Professional Development - Practice Nurses


The information on this page is from the Wheatbelt GP Network and external organisations.  This information is designed to assist Practice Nurses with professional development opportunities.

PRACTICE NURSES
Graduate Certificate in Nursing (General Practice)	The University of the Sunshine Coast offers this accredited course in collaboration with the Australian General Practice Network.  Enrolment commences June 2010. This Graduate Certificate is offered as a distance learning course in three consecutive modules offered through AGPN with University adjunct tutors across the country. The final module is approved by the university directly.  Should you have any questions contact Connie Ryan, Principal Network Adviser, Australian General Practice Network:  (02) 6228 0820  (02) 6228 0820 or cryan@agpn.com.au.
Younger Onset Dementia	Presented by Tara Stringfellow, Early Intervention Coordinator, Alzheimer’s Australia WA Date:         Tuesday 27 July 2010 Time:         5.00pm to 6.00pm (refreshments available from 4.30pm) Venue:       The Theatre, Technology Park Function Centre                  Corner Brodie Hall Drive and Hayman Road, Technology Park, Bentley  This session is recommended for health professionals qualified and/or seeking to be qualified at a tertiary level including doctors, medical specialists, nurses, occupational and diversional therapists, physiotherapists, psychologists, social workers, speech pathologists and students. Presentation outline: Having a diagnosis of Younger Onset Dementia provides unique challenges. A younger person may be more physically and socially active in the community and yet struggle in areas of meaningful employment, raising a family, holding financial responsibility and making plans for future retirement. With this in mind a couple with a recent diagnosis of Younger Onset Dementia will be coming to share their experiences and how they have had to adapt aspects of their lives to accommodate the changes associated with their diagnosis. Issues and recommendations that arose from a series of focus groups conducted by Alzheimer’s Australia WA with people living with Younger Onset Dementia and service providers will be highlighted followed by a brief overview of services we currently offer for younger people living with dementia. There is no cost associated with this presentation and anyone interested in furthering their dementia knowledge, keeping up-to-date with recent research and networking with colleagues is welcome to attend. Please complete the attached registration form (click on the link to the left).
2010 Meningococcal Disease Conference	The Amanda Young Foundation is proud to present the third conference in Australia on Meningococcal Disease. You are invited to come along and hear from experts in the field of diagnosis, clinical care and education relating to meningococcal disease. Cost:        $50.00 (Standard)                 $10.00 (Students) Date:        6 August 2010 Venue:      Astral 1 Ballroom, Burswood Entertainment Complex, Great Eastern Hwy, Burswood Time:        8.30am - 12.30pm For more information, a full program and to register, please download the Course Flyer to the left.
Pap Smear Provider including STI for Regional Nurses	Pap Smear Provider Theory including STI (PSP/STI) – 5 day theory (35 hours) This short course focuses on developing the essential knowledge and skills required for nurses in general practice (including ENs, and also AHWs with appropriate skills and experience) to provide Pap smears and preventive health checks for women on behalf of a GP under Medicare Item number 10994. The Pap Smear Provider course, including STI, consists of a theory component of 35 contact hours plus self directed learning and a clinical component of a minimum of 21 hours. All participants completing this course will be entitled to a certificate from FPWA, Sexual Health Services and Registered and Enrolled Nurses are also eligible to apply for the Certificate of Competence as a Nurse Pap Smear Provider from the WA Department of Health. Dates:     2 – 6 August 2010 - closing date for registration is 12 July 2010 Venue:    Geraldton Download the following documents for more information and to register: - Course Information specific to Geraldton location - Pap Smear Provider Course Information - Registration Form
E-Learning for Advanced Health Directives and Enduring Power of Guardianship	As you are most likely aware, in Feburary 2010 the Acts Amendment (Consent to Medical Treatment) Act 2008 came into effect in Western Australia enabling people to plan for medical, lifestyle and other healthcare decision making if in the future they are unable to make those decisions for themselves.  The Act introduced changes to sections within the Guardianship and Administration Act 1990, the Criminal Code and the Civil Liability Act 2002. The Act introduced Advance Health Driectives (AHDs) and Enduring Power of Guardianship (EPGs).  An AHD is a legal document in which an adult with full legal capacity can express their wishes about future medical treatment.  An EPG is an instrument by which an adult can appoint an enduring guardian to make important personal decisions on their behalf in the event that they lose capacity to do so. A self directed e-learning resource providing easily accessible information on the Act and its two legal instruments is now available online.  Click here to access the e-learning package.
Online Brief Tobacco Intervention Training Program	Smoking kills 15 500 people in Australia each year, with 1 in every 2 smokers dying from a smoking related cause. To coincide with World No Tobacco Day 31 May 2010, the Online Brief Tobacco Intervention Training Program is now available. This evidence based, best practice training program has been developed by the National Drug Research Institute for Smoke Free WA Health.  The training is FREE and available to anyone with an interest in smoking cessation at http://ndri.curtin.edu.au/btitp/.   By completing this FREE online training you will be able to: - Describe the nature of tobacco smoking in Australia - Understand the Smoke Free WA Health Policy and what this means for staff and patients - Deliver brief intervention and motivational interviewing - Use the 5As for brief tobacco interventions (Ask, Assess, Assist, Advice, Arrange) It takes approximately 2 hours to complete the training however you do not need to complete it in one sitting. With the recent increase of the excise tax on tobacco products many smokers may be thinking about giving up. This is an opportune time to develop skills to ask others about their smoking and support them to overcome their nicotine addiction. Supporting smoke free environments is another positive way you can support others to quit. For guidelines and resources to help you maintain a smoke free environment at your WA Health site or workplace visit www.health.wa.gov.au/smokefree.    This training is a step forward in implementing recommendations from the models of care as it provides accessible training for health professionals to ensure a competent, skilled workforce.
WA Practice Nurse Association	The WA Practice Nurse Association hold Education Evenings every third Monday of the month.  For more information, please visit the WA Practice Nurse Association web-site (link to the left). If you wish to attend any of the events, to allow for cating and seating, please confirm on  0449 256 648  0449 256 648 or rg_windsor@westnet.com.au