This newsletter is all about innovation - and using influence, inspiration, and courage to ignite it.

I am delighted to announce that after a gap of a few years, the Nursing and Midwifery Showcase is back, and even that has been about embracing innovation. We had to work out how to celebrate the creativity and curiosity of the nurses and midwives in NSW Health without needing everyone together in one place.

All it took was a bit of courage.

Welcome to the Virtual Nursing and Midwifery Showcase 2024 – online and coming to you all no matter where you are from 16-20 September.

This year’s theme is “ignite, inspire, influence” and will be presented in bite-sized webinar pieces for an hour or so each day across the week.

In this newsletter you can read about some of the nursing/midwifery led projects we will be showcasing, just to get you inspired. You can see the whole program and register for the webinars here.

The showcase is a way to share and celebrate innovative and creative nursing and midwifery initiatives that are focussed on three vital elements:

            - improving patient and staff experience

            - ensuring the provision of compassionate, quality, and safe care

            - leading and transforming effective workplace culture

Each daily webinar will run between 1.30-3pm and showcase a number of projects with time for questions at the end.

For those who can’t join live, the webinars will be recorded and hosted on the Nursing and Midwifery Showcase webpage.

It’s going to be an inspiring week. Enjoy.

Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA) is a serious condition that regularly presents and requires treatment in the Emergency Department. It is a time critical and often complex medical emergency, particularly in situations with no available access to endocrinology support and advice.

“DKA is fraught with intricate management plans,” said Kahlia Liston, Clinical Nurse Consultant Emergency and Critical Care, who developed the pathway for the Far West Local Health District. “That intricacy created several concerns for us at the Broken Hill Health Service.

“Delayed recognition, administering too much fluid, inconsistent management strategies across Emergency and ICU, delayed hypokalaemia management and prolonged ICU stays.”

Connecting the Dots is a project from the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District that uses people’s stories to engage with Aboriginal consumers and staff to motivate change and improve patient and staff environments.

The project was developed as part of the SEED Staff Wellness program, Consumer Feedback service and the Aboriginal Chronic and Complex Care team, and centres around a set of Aboriginal Affirmation card that feature a curated collection of Elders’ wisdom. The cards can be used as prompts for patients, carers, family, staff and community wellbeing and healing.

There has been a recognition around the importance of truth telling, and a willingness to listen to the wisdom of local Elders’ and Aboriginal community.

The team behind Connecting the Dots (CTD) is a collection of nurses and other multi-disciplinary staff who bring a wide variety of skills to the project. All team members share a common passion for enhanced Aboriginal staff and consumer engagement and partnerships.

“The team’s engagement approach has centred around cultural immersion, sitting alongside, connecting and yarning with Aboriginal community. Deep listening, reflection, contemplation, and connecting with country/mother earth,” said Sharon Williams, CTD project co-lead and nurse.

A “kick-start” approach will incorporate using the newly developed Affirmation Cards in nurse-led yarning circles. This process will assist in sustainability around the concept of storytelling, deep listening, and reflection through yarning. It will enhance human connection and wellbeing.

“We continue to form a foundation of learning about culture, develop relationships and trust, that has potential to progress and promote deep human connection and healing with Aboriginal community,” said Padmini Pai, CTD Project Co-Lead, and Social Worker.

Padmini and Sharon will present the project as part of the Nursing and Midwifery Office’s Virtual Showcase on Thursday 19 September, 1:30-3pm.

One of the inspiring projects chosen for recognition in the Virtual Nursing and Midwifery Showcase is all about empowering women, inspiring midwives, and influencing the future of primary maternity care.

The publicly funded homebirth model of care from the Central Coast Local Health District ignites midwifery passion because it offers an autonomous scope of practice with the capacity to transform overall health of the community in the short and long term.

“Publicly funded homebirth models create an opportunity for women who don’t have complexity to experience continuity of midwifery led care and a choice to birth at home”, said Danielle Clack, Clinical Midwifery Educator.

The aim was to design, implement and operationalise a sustainable publicly funded homebirth model for the women and families of the Central Coast.

“To achieve that, we needed to take a collaborative, appreciative inquiry approach including key stakeholders to change the perception for women, midwives and the community that a publicly funded homebirth model was not only safe, but likely to significantly improve holistic outcomes and consumer experiences,” said Karen Kennedy, Operations Manager, Central Coast Local Health District.

A small group of midwifery leaders with individualised skills and abilities proudly implemented the new model of midwifery led care, which is underpinned by best evidence, strong governance and a robust risk assessment.

Outcomes have been holistically positive for women with significantly increased normal vaginal birth rates, reduced postpartum haemorrhage rates, reduced severe perineal trauma, and increased breastfeeding rates.

Women's experiences have been equally positive, unanimously rating their care as exceeding expectations, describing great value in being an authentic participant in their own care, having a strong sense of control and a level of self-determination and empowerment.

Midwives have also acknowledged a significant improvement in job satisfaction, created through working to a full scope of practice and valuing authentic midwifery partnerships with women and families. This has improved workforce retention and inspired midwives in other units through shared joy and success.

Karen and Danielle hope their presentation in the Showcase on Monday 16 September, 1:30-3pm, will inspire others to explore models of care that nurture consumers and empower the workforce to provide autonomous care.

12 SEPT: RUOK Day Ask RUOK? Any day

9 OCT: Emergency Nurses' Day 

10 OCT: World Mental Health Day LAYMHA (lookafteryourmentalhealthaustralia.org.au)

24 OCT: NSW Health Awards

1-30 NOV: Movember – The real face of men’s health

12-18 NOV: Perioperative Nurses' Week 

13 NOV: World Kindness Day

25 NOV: Excellence in Nursing and Midwifery Awards (nsw.gov.au)