1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:02,679 Speaker 1: We know, despite those concerns that we've been raising about 2 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:07,040 Speaker 1: assaults and abuse towards staff, NTEA Health has welcomed eighty 3 00:00:07,200 --> 00:00:10,600 Speaker 1: two graduate nurses and midwives to the Northern Territory. I 4 00:00:10,640 --> 00:00:13,440 Speaker 1: said fifty one before, but fifty one has started training 5 00:00:13,800 --> 00:00:17,880 Speaker 1: and orientation at Royal Darwin and Palmerston Hospitals, with twenty 6 00:00:18,000 --> 00:00:21,680 Speaker 1: six based at Alice Springs Hospital and five at the 7 00:00:21,800 --> 00:00:24,560 Speaker 1: Catherine Hospital. Now joining us on the line to tell 8 00:00:24,640 --> 00:00:27,280 Speaker 1: us more about the latest intake of nurses is the 9 00:00:27,440 --> 00:00:33,320 Speaker 1: Chief Nurse and Midwifrey Officer Mish Hill. Good morning to you, Mish. 10 00:00:32,760 --> 00:00:33,840 Speaker 2: Oh, good morning Katie. 11 00:00:33,880 --> 00:00:36,240 Speaker 1: How are you yeah, really good? Thank you so much 12 00:00:36,280 --> 00:00:37,479 Speaker 1: for your time this morning. 13 00:00:38,320 --> 00:00:38,680 Speaker 2: Mish. 14 00:00:38,880 --> 00:00:41,320 Speaker 1: How much of a boost is this for the territory's 15 00:00:41,479 --> 00:00:42,520 Speaker 1: health workforce. 16 00:00:43,920 --> 00:00:47,840 Speaker 2: Well, this is a significant boost for the numbers within 17 00:00:47,880 --> 00:00:51,000 Speaker 2: our workforce, but it's also significant boost as we move 18 00:00:51,120 --> 00:00:55,560 Speaker 2: towards growing our own and ensuring that we employ every 19 00:00:55,640 --> 00:01:00,000 Speaker 2: nurse and midwife who's a Territori and within our services. 20 00:00:59,680 --> 00:01:02,000 Speaker 2: So it means that we have a future and we're 21 00:01:02,000 --> 00:01:04,880 Speaker 2: planning for that future and we're going to ensure that 22 00:01:05,319 --> 00:01:09,480 Speaker 2: these nurses they're receiving and midwives are receiving essential training 23 00:01:10,319 --> 00:01:13,000 Speaker 2: and they're on the wards now. I've got to speak 24 00:01:13,000 --> 00:01:16,720 Speaker 2: with a few of them on Monday, and they're so enthusiastic. 25 00:01:17,440 --> 00:01:22,160 Speaker 2: Just having that level of enthusiasm and just wanting to learn. 26 00:01:22,319 --> 00:01:25,560 Speaker 2: It's really lifts morale. That is good to hear. 27 00:01:25,680 --> 00:01:30,440 Speaker 1: So how many have we already got on the wards mesh, Well. 28 00:01:30,280 --> 00:01:33,319 Speaker 2: We've got across the years, we've built the numbers of 29 00:01:33,360 --> 00:01:36,959 Speaker 2: new graduate nurses and midwives up. Currently across the territory, 30 00:01:37,319 --> 00:01:40,920 Speaker 2: there are three hundred in a new graduate program, whether 31 00:01:40,959 --> 00:01:45,280 Speaker 2: it's nursing or midwiffery. And I won't rearticulate the numbers 32 00:01:45,280 --> 00:01:49,120 Speaker 2: you talked about already, but eighty two new nurses and 33 00:01:49,160 --> 00:01:50,840 Speaker 2: midwives have just commenced. 34 00:01:51,400 --> 00:01:54,320 Speaker 1: And are they in all different kinds of roles machine 35 00:01:54,360 --> 00:01:55,560 Speaker 1: lots of different areas. 36 00:01:56,800 --> 00:02:01,240 Speaker 2: Yeah, they work across a number of different specialties. They've 37 00:02:01,240 --> 00:02:03,960 Speaker 2: got a choice in this program that they can either 38 00:02:04,120 --> 00:02:08,040 Speaker 2: undertake a program where they rotate to two different areas. 39 00:02:08,080 --> 00:02:11,600 Speaker 2: So some may start the first rotation in the medical unit, 40 00:02:12,160 --> 00:02:15,359 Speaker 2: then they might move into perioperative or some of them 41 00:02:15,400 --> 00:02:17,440 Speaker 2: have the choice where they want to actually stick with 42 00:02:17,480 --> 00:02:19,840 Speaker 2: a specialty. So they already know they want to be 43 00:02:19,880 --> 00:02:23,600 Speaker 2: a perioperative nurse, so they would do a one year program, 44 00:02:23,960 --> 00:02:27,119 Speaker 2: and the same in the emergency department, we offer continuity 45 00:02:27,160 --> 00:02:29,800 Speaker 2: of a one year program. And I guess the best 46 00:02:29,800 --> 00:02:32,239 Speaker 2: thing out of all this, Katie, is the last couple 47 00:02:32,280 --> 00:02:34,919 Speaker 2: of years the programs that we've been running, we're retaining 48 00:02:34,960 --> 00:02:38,760 Speaker 2: eighty five percent of those completing the graduate program. So 49 00:02:39,240 --> 00:02:40,600 Speaker 2: we must be doing something right. 50 00:02:40,680 --> 00:02:43,200 Speaker 1: Yeah. That is good to hear, because as you mentioned, 51 00:02:43,320 --> 00:02:45,119 Speaker 1: you know, we do want to be growing our own 52 00:02:45,160 --> 00:02:47,960 Speaker 1: and we want to be keeping people here, and you know, 53 00:02:48,040 --> 00:02:50,360 Speaker 1: I guess we sort of you know, we're aware of 54 00:02:50,760 --> 00:02:53,880 Speaker 1: our issues in the territory. We're aware of our our 55 00:02:53,960 --> 00:02:56,240 Speaker 1: wonderful things that happen in the territory, and if we 56 00:02:56,280 --> 00:02:59,240 Speaker 1: can keep people here that is that is the best option. 57 00:03:01,040 --> 00:03:04,640 Speaker 2: Yes, yeah, And we make sure during the programs as well, 58 00:03:04,680 --> 00:03:10,000 Speaker 2: they're very strongly supported by graduate coordinators as well as 59 00:03:10,040 --> 00:03:13,160 Speaker 2: on the wards. Our senior nurses and midwives continue to 60 00:03:13,240 --> 00:03:16,960 Speaker 2: provide support day in and day out. So we're very 61 00:03:17,040 --> 00:03:20,040 Speaker 2: lucky in that way as well, because the graduate nurses 62 00:03:20,040 --> 00:03:23,160 Speaker 2: and midwives get to learn from some very experienced nurses 63 00:03:23,160 --> 00:03:24,000 Speaker 2: and midwives. 64 00:03:24,280 --> 00:03:27,840 Speaker 1: Now, Miss, tell us what other incentives and innovative ways. Well, 65 00:03:27,880 --> 00:03:29,400 Speaker 1: what are some of the things that we're doing here 66 00:03:29,400 --> 00:03:31,840 Speaker 1: in the Northern Territory to try and recruit and attract 67 00:03:31,880 --> 00:03:32,520 Speaker 1: more nurses. 68 00:03:34,160 --> 00:03:37,680 Speaker 2: We're doing quite a lot of work across government but 69 00:03:37,800 --> 00:03:42,800 Speaker 2: also within our operational services. So some of the programs 70 00:03:42,840 --> 00:03:46,560 Speaker 2: that we roll out is obviously the graduate program. We 71 00:03:46,680 --> 00:03:50,400 Speaker 2: have programs that include employed models, so you finish your 72 00:03:50,400 --> 00:03:53,840 Speaker 2: graduate year and then will help support you undertake a 73 00:03:53,960 --> 00:03:57,320 Speaker 2: grad SAT in the first instance in a specialty, so 74 00:03:57,360 --> 00:04:00,000 Speaker 2: you might want to specialize in mental health, you might 75 00:04:00,040 --> 00:04:03,680 Speaker 2: on a specializing renal or emergency departments, so we're actually 76 00:04:03,760 --> 00:04:07,640 Speaker 2: supporting them doing that. We're offering scholarships each year and 77 00:04:07,880 --> 00:04:12,520 Speaker 2: they are about to be opened for this financial year, 78 00:04:12,600 --> 00:04:15,640 Speaker 2: so hopefully in the next week or two. We're making 79 00:04:15,680 --> 00:04:20,480 Speaker 2: sure that other supports are provided in terms of access 80 00:04:20,520 --> 00:04:24,960 Speaker 2: to professional development allowance. So the work I've been doing 81 00:04:25,000 --> 00:04:27,359 Speaker 2: with my team just over the last few months is 82 00:04:27,400 --> 00:04:30,400 Speaker 2: going out and telling all our stuff about the different 83 00:04:30,520 --> 00:04:35,440 Speaker 2: allowances they're entitled to. That also includes things like if 84 00:04:35,440 --> 00:04:39,200 Speaker 2: you've actually got a postgraduate allowance, you can access that allowance, 85 00:04:40,320 --> 00:04:45,479 Speaker 2: and things like offering people to apply for exemplary allowance 86 00:04:45,520 --> 00:04:48,760 Speaker 2: so if I'm an entry level nurse or midwife and 87 00:04:48,880 --> 00:04:53,440 Speaker 2: I'm undertaking some quality audits or programs, I can apply 88 00:04:53,520 --> 00:04:56,200 Speaker 2: to get an extra allowance in relation to that. So 89 00:04:56,240 --> 00:04:58,160 Speaker 2: we're just making sure at the moment that we're letting 90 00:04:58,240 --> 00:05:03,360 Speaker 2: people know about salary packaging so that people do take 91 00:05:03,360 --> 00:05:07,560 Speaker 2: advantage of all those incentives and allowances that were negotiated 92 00:05:07,600 --> 00:05:09,560 Speaker 2: through the last Enterprise Agreement. Yeah. 93 00:05:09,640 --> 00:05:12,200 Speaker 1: Right, And like, in terms of our incentives and in 94 00:05:12,279 --> 00:05:14,360 Speaker 1: terms of what we do here in the Northern Territory 95 00:05:14,360 --> 00:05:19,800 Speaker 1: comparatively to other states, are we doing quite well? Yeah? 96 00:05:19,839 --> 00:05:22,600 Speaker 2: I think we are doing well the challenge that we 97 00:05:22,640 --> 00:05:24,920 Speaker 2: have and have. I meet with all of the chief 98 00:05:25,000 --> 00:05:29,880 Speaker 2: nurs and midwives across Australia, including the Commonwealth Chief Nurse 99 00:05:30,760 --> 00:05:34,839 Speaker 2: on a quarterly based face to face and unfortunately they're 100 00:05:34,880 --> 00:05:37,320 Speaker 2: actually doing the things that we've been doing for a while. 101 00:05:37,360 --> 00:05:39,640 Speaker 2: So we have to keep becoming more and more innovative 102 00:05:39,680 --> 00:05:42,480 Speaker 2: in what we do. So for instance, there used to 103 00:05:42,520 --> 00:05:44,200 Speaker 2: be a lot of grads not able to get on 104 00:05:44,279 --> 00:05:49,320 Speaker 2: programs in other jurisdictions, particularly New South Wales and WA, 105 00:05:49,760 --> 00:05:53,279 Speaker 2: and we would get a lot of overflow in terms 106 00:05:53,279 --> 00:05:57,200 Speaker 2: of people that couldn't access employment in their states. They've 107 00:05:57,240 --> 00:06:00,360 Speaker 2: all now started doing exactly what we're doing. Have to 108 00:06:00,440 --> 00:06:03,120 Speaker 2: keep being more innovative, and I guess the other big 109 00:06:03,160 --> 00:06:06,440 Speaker 2: thing that we're doing is around the opportunities we have 110 00:06:06,520 --> 00:06:11,120 Speaker 2: around nurse practitioners and that ability to study and work 111 00:06:11,120 --> 00:06:12,599 Speaker 2: at the top of scope clinically. 112 00:06:13,279 --> 00:06:16,200 Speaker 1: So tell us a little bit more about that. I mean, like, 113 00:06:16,320 --> 00:06:20,360 Speaker 1: how valuable are those nurse practitioners and that work that 114 00:06:20,400 --> 00:06:20,880 Speaker 1: they do. 115 00:06:22,400 --> 00:06:26,359 Speaker 2: Oh, They're unbelievably invaluable, particularly when we look at the 116 00:06:26,520 --> 00:06:29,359 Speaker 2: early career nurses and midwife we have in our system. 117 00:06:29,920 --> 00:06:35,839 Speaker 2: These nurses are educated to master's level, they have wealth 118 00:06:35,839 --> 00:06:40,120 Speaker 2: of experience, they have expertise, They are able to and 119 00:06:40,160 --> 00:06:45,320 Speaker 2: have the authority from regulation to diagnose, to provide medication 120 00:06:45,640 --> 00:06:49,080 Speaker 2: to treat people. They can work in lots of different 121 00:06:49,600 --> 00:06:55,760 Speaker 2: clinical environments, in remote in mental health, they can focus 122 00:06:55,880 --> 00:06:59,680 Speaker 2: on a specialty within our acute services, so they really 123 00:06:59,760 --> 00:07:03,800 Speaker 2: add value and the provision of that care and delivery. 124 00:07:03,839 --> 00:07:07,000 Speaker 2: It's really cost effective and it's patient centered. So it 125 00:07:07,160 --> 00:07:10,480 Speaker 2: just enhances what we can do, particularly with our community 126 00:07:10,520 --> 00:07:12,360 Speaker 2: and outreach services MISH do. 127 00:07:12,400 --> 00:07:15,800 Speaker 1: We have many candidates sort of to become nurse practitioners 128 00:07:15,840 --> 00:07:16,360 Speaker 1: at the moment. 129 00:07:17,840 --> 00:07:22,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, look, we we're extremely proud the senior nurses and 130 00:07:22,200 --> 00:07:26,720 Speaker 2: midwives across the Northern Territory, the directors of Nursing and Midwiffrey, 131 00:07:27,280 --> 00:07:29,440 Speaker 2: they came together and it's part of an action plan. 132 00:07:29,560 --> 00:07:33,520 Speaker 2: They said, look, we've only got twelve positions for nurse 133 00:07:33,560 --> 00:07:36,600 Speaker 2: practitioners and this was a couple of years ago. We've 134 00:07:36,640 --> 00:07:42,000 Speaker 2: now got fifty three I think of as obviouyesterday established positions, 135 00:07:42,600 --> 00:07:45,000 Speaker 2: so that means we've got positions to move people into. 136 00:07:45,120 --> 00:07:49,120 Speaker 2: So that's an amazing increase of that. We've got twenty 137 00:07:49,160 --> 00:07:52,680 Speaker 2: two who are already nurse practitioners, we've got thirteen who 138 00:07:52,680 --> 00:07:56,000 Speaker 2: are candidates and seven who are just about to finish. 139 00:07:56,080 --> 00:07:58,920 Speaker 2: And we've just gone out for another round because as 140 00:07:59,480 --> 00:08:03,240 Speaker 2: you would know, the CDU courses commenced again shortly, so 141 00:08:03,760 --> 00:08:06,920 Speaker 2: just not sure how many more, but we're really finding 142 00:08:07,040 --> 00:08:08,960 Speaker 2: people are attracted to come and work for us. 143 00:08:09,600 --> 00:08:12,120 Speaker 1: Well, Mish, we really appreciate your time this morning. Thank 144 00:08:12,160 --> 00:08:13,560 Speaker 1: you very much for giving us a bit of an 145 00:08:13,600 --> 00:08:16,360 Speaker 1: update on you know, on those new recruits or those 146 00:08:16,400 --> 00:08:19,080 Speaker 1: new graduates, and also on the nurse practitioners. And no 147 00:08:19,120 --> 00:08:21,760 Speaker 1: doubt we'll talk to you again so okay 148 00:08:21,840 --> 00:08:23,880 Speaker 2: Thank you so much, Katie, thank you