RDNS Institute and operations staff members enjoyed a global audience – and forged a new relationship with the Visiting Nurse Service of New York (VNSNY) – when they presented at the International Council of Nurses’ 25th Quadrennial Congress (ICN) in Melbourne in May.

The Congress brought together evidence, experience and innovations and highlighted the critical importance of equity and access to health care for communities and individuals. In particular it demonstrated how nurses are key to ensuring equal access and quality of health care for everyone.

RDNS Institute Director, Dr Susan Koch said, “the congress had been a rare opportunity to reinforce the

value of academic, government and industry partnerships and to profile the expertise of Institute staff.’

About 50 delegates also visited RDNS’ head office as part of the congress’ industry tours program. One meeting focussed on the establishment of an international alliance for evidence-based practice in nursing.

The purpose of the alliance is to integrate evidence-based research into best practice, identify gaps in knowledge to inform nursing research and support collaborative learning. The meeting was chaired by Mary Jo Vetter, VNSNY’s Vice President of Product Development, who hopes the alliance will ultimately promote consistent delivery of high quality care in nursing worldwide.

RDNS, in conjunction with VNSNY and the ICN, will establish the alliance and develop an appropriate web page where interested parties can log questions and seek information regarding evidence to support best practice in the health arena. It is envisaged the web page will bring together clinicians, researchers and academics from all over the world to promote best practice in health care.

Dr Susan Koch believes that progress in the area of health research and education was largely dependent on the pooling of ideas, academic collegiality and appropriate sharing of knowledge.

(Continued on page 2)

Spotlight on RDNS researchersRDNS played host to nurses from all over the world during the ICN congress

Winter 2013 Edition No.02

RDNS has been announced as a winner in the 2013 LASA Victoria Awards for Excellence.

The award was presented to RDNS Executive General Manager, People and Culture, Mr David Aberdeen at a special LASA Victoria State Congress function in Melbourne. RDNS CEO Adjunct Professor Stephen Muggleton said he was delighted with the win.

“This award recognises the enormously impressive work being performed across RDNS in so many areas – especially the initiatives and commitments which sustain our reputation as a great place to work.”

Professor Muggleton said the LASA award was also an endorsement of the success of RDNS’ home-nursing telehealth developments which have recently been boosted by a $3.3 million Federal Government grant to pilot new methods of healthcare delivery using the National Broadband Network (see story page 4).

The LASA citation said the award recognised RDNS as a leader in the provision of community based nursing and home care services, “pioneering innovative practices such as a hand held, field based real-time client management system that ensures staff have access to up to the minute client data.”

“RDNS has a long history of pursuing innovation and change for the benefit of its many thousands of clients.”

LASA Victoria deputy CEO Frances Mirabelli said, “the awards recognised excellence across all

fields of the aged care industry and celebrated significant contributions to the quality of life of older people.”

“The Victorian aged care industry is renowned for its dedication to ensuring our older people receive the best possible quality care, when and where they need it,” she said.

“The proposed alliance will be, in effect, a catalyst for like-minded people who are working towards breaking new ground in health care and therefore improving people’s lives and wellbeing.”

“For RDNS where we are often linking evidence-based research with in-field practice, this is a very exciting step indeed.”

“ There are opportunities to work together to achieve common goals”

A second satellite meeting of congress delegates highlighted the capabilities of RDNS’ customer service centre (CSC) to an international audience. Visitors were given an overview of RDNS, an outline of the RDNS Institute capabilities and a demonstration of the effectiveness of the CSC.

Mary Jo Vetter said her visit to RDNS enabled her to see and hear things “that convinces me that there are opportunities to work together to achieve common goals”.

“We have a shared mission,” Ms Vetter said. “We are community-based, we serve people where they actually live and we try to allow people to age with quality of life until end of life.”

“RDNS and VNSNY are so similar and clearly there are opportunities for collaboration – especially when we are talking about quality nursing care and evidence-based research.”

Ms Vetter said that with delegates from so many countries one thing had become clear from the conference: “Healthcare and aged care should not be seen as an expense for a country – it is an investment.”

“It goes further than that in this era of globalisation – it is a global investment with global implications,” she said.

RDNS was a major sponsor of the congress which was held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. RDNS Institute researchers who presented included:

• Dr Rajna Ogrin: How RDNS commits to the delivery of evidence-based, quality care

• Dr Susan Koch: Everyone knows; nobody knows, it just is: a dementia framework for real world use

• Fleur Duane: The role of the clinical nurse consultant within dementia care in the community; and

• Suzanne Kapp: Successful clinical practice guideline implementation for pressure risk in a home nursing setting.

Ms Jaklina Michael, RDNS’ manager of diversity, presented a paper on how RDNS uses technology to help its nurses improve the health literacy levels of clients, with particular reference to RDNS’ online diabetes ‘Talking Books’ and its language line.

All agreed that the congress had met its objectives: to advance and improve equity and access to health care; to demonstrate the nursing contribution to the health of individuals, families and communities; and to provide opportunities for an in-depth exchange of experience and expertise within and beyond the international nursing community.

Spotlight on RDNS researchers(Continued from front page)

The annual Where The Heart Is Community Festival was once again a special day for people experiencing homelessness in Melbourne.

It was the 10th festival and what better way to celebrate than with sparklers and a giant cake which was cut by RDNS’ Homeless Persons’ Program (HPP) Manager Theresa Swanborough and Events Coordinator Sharon Osman.

About 1000 people attended the festival which offered free haircuts, dental checks, abundant platters of food, masseurs, manicurists, photo sessions, craft, music and pet checks conducted by Dr Russ Harrison (pictured), and his colleagues from the Lort Smith Animal Hospital.

The festival, held at the Edinburgh Gardens in North Fitzroy, is the only annual public event for homeless people in Melbourne. It happens through collaboration between homeless people, workers in housing, health and support organisations and a strong body of community volunteers from across several sectors. The festival is organised and managed by the RDNS HPP with support from a broad range of agencies. Funding comes from the City of Yarra, City of Melbourne, Minister for Housing, Centrelink and RDNS.

RDNS wins LASA Victoria Award for Excellence

Heartfelt festivity for the homeless

Valerie Lyons, Lasa Victorian President presents the winning trophy to David Aberdeen, RDNS Executive General Manager, People and Culture

Homeless festival 10 years on – a special day for so many reasons

Inside is the newsletter of the RDNS Group – leading providers of home nursing and community care throughout Australia and New Zealand. Home and Community Care (HACC) services provided by Royal District Nursing Service are jointly funded by the Victorian and Australian Governments. If you do not wish to receive future copies of Inside, would like to receive an email version or wish to update your contact details, please email inside@rdns.com.au

Editor: John Allin: jallin@rdns.com.auRoyal District Nursing Service Limited

ABN 49 052 188 71731 Alma Road St Kilda Victoria 3182

RDNS Institute presenters take a break between sessions at the RDNS stand at the ICN

Page 2 Inside Newsletter 2013 Inside Newsletter 2013 Page 3

RDNS has begun recruiting clients following its $3.3 million Federal Government grant allocation to pilot new methods of healthcare delivery using the National Broadband Network (NBN).

The grant was part of a $20.3 million allocation to fund various NBN telehealth projects around Australia.The grant is earmarked for integrated home telehealth which will deliver a virtual nursing service and in-home video conferencing for about 200 participants.

Aged and chronically ill patients will also use telehealth equipment for remote health monitoring.The project will embed telehealth solutions within a fully integrated model of care, involving the collaboration of home care services, multi-disciplinary care teams and informal carers and family.

The grant reinforces RDNS’ place in the broadband telehealth environment; it already has clients participating in its Broadband Enabled Innovation Project (BEIP) – a major Victorian Government initiative.

RDNS Executive General Manager, Projects and Business Development, Mr Stelvio Vido described the recent Federal Government grant as excellent news that “comes on the back of the BEIP project which has about 50 RDNS clients trialling telehealth”.

“This latest NBN-enabled project will allow patient information to be sent from their special home monitoring system to the RDNS Customer Service Centre (CSC) in real time, assessed and then appropriate remedial steps taken,” Mr Vido said.

In effect the home system comprises technology that captures medical data and a computer that allows a client at home to talk to his or her nurse at the CSC.

“Data that can quite easily be collected by the patient at home includes blood pressures, blood oxygen, temperature, blood glucose and weight. This information can be downloaded to the CSC where nurses will review the data on a daily basis and, depending on what they see, there will be pre-determined limits

or parameters. If the data is falling outside of these parameters the nurse will make a clinical judgement as to what sort of intervention might be required,” Mr Vido said.

The intervention would range across the spectrum, Mr Vido said, “It might be as simple as a telephone call to the client. Or, if the nurse believes that it would be advisable to see the person they will initiate a video call or schedule a home visit.

While telehealth will complement rather than replace face-to-face nurse visits, Mr Vido said, “a client’s home monitor and its ability to send vital information back to the CSC made for extremely efficient – and maybe even life-saving – care.”

“Innovative technology is part and parcel of our delivery of care today and this cements RDNS’ place as a true pioneer in community health technology”.

$3 million for RDNS telehealth

RDNS district nurse Mary Hale was filmed and interviewed recently for a special Federal Government NBN video

An RDNS client with his BEIP monitor at home. Now RDNS is gearing up for the NBN project.

The launch of RDNS HomeCare signalled the beginning of a new and exciting era for RDNS which now has a national footprint with the organisation caring for thousands of people – including our revered veterans – across Australia. The symbolic cutting of a ribbon at the new office in the Northern Sydney suburb of Bella Vista by RDNS board member Sue Macri AM and RDNS HomeCare National Manager Bronwyn Wilkinson was the culmination of eight months of intense planning that involved the transitioning of a range of services from Kincare/Stanhope to RDNS.

Importantly, this chapter in RDNS’ history sees a significant shift in RDNS’ traditional home nursing business to include provision of daily living support care to more than 4000 Veterans under a contract with the Department of Veterans’ Affairs. It has also resulted in the employment of more than 500 staff comprising registered and enrolled nurses, nursing support staff and care workers.

It has paved the way for RDNS to take on more care roles as Australia – and the entire Asian region – faces the challenges of ageing populations. Today Ms Wilkinson and her team across Australia are building strong relationships with their clients, providing seven days a week services that include nursing, home care, respite, home maintenance and brokerage as well as offering special care services such as palliative care and wound care to older Australians, war veterans and widows, people with disabilities and others.

“Since our first day seven months ago we have been working with people who choose our services to support their living requirements, to maximize their independence, and be healthy and safe at home. Our goal is to understand what our clients want to achieve, and how we can support and enable them to achieve it.”

Ms Wilkinson said RDNS HomeCare had an experienced management team known and respected in the industry who are actively building networks and partnerships in every state. Operationally, RDNS HomeCare provides services from offices in Melbourne, Hobart, Sydney, Port Macquarie, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth.

“RDNS has a good understanding of the special culture that exists in the Veteran community and, on top of that, RDNS staff have the values that reflect the values of those who have served our country.”

“ Values that reflect those who have served our country”

RDNS Chief Executive Stephen Muggleton is delighted with the transition of services from Kincare/Stanhope to RDNS. “It is a privilege to be building on our already longstanding relationship with the Department of Veterans’ Affairs,” Mr Muggleton said. “This has been an enormous task and the outcome is a tribute to all staff who have been involved. We now have a genuine national footprint that positions us for growth at a time when we have had to pay heed to developing new revenue streams to support our mission.

National footprint for RDNS

RDNS Board member Sue Macri AM and RDNS HomeCare National Manager Bronwyn Wilkinson prepare to cut the ribbon. They are accompanied by CEO Adjunct Professor Stephen Muggleton (left) and fellow Board members Kathy Baker AM and Noel Armstrong

Inside Newsletter 2013 Page 5Page 4 Inside Newsletter 2013

Page 6 Inside Newsletter 2013

The RDNS telehealth project which allows a nurse to make a ‘virtual visit’ to a patient at home, has won the Outstanding ‘ICT’ Innovation award in the Asia Pacific Eldercare Innovation Awards 2013 in Singapore.

The award was made on the opening day of the 4th Ageing Asia Investment Forum where 300 international delegates from business, government and community sectors gathered to discuss the challenges of ageing populations in the Asian region.

RDNS Executive General Manager, Projects and Business Development, Stelvio Vido addressed the forum on Australia’s ageing population challenges and RDNS’ initiatives involving new technology and the broadband to complement face-to-face client visits.

The win came on the same day as RDNS made its first public demonstration in Asia of its seniors-friendly telehealth solution that will potentially enable earlier hospital discharge for patients, prevent medicine mismanagement and maximise nursing resources. RDNS was also announced as a finalist in the awards for its Leg Ulcer Prevention Program (LUPP) (see story page 8).

At the forum RDNS demonstrated its project with a video link between conference guest of honor (Singapore’s Senior Minister of State, Mr Chan Chun Sing) and nurse Amanda Murray who was more than 6000 kilometres away at RDNS’ call centre. Ms Murray took the Minister through a conversation, monitoring his ‘medication’ (lollies for this occasion) and hypothetically taking his blood pressure.

The RDNS solution is the principal platform of the organisation’s move into delivering care using high-speed broadband technology, and is designed specifically to help address the challenges associated with caring for an ageing population.

The effectiveness of the project has been tested over the past 24 months in Australia with a sample size of about 50 clients. Each client has a special monitor at home with an inbuilt camera, allowing nurses at the RDNS call centre to conduct two-way video calls.

The project is being pioneered with the help of the Victorian Government under its Broadband Enabled Innovation Program (BEIP). The objective is to help clients remain in their homes for longer to avoid hospital stays and reduce the overall burden on the health system. Participating partners are Telstra, Healthe Tech and La Trobe University.

RDNS Chief Executive Adjunct Professor Stephen Muggleton said he was delighted with the win. “I want to particularly thank the Department of State Development, Business and Innovation which has given us magnificent support as well as our partners and the RDNS team who have delivered this innovative solution.

“It is a great example of how clever but easy-to-use technology can provide better in-home support for consumers,” he said. “The success of this project is opening up a range of other exciting solutions that build on the capacity of our nurse-led call centre.”

RDNS telehealth project wins Asia innovation award

Stelvio Vido demonstrates RDNS telehealth to Singapore’s Senior Minister of State, Mr Chan Chun Sing

RDNS nurse Amanda Murray on line to Singapore

Asthma mortality study published in BMJO

Asthma deaths in Australia are linked with health inequalities, drug and alcohol use, psychosocial issues, poor health literacy and social isolation, according to Dr Di Goeman, Senior Research Fellow at the RDNS Institute, whose study has just been published in the British Medical Journal Open.

Dr Di Goeman, who is lead author of the study, says there is an urgent need for interventions that ‘reach the unreached’ by targeting practice and policy in addition to interventions at a personal level to improve asthma-related health literacy.

A significant concern, says Dr Goeman, is the higher rate of asthma deaths detected among those residing in rural or remote areas (45% of the

cases examined) given that only 32% of the overall Australian population live in rural or remote areas and that asthma prevalence is higher in inner city areas.” The BMJO article, ‘Asthma Mortality in Australia in the 21st Century’ is a retrospective study of asthma deaths between 2005 and 2009. The first study to report asthma deaths across Australia, it reveals that asthma-related health literacy needs to be improved especially among those with episodic asthma.

Respiratory physicians Professor Michael Abramson, Dr Celia Zubrinich and Professor Jo Douglass were co-investigators of the study which was funded by the Asthma Foundation of Victoria.

The report calls for a case control study of asthma deaths in Australia which investigates deaths across all age groups, the circumstances surrounding the deaths as well as the management of fatal attacks and the quality of care in the preceding 12 months such as that currently being undertaken in the UK.

Dr Goeman says: “Our study provides a current assessment of death from asthma across Australia. Further reductions in the rate of asthma deaths will require interventions targeted at the personal, practice and policy levels.”

“Reforms are also needed to address inequity in healthcare delivery to ‘reach the unreached’. Our study points to the dangers associated with smoking, drug and alcohol use and the consequences of delay in seeking care among those with asthma.”

Dr Goeman says that among the results of the study, examination of available data in those aged under 70 years identified risk factors associated with asthma deaths. These included physical barriers (rural and remote location, institutionalised care), psychosocial issues (social disengagement, mental illness, living alone, being unemployed), smoking, drug and alcohol dependence, allergies and respiratory tract infections.

Roads to nursing

Kosta Michalopolous and Kirsty LeGassick – different stories, same goals to improve people’s lives

RDNS nurses Kosta Michalopolous and Kirsty LeGassick featured in ‘The Age’ recently as part of the lead up to the 2013 Nursing and Health Expo.

Journalist Sue Goss selected Kosta and Kirsty as examples of the different ways people can enter the nursing profession.

Sue told the story of Kosta who was a surgical nurse in Greece. Because his qualification was not recognised in Australia he worked as a carer and studied by distance education. Some years ago he went to an expo, visited the RDNS booth and made a career decision! By the end of his graduate year he knew he had made the right

choice and Kosta is now based at RDNS Moorabbin.

Kirsty’s story is a bit different. After starting her family, she decided to return to TAFE for an aged care qualification. She then became an enrolled nurse before embarking on a university degree. She also went to a Nursing and Health Expo, spoke with the RDNS nurses and spent her final university placement at the RDNS Knox site where she currently works.

Kirsty is currently undertaking research in medicines management in a community setting, one of several areas offered within the RDNS Institute.

Inside Newsletter 2013 Page 7

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A major RDNS Institute project – the Leg Ulcer Prevention Program (LUPP) – was awarded a finalist trophy at the recent inaugural Asia Pacific Eldercare Innovation Awards in Singapore.

RDNS Research Fellow Suzanne Kapp RN, who led the program said “she was thrilled to receive the award” which she described as a tribute to researchers at the RDNS Institute who developed and evaluated the program, and the nurses who use it in their practice.

“We are living in an age when chronic disease can be not only distressing but very costly as well. This LUPP education package provides general health and lifestyle advice integral to chronic disease management and promotes client ownership of wound and chronic disease.”

“It also encourages clients to participate in self-care activities to help wound-healing and prevent ulcer recurrence – and to manage chronic disease risk factors to promote better health and wellbeing,” she said. In 2011-12 there were 6872 occurrences of wounds among RDNS clients, with skin ulcers remaining the highest diagnostic reason for admission to RDNS.

LUPP is an e-learning client education program watched on a DVD player or computer. With the nurse sitting alongside the client, the six sessions show what is needed to be done to promote quicker healing and prevent the ulcer returning.

The program focuses on what venous disease is, best practice treatment with compression therapy, the role of activity, exercise and nutrition and the importance of wearing compression stockings after healing. RDNS Institute Director Dr Susan Koch said she was delighted that LUPP had been selected as a finalist in the awards.

“This is a most appropriate tribute to Suzanne and the talented people who have been involved in the program,” Dr Koch said.

The global prevalence of leg ulcers is estimated to be as high as 1%. In Australia these figures rise to 3% among people aged over 65 years. These chronic wounds take a long time to heal and often recur. Furthermore, they cause significant pain and suffering and have a negative impact on a person’s quality of life.

“So to have a client-education package such as LUPP that uses e-learning, hard copy materials and activities to ultimately help venous ulcer management, is a great step forward.”

“The award can be seen as recognition of our expertise - expertise that is now known well beyond the borders of Australia,” Dr Koch said.

“Expertise known beyond the borders of Australia”

The first of its kind in the Asia Pacific region, the awards recognise the best in eldercare and applaud organisations that have displayed innovative contributions to change the way seniors in the region age.

Asia accolade for majorRDNS leg ulcer program

RDNS has appointed two new high profile Directors to its Board - Ms Jenny Taing and Mr Brendan Fleiter.

Ms Taing is an accomplished lawyer working in the Chief Legal Office of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission. A former Commissioner of the Victorian Multicultural Commission, she also sits on the advisory board of the Centre for Advanced Journalism at the University of Melbourne and is a director of the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital Board.

Mr Fleiter has over 25 years business experience; he has held senior roles in national retail and telecommunications companies including as CEO of The Crazy John group. Prior to his management roles

he worked in the legal profession practicing commercial law. He is currently Deputy Chairman of Australia Post, Deputy Chairman of Methodist Ladies’ Collage and Chair of its Foundation; Non-Executive Director of Volleyball Victoria, Our Neighbourhood Foundation and the Ilhan Food Allergy Foundation.

Ms Taing and Mr Fleiter join a strong RDNS Board that includes former Freehills Managing Director Mr Paul Montgomery (Chair), Productivity Commissioner Ms Susanne Macri AM, former President of the Australian Nursing College Ms Kathy Baker AM, Monash University Pro Vice-Chancellor Professor Leon Piterman AM and renowned gerontologist Dr Michael Murray.

RDNS appoints two new Board members

Mr Brendan Fleiter

Ms Jenny Taing

RDNS Clinical Nurse Consultant Liz Crock has won a Human Rights and Nursing Award for “outstanding commitment to human rights and exemplifying the essence of nursing’s philosophy of humanity”.

She was one of three RDNS staff members who have won awards in recent months.

The Human Rights and Nursing Awards were made through the International Centre for Nursing

Ethics which held its 2013 conference in Melbourne in May.

The citation by the ICNE and Deakin University states that Ms Crock, who is based at the RDNS Heidelberg site where she works as a Clinical Nurse Consultant in HIV, has had a “significant hand in developing and evaluating the HIV Program at RDNS, Australia’s largest home nursing organisation”.

Congratulations also go to Rosemarie Draper, social worker (Rosebud) for her ‘Meritorious Service to the Community award for outstanding voluntary contribution to the multicultural community in the Mornington Peninsula” and to Linda Craske, Care Manager (Diamond Creek) for her Certificate of Merit for Bravery awarded by the Royal Humane Society and the CFA Chief Officer’s Citation for Courage following the 2009 bushfires.

Three stars pick up awards

Clinical Nurse Consultant Liz Crock: honoured for her work with RDNS HIV program

Inside Newsletter 2013 Page 9

RDNS Chief Executive Adjunct Professor Stephen Muggleton presents RDNS Research Fellow Suzanne Kapp with the finalist trophy

The home-based services business is a brisk and dynamic one in New Zealand as organisations look to expert providers in a variety of areas.

With RDNS NZ’s new CEO, Scott Arrol, now well and truly ‘in the chair’, RDNS NZ is completing the transition of clients and staff after winning the restorative services contract with the Southern District Health Board.

With a new service manager for this area, Lynley Chirnside, working alongside Carmel Conaghan (NZ Manager) and the project team everyone has been very busy establishing the new infrastructure that will form the basis of expanded support services in the coming months and years in this area.

This follows on from a busy 2012 when RDNS NZ was chosen as one of only six lead providers in New Zealand by the Accident Compensation Commission to provide home-based and nursing services in the Greater Auckland area.

Having established a reputation for providing high quality, client-centred care and support to the elderly under contract to the Auckland District Health Board over the past four years, RDNS NZ is now experiencing considerable interest in its services across the broader community health sector in New Zealand.

The increased demand for effective home-based services, that focus on enabling clients to restore to a level of functional independence based on their individual requirements, means that the nurse-led approach of RDNS NZ is well suited to meet this demand.

With the appointment of their new CEO, RDNS NZ has further signalled their commitment to the New Zealand health sector.

In his first few weeks on the job Scott has been impressed with the commitment and passion of the New Zealand team. A highly experienced health leader in this country, Scott brings a wealth of knowledge to contribute to RDNS NZ’s already high level of expertise. Scott is proud to be involved with the organisation and sees a big future ahead for RDNS NZ.

“I have been struck by how dedicated the whole team is – from support workers and care managers to office staff and managers,” said Scott.

“This is testament to the culture of caring for others who are at a vulnerable time in their lives - which is an inherent part of the way we do things in this organisation.”

Page 10 Inside Newsletter 2013

Brisk health sector business in NZ

RDNS NZ CEO: Scott Arrol

The Commonwealth’s new Home Care Packages have been redesigned for the consumer to have the greatest say in what their needs are and how they would like these met.

The operative words are Consumer Directed Care (CDC). The new packages are CDC-focussed, meaning the care recipient and family (who are the consumers) will be encouraged to look at what would assist them to remain comfortably at home with a budget to support them.

There will be four levels, Level 1, 2, 3, and 4 depending on what the person’s assessed needs are and whether they are classified as low or high care.

The RDNS Packaged Care Program is about to celebrate its fourth anniversary. Launched in 2009 with just a few clients, the program now

has 140 Home Care packages of all levels across Victoria in the Western, Eastern and Southern regions of Melbourne and the NSW Illawarra region.

RDNS Packaged Care Program Manager Deidre McGill says all current CACPs, EACH and EACHD packages will transfer to the new levels 1-4 in the near future. Communication of all changes will be provided to care recipients and carers in coming weeks.

“Across the packaged care sector this will accentuate the importance of the Active Service Model which has always been the focus for RDNS,” Ms McGill said. “So without a doubt this is something we welcome and support.

“It is an exciting time. We welcome the increased focus on the person – and his or her life goals – and the opportunity to support them at home where they are comfortable in their familiar surroundings and neighbours at hand.

One of the pluses for the RDNS Packaged Care teams, says Ms McGill, is seeing firsthand how people can live independently with confidence, in their own homes and determining their own goals.

“Do they seek company? Do they wish to cook? Dancing outings? Afternoon teas? Special care needs? Nursing or health needs? The list is endless,” says Ms McGill. “But the process is made easy through an open and trusting relationship between the case manager, the person needing the service and their family and carers.

“Through this triangle the appropriate packages and needs are identified and goals achieved,” she said.

Care packages ensure clientshave choices to fit needs

Carers and clients enjoy a spot of fresh air in the gardens - just one of the dozens of ways RDNS makes a difference under the Packaged Care Program

Inside Newsletter 2013 Page 11

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As we enter our second decade the RDNS Institute is beginning to reap the benefits of our first 10 years of research and education in community healthcare, says RDNS Institute Director Dr Susan Koch.

Over the past two years the Institute has been successful in attracting more than $1.2 million for a range of research projects, with major grants allocated to wound and dementia care. This year we have had 20 peer reviewed publications accepted and 10 projects funded.

With the aim of introducing evidence-based care into service-oriented home nursing, the RDNS Institute has successfully implemented a model of evidence translation. This model demands whole organisation ownership and support. The RDNS Institute uniquely integrates education and research with clinical practice. These extend into a range of collaborations from community organisations, government departments and

agencies to Australian and International universities.

Our research is focussed on key strategic areas, allowing the research team to enjoy critical success. The most significant has been designation of the RDNS Institute as a member of the NHMRC Partnership Centre Dealing with Cognitive and Related Functional Decline in Older People.

The partnership will help provide answers to the complex and difficult questions that we face on a daily basis in trying to improve the health and health care of Australians suffering from dementia.

A less formal but no less important partnership has also been formed with the support of Health Workforce Australia to investigate medicines management in the community. The Workforce Innovation for Safe and Effective (WISE) Medicines Care project is a collaboration which brings together medicine-related research and project work and links with RDNS projects in telehealth to pilot a sustainable service and workforce model of medicines management.

The start of the Institute’s new decade has also marked some major advances in wound care. Under the auspices of the Department of Health and Ageing Encouraging Better Practice in Aged Care (EBPAC) initiative, the Leg Ulcer Prevention Program (LUPP) program is now being rolled out across sites in regional Victoria and Western Australia.

Our research activities are underpinned by the various funding bodies of the RDNS Institute, the Federal and State Governments and particularly the very generous philanthropic individuals and trusts that support us. The Board of RDNS, the Research Advisory Committee and the Human Research Ethics Committee have been equally supportive.

Links formalised between clinical, research and education to create best practice

Seeing a need and great opportunity to improve process and practice, the Institute has formalised the links between clinical, research and education to create a cycle of evidence-based practice and facilitate a culture of best practice.

Clinical Leadership Groups (CLGs) within RDNS provide a structured approach to receiving and responding to clinical issues from nurses, developing best practice initiatives through research and disseminating these initiatives to staff via education. This makes for an ongoing cycle of continuous improvement of clinical practice within RDNS.

Institute chalks up runson the research board

Director of the RDNS Institute, Dr Susan Koch (right), with RDNS Institute Research Officer Kira Karvey who is undertaking her Honours Bachelor degree in Health Sciences at Monash University.