Member stories

Carolyn’s story

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Carolyn Lally – General Practice Nurse, Virginia Medical Centre, Virginia, South Australia

I have enjoyed working as a primary health care nurse for around seven years, most of it at Virginia Medical Centre in semi-rural location north of Adelaide. I chose to move to general practice as a lifestyle change after many years in a variety of clinical and research positions around Australia – I just wish I had made the change sooner!

Catching up with fellow general practice nurses at education events had highlighted the need for more support for nurses who often feel isolated within their own practice and unsure of where to go for guidance. In early 2014 I started collecting email addresses with the plan to initiate a Nurse Network. A group of four nurses then met over dinner and planned our initial meeting, which was held in August 2014. Early on we approached APNA and came to be part of the Nurse Connect initiative, along with other groups Australia-wide. APNA has been very supportive of the coordinators, who were able to travel to Melbourne in February 2015 to share our ideas and learn some new skills to assist with setting up our networks.

Our group has been highly successful, with 16-30 nurses attending each meeting, and over 70 nurses having attended at least one meeting. We meet every six weeks, and enjoy roundtable discussions and guest speakers on topics that the group has chosen. Although we are well supported by APNA and the Northern Health Network (NHN) – who kindly provide us with a venue, catering and admin support, our group is independent and has evolved to meet its own demands. Our network is very dynamic and feedback so far has been very positive.

What’s your experience with nurse networks in your area? We would love to hear your story.

If you are interested in being involved in a nurse network see here.

Items considered for removal from the MBS – the first 23

The first collection of MBS items facing elimination has been released by the MBS Review Taskforce, seen to be “no longer part of contemporary clinical practice”. The 23 items were claimed 52,500 times in 2014-15 at a cost to the government of $6.8 million.

Six clinical expert groups produced this list, and a further 80 groups will draft their own lists of items deemed to be obsolete in the coming months.

Consultation is currently being undertaken on these 23 items.

  1. Intravenous pyelography, with or without preliminary plain films and with or without tomography
  2. Graham’s Test (cholecystography), with preliminary plain films and with or without tomography
  3. Pelvimetry, not being a service associated with a service to which item 57201 applies
  4. Bronchography, 1 side, with or without preliminary plain films and with preparation and contrast injection
  5. Vasoepididymography, 1 side
  6. Peritoneogram (herniography) with or without contrast medium including preparation – performed on a person over 14 years of age
  7. Venography
  8. Glycerol induced cochlear function changes assessed by a minimum of 4 air conduction and speech discrimination tests (Klockoff’s tests)
  9. Glossopharyngeal nerve, injection of an anaesthetic agent
  10. Cryotherapy to nose in the treatment of nasal haemorrhage
  11. Turbinates, cryotherapy;
  12. Division of pharyngeal adhesions
  13. Postnasal space, direct examination of, with or without biopsy
  14. Larynx, direct examination of the supraglottic, glottic and subglottic regions, not being a service associated with any other procedure on the larynx or with the administration of a general anaesthetic
  15. Larynx, direct examination of, with biopsy
  16. Larynx, direct examination of, with removal of tumour
  17. Biliary manometry
  18. Gastric hypothermia by closed circuit circulation of refrigerant for upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage
  19. Gastric hypothermia by closed circuit circulation of refrigerant in the absence of upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage
  20. Sigmoidoscopic examination with diathermy or resection of one or more polyps where the time taken is less than or equal to 45 minutes
  21. Sigmoidoscopic examination with diathermy or resection of one or more polyps where the time taken is greater than 45 minutes
  22. Treatment of habitual miscarriage by injection of hormones each injection up to a maximum of 12 injections, where the injection is not administered during a routine antenatal attendance; an
  23. Bronchospirometry, including gas analysis

Would the removal of these items from the MBS impact your work, or your colleagues work, in primary health care?

Are there items you think could be optioned for removal during this process that shouldn’t be?