December 2014

Manager’s Note Congratulations to you all! What a fabulous achievement 2014 has been for all our wonderful volunteers. You have contributed 21,2246.1 hours of time and energy into the WCHN and when worked out to the dollar valued amounts to $584,267.75. This is an extraordinary effort. We had an opportunity to celebrate this effort at the WCHN Volunteers Awards on 10 October 2014. I was thrilled to meet volunteers and staff from the hospital and from across the network who attended on the day. Thank you for coming from near and far to join in. You are all an inspiration, whether you received 100 hours of service awards, or like Jenny Bell, 25,000 hours and 40 years awards! As I said on the day, time is finite and a precious commodity. We are privileged that you choose to spend some of your time with us. I would like to say a special thank you to Cynthia Baldwin and Linda Dyett for all their effort in making the awards an occasion to remember. It wouldn’t have happened without them.

Lis Brittan Manager, WCHN Volunteers

WCHN Volunteer Awards 2014

Jenny Bell receives her 25,000 Hours and 40 Years’ service awards from Mr Phil Robinson, Executive Director Corporate Services, WCHN.

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Security IDs Remember that you are responsible for keeping your security ID safe and secure.

Do not leave your ID in your tabard pocket. It must be taken home and kept in a secure

place.

If you lose your security ID we need to be informed immediately as Security need to cancel

the card and then reissue a new one.

Welcome to New Volunteers The following volunteers have commenced with the Volunteer Unit since the last newsletter.

We welcome you all and thank you for your interest in volunteering with the WCH.

Michelle Beelitz

Judy Bickley

Paula Bitencourt

Sophie Braun

Elkie Cairns

Evie Catt

Shailey Coleman

Thao Dang

Roberta di Marzo

Rosa Funes

Yuan Fang

Winnie Fangaloka

Charity Foo

Cheriyse Hope

Marguerite Howard

Stef Johnston

Nyree Joyce

Amelia Loxton

Lina Peno

Neha Sharma

Barbara Slade

Kate Strauss

Jennie Thurley

Lauren Williams

Yi Yu

Jen Zerner

Human Resources

Neonatal & Special Care Nurseries

Cassia Ward

Medical Ward 1

DOSA/Campbell Ward

Toxinology

Medical Ward 1

Haematology/Oncology

Cassia Ward

Medical Records

WCH Creche

Medical Ward 1

WCH Creche

Paediatric Surgery Ambulatory Svc

WCH Creche

Surgical Hub

DOSA/Campbell Ward

Cassia Ward

Adult Genetics Unit

Medical Records

Cassia Ward

Helen Mayo House

Recovery and Anaesthesia

Neonatal & Special Care Nurseries

Home Equipment/ Paediatric O/P

Multiple Births

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Volunteer Profile

Hello! My name is Rathneary S. Hean and I am a volunteer of WCHN in the area of Speech Pathology. The Speech Pathology department of WCHN is very busy and I am very happy that I have the opportunity to help the speech pathologists. I assist them in maintaining the treatment room, storage room and running the talk and sing groups as well as the food play groups. I do enjoy my volunteer work very much. Everybody including the volunteer officers, speech pathologists, speech pathologists’ assistants, staff in the crèche, my volunteer friends, the parents and kids are very nice to work with. Moreover, there is no speech pathology in Cambodia and I do appreciate the opportunity to be introduced to and learn this new thing. I would also like to take this opportunity to share a bit of my story. I am from Cambodia. I am a mother of a twenty-month-old boy. I have my background in medicine and now I am pursuing Diploma in Child Health (SA). I moved to Adelaide to accompany my husband while he is pursuing his PhD. Before arriving in Adelaide, what came in my mind was “Coming alone from one of the poorest country in Asia to a well-developed country like Australia would make me small. I was not sure whether if resigning my job and coming to Adelaide was the right decision for me. I was scared!” In contrast, I was so wrong! Australia is a very nice country; people are very helpful and friendly. Because I don’t know anyone here in Adelaide and I have background in medicine, I came up with the idea of volunteering in the hospital. I went through the internet and found WCHN. I put my volunteer application online and was warmly welcome by WCHN volunteer officers, Cynthia Baldwin and Linda Dyett. They introduced me to the speech pathologists’ assistants, my supervisors, Karen Sowton and Kerrie McDonald. Now I got a casual job in preschool as a classroom support staff. My job hunting would have not been successful without Karen and Kerrie being my referees. I want to send a message to all the people who wish to volunteer, please do so. Please find somewhere you like and start volunteering. Volunteering will not only benefit other people and society, but also benefit you. Through volunteering you will feel happy as you are contributing, gaining experiences, meeting new people, and building networks … etc. Finally, I would like to mention that, excluding summer, Australia has a very cold weather compared to my country, Cambodia, but everyone here makes my heart feel warm. Thank you very much indeed. Now that I enjoy life in Adelaide, three years will go fast.

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WCHN Volunteer Awards 2014

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WCHN Volunteer Awards 2014

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Walter Charles Torode

Walter Charles Torode was born on 17 September 1858 in North Adelaide, close to the site of the Adelaide Children’s Hospital. His parents were Henry and Sarah Torode. As a boy, he watched the building of St Peter’s Cathedral, an edifice that featured later in his life. Walter became an apprentice at William King’s steam sawmill in O’Connell Street, North Adelaide, completing his training in 1879. He made a specialty of building large mansions and, after the railway through the Adelaide Hills was completed in 1883, he built large houses for the gentry in Aldgate and Stirling. On 12 May 1881 he married Sophia Gellentien and they produced six children. Walter’s works include the Adelaide Stock Exchange, the Elder Conservatorium, Ruthven Mansions, parts of Pultney Grammar School and extensions to the Unley Town Hall. He also created the pedestal of both the statue of McDouall Stuart in Victoria Square and the statue of King Edward VII on North Terrace. The latter statue arrived in Adelaide with only three of the four bronze female figures intended for its decoration. Torode was called upon at short notice to provide a substitute. If you look at the back of the statue you will see the substitute he created, quite unlike the other three. Walter Torode built three buildings for the Adelaide Children’s Hospital. The first, begun in 1878 and opened in the following year, was the Hospital’s first building, the original Samuel Way Building. The Hospital’s General Committee was told that Torode had done the job “in a very creditable manner”.

People and Tales

from the Hospital

Heritage and History

Committee

Sadly, the building was demolished in 1965. The second building Torode erected for the Hospital is the still extant Allan Campbell Building, completed in 1897. For this he was paid 5,000 pounds. The third Torode building is the Hospital’s former Queen Victoria Convalescent Home located at 51 Birch Road, Stirling. Torode was paid 1,500 pounds for building it. It was owned and used by the Hospital from 1899 until 1947, and is now a private residence. A stained glass window from that Convalescent Home was for a time moved to the hospital’s chapel, but is now in storage. As mentioned at the beginning of this article, Walter Torode watched the building of St Peter’s Cathedral. After the walls and roof of the cathedral were in place there was an extended delay. It was Walter Torode who later built the tower and the spires of the cathedral. The illustration, courtesy of the State Library, shows the Hospital’s initial Samuel Way building with the cathedral, as yet without its spires, in the background. Dr Brian Fotheringham Chairman Heritage and History Committee

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CEO Naomi Dwyer made a

brief but enjoyable stop at the

WCH’s Volunteer Haven

recently to join some of the

Friday volunteers for lunch

and to hear what they do and

what motivates them to be a

part of the hospital team.

Lunch with the CEO

Fabio gives children a voice in their care Children at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital (WCH) can now have their say about their hospital

experience through a fun, easy-to-use patient survey.

Featuring a charming animated character Fabio the Frog, the

patient survey – the National Paediatric Toolkit - is being

trialled at the WCH in an Australian first, thanks to funding from

the Women’s & Children’s Hospital Foundation.

“Traditional ways of seeking feedback from patients aren’t

always suitable for children, yet it’s vital that their voice is

heard,” said Pam Murphy, SA Child Health Clinical Network

Manager.

“Children’s participation is more than just asking them for their

ideas and views. It’s about listening to them, taking them

seriously and turning their ideas and suggestions into reality.

“It’s also about providing them with the ability to influence some

of the things that affect them and, at the same time, helping

adults understand children’s issues through their lens.”

The survey is accessed through a handheld touch screen tablet

and can be used by children as young as three. During the survey, children interact with Fabio who asks

them a range of simple and easy to understand questions.

Reprinted from Healthy Focus

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Keeping up Appearances WCHN volunteers are an important part of the

work force of the health network, volunteering

their time to support patients, families and staff.

Whether you are part of the community

program or volunteer within the Women’s and

Children’s Hospital, your appearance, grooming

and personal hygiene are an important part of

the professional image of our volunteers.

Clean, neat, casual dress is perfectly

acceptable, with closed shoes if you are

volunteering in a clinical area or in the Creche.

If you wear a tabard as a requirement in your

WCH work area you are responsible for

keeping it washed and ironed. A ward tabard is

often marked with coloured paint and texta (one

of the reasons for wearing it over your clothes)

but that is not a problem as long as it is

otherwise clean.

Signing On and Off

Just a reminder ……. signing on and signing off

your volunteer duties isn’t just so we can count

the hours of your contribution. Knowing when

you are here is a legal requirement of the

organisation for safety purposes and covers

you for insurance.

If you do not sign in and have an accident you

would not be covered by insurance. Thanks for

your cooperation.

Keeping Infection Away

If you are unwell , do not come into the hospital

or clinic or visit families if you are a home visiting

volunteer.

A sore throat, respiratory infection or a gastric

infection are easily passed to children , patients

and staff so please stay away until you have

Public Transport Tickets

The Office for Volunteers and DPTI (Department

of Planning Transport and Infrastructure) has

now supplied us with complimentary public

transport tickets for volunteers and they are

available from Linda Dyett in the Volunteer

office.

We are very happy to supply them to you on a

regular basis and like to share them around to

as many volunteers as possible. Please

remember these are to subsidise your travel not

totally fund it.

Christmas/New Year leave

WCH volunteers will take an

official three weeks’ break from Friday 19

December 2014 and return on Monday 12

January 2014.

Staff of WCHN Volunteers will be on leave from

24 December inc, returning on 5 January 2014.

As no staff will be present we ask that volunteers

do not come in through that week.

If you wish to return to your volunteering after

Monday 5 January please consult your

supervisor as several areas will close until 12

January.

A number of areas are very quiet during January

and may not require their volunteers until later in

the month or even the beginning of February.

Contact us Lis Brittan, Manager WCHN Volunteers Tel: 81618475 lis.brittan@health.sa.gov.au Cynthia Baldwin, Coordinator WCHN Volunteers Tel: 8161 6437 cynthia.baldwin@health.sa.gov,au