Tookie

It is very sad that when the armed forces who represent us are lost in this way - when they are out there, helping people. They were so close to home - Almost there after 3 months and then turned and went back to help in such a devastated region, because of the earthquake - I grieve for their families and friends. At this stage we do not know their roles in this relief - (names are not known) but they were there to give medical aid - It seems that in this we have just lost so many younger people who are not only doing their job, but the right thing for thier fellow human beings and in the name of Australia - Vale - condolences to any who may have known them and served with them Tookie

Well - :Melody: It is 3.30pm on Sunday 20th Feb. In the past l would be sitting in our home with the air conditioning roaring at this time of the year!!! I again put on a jumpy (light) this morning to get the paper. - IT IS WONDERFUL :rotfl: :rotfl: I love the cool and l think that this is the best summer we have had in ages. - Sorry to those who love the sun. Actually l am listening to the Pura cup - at least it is not raining there today Cheers Tookie

l too will add my welcome - Come on down - (Or up ) I do believe that we are a welcoming courntry - because we have (Or our heritage was) in the most moved here. We are increasingly changing our profile, our face. There are very few - True originals. It is a great place and your sure to only enrich it and l hope love it. Your skills will be welcome and l would like to think that we welcome everyone Cheers Tookie

I would like to be able to tell you - but l Live in Victoria and work in NSW!!! At the moment this is really interesting to me particularly your reply pmchap. My son and his partner are moving to Sydney soon. They are just beginning to learn the differences between Melbourne and Sydney. Cheers Tookie

Good on you You may find it hard going at times - But you sound really focussed on your goals and that is half the battle. Good luck. Tookie

Bukko it sounds as though you will be working in the acute section of care. I am in the aged care sector. I would like to think that we in this sector - well at least in the rural area where l am that we maintain people well and caringly for their final years of life. From my recent visits to the acute sector. - Both my own and l recently stayed with my mother - (Night and day) whilst she was recovering from surgery (She also has a dementing disease as well as a numer of other problesm - so her recovery haas required a little more assistance from family than usual.) Anyway ny experince was in the public sector - paid for by our mediacre system - I find that there are a number of aged people - but this is geneerally because they have an acute illness. Yes there are few who are wiating for a bed in aged care. Some small bush hospitals do have permanent aged people. I found that the staff who cared for me were very professional and knowledgable. - There is an expectation of a high standard of care. The private hospital that my mother was at - (In Melbourne) whilst some of the care was excellent the 2 things that stood out to me was primarily the acue nurses have very little ability to care for confused people who require specific care whent ehy are confused and there was a large number of agency staff. - Some were excellent others were not. The person you may care for in Canberra will vary - depnding upon where it is - I dont know Canberra Hospitals. The demographic of Canberra would have perdominately have a anglo saxon background orginally - however we have had a long histroy of multiculturilsm - So we do have a changing 'face' in our country. Canberra being our capital has a lot of government people and it is our place for diplomats as well. Canberra in Spring is beautiful - the Floriade (Spring festival of flowers) is magnificant - A lot of people would not say it ia a 'happening place' Hoewever I think it has a lot of promise and should be a great place to base yourself in to be able to travel well. You will be able to travel top both Melbourne and Sydney which are our 2 biggest cities. Compliance - Most people will cooperate - some will question extensively some just go along. I think that you will find people are people - we have great fresh foos anf lots of different cuisines - thanks to the immigrants and their multiculturalism I am sure that you will find many diferet things. My very first job l had in London was at St Thomas's and l certainly came out after my first day with culture shock. But you will go with the flow. Welcome. I also apoligise about the spelling - cant find the spell check :rotfl: Cheers Tookie

Thank you - I have just popped into work to tidy up my desk a little - So that l maybe able to get a clean start tommorrow. It has been very busy with work and other aspects of life. I have had a few medical problems that are ongoing - If anyone is interested in a procedure called Radio therapy ablation - I can give you some information. So for the last couple of years it has been a bit difficult to do life and keep up your energy. So sadly keeping in contact is sometimes difficult. I had hoped at Christmas l would actually get some letters out this year. However the Sat before christmas l decided to do a 'quality assurance visit' to the local hospital. They passed the ER section quite well and the CCU as usual passed with flying colours for the 2 nights that l had to stay. It is amazing how quickly you can exit(pack) these qa visits. Life really is good - My work contiues to be time consuming (more than l am paid l might add however l only do it as they are a good mob to work for). Family are growing and we are 'darby and joan'- home alone. Cept for the cat. Well there a few changes here on the board. The best thing about life is that you know that things will change and move on. It is going to take a number of visits l think to really catch up with them all. I will have to lookinto how l can organise myself to be able to become a premium member. I am not keen on card over the internet - I know its safe but its my age l think !!! Lovely to see some old faces (names!) Thank you all Anyway l will log in a say hello when l have time - I will have to look att an appropraite avatar and get back into the habit of see whats up. The board has grown heaps. I best go and start clening up this desk - It is no wonder l cant find anything that l should really be doing. Cheers Tookie :Melody: :Melody:

It has been a long time since l last visited here - I have spent the last couple of hours checking out the changes and tidying up my messages. It is nice to see that there seems to be a lot of people who were here still are here ! Does that make sense. Anyhow - l thought that l would dip my toe into the water and maybe swim a while with old friends and maybe new ones. I haven't yet had time to look at the topics and thread as it has taken me 2 + hours just getting this far. Hope you are all well and happy. I will revisit again in the next few days - I just wanted to say Hello. Cheers Tookie

ktwlpn I know you started thhis thread some time ago and l wanted to ask if your facility did indeed introduce the concept and how successful it was If you could spare a few thoughts l would appreciate this - Also if any others who have previously answered or who may be expereincing this now l would appreciate your thoughts as well. Cheers Tookie

I am sorry - Ive just come home and my first thought was - its a bit hard to fake it when you get as far as the nursing home - However there are a few residents that keep knocking on those doors - but the gates wont open - Sorry l should be seeroius. Tookie with cheers

Totally agree with the posterrs - no way to treat you And YES Grace - wouldnt get away with that sort of tratment here - well I cettainly hope its not happening here. Tookie

Good thread - Shows that these things are common everywhere - My most would be a tiny 2000 approx cc - LOL - But it makes me think that we as nurses can make such a real diffeence to a persons life just by hlping them to pee.

I work for a religous organisation - Have found them to be very supportive and for me the best lot of people that l have worked for - Not evryone in the organisation might agree however that is where l am coming from - Yes there are religously significat items - but as we promote a home like environment it is within taste - there are regular services and support for the residents their familiy and staff. We also have a full time chaplian

Am in a nursing home (LTC) we are still a bit of an exception although now with government regulations of our industry we will become more common All our rooms (single) in the nursing home have an ensuite (shower attached) All residents have this regardless of their income or not We have found over the past 8 or so rooms not only does it enhance their dignity, privacy, choice, individuality it has noticeable reduced cross infection issues - we provide handwashing facilities for staff in each room - we have other practices in place which enhance this as well. All the residents and families love this - it means too that families can stay with the person who may be unwell (this may be acute or palliative) without intruding on another persons sleep/ recovery etc. I was in hospital last year (4 bedded ward) whilst care was fantastic - did not need to see/hear domestic happening across the room - l did not need to see people vomiting, l did not see other naked bodies (mine is bad enough) Conversely - it was good when l was vomiting my heart out - another patient was able to ring for me for assistance - as l did as well a few days later There is always two sides of a coin - however l guess the questions needs to be asked of the designers do they want to smell everyone else's bowels following an evacuation if they are in the bed next to them - or do they want the person next to them know that they have terminal cancer.

Unsafe and illegal here

Where l work this is a really important issue - It is the facility's policy and all staff are, on orientation and reminded if it is noted that they slip from the accepted mode - All residents are to be called by their prefered name. This is identified in their care plans and in varoius other sources to ensure that all staff (and volunteers) call people as they wish to be known. Endearments - are nice - in the right place - But l loath being called sweetie/love etc at the checkout and other places - So when we work at our faciltiy we beleive it is an acknowledgement of the whole person as an individual and for their dignity to address them in the manner that they would prefer and identify - (or their NOK will identify this for us) My mother would hate to be called anything else except Mrs or her given name. Dignity is hard enough to achieve in any aged care facility - but its harder when you are lumped together as 'love or sweetie' - to me, IMHO, it says I cant be bothered remembering your name so l will call you something nice. So, because we are consistant about educating staff re this - most of the staff comply - and will quickly remember when they do it accidently - Also another thing - No one ever refers to the person in room so and so. We are not perfect - but we do try and remember the person that we are caring for is, and has always been an individual who has contributed to this world and most often for a very long time and are now dependent on us for their care. So Mamabear agree completely with you. Tookie

Interesting subject - makes for interesting reading and much thought Thank you Tookie

Thank you again for all your contirbutions - purplemania where you worked certainly sounded quite an interesting approach - do you know if they still do this this way? Thanks again Tookie

Night owl Enjoyed that soooo much what a giggle we dont have skunks - well not the animal kind as such over here Other things like snakes, spiders, blue ring octopuses and other things that can kill but not much that smells - l can be corrected please However to get back to the original thoughts - thank you for the posts they are very useful especillay the one you previously made Thank you Sandra

Now tell me are these skunks you referring to staff management or what??? Seroiusly folks thank you for the answers - keep them coming - PLEASE - its providing some interesting contrasts on practices and methods of control of "smell'

Thank you night owl Useful info Do you use a linen trolley to bag up your linen?

Thank you for the replies so far - l will at a later date document our system - it is a complete system that looks at changing methods of manageing linen and contince aids So l guess not only what do you spray etc - but how do you manage your linen also

Prior to posting this question l have tried doing a search in the various forums that l beleive may cover this topic - I basically want to know what you as nurses do to reduce the urine and other smells that are associated with living long term in a facility - and or in an acute setting I would be interested in your management of the linen, carpet or other continence aids etc. Where l currently work we have a system of reducing the associated smells of urine and feaces that can be common in aged care settings and nursing homes. We would like to research and evaulate other systems that people use to reduce any smells I was wondering if any of you in this forum have any site you can recommend to read about methods of reducing the smells associated with this problem. Thanking you in advance Sandra

No no links as such will try if my own dementia/tiredness lets me rememer to ask my DON - she may be able to suggest something there We have 2 dementia specific house at our nursing home of 50 (High care)and 1 at our hostel of 40 (low care) - l think we do it well There is a lot of stuff around - l will have a think about thatv and come back - look up Hammondville australia - dont know the web site but if you type that in that might help - they do a lot of work in the demenita area within Australia.- I would do a search for you but am on my way out to Christmas in July now - its winter over here - and my lift is at the door.

ktwlpn l found this an interesting thread - just a question did you have a chance to check out the dementia site in Australia l suggested and what did you think - how would it compare with your own online information that may be available I too would be interested in any sites you or others might recommend - have searched and found some interesting sites - however always like to learn more Tookie