Implementa)on  of  Health  Assistants  in  Nursing      A  Victorian  Regional  Healthcare  Experience  

Located 70km South West Melbourne on Corio Bay Waterfront Largest employer in the region – Employ 6,000+ staff

Total 1026 beds across 21 sites 426 Acute at The Geelong Hospital

About Barwon Health and Our Region

Barwon South West Region

Aims

The Victorian Government is committed to building and maintaining a high quality and sustainable health system

By providing additional support for nursing teams, the introduction of Health Assistants (Nursing) aims:

• To improve patient care and outcomes

• Enable registered nurses to focus on the more complex clinical

tasks and improve patient and staff satisfaction (and staff retention)

• To positively respond to the increasing demand and pressures

facing Victoria’s health workforce

•  To part of the solution to improve retention and keep our most skilled and

experienced nurses in the workforce

Project Steering Group & Governance

•  Utilising the methodology and key leanings from the Austin – Bendigo Health pilot program Barwon Health introduced this pilot program mid 2013

•  Project Steering group formed to provide leadership to the pilot program •  Executive Support •  Project Manager •  ANMF Representation •  Nurse Unit Managers •  Nursing Staff from pilot wards •  Workforce Partnership (HR) Representation •  Education & Training •  Allied Health Representation •  Consumer Representation •  Patient Service Attendant (PSA)

Pilot Wards

Extensive Consultative Process • Ward implementation committees • Workshops – Team work, Supervision & Delegation

• 22 Bed Surgical / ENT / Plastics • 32 General Medical (Respiratory) • 22 Bed Medical • Rapid Assessment Unit (RAPU - 14 beds) • Geriatric Evaluation & Management (GEM -8 beds)

Agreed Task List - Specific to each Ward • 2 HAN allocated to each unit • Task list slightly different for each pilot ward

Staff & Consumer Communication

•  Newsletters – FAQ’s •  ‘Look Book’ in each pilot ward for those who do not

access computers •  Information sessions – All staff (Most effective) •  Patient Brochures •  Local Media •  Barwon Health Magazines

Evaluation & Data Collection

Pre Implementation Nursing Staff Satisfaction Survey Consumer Satisfaction Survey

Data Collection Ward demographics Quality and Safety Workforce and work environment Cost & Efficiency

External Evaluation in progress

VET Education Provider

Tender process was undertaken

‘The Gordon’ TAFE - Education Partner •  Established shared delivery model between The Gordon and

Barwon Health •  Gordon facilitators and educators are familiar with Barwon Health

and clinical areas •  Emphasis on face to face tuition

Guaranteed pathways The Gordon – Deakin Partnership Diploma of Nursing – Bachelor of Nursing, (formalised July 2014)

Recruitment

•  Local Media Advertising •  Information Sessions

Included The Gordon TAFE, Nurse Unit Managers (NUM), Project Team 90 attended information session

•  Applicants completed numeracy & literacy test 75 potential applicants sat the test NUM & The Gordon both involved in selection process 40 Application received 19 Candidates met all selection criteria 16 were interviewed

Group Exercise & One to One interview

Clinical Support Nurse Role

•  Essential •  Commenced prior to HAN •  Presented Delegation and Supervision education

sessions for all clinical areas •  Prepares newsletters for pilot ward staff information •  Developed an information folder for the HANs •  Weekly debriefing and reflection sessions with HANs •  Provides support for Nursing Staff and Patient

Service Assistants (PSAs) •  Regular meetings with Nurse Unit Managers

Education &Training

2 Week study block Shared delivery 1 Week Clinical Placement Weekly Study Days February – May Monthly Study Day June – December

Internal education opportunities Simulation based training Dementia and Delirium management

Clinical Placement

1 Week Clinical Placement •  Clinical Support Nurse as well as TAFE Facilitator

supported the Trainees •  Inpatient Rehab

•  Orthopaedic, •  Neurology & Stroke Rehab •  Palliative Care & Geriatric Assessment

What we learnt Some aspects of this Clinical Placement was confronting Perhaps Residential Aged Care may have been an option Would consider a 2 week placement for future programs

HAN Progress

•  Achieved all competencies •  Undertaking Constant Patient Observer (CPO)

shifts •  Trialling variable shifts •  4 of 6 interested in continuing a career in

Nursing

Where to from here? Is there a place for the HAN in our workforce?