Lisa Fitzpatrick, State Secretary
In an Australian first, Victorian nurses will be able to refer themselves to the Victorian Nurses Health Program for discreet and compassionate health services.
The incidence of drug and alcohol abuse and mental illness is no higher in the nursing profession than in the general community, however unlike members of the public, nurses cannot freely seek help from their doctor or an emergency department because they risk being reported under the Medical Practice Act 1994. As a result, many nurses do not seek help until their health problems are so bad that they are called to appear before a formal hearing of the Nurses Board of Victoria for professional misconduct.
Unfortunately this punitive approach, understandably intended to protect patients, has encouraged nurses to hide problems which have had the potential to place patients, residents and clients at risk, rather than seek help. This is why ANF (Victorian Branch) and the Nurses Board of Victoria have been working together to establish the Victorian Nurses Health Program.
I became very excited about the potential of such a program several years ago after speaking with Dr Taffey Jones who established a similar program in 2001 which has encouraged a culture of self-referral and has helped saved the careers of hundreds of doctors while at the same time protecting patients. The Victorian Doctors Health Program (VDHP) has about 10 new presentations a month and at any one time there are 70 doctors participating in the program.
We are very grateful to Dr Jones and the Director of the VDHP Dr Jack Warhaft who generously shared their experience, information and wisdom to help us establish the nurses' program.
The nurses' program is about early identification, intervention, support and rehabilitation. While nurses can be referred by others such as their employer, it is hoped that they will self refer or be referred by other health professionals.
The program will be funded by the Nurses Board of Victoria through the funds they receive via nurses' annual registrations. Importantly the program will run independently of the NBV and ANF.
Former ANF (Vic Branch) Secretary Belinda Morieson has been appointed to chair the program. Other ANF and NBV appointees to the five-member VNHP board include RMIT Adjunct Professor of Transcultural Nursing Dr Olga Kanitsaki, Clinical Nurse Educator and psychiatric nurse Allan Townsend, health management consultant Liz Corbett and registered nurse and lawyer Debra Griffiths.
At the time of print the VNHP board was in the process of appointing a director who will assess nurses, refer nurses to the appropriate health professionals and oversee the program.
The VNHP facilities are situated at St Vincent's public hospital in private consulting suites. It is expected to be fully operational by the end of June.
The VNHP now means nurses will be able to seek confidential help before their lives and/or careers are destroyed. As we all know, nursing can be a very stressful profession. It is fantastic to see such an innovative health program intended to support, assist and rehabilitate nurses.
Source: On The Record, ANF (Victorian Branch) newsletter, April 2006
For out of hours phone support relating to drug and alcohol issues, the Victorian Nurses Health Program recommends that nurses call Directline on 1800 888 236.
