Refresher Programs

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Refresher Programs

• A recruitment retention strategy of ACT Health

Presented Terri Conley M.N. Refresher Overseas
Program Coordinator
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Background

• Canberra adjacent to NSW
• Reputation for politics and
• weather

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ACT Health

• 2 Tertiary Level Hospitals
• 5 Community Health Centres
• 1 Indigenous Health Center
• 2 Mental Health Care Facilities
• Services population of 500,000 people including
  regional NSW

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ACT Legislation

• Requires that a nurse who has not practiced for
  5-10 years must undertake a refresher program.
• Over ten years formal education required i.e.
  return to UNI, or TAFE
• ACT Nursing Midwifery Board undertakes random
  audits of all Nurses Midwives annually.

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Refresher Program

• Facilitated by Staff Development Unit of ACT
  Health
• All programs accredited via ACT Nursing
  Midwifery Board commenced
• Registered Nurse 2005
• Registered Midwifery 2006
• Enrolled Nurse inaugural 2008

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Why do Refresher Programs?

• 50 of workforce over 47 yrs (44 are nurses)
• Over the last 3 years 6 increase demand for
  services in each year.
• Cost effective strategy in increasing nursing
  staff capacity of ACT Health.

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Program Structure

• All programs based on 12 week temporary
  employment contract with ACT Health.
• All participants paid at base rate.
• Supernumerary, supervised, clinical placement.
• Dedicated Program Coordinator.

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Common to All

• Programs begin with 3 day orientation
• Weekly support meetings
• Competency Based Assessment undertaken in
  clinical placement

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Features

• Firmly grounded in Adult Learning Principles.
• All prospective participants are interviewed.
• Minimum 3 days / week, Monday-Friday

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Enrolled Nurse

• Phase 1
• 3 / 5 learning packages anatomy and physiology.
• Phase 2
• 1 week study block includes drug checking
  program

• Phase 3
• Single clinical placement of 10 weeks

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EN Refreshers
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Registered Nurse

• 11 Learning packages
• varied topics AP to Law
• Two x 6 week placements Medical / Surgical or
  speciality area if experienced.

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Midwifery Refresher

• Module 3
• Midwifery Knowledge in Practice
• 5 workshops
• Child protection
• CTG workshop
• NALS
• Friendly Feeding
• Midwifery Dilemmas
• Clinical placement

• Module 1
• Professional Issues in Midwifery Practice
• Law Ethics
• Evidence Based Practice
• Understanding Quality
• Module 2
• Midwifery Knowledge Review
• AP and Case studies
• Both M1 M2 should be completed before starting
  M3

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Advantage of Refresher Nurses and Midwives

• Bring life experience
• Mature influence to workplace
• Passionate about nursing

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Participation in 2008

• RN 17 completed -
• 12 employed
• RM 3 completed -
• 2 employed
• EN 7 completed -
• 5 employed

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Jane says

• that ACT Health should explore different
  options for letting inactive nurses know about
  the refresher programs and how much the returnees
  are enjoying being back in nursing

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Evaluation

• 2006 Externally
• The programs provided a route for nurses to
  return to practice that would not otherwise
  exist.
• Annually from both
• Industry
• Participant

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Governance

• Stakeholder committee
• Current former participants
• ACT Health Nursing Midwifery Office
• Industry
• ACT Nursing and Midwifery Board

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Currently

• RNs 4
• ENs 4
• RM 1
• All expected to complete their programs on time

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Since Program beginnings
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Finally

• ACT Health has gained some extraordinary nurses
  by allowing an avenue for them to return to
  practice.
• Being flexible to their needs promotes good will
  and increases their passion to return.

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Thank you

• terri.conley_at_act.gov.au