In this episode of Five Things Liz and Jesse are joined by Dr Kate McCarthy, Infectious Disease Physician and Microbiologist at RBWH and Associate Professor with the University of Queensland. We take a quick refresh and snapshot of the ARI landscape as we head into our “virus season” in the Southern Hemisphere.

Kate’s Five Things:

1. What is happening with respiratory viral infections in adults “post-COVID”.
2. Environmental factors impacting viral transmission.
3. Does PPE work? Rationalise protective measures.
4. Update on the RSBV vaccine.
5. “Cow Flu” a virus on the current International watch list.

When it comes to compassion, one size does not fit all.

In this first episode in a series inspired by the Metro North Health Compassionate Care Principles we zoom in on Culturally Informed Compassion with Roslyn Boland, Director of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health at RBWH.

Rosyln identifies as an Aboriginal woman of the Mardigan and Kooma peoples and we acknowledge the examples we discuss in this podcast are a composite of her lived experience and of the many stories she holds from communities and families she has engaged with in her work as a health care worker, liaison officer, nurse and healthcare leader.

Roslyn's five things:

• Compassion for our Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islanders population is the same for everyone else. We need to remain aware of cultural sensitivities
• Be aware and connected to the additional needs of our indigenous peoples, don’t make assumptions ask every time. Involve our Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander workforce early.
• When working with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islanders peoples it is important to remember that compassion has to extend and begin with the patient in the context of their family, friends and community. Keeping the family/friends/community engaged, involved, communicated with is part of compassionate care.
• Compassion is felt and experienced by others, it is not something ‘done’ to others. We have to be relational, recognise that all individuals are different and we discover those needs by connection, questions and listening.
• Compassion also has to be found in the system. Be an advocate for our Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islanders patients, families, communities, colleagues and peers

In this episode Liz and Jesse run without a guest for part 2 of our series on debriefing. This time we talk about debriefing to learn in clinical practice, how and why? Both Liz and Jesse have years – decades experience in facilitating debriefs in clinical practice settings and hope to see a continued path forward in creating these opportunities to learn and grow.

This episode marks an indefinite pause on our productions of Five Things as we move forward exploring plans for the future. Thank you for listening.

Our Five Things:

1. Debunked Debriefing Myths.
2. What is debriefing to learn?
3. Debriefing to learn can create opportunities for growth and development.
4. Debriefing to learn and insights into communication.
5. Debriefing to learn can create a sense of belonging.

In this episode Liz and Jesse run without a guest to tackle five big myths about debriefing to learn in clinical practice. Both Liz and Jesse have years – decades experience in facilitating debriefs in clinical practice settings and put a target on a few of the sticky myths that form barriers to creating these opportunities to learn and grow.

Our Five Debunked Debriefing Myths:

1. Debriefing causes harm.
2. Debriefs only happen after critical events.
3. Debriefs should be psychologically based.
4. You can’t lead a debrief if you were involved in the clinical situation.
5. There’s no time to debrief.

In this episode Liz and Jesse are joined by Rebecca Boparai to learn from her experience of being on the “other side” of healthcare. Rebecca works a Nurse Practitioner in Diabetes, but her story is about the impact that experiencing the healthcare system as a partner who lost her husband to cancer has shaped her professionally and personally. We were so pleased to provide a place for Rebecca to chare this wisdom forged through such a heavy personal experience.

Rebecca’s Five Things:

1. The patient is a person first.
2. Slow down and look for the small moments – they can have huge impact.
3. Empathy is different from sympathy.
4. Family, friends and community are incredibly important in this journey.
5. What will be our legacy?

In this episode Liz and Jesse are joined by Lita Jeffries to learn about occupational violence. Lita is the clinical lead for Queensland occupational violence strategy unit. Lita connects here nursing experience in the emergency department to the complex nature of violence in our healthcare workplaces.

Lita’s Five Things:

1. What is occupational violence?
2. The multifactorial issues of occupational violence in healthcare?
3. What are the risk factors?
4. “Zero tolerance” and the real impacts of occupational violence on nurses?
5. Prevention and management of occupational violence.

In this episode Liz and Jesse are joined by Dr Leisa Turkington to learn about disordered swallowing (dysphagia). Leisa is a senior speech pathologist and clinical researcher at RBWH with three decades of experience and a PhD to top it all off. This is so much more than the basics.

Leisa’s Five Things:

1. What is disordered swallowing?
2. How do you assess for dysphagia?
3. Why is dysphagia dangerous?
4. Who is at risk of dysphagia?
5. Dysphagia and the bedside nursing considerations.

In this episode Liz and Jesse are joined by Bec Russo to learn about haemodialysis. Bec is a nurse practitioner candidate in kidney replacement therapies at RBWH. Super educational episode for health professionals, patients and families and friends of someone with kidney failure.

Bec’s Five Things:

1. What is haemodialysis?
2. Acute versus chronic
3. Vascular access for
4. Home dialysis.
5. The importance of the multidisciplinary team and goals of care.