Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (ICU)
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Nurse Education offered in PICU at RCH
The Nursing Education focus in the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit is on:
- Fostering a participative clinical learning environment
- Fostering the professional development of nursing staff
- Promotion of focused support for Post Graduate Diploma students
- Supporting a preceptorship model of learning
- Providing a unit based education program
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Promotion of nursing research, clinical inquiry and evidenced based nursing practice
Amongst the Educational & Research supports provided for the Intensive Care nurses are:
- Annually a Preceptorship Course is conducted in conjunction with The University of Melbourne.
- 5 Days paid study leave per annum for full time staff plus conference leave and professional development days
- A Clinical Inquiry Database is utilised by the unit nurses to enter clinical based nursing issues, which arise during their practice.
- Monthly a Journal Club meeting is conducted in the unit to promote the use of evidenced based nursing practices and nursing research.
- Annually 15 students have a 12 month clinical placement for the Postgraduate Diploma in Paediatric Critical Care Nursing conducted in conjunction with The University of Melbourne School of Graduate Nursing
- One day workshops are run in the unit every month on a different topic
- Short education sessions and updates are held several times a week
- Staff are supported to attend the APLS 3 day course and 1 day PLS
- Competency packages are used to keep staff current in various aspects of PICU practice
- The Paediatric Intensive Care Unit has 1 Clinical Nurse Educator and 2 Clinical Nurse Facilitators
Paediatric Intensive Care Nursing Courses offered in PICU at RCH
Would you like to work in Paediatric Intensive Care? Well here is your chance:
Postgraduate Diploma in Nursing Practice (Paediatric Intensive Care)
Applications for 2010 closing 15th October 2009
12-month course conducted through The University of Melbourne. Clinical placements include the Neonatal Unit, the Cardiothoracic Unit and the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit. Students are employed part-time and attend lectures conducted on site at RCH. The possibility of part-time study exists. Credits are possible through recognition of prior learning. Students are supported clinically with a strong focus on preceptorship.
For further information contact:
Michele Dalton-Course Co-ordinator
Telephone: +61 3 9345 5777
e-mail: michele.dalton@rch.org.au
SCHOOL OF NURSING (Melbourne University)
Introduction to Paediatric Intensive Care
Applications Closing 11th September 2009.
The Introduction to Paediatric Intensive Care program is provided for nurses with acute care experience (adult or paediatric) who are interested in working in PICU, but have limited intensive care exposure. This 12 week program will provide you with the skills and knowledge you need to work as a beginning practitioner in PICU, and includes 10 paid study days and 3 weeks supernumerary time. We ensure structured supervision and assistance is available to you at the bedside with our Preceptors, Clinical Nurse Facilitators and Educators.
The role of the PICU nurse is challenging and rewarding and we will offer you opportunities to learn and develop in a dynamic, enabling and supportive team environment.
For more information please call Mel Culka, Acting Nurse Unit Manager-Intensive Care Unit on +61 3 9345 5201, visit our website below or contact Human Resources Department on 03) 9345 5191.
Applications closing 11th September 2009 and should be submitted via the applications link. Please contact renee.currie@rch.org.au on 9345 5172 for more information or Mel Culka Acting Nurse Unit Manager-Intensive Care Unit mel.membrey@rch.org.au.
Transition into Paediatric Intensive Care
Applications Closing 11th September 2009
The Introduction to Paediatric Intensive Care program is provided for nurses with NICU or adult ICU experience who are interested in working in PICU. This programme provides 8 supernumerary days (dependant on individual experience) & 5 study days over 6 months.
For more information please call Mel Culka, Acting Nurse Unit Manager Intensive Care Unit on +61 3 9345 5201, visit our website below or contact Human Resources Department on 03) 9345 5191.
Applications closing 11th September 2009 and should be submitted via the applications link. Please contact renee.currie@rch.org.au on 9345 5172 for more information or Mel Culka, Acting Nurse Unit Manager-Intensive Care Unit mel.membrey@rch.org.au
Observational/Practice Nurse Visitor Guidelines for Paediatric Intensive Care Unit, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne.
- Requests for all observational nursing visits to the unit will be reviewed by the education team in consultation with the Nurse Unit Manager. Contact Dianne McKinley PICU Nurse Educator di.mckinley@rch.org.au or +61 9345 5225 or Mel Culka Acting Nurse Unit Manger Paediatric Intensive CareUnit mel.membrey@rch.org.au or +61 9345 5201.
- Only one observational visitor in the unit at any given time will be accommodated, unless student observational visitors or group observational visitors are from an interstate or an overseas location. In this case 2 observational visitors may be considered.
- Request for observational/practice visits must be received 3 months in advance of the proposed visit. Late requests may be considered at the discretion of the Unit Manager and the Educational Team.
- All observational/practice visitors must have a Working with Children Check and a Police Check.
- All observational/practice visitors must provide written objectives which will be considered before the request is granted. The objectives must be specific to PICU and be of value to nursing practice.
- Visitors are encouraged to organise a practice visit and seek registration with the Nurse's Board of Victorian. This will need to be organised well in advance as registration is a lengthy process. Information can be obtained from the Nurse's Board of Victoria website. http://www.nbv.org.au
- Practice visits require a contractual agreement between the external agency and the Royal Children's Hospital.
- Observational visits will be for one week duration, except in circumstances when 2 weeks maximum may be considered for overseas visitors.
- Overseas visitors must have competency in the English language. We will consider individual request, however it is preferable that the standards set by the Nurses Board of Victoria are met (see Appendix 1 below).
- Observational visitors will be placed clinically with a Registered Nurse and the in charge PICU Associate Unit Managers will be notified of the arrangements prior to the commencement of the shift. The observational visitor's objectives will be made available to the PICU staff supporting the visit.
- Nurses visiting must have completed an undergraduate program
- All visitors must sign a confidential agreement as per RCH policy guidelines
- The Royal Children's Hospital in unable to provide accommodation and accommodation arrangements must be made independently. Information can be obtained from http://www.travelvictoria.com.au
Appendix 1: Nurses Board of Victoria English requirement
A minimum or the equivalent of a pass in the Occupational English Test (OET) nursing version, with at least a B pass or above in all four subtests. Please note that the result achieved in any individual subtest is valid for two (2) years from the date that subtest was passed. OR a pass in the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic test, with a score of at least 6.5 in Reading and Listening, and a score of at least 7 in Writing and Speaking and an overall band score of 7, unless accompanied by an interpreter.
Medical Education offered in PICU at RCH
The PICU provides experience and training in paediatric intensive care medicine for trainees from Australia and overseas.
The unit is accredited for two years core training for Fellowship of the Joint Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine ANZCA. The unit also offers accredited supervision of trainees of the Royal Australian College of Physicians and Australasian College of Emergency Medicine.
Training in Paediatric Intensive Care Medicine (PD
For further information regarding medical training in intensive care contact:
Dr Johnny Millar Assoc. Prof. Lara Shekerdemian
Deputy Director PICU & Director of PICU Medical Training Director of PICU
+61 3 9345 5224 +61 3 9345 5224
johnny.millar@rch.org.au lara.shekerdemian@rch.org.au
The Royal Children's Hospital offers attractive salary packaging and staff benefit opportunities.