By Melanie Franz, Nurse Educator, RACF & GP
Dear Primary Health and Residential Aged Care Nurses,
I am writing to let you know that today is my last day as Nurse Educator, Residential Aged Care & Primary Health. I want to update you on the project and bid you farewell, for the meantime. I have thoroughly enjoyed the unique opportunity to work on this project.
It has been a collaboration between the Northern NSW Local Health District and North Coast Primary Health Network, and as result key health stakeholders in our region better understand the educational needs and support required to reduce avoidable hospital demand.
As you may be aware, chronic disease self-management and managing the aging population are both high priority national conversations, and have been for some time. Primary health – and specifically nursing staff – are well placed to support these populations.
I have been pleased to be able support your learning needs in these areas through the education events hosted – Nurse Network meetings, Health Coaching and Assessment Workshops, just to name a few. I think we have really only scratched the surface of the pivotal role nurses in primary health can play in managing and supporting patients.
From the feedback and survey responses, you have been encouraged, informed, empowered and ignited the fire of evidence-based education. I want to thank you for the opportunity to share knowledge between sectors, and hopefully you will continue to benefit and learn in the delivery of patient centred care for all. I am certain the achievements of this project wouldn’t have been quite as fruitful without the support from key people in both the LHD and NCPHN – including yourselves.
Overall achievements were:
- Identification and summation of residential aged care and primary health nurse learning needs across the footprint.
- Strengthening of the primary care Nurse Networks through requested topic choices and guest speakers who supported the aims.
- Capacity building of primary health staff and reinforcement of the importance of adult learning in the context of evidence-based patient-centred care.
- Integration between North Coast Primary Health Network and Northern NSW Local Health District nursing staff to build on existing networks and learn from each other.
- Identification of future residential aged care and primary health educational priorities in light of hospital avoidance.
Go ahead and congratulate yourselves on the important role YOU play in the health of this nation’s population!