Photo by Michael Marston - Department of Emergency Services ...

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Education the key to burns prevention Firefighters need to look no further than the Royal Brisbane Hospital Burns Unit to realise the importance of community fire education. Figures from the hospital show that 56 per cent of burns occur in the home and more than half those cases can be prevented. Figures also show that men suffer 73 per cent of all burns. Deputy Commissioner Iain Mackenzie, Assistant Commissioners Ray Eustace and Mark Roche and Executive Manager, Community Education and Research, Gary Gilby, recently inspected the facilities available to burns victims. “The work of the Royal Brisbane Hospital Burns Unit and its tremendously dedicated staff are a reminder of why Queensland Fire and Rescue Service focuses on fire safety,” Iain said. “You can’t help but be impressed by their professionalism, and their When QFRS Deputy Commissioner Iain MacKenzie appeared on Who Wants to be a Millionaire earlier this year his chosen charity was the Royal Children’s Hospital Burns Unit. desire to make sure people never have the misfortune of needing their services.” The hospital’s Burns Unit and Intensive Care Unit are often called into action with the arrival of a burns victim. According to the hospital, the basic principles of airway, breathing and circulation are the primary focus no matter what the injury. However in the case of a burns patient, this is performed simultaneously as Burns Unit specialists assess and treat the burns injury. Advanced medical techniques such as lifesaving surgery, the ability to grow skin in the laboratory and closing a portion of a wound using artificial skin give the team the expertise to save lives. The Burns Unit has a large tool kit these days for treating serious burns, but there is still a long way to go in researching medical techniques to give patients the best possible outcome after a burns injury. A bathtub for burns victims, specially designed at RBH and one of the best pieces of equipment to treat burns victims. Firies continue to support burns victims With each major burns victim costing $1 million to treat, the need to support this worldclass unit is both necessary and good economics. Iain recently handed over a cheque for $6500, the proceeds from appearing on ‘Millionaire’, to Director of the Unit, Associate Professor Roy Kimble and Clinical Nurse Consultant of the Burns Unit Julie Mill. The Burns Unit is leading Australia and some might argue the world in children’s burns treatment and supporting research funded by the Royal Children’s Hospital Foundation. With the researchers located at the unit, their work is both clinically relevant and instantly applied to the victims, some only weeks old. As a result of the research and new burns treatments, in the past four years the number of children presenting with burns and requiring admission has dropped from 50 per cent to just three per cent. “If we could just get people to lock up flammable liquids at home the incidence of burns would drop dramatically,” Associate Professor Kimble said. As an added surprise the Royal Children’s Hospital Foundation was presented with a cheque for $9650, raised through the recent Firefighter Championships. In a letter of thanks the foundation said: “The guys with the Queensland Fire and Rescue are amazing in their support over the years through the calendar, various endurance bike rides, golf days, Fashion on Fire and the good old generic fundraisers. “So much of what our burns team is able to achieve is dependent upon the generosity of the community, especially the QFRS.” www.emergency.qld.gov.au EMERGENCY October 2006 2
Indigenous PTO course a success When the QAS introduced a customised Patient Transport Officer Course for Indigenous Australians in the Central Region, the course organisers never envisaged it would be ranked as a finalist just one year later at the Queensland Training Awards. But, such was its success, the course was named as a finalist in the Queensland Indigenous Peoples’ Training Initiative Award category of the Queensland Training Awards, which were held recently. In August, the course also won a Minister’s Award for Excellence in the category of Partnership and Reconciliation. Course sponsor and QAS Strategic Staff Development Manager Rod Sheather said the program was founded on a recognition that existing recruitment and training practices were not attracting participation from Indigenous peoples. Rod said patient transport officers played an important role in the community, working mostly with people with chronic and debilitating illness or injuries. “Many of these patients require transport support from the QAS at regular intervals over long periods and the patient transport officers become a highly professional constant in their lives,” he said. “In the Central Queensland Region, many clients for this service are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. However, less than two per cent of the QAS workforce in the region identifies as Indigenous. “To address this imbalance and improve the service to Indigenous communities, education officers in the QAS Central Region developed and implemented a program to recruit, train and employ a group of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patient transport officers.” Rod said he was extremely pleased with the success of the course to date, and even more pleased with the course outcomes. “The pilot course was conducted over three months from September to December last year,” he said. “We recruited five students for the course. All of them completed the Certificate III in Non-emergency Patient Care and all participants have been employed as patient transport officers. Patient Transport Officer Stewart Smith, pictured with Learning Support Officer Carolyn O’Sullivan, is now training to become a Paramedic. The customised Patient Transport Officer course provides a great model for other employers who want to improve access and success for Indigenous Australians. Three participants are currently pursuing higher-level qualifications within the QAS.” Rod said he believed the project would have far-reaching effects on the way the QAS recruits, trains and supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. “The QAS now has a proven model to recruit and train patient transport officers from Indigenous communities,” he said. “This model will be adapted over time to improve access and success in other QAS vocational education and training programs. “In addition, the project will provide the basis for a manual of guidelines for tailoring training for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participants and this manual will be used within QAS and made available to other organisations.” Work was now underway to develop a State Indigenous Cultural Awareness Course, Rod said. “On behalf of the State Ambulance Education Committee, I am developing the course, which will be completed by all paramedics, communications officers and patient transport officers,” he said. “It aims to provide all operational staff with a level of understanding about working with Indigenous colleagues and Indigenous patients.” The next Patient Transport Officer Course for Indigenous Australians will be held in March 2007. The course will be held in Central Region with an invitation extended to participants from other regions to attend. – Hayley Gillespie 2 EMERGENCY October 2006 www.emergency.qld.gov.au
Page 1 and 2: Photo by Michael Marston Emergency
Page 3 and 4: From the Minister After the recent
Page 5 and 6: Firefighters from Petrie, Deception
Page 7 and 8: Emergency Management Queensland’s
Page 9 and 10: Photos by Mark Cross Research uncov
Page 11 and 12: Ambulance Week 2006 Ambulance Week
Page 13 and 14: Make-up a serious business for Nick
Page 15 and 16: Aero-medical resources critical for
Page 17 and 18: 1 EMERGENCY October 2006 www.emerge
Page 19 and 20: “It is wonderful to have evidence
Page 21 and 22: EMQ managing Aussie generosity afte
Page 23 and 24: New QAS first aid manual launched T
Page 25: Directive to streamline recruitment
Page 29 and 30: In brief Variety Bash Firefighters
Page 31 and 32: Maroochydore farewells John Hall In
Page 33 and 34: 10 things you didn’t know about
Page 35 and 36: Clinical challenge By Drew Hebbron,
Page 37 and 38: Station Officer Andrew Sturgess and

Photo by Michael Marston - Department of Emergency Services ...

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?