[aussiemags]

[quote=talaxandra;2854465]I've just done it now, so I could be sure I wasn't leading you up the garden path! Log in to the members only area, and there should be a section under the 'links' banner with the AJAN logo. Click on that and it takes you straight to the AJAN website; you can access any journal back to September 2000.

Thanks. Have just done this.

[ghillbert]

Yes, in my case there was an equipment malfunction and the patient received a bolus dose rather than infusion and sadly died.

I was a young, inexperienced nurse and suddenly there was NO support. Curiously, the medical staff on my ward were much more supportive than the nursing staff, who were trying to cover their own butts and have nothing to do with the incident.

It was very stressful and almost led me to leave nursing, however I hung in there. I found the ANF referred me to a city law firm, and they were totally useless. No return calls, no help or advice. Kept sending letters with incorrect info etc. I chased it up with ANF and informed them that I was not getting help - no reply.

In any case, it soured me on the union. I was a job rep previously too.

I can get journal access thru my employer. I can buy professional indemnity insurance for cheaper. Union shopper is a huge bonus and you can save easily the cost of the membership on one big purchase alone.

In theory, I like the thought of the unified workforce, but it's a fantasy - nurses are not unified and do not stand together. Plus, I cannot participate in any strike action etc as I work in critical care and could not abandon my patients.

[nyapa]

ghillbert, thats terrible. And I imagine that sort of experience would have affected you for life. You've obviously experienced the other side. I hope not many ppl have been there...

[talaxandra]

ghillbert I'm so sorry you had such an unpleasant experience, and the lack of support from the ANF and legal team clearly compounded the problem. A good friend of mine had a similar experience with lack of union support (in another state), and left nursing altogether as a result of the issue that caused her to seek representation and, perhaps more so, the (lack of) response of the union.

I agree that nurses are tend to be divisive, particularly when there's a situation like that. Several years ago we had a death on the ward that was referred to the coroner and I was amazed by how many nurses - experienced nurses who I thought would be fair and supportive of the nurses involved in the death - launched straight into how it wouldn't have happened if they'd been looking after the patient. Which was ridiculous - it was one of those situation where it could have happened to any nurse and it was just bad luck that it happened when it did.

Medical staff do seem, in general, to present a more unified front, at least in public, when something like this happens to them.

And, as a rep, I am often frustrated by the apathy and lack of involvement of nurses who are very happy to complain about conditions but not prepared to do anything about it themselves - "I don't want to lose x, but I couldn't possibly lose an hours' pay to go to the meeting," or "why isn't the union more militant?" as though council unilaterally makes decisions and doesn't need input or support of members.

Little hobby horse of mine! However, despite this, Pollyanna-like I hope for a future where there is more unity and support among nurses. The most recent Victorian industrial action, at the end of last year, restored a lot of my optimism on this front - for the first time in a long time many nurses pulled together, took action together, stood up for one another (especially in the face of widespread administrative bullying), and the feeling of the last meeting at Festival hall was electric.

[nyapa]

Originally Posted by talaxandra

ghillbert I'm so sorry you had such an unpleasant experience, and the lack of support from the ANF and legal team clearly compounded the problem. A good friend of mine had a similar experience with lack of union support (in another state), and left nursing altogether as a result of the issue that caused her to seek representation and, perhaps more so, the (lack of) response of the union.

Again, that's awful. That she actually had to leave nursing. It's scary enough thinking, post a coroners case, just what is important and what isn't important to record. I couldn't go to work the next day because I was really scared. I guess the lack of support would only compound the problem...

[talaxandra]

She was working a rural/remote area, and her perception was that, with one DON out to get her, she didn't have a chance with any other hospital - she'd go up for a position, interview went well, then... nothing, or a stilted conversation with the HR person saying she wasn't appropriate for the role, or that the psoition (readvertised a few weeks alter) had been filled. The initial incident didn't involve a patient death or even injury.

[nyapa]

Heck...

[darius000]

well i am not sure about the differences between WA an VIc (ANF wise). Here in WA the ANF provides online education plus in house courses. You get covered etc by lawyers but i have also heard bad stories about poor service. I guess that the main thing is that the ANF is negotiating your pay, the fees are tax deductable and you are covered by professional insurance - not sure the costs if you do this privately. although then ANF is not the strongest union in Aus, I did hear rumours about them combining with the police union. One thing that I cannot understand is why are EN's under a different union (they can join the ANF though)

[talaxandra]

I forgot about another advantage - as I'm sure we all know, ongoing education is now a requirement of registration. The ANF offers online accredited modules (like darius mentions above) - although available to all nurses, members get a reduced price (~$7 each vs ~ $22) and an online record so that, in the event you're audited by the Nurses' Board, you can demonstrate your commitment to ongoing education There's also an option for you to add in non-ANF education.

[talaxandra]

NB: Some of this is conjecture but most of it comes from knowledge of the history of nursing in Victoria, history of the ANF (Victoria in particular) and Google searches
When the first incarnation of nursing representation was created (at the turn of the last century), it was to represent, educate and regulate trained nurses - those womens who had completed a supervised probationary period, met minimum requirements of intellect and character, and passed state set exams. Over the next eighty or so years these functions split into three organisations - the Australian Nurses' Federtation to represent nurses, the Royal College of Nursing to oversee nation-wide education and scholarship, and the various state Boards to regulate and enforce practice.

As the ANF was originally set up to represent (etc) trained nurses, it was not concerned with vocational or unregistered -in other words, enrolled - nurses, who were given on-the-job training without the education and requirements registered nurses. As they, too, came under the supervision and regulation of state Boards, and as nursing in Australia became concerned with professionalism and accountability, the ANF decided to expand its coverage to ENs.

However, as ENs already had a union (the Health Services Union in most states and - from a quick Google - the Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Union in WA), the ANF couldn't unilaterally take over EN representation. This was for two reasons - to allow ENs to make their own choice, and because it's not good industrial manners to poach another union's members! Although most ENs now choose to be represented by the ANF, which only representes nurses and which also has a commitment to education and professionalisation, for a variety of reasons others choose to join or stay with their alternative.

I know - waaaaay too much information!