Excellence

Medical Education and Training

St John of God Health Care continues to provide the highest standards of training and education opportunities for medical students and doctors-in-training in metropolitan and regional locations, as a fundamental contribution to a sustainable and highly skilled Australian medical workforce.

The organisation continues to support and participate in the Specialist Training Program (STP) in collaboration with specialist medical colleges, state and territory health departments, and public health services. The organisation continues to partner with universities across Australia and supports medical teaching for university undergraduates within many of our hospitals. We provide students with a wide range of learning opportunities within medical and surgical specialties including psychiatry, anaesthetics and emergency medicine.

Following a recent Commonwealth review of the current STP program, including the Emergency Medicine Program (EMP), and Emergency Department Private Sector Clinical Supervision Program (EDPSCS) components, there have been no new positions on offer over the past 12 months.

However, there is a commitment to continuing the STP Program for a further three years to 2020. St John of God Health Care applauds this decision, supports the program and looks forward to continuing to work with the Commonwealth, the Medical Colleges and various State Government agencies, to ensure the continued success of this important initiative.
In 2016-17, St John of God Health Care sold its pathology operations to Clinical Labs. This resulted in the transfer of eight training positions under the STP Program to Clinical Labs, resulting in a reduction of positions under St John of God Health Care. Over the period July to December 2017, and in line with government reforms, we expect that internal reviews may occur within our organisation, with the effect of some fluctuation to current positions.

Nursing and Midwifery

Nurse Manager Program

The Nurse Manager Program aims to support our caregivers in achieving clinical excellence in what is a complex role in our organisation.

The curriculum emphasises participation, teamwork and practical application of theory. Using a coaching approach, in combination with face-to-face workshops, it is designed to energise nurse managers to drive a culture of high engagement and a focus that will assist leaders to become more efficient.

The program is now supported by The University of Notre Dame and all graduates are awarded a Graduate Certificate in Nursing Leadership and Management.

Eleven caregivers were accepted into the program this year. Caregivers who were not accepted were offered coaching and have the option of applying for next year’s program.
The Nurse Manager Program will be running in the East only in 2018 and back in Western Australia in 2019.

During the year, progress was made in providing nurse manager education in regional areas.

Paediatric Life Support education

Since 2013, St John of God Health Care has run Paediatric Life Support training, a one day internationally accredited intermediate life support course focusing on the skills required to manage a critically ill or injured child in the first ten minutes after presentation.

This year, 240 caregivers completed the course, up from 180 the previous year.

The course aims to develop nurses’ confidence in undertaking clinical assessments of paediatric patients, and enhance airway skills and resuscitation capabilities to improve patient outcomes.

Graduate Nurse Program

Since 2015, St John of God Health Care has run a state-wide graduate nurse program in Western Australia called Pathways to Practice. The program offers graduates the opportunity to rotate to different hospitals and across specialties.

In 2016-17, we adopted a standardised approach to the end-of-program process to ensure a fair appointment process for graduates to permanent positions across all hospitals. Graduates will be able to apply for advertised positions before completing their program.

Plans to recruit graduates, who have completed their one-year program, into a coaching/ mentorship role for new graduates will be explored in 2017-18.

Graduate registered nurse places

Graduate enrolled nurse places

Registered nurse student days

Enrolled nurse student days

Pastoral Services Education

The Graduate Certificate in Liberal Arts (Pastoral Placement) is offered by The University of Notre Dame Australia. The course involves the completion of four core units at 500 level - philosophy, pastoral theology foundations, ethical issues in professional life and a pastoral practicum placement. The pastoral practicum placement will be known as the Pastoral Supervised Immersion Experience, which will be an experiential learning program offered at all Western Australian and New South Wales services.

The Graduate Certificate in Liberal Arts (Pastoral Placement) offers the opportunity for:

• Caregivers currently working in pastoral services to obtain a tertiary pastoral qualification
• Building a recruitment pool to address succession planning
• Recognising pastoral services as a professional calling.

This relationship with Notre Dame is a great example of our Mission in action, strengthening partnerships with the Church.

St John of God Burwood Hospital offers placements to seminarians from Good Shepherd Seminary, Homebush to assist in their formation for the priesthood, particularly in exposing them to working with people undergoing psychiatric treatment. The seminarians spend three hours per week over 12 weeks at the hospital.

We demonstrate leadership in areas such as:

• Developing ways to measure the efficacy and effectiveness of pastoral provision
• Contributing to research with a focus on optimising patient and family outcomes.