By VANESSA VALENZUELA
SUNSHINE Hospital is set to receive a funding boost that will help provide specialist paediatric training to emergency nurses.
Maribyrnong MP Bill Shorten said the $318,000 grant would help develop the role of an Advanced Practice Paediatric nurse which trains and supports other Emergency Department nurses in advanced paediatric care.
The program is part of an $11 million project developed by the Federal Government to broaden the roles of health professionals and respond to medical workforce needs of communities.
The project will include training in sedation for minor procedures, asthma management, fracture management, lacerations and abdominal pain management.
Nursing staff will assess, investigate, commence treatment, order diagnostics and management referral and follow-up.
“We are expanding the work of front line health professionals so that they can provide more highly skilled care to patients in the region,” Mr Shorten said.
He said the funding would improve the care of children and teenagers from Maribyrnong who need emergency medical assistance.
Director of Paediatric Education at Western Health David Krieser said the Sunshine Hospital Emergency Department manages more than 60,000 patients each year, with children under 17 years of age making up a third of patients.
“Using specific guidelines, senior nursing staff will be able to manage or start managing children with specific problems such as injuries, asthma, croup, bronchiolitis and gastroenteritis,” Mr Krieser said.
“The program will also foster and formalise the existing team approach to managing paediatric emergencies, which is already such a vital part of the Sunshine Emergency Department.”
Twenty-nine successful grant recipients were selected from among 75 program applicants to receive part of the $11 million funding allocation.
