This is something I have wanted to do - I have found many excuses not to, the main one being that there was no real reason TO do something like this.
Recently, I became a job rep for the Australian Nursing Federation - Victoria, ANF(Vic). Even more recently, I went to the annual delegates conference in Melbourne. This event was a type of thing that I have never been a part of in my life. Well... not on such a grand scale. This event is what has brought me here. There were key events that happened over these two days in Melbourne that have made an impact.
The title of this page is courtesy of Amanda Gore. She is a motivational speaker. And I admit it.. I was motivated! I am not easy to impress.. but making us sing Monty Python's Always Look on the Bright Side of Life.. twice in two days, arm in arm.. kinda sealed the deal! The impact that this lady had on me was to remind me of a part of myself that had died. She reminded me that I used to be the person who put smiley faces on patient's toes when they were stuck in bed, did the "tahdahs" to celebrate anyones triumphs, stupid things with glitter and smiley faces.. so it will be a return to prior parctice :P
I learned how not to speak to a large group of people courtesy of David Davis, the current Minister of Health and Ageing in Victoria. I have not seen many politicians speak in person - I like to avoid them. And this guy was clearly uncomforatble and not wanting to be standing where he was.. I mean, he was speaking to a hostile group of nurses.. but rather than take the opportunity to makes amends for the previous error in judgement, he waffled on about the issues in nursing and healthcare that worry people who aren't working in the system, showed absolutely no understanding of nurses in any sense and did not make any attempt to answer questions that were asked of him. His speech was clearly the first time he had seen it. (Stating in his speech on International Nurses Day that "The nursing care people receive may contribute positively to a person's life expectancy or to the quality of life they experience." Victorian nurses have taken offense to the use of the word "may" in this sentence. Nursing care DOES contribute!) His statement has brought about the phrase fo this EBA campaign "Respect Our Work". I love this slogan.
There is one problem with this slogan.. as a group, nurses do not do a good job telling the world of what it is we actually do. Unless someone actually has contact with nurses, they pretty much think we get cups of tea, make beds and wipe bums. So.. I'd say a good majority of the population think that nurses are glorified tea ladies. It is no good saying, "just wait till he ends up in hospital and see what we have to put up with" because he won't end up in a ward with overworked, underpaid nurses with the ferals and crumblies, the hospital CEO will put him in a ward that will be contained, well staffed and well equipped for the time of the minister's stay. It is naive to think otherwise.
On the other hand, the Leader of the opposition, Daniel Andrews, spoke to us.. he showed an effort to understand how we felt about our jobs, our patients, ourselves, our situations. True, I learn he also has the benefit of past experience, but still.. he had us captivated. Doesn't mean we believe him.. but he spoke to us like a patient, not like one of the notorius surgical consultants who consider nurses a burden on his time.
I am done for now.. There are more key events.. but I need to get up and walk around and think about something else for a bit!
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