive@bigpond.com.au Phone: (02) 9926 7527 Conference Convenor Cheryl Trudinger Email: ctrudinger@stvincents.com.au Phone: (02) 8382 2885 Journal Editor Jenni Blundell Email: jblundel@nursing.usyd.edu.au Executive Contact Details PO Box 6, Artarmon NSW 1570 AUSTRALIA email: annaexecutive@bigpond.com.au phone: 9926 7527 fax: 02 9439 9029 What’s Up??? 9th World Federation of Neuroscience Nurses Congress May 8-12 2005, Barcelona, Spain Website: www.wfnn.nu Royal North Shore Hospital Neuroscience Symposium – ‘Commitment to Clinical Excellence’ Friday 4th March For further details contact: Anne Macleod, (02) 9926 8074 Email: amacleod@doh.health.nsw.gov.au Glioma 2005: The Future Sydney 17-19 March Website: www.glioma2005.com If you have any up and coming events throughout the year and would like other ANNA members know about them why not email them to the ANNAEXEC for inclusion in brainstem!!

2. Australasian Executive President - Tracy Desborough My current role is that of Clinical Nurse Educator for Stroke and Neurology at Central Coast Health, an area wide position. I manage and co-ordinate all Stroke and Neuro based education for the service as well as provide Clinical support for Nurses caring for Stroke and Neurology patients. I am university trained with degree’s in both Nursing and Psychology and currently hold a Conjoint Position as a lecturer with the School of Nursing and Midwifery at The University of Newcastle. I am also part way through a research higher degree with the university with a focus on Quality of Life and the impact of patient mood on caregiver outcomes post stroke. I am also part of the stroke research team on the central coast. I am married and have two kids, who keep me sane (and busy) , I love to read (for pleasure when I get a spare minute!!!!!) and I love what I do. Vice President – Sharon Eriksson Hello fellow Neuroscience enthusiasts. My name is Sharon Eriksson and as the new Vice President of the ANNA, I would like to introduce myself. I have been a Neuroscience nurse for the past 12 years, during which I have undertaken several different roles in this specialty. My experience in Neurosciences extends from my early years as a RN, to CNS, to Nurse Educator, to my current position as the Clinical Nurse Consultant Stroke at the Prince of Wales Hospital in Sydney. I am looking forward to my involvement with the ANNA Executive and as a member of the team will endeavour to promote and expand the fantastic initiatives of ANNA and its members. As a member you are integral to the successes of the Association and as such I encourage you to promote ANNA membership to your colleagues. I hope to meet many of you during my term as the Vice President. ☺ Treasurer – Angela Lownie Angela Lownie is the Huntington Outreach Coordinator and Clinical Nurse Consultant based at Lottie Stewart Hospital, Dundas NSW. She brings with her an extensive nursing background in Clinical research, STD OPD, alcohol rehab, Geriatric and Palliative Care and of course Huntington’s disease. To back up her nursing experience, she has also completed several university degrees including: B.Soc.Sc(Nurs), Grad Cert Res (Hlth, Grad Dip Hlth Sc(Pall Cre),M.Hon.N . Angela has actively been involved within the NSW branch of the association previously, but last year joined the Australasian executive as the Treasurer. She has shown to be a true asset to the team, full of great ideas and innovations with the goal to help the association continue to grow.

3. Secretary – Rochelle McKnight Throughout my nursing career, working in neuroscience and particularly, neurosurgery, has been a highlight (– hence my passion for it!) Other than my BA of Nursing, I have a Neuroscience Certificate, Graduate Diploma in Critical Care and have completed my Masters in Professional Studies (Management/Education). Currently, I’m the Nursing unit manager of the neurosurgical intensive care unit at Royal North Shore Hospital. It’s an eight bedded unit that specializes in cerebrovascular work, such as coiling and clipping of aneurysms, AVMs, multi-trauma, head injuries and removal of tumours. We have an innovative , enthusiastic team which creates a dynamic and fun culture to work in ( … and that doesn’t even take into account our ward nights out!) I’ve been actively involved in the association as the executive secretary now for just over a year. It’s been a great experience with opportunities to network and learn about all the great work that neuroscience nurses do across Australasia. I look forward to continuing as your ANNA secretary!!! Conference Convener – Cheryl Trudinger Hello to all ANNA members. As the above title indicates I have been ‘elected’ into the position of Conference Convenor. I am still blissfully unaware of what this position truly means BUT following an afternoon handover in late November this will all change and bliss will no longer be in my vocabulary I am sure of that. So what kind of person accepts this position? I am asking myself this same question!! To prevent this turning into an add for a singles column as I describe myself all I will say is I am willing to give anything a go, I suffer from short periods of insanity (this explains why I accepted the nomination for the position), I prefer feedback to gossip, I enjoy a challenge and I like to consider myself as easy going. I am the Nursing Unit Manager of ward X7N at St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney. Along with Neuroscience the ward also caters for ENT and Vascular patients, I like to think that all three specialties relate well together but it does make for a very busy ward. If you were to read my CV you could say I have had worldly experience in Neuroscience, particularly neurosurgery having worked in London at The Royal Free Hampstead and Lake Geneva Wisconsin (USA, Summer Camp nurse). Back in Australia the majority of my Neuro experience has come from working on the wards and in Neuro ICU at RNSH and RPA. Another glance at the CV might indicate that I am studious I will tell you all now that I am not. Last week I graduated from University of New South Wales with my Masters of Health Administration (MHA) and previous to that in 1999 I graduated from University Technology Sydney with Masters in Nursing (Clinical Practice: neuroscience). I have now packed up all essay writing essentials. As Conference Convenor my goal is obviously to convene a successful 2005 ANNA Scientific Conference with the right mix of academic program and social program. This is not a one woman job, I know I have the support of the past and present ANNA Executive but what I need is the support of the members, this is your conference I need you. I need you to: put the date in your diary, advertise to your colleagues about an excellent opportunity to learn and network, think about preparing an abstract for presentation or poster and most importantly getting in early with your registration and abstract. I look forward to seeing you all up, across and down in the Gold Coast in 2005.

4. State Delegates ACT – Sonja Eldridge I have worked on the Neurosciences Units in Canberra for over 17 years.  Last year I was Ag Clinical Nurse Co-ordinator at the Rehabilitation Independent Living Unit of TCH. I am presently working in the Infection Control Unit at TCH where I am involved with the Surgical Site Surveillance project.  The Neurosciences Unit (Ward 9B) was originally situated in Royal Canberra Hospital (RCH) - of implosion fame.  Following the closure of RCH the unit was transferred to Woden Valley Hospital, which has since been renamed - 'The Canberra Hospital' (TCH).  TCH is the major acute services hospital and trauma center for the ACT and surrounding South Eastern Region of NSW. Ward 9B is a 25 bed unit which has cared for both neurosurgical and neurology patients, but recently a Stroke Unit was established on Ward 7A.  Most of ANNA ACT's membership is derived from nurses who either work or have worked on these Neuroscience Units. The Clinical Nurse Consultant of Ward 9B, Tania Lawrence, is our new Secretary. Our Treasurer, Jill Hughes, is the Clinical Nurse Co-ordinator of the LINK team which organises community nursing, allied health services and other discharge planning for patients of the public hospitals in the ACT.  Both Tania and Jill have had years of neuroscience nursing experience.  We look forward to a challenging and interesting year working with ANNA ACT. NSW – Maureen Edgtton-Winn NSW is an active state branch of ANNA and it is a privilege to represent the branch as State Delegate. Over the years (I have been delegate since 1996…) NSW has again formed an Executive and continues to organise educational events for its members. This is predominantly within the Sydney metropolitan region but our goal is to extend that to the Gosford region (where our new President hails from) and develop more rapport with members who are active in the Wollongong region (and frankly - anywhere else there are NSW Neuro' nurses… so please let us know). One of the challenges for us is to link effectively with these neuro' nurses and make the most of their enthusiasm, which is evident in their hospitals and their own educational events that they offer. Unlike some branches, we do not tend to have social functions amongst our members. I read with envy where some branches organise movie nights - something we might get to this year! However, we have been busy ensuring the viability of the branch and maintaining our goal of ensuring best practice through our Neuro Educational events. ANNA - NSW rides on the efforts of our Sydney Hospitals to run these events. In 2004 we have had evenings at The Prince of Wales' and Lottie Stewart hospitals, as well as our State AGM - all very worthwhile events: in fact, they were brilliant! So much so that we approached one event organiser and asked if she might be willing to help other ANNA members in our metro' hospitals with their educational evenings. So, we'd like to welcome Karen Wood for her expertise and invite our NSW neuro nurses to utilise her advice regarding ANNA evenings. Another triumph for NSW (hey - it’s a chance to promote!!!) is our quarterly newsletter: "Hemisphere News". Kylie Wright is our editor and each edition of 'Hemi' News' just gets better and bigger! The newsletters are available online at the NSW page. So, here's to 2005 and to our team - if you need to contact our Executive: we are: Heidi Evans (Secretary), Jenni Blundell (Treasurer) and Maureen Edgtton-Winn (President)…at www.anna.asn.au MEW.

5. VIC – Suzy Goodman My name is Suzy Goodman and I have recently taken over as ANNA Victorian State Delegate from Sue Vanselow. I have worked in Neuroscience nursing for the last 12 years (frightening when you write it down) at the Epworth Hospital which is a large private hospital in Richmond, Melbourne. Over that time I have worked in numerous positions which include Bank nurse, Ward nurse, Associate Charge Nurse, Team leader, Stroke Care Co-ordinator and currently Neuroscience Clinical care co-ordinator. I have a Grad Dip in Health Promotion which I finished in 2000. I fell in to Neuro nursing (pardon the pun) mainly because I like the team of nurses working on the unit which despite the hectic pace. We always seemed to enjoy our shift together celebrating often with afternoon teas and nights out and lots of laughter. I have always found the patients varied and challenging we care for as neuro nurses and have never stopped learning. Although some days I wonder why I am still turning up to the frantic and stressful environment we work in. However, on reflection I usually go home at the end of the day having learnt something new about nursing neuro patients and often about myself. I look forward to being more involved in ANNA and meeting more members. The secretary of ANNA VIC is Lyn Wallace who I am sure you all know and the Treasurer is Chris Holland, both who have kept ANNA VIC running for a long time. We meet Bi monthly and always have an interesting speaker that we organise from our large pool of Neurologist and Neurosurgeons. Please come to the meetings as I think you will find the speakers interesting and it’s a chance to meet others working in Neuro nursing. And if that doesn’t entice you, there is usually wine!! WA – Sue Shapland Delegate for WA 1979 - 1983 approx (cant remember exactly) and restarted the WA Branch in 1995 and  have been delegate since then. I have worked in a tertiary hospital in Neuroscience nursing for approximately 20 years as a  bedside  RN and then Clinical Nurse. I worked predominantly with neurosurgery which was my passion. I then did 2 years as an After Hours Clinical Nurse Consultant covering the hospital and then 2 years as a Nurse manager for neurosciences. After acting in the Nurse Co-director role for the Neuroscience Clinical Service Unit for 18 months I left and joined the Multiple Sclerosis Society of WA as a Senior Manager for Member Services. We provide professional services for people with MS and have a multidisciplinary health team.  I have completed my Bachelor of Nursing at ECU and the Certificate of MS Nursing at SCGH. I chaired the WA working party that created the draft of the Professional Standards of Neuroscience Nursing for ANNA and have written the workbook and tutor the Neuroscience Nursing post grad course at ECU. QLD – Sue Day My name is Sue Day and I have been working as the Nurse Unit manager of the Neurosciences Unit at the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane since June 2002. I am excited to be taking over the role of State Delegate from Tim and will be contacting members as soon as I have contact details. My email address is sue_day@health.qld.gov.au Auckland, New Zealand – Angela Davenport I am charge nurse of 22 bed neurology / neurosurgery ward. I currently am job sharing this role, and in spare time of being mother to a toddler (!!) am on the home stretch with my MHSc. With luck this will be finished June 05. ANNA -Auckland branch meets once each month alternating between journal club and guest speakers. We have had two ANNA national forum in last three years, and hope to continue this conference every second year.

6. Webmaster - Chris Baker Chris Baker is ANNA’s webmaster – he developed and maintains the website. This website remains a well developed resource for neuroscience health professionals and consumers of health care. Chris is an experienced Information Computer Technology Analyst Programmer and WEB Developer. Currently seeking more Web Site development and hosting opportunities. Reasonable rates, no job too small. Contact on dharms.baker@telstra.com. Journal editor – Dr Jenni Blundell Jenni Blundell brings to ANNA and the Australasian Journal of Neuroscience a wealth of experience and knowledge. For an extensive number of years, she has taught in the area of neuroscience nursing for many years, at undergraduate and postgraduate level and continues to keep updated with advances in treatment and care. In addition to this, Jenni has been a member of the National Executive for the Australian Nurse Teacher's Society for three 3 year terms and has demonstrated her use oforganisational skills in that capacity (Secretary, Treasurer, organizing thefinancial aspects of  2 national conferences).  She has also held administrative positions in clinical and academic arenas demonstrating organisational, interpersonal and coordination skills. As the Journal editor, she demonstrates the skills, attitude and knowledge to encourage professional development throughout the association. Above all she has an interest in the Journal and in encouraging neuroscience nurses to share their knowledge. State Delegates contact details ACT Sonja Eldridge Canberra Hospital Email: eldridge@webone.com.au NSW Maureen Edgtton-Winn Liverpool Hospital Email: winningedge3@optusnet.com.au VIC Suzy Goodman Epworth Hospital Email: suzy@epworth.org.au WA Sue Shapland MS Society WA Email: sue.shapland@multiple-wa.asn.au QLD Sue Day Royal Brisbane Hospital Email: sue_day@health.qld.gov.au New Zealand North Island Angela Davenport Auckland Public Hospital Email: adavenport@adhb.govt.nz Executive Contact Details PO Box 6, Artarmon NSW 1570 AUSTRALIA email: annaexecutive@ bigpond.com.au phone: 9926 7527 fax: 02 9439 9029