An official publication of Mater Nursing and Midwifery Alumni

APR

IL 2017

Mater Private Hospital Springfield registered nurse, Meredith Abraham, is certainly not one to shy away from a big challenge and she’s set to embark on one of her biggest yet.Continued on page 24

Meredith’s miles to make memories

2

Seeking a career change following 15 years as an accountant, mother of two Meredith took a leap of faith and went back to university to study nursing.

After graduating from The University of Queensland in 2013, Meredith quickly found her place at Mater, and is now a recovery nurse in the Perioperative Unit at Mater Private Hospital Springfield.

“I have been interested in perioperative nursing for as long as I can remember. My main interests are anaesthetics and recovery and I have commenced post-graduate study in this field this year,” Meredith said.

“I love the acuity of care, the opportunity to care for people and give comfort when they are vulnerable and often very anxious.”

Taking inspiration from those who have gone before her, Meredith keenly demonstrates her passion for the Mater mission and values through her work.

“I feel very proud to be a part of Mater Health. Catherine McAuley was an inspiring woman, dedicated, committed and passionate in her focus. To be a part of that history

A message from the committee

Welcome to the April edition of Alumni News.

I’d like to begin by congratulating Mater Private Hospital Springfield registered nurse, Meredith Abraham, on her decision to participate in Mater Foundation’s Miles for Memories 2017.

In June, Meredith will join 19 others on the journey of a lifetime through Yosemite National Park; and through fundraising she’ll also be raising vital funds to support the team at Mater Research in their investigation for a potential early intervention treatment for dementia. I’m sure you’ll join me in wishing Meredith a safe and happy journey.

As happens each year, May will bring us together to celebrate both International Day of the Midwife (5 May) and International Nurses Day (12 May). Both of these milestone days provide the perfect opportunity to celebrate your wonderful contribution to our Mater community.

Your impact on the care of patients here at Mater and beyond is immeasurable and we thank you for all that you have done and continue to do to care for others.

Following these days of celebration, we will once again open both of our Alumni scholarships for application. You can read more about these opportunities in this edition, and stay tuned for more updates across Mater in the coming weeks.

I’d also like to take this opportunity to thank you for your continued support of Mater Nursing and Midwifery Alumni, and I wish you a very happy and safe Easter.

Until next time.

Jackie North Mater Nursing and Midwifery Alumni

Meredith’s miles to make memories

Meredith with her dog Sheeba.

3

while I provide my nursing care on a daily basis is extremely rewarding,” Meredith said.

Now, Meredith is preparing for an even bigger—mostly physical—challenge, when she takes on Mater Foundation’s Miles for Memories Yosemite Trek in June.

This year, the annual adventure trek will raise important funds to help the team at Mater Research to continue investigating the potential for an early intervention treatment for dementia.

“It was the cause—supporting dementia research at Mater—that inspired me to sign up for the trek and Yosemite has always been on my bucket list,” Meredith said.

“To raise funds and awareness for dementia research being carried out at Mater is a privilege.”

However, it’s her very personal connection to the cause that is truly inspiring Meredith’s fundraising, and one that will motivate her each and every step of the trek.

“I lost my dear father-in-law 18 months ago to Alzheimer’s disease and my beautiful aunt who is not yet 70, is very rapidly succumbing to the later stages of the disease,” Meredith said.

“To lose your ability to function in normal daily activities such as personal care, eating and continence is one thing, but to be deprived of your most precious memories and the ability to recognise the loved ones around you is truly devastating, and quite simply wrong.

“While they have inspired my journey, it is the support and encouragement of my husband John that has given me the confidence to take part. Having lost his father to Alzheimer’s, this is as much his journey as it is mine.”

From now until June, Meredith’s main focus is on training and becoming as fit as possible, in time for the adventure of a lifetime.

“I walk with my beautiful dog about eight to ten kilometres, three times a week; this will have to increase soon if I’m to keep up with some of the seasoned trekkers in the team! I’m also doing leg squats and stairs whenever I can.”

“At the end of this journey I will have some amazing and inspiring memories, the very thing that Alzheimer’s and dementia robs our loved ones of.”

You can support Meredith’s trek by donating today at https://milesformemories2017.everydayhero.com/au/meredith

“To raise funds and awareness for dementia research being carried out at Mater is a privilege.”

Meredith with her two sons Max and Toby.

MAYTea for Teal Month of May

International Day of the Midwife 5 May

Office Professionals Breakfast in support of ovarian cancer research at Mater 5 May

Mater Nursing Research Seminar 11 May

International Nurses Day 12 May

Katherine’s High Tea 13 May

Climb for Cancer 28 May

JUNECity2South 4 June

Alice to Darwin Smiddy Challenge 4–11 June

Miles for Memories: Yosemite Trek 15–25 June

Upcoming diary datesAUGUST

Olivia’s Lunch Date to be announced

Townsville to Brisbane Bottlemart Smiddy Challenge 26 Aug–2 Sept

Bridge to Brisbane 27 August

OCTOBERMater Past Nurses Association Annual Mass and Luncheon 14 October

For more information on any of these events, please visit www.materfoundation.org.au or call us on 1800 440 155.

4

Tea for TealDust off the tea pot, pull out your favourite cookie recipe and save the date in your calendar for this year’s Tea for Teal! Gather your family and friends together and join us in hosting a Tea for Teal on Monday 8 May—World Ovarian Cancer Day—and help raise funds for vital ovarian cancer research at Mater.

Whether you decide to host a morning tea at work or a G&T and cheese night at home, every dollar you raise this May will help change the lives of women diagnosed with ovarian cancer by supporting world-class research.

When: Monday 8 May 2017 (or any time in May!)

Where: Location of your choice. Your home, office or local park.

Want to know more or put your name on the list to receive a FREE host kit? Email teaforteal@mater.org.au today!

Alice to Darwin Smiddy Challenge

Bridge to BrisbaneTea for TealMiles for Memories: Yosemite Trek

55

A celebration of nurses and midwives

Mater Nursing and Midwifery Alumni scholarshipsCongratulations to Mater Prostate Cancer Specialist Nurse, Deirdre Kiernan, who was awarded the 2016 Betty Kennedy International Study Scholarship.

As the inaugural recipient, Deirdre attended the European Association of Urology National Congress earlier this month and we look forward to sharing her story and some of her learnings later in the year. Congratulations Deirdre and thank you to everyone who donated to the Mater Nursing and Midwifery Alumni scholarships fund to make this a reality.

The 2017 Sister Eileen Pollard Oncology Nursing and Betty Kennedy International Nursing scholarships will once again open for applications in May, to coincide with International Day of the Midwife and International Nurses Day.

For more information on applying for scholarships or to make a donation in support of the scholarships fund please visit our website or contact Jackie North on 07 3163 8000 or alumni@mater.org.au

Save the date: This year the Mater Nursing Research Centre will hold their annual Nursing Research Seminar on Thursday 11 May, 2017.

From 12 pm to 4 pm, the seminar will be held in Mater’s Des O’Callaghan Auditorium (South Brisbane) and attendees are invited to RSVP by emailing Sue Wright at the Nursing Research Centre on nurad9@mater.org.au. Sponsored by our Mater Nursing and Midwifery Alumni, a detailed program for the event will be included in the next edition of our eNewsletter.

Lunch will be provided.

Nurses and midwives play a significant role in healthcare delivery, so it’s important to take time each year to remind ourselves of the important role we play.

Next month on Friday 5 May, we will celebrate the work of midwives all over the world—International Day of the Midwife recognises and honours midwives across the globe. This will be followed closely by International Nurses Day, celebrated on Friday 12 May—a day to acknowledge and appreciate the contributions nurses make to our community.

These recognisable days of celebration provide an opportunity to celebrate and reflect on what is the largest healthcare profession in Australia, as well as recognise and honour your work and that of your peers.

The idea of having a day to celebrate midwives came out of the 1987 International Confederation of Midwives conference in the Netherlands. International Day of the Midwife (IDM) was first celebrated May 5 1991, and has been observed in over 50 nations around the world. International Nurses Day (IND) is celebrated around the world every May 12, the anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birth.

This year’s theme, Midwives, Making a difference in the world, accurately reflects what we at Mater already know—that we could not fulfil our Mission to serve the sick and needy without our nursing and midwifery staff.

To our nurses and midwives who provide unwavering support and dedication to patients and their families, we are forever grateful for your contribution—past and present.

6

Launched in early 2016, Mater’s Exceptional Every Time strategy continues to be implemented, seeing the recruitment of leadership roles across identified clinical streams.

This edition, we introduce you to those clinical streams as Mater aims to improve healthcare via the consistent and strategic integration of health, education and research, and continues to deliver on its Mission to provide compassionate care to those who need it most.

Introducing Mater’s new clinical stream leads

For more information, visit www.mater.org.au

Mothers, Babies and Women’s Health Services

Medical Director

Dr Michael Beckmann

Director of Nursing and

Midwifery

Maree Reynolds

Director of Business

Brett Christ

Specialty areas

• Gynaecology

• Maternal Fetal Medicine

• Midwifery Care

• Neonatology

• Obstetrics

• Parenting Support

• Perinatal Mental Health

• Urogynaecology

Medical/Chronic Disease Services

Medical Director

Dr Trisha O’Moore-Sullivan

Director of Nursing

Alison Broadbent

Director of Business

Kirsty Dixon

Specialty areas

• Addiction Medicine

• Ambulatory Services

• Cardiology (including Cath Labs)

• Clinical Genetics

• Consultation Psychiatry

• Dermatology

• Emergency Medicine

• Endocrinology

• General and Perioperative Medicine

• Geriatric Medicine

• Homeless Healthcare

• Immunology and Allergy

• Infectious Diseases

• Mater UQ Centre for Primary Healthcare Innovation

• Metabolic Diseases

• Nephrology, including dialysis

• Obstetric Medicine

• Occupational and Environmental Medicine

• Refugee Health

• Respiratory and Sleep Medicine

• Respite Care

• Rheumatology

• Young Adult Services

7

Surgical/Acute Care Services

Medical Director

Dr Sanjeev Naidu

Director of Nursing

Arna Chauncey

Director of Business

Ian Le Quesne

Specialty areas

• Acute Pain Service

• Anaesthesia

• Breast and Endocrine Surgery

• Colorectal Surgery

• Dental Surgery

• ENT – General

• Gastroenterology

• General Surgery

• Gynaecology – Oncology

• Hepato-Biliary Surgery

• Intensive Care Medicine

• Interventional Radiology

• Maxillofacial/Oral Surgery

• Ophthalmology

• Orthopaedics

• Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery

• Paediatrics – MCPB

• Plastic/Reconstructive/Burns

• Preadmission Clinic

• Theatres/Procedural Rooms/Endoscopy Suites

• Thoracic Surgery

• Upper GI Surgery

• Urology

• Vascular Surgery

Cancer Care Services

Medical Director (Acting)

Professor Janet Hardy

Director of Nursing

Carlie Nielsen

Director of Business

Chris Sullivan

Specialty areas

• Haematology

• Oncology

• Palliative Medicine

• Radiation Oncology

Neurosciences

Medical Director

Professor Michael

O’Sullivan

Director of Nursing

Jennifer Pitt

Director of Business

Luke van Luik

Specialty areas

• Neurology

• Neurosurgery

• Orthopaedic spine

• Rehabilitation

• Skull base surgery

• Stroke unit

• Mater at Home

Contact Mater Foundation

620 Stanley Street Woolloongabba QLD 4102

1800 440 155

www.materfoundation.org.au

alumni@mater.org.au

Honouring yesterday Celebrating today Investing in tomorrow

8

ANZAC Day remembranceANZAC Day is a reminder of the contribution that Mater staff made to the military conflict during the First World War. Many of Mater’s medical officers enlisted in the Army Medical Corps, placing great demands on those medical officers remaining.

One of the Mater doctors who wished to contribute to the war effort was Dr Lilian Cooper, who had trained in England and in 1891 was the first woman doctor to be registered in

Queensland. Dr Cooper worked in Mater Private Hospital from 1906 and was on the Medical Board of the Public Hospital from its inception in 1911. However, she found that the allied forces would not allow women doctors to join the Army Medical Corps.

Dr Cooper was a force to be reckoned with and, not to be outdone, she joined the Scottish Women’s Hospitals for Foreign Service. The organisation had been established by a Scottish woman doctor and suffragette, Dr Elsie Inglis, whose services were also rejected by the British War Office because of her gender.

Dr Inglis decided to raise money to set up field hospitals in the conflict zones. Fourteen field hospitals were established and were staffed entirely by women—doctors, nurses, ambulance drivers. Dr Cooper, who was by then 55 years old, joined a field hospital in Serbia in 1916 where she spent 12 months performing nearly a thousand operations in appalling conditions, for which the King of Serbia awarded her the Order of St Sava. On her return to Brisbane, Dr Cooper continued her work with Mater until the 1930’s. Meanwhile back in Brisbane, the Sisters of Mercy contributed to the war effort by offering a 20 bed ward for wounded soldiers. By the end of 1915, 40 soldiers from the Gallipoli campaign were cared for at Mater.

This year, on Tuesday 25 April, we ask you to join us in remembering those Mater staff who did their part in caring for the wounded in the First World War.

Serves: 4

Ingredients1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil3 cloves garlic, finely sliced½ long red chilli, finely sliced2 tablespoons minced lemongrass½ bunch coriander, leaves picked, stems finely sliced1⁄3 cup roasted unsalted peanuts, roughly chopped½ teaspoon turmeric powder400g beef sirloin, porterhouse or fillet, cut into thin strips1 green capsicum, sliced½ brown onion, sliced thinly2 cups green beans, halved2 cups snow peas1 ½ tablespoons fish sauce1 tablespoon brown sugar1⁄3 cup reduced-fat coconut milk3–4 cups steamed brown rice, to serve

Healthy recipe: Cambodian Beef Stir Fry

Source: www.healthyweightweek.com.au

1. Heat a wok or large frying pan over high heat. Add olive oil then garlic, chilli, lemongrass and coriander stems. Reserve coriander leaves for serving. Stir in ¾ of the peanuts and turmeric. Once fragrant and starting to change colour (1–2 minutes) add beef and onion. Cook until beef turns brown, then add capsicum, green beans and snow peas.

2. Give the wok a good toss around, then stir in the fish sauce, brown sugar and coconut milk. Continue cooking until the beef is cooked and the vegetables soften slightly.

3. Serve the stir fry in the middle of the table with steamed rice, topped with the coriander leaves and remaining peanuts.

ALU

1701

Image courtesy of Mater Archives and Heritage Centre. For more information please contact Jackie Chamberlin on 07 3163 8166.