ANNUAL REPORT - Northern Health

Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS)
Northern Health is one of the first health services in Victoria
to introduce a new approach to surgery called the Enhanced
Recovery After Surgery program for patients undergoing
bowel surgery. A specialist team of doctors, nurses, dieticians
and physiotherapists will care for the patient throughout the
journey of preparing for, undergoing and recovering from
surgery. The program encourages the patient to be an active
member of the treating team.
This new approach means that patients fast for less time
prior to surgery, have fewer tubes for a shorter period of
time, are able to eat and drink sooner and are up out of bed
and walking earlier. As patients feel more normal and better
sooner, they have a shorter recovery time and are able to go
home from hospital sooner. Patients are telling us that they
are “pleasantly surprised by how they feel after their surgery”
as they were expecting to “feel very unwell after a major
operation.”
This new approach is changing the way specialist teams
and patients view having major bowel surgery. In the future
Northern Health will look into how this approach may be of
benefit to patients undergoing other types of major surgery.
Improving care for stroke sufferers
Northern Health has been actively undertaking initiatives
to improve stroke services care in line with the Stroke Care
Strategy for Victoria (2007). The implementation of the
Strategy has been supported by the Victorian Stroke Clinical
Network (VSCN) which has government commitment
for $5million over four years. Northern Health has been
fortunate to have a Victorian Stroke Clinical Facilitator
in post at 0.5 EFT since mid 2008 to implement the
recommendations of the strategy.
Caring for new families
Antenatal clinics, led by midwives are now in place at The
Northern Hospital, Broadmeadows Health Service and
Craigieburn Health Service. Antenatal attendances have
increased by 8% at Broadmeadows Health Service and by
20% at Craigieburn Health Service. These clinics provide
important information for new mothers on what to expect
in those critical first weeks after the birth of their baby,
assistance and advice with breastfeeding and caring for
their baby.
Hand Hygiene
It is estimated that each year in Australia, there are
approximately 200,000 healthcare associated infections.
These infections contribute to prolonged hospital admissions
and can cause significant harm to the patient. Healthcare
associated infections also put pressure on hospital financial
resources with a single outbreak potentially costing an
organisation up to $170,000. Many of these infections are
preventable.
Northern Health has participated in the Victorian Department
of Health Hand Hygiene program since 2006. The program
has now expanded to become Hand Hygiene Australia.
Audits are conducted in six wards to measure compliance,
with the results of the audits reported to the Department
of Health and Hand Hygiene Australia. Northern Health’s
compliance rate is 85%, well above the Department of
Health’s overall target of 60% compliance.
Review of nursing education and the Nurse
Practitioner role.
A review of nursing education across Northern Health
resulted in an agreed organisation wide approach to Nursing
and education. An evidence based review of nursing
education programs was undertaken to determine whether
existing courses and programs are meeting the needs of staff.
The role of the nurse practitioner role was reviewed and in
a first for metropolitan Melbourne and Northern Health,
the Nurses Board of Victoria endorsed Cheryl Donohue as
an Aged Care Nurse Practitioner. Based at Broadmeadows
Health Service, Ms Donohue’s endorsement builds on her
25 years of nursing experience to deliver high quality,
specialised care to older patients. Nurse Practitioners at
Northern Health play an important role in the community by
delivering more immediate access to required services while
being a role model to their peers.
As an Aged Care Nurse Practitioner Ms Donohue is able
to provide a comprehensive geriatric nursing assessment
to diagnose common clinical conditions in older people
who don’t fit into discrete categories, such as changes in
cognition, mobility, incontinence and nutritional status.
This may include the treatment of acute health problems
within her scope of practice, prescription of medications
from an approved medication formulary and admit and
discharge patients from Northern Health campuses. Of
the 55 Nurse Practitioners in Victoria, four are working at
Northern Health campuses.
Utilising technology
Northern Health was the first Victorian health service to fully
implement a shared scanned semi-electronic medical record
known as the Clinical Patient Folder (CPF). The medical
record can be accessed via any PC within the network and
allows staff to enter progress notes electronically. This
function is mainly used for outpatient attendances.
09/10 Northern Health Annual Report 21