Ms Saz Newbery1, Margaret McCallum2
1Ahpra/NMBA, National Office Melbourne, Australia
2Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Practice Board of Australia
In collaboration with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Practice Board of Australia (ATSIHPBA), the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) agreed to a joint project to explore reported issues and develop strategies to better inform and educate nurses and midwives about the role of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health practitioners. The NMBA is responsible for setting the standards, code and guidelines which together establish the requirements for the professional and safe practice of nurses and midwives in Australia.
The development of a guidance document was commenced to inform nurses and midwives about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Practitioners and provide direction to nurses and midwives on partnering in the provision of culturally safe and collaborative clinical practice.
The guidance document content has been driven by the contribution of and feedback from the expert advice of Project Working Group members (established to support the development of educative materials). Consultation engagement strategies of workshops and focus groups held in key locations around the country captured the key messaging from nurses, midwives and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Practitioners.
Ongoing unsafe and discriminatory practice can be mitigated by fostering professional collaboration and clear communication of expected practice from these three health practitioner groups and enhance the provision of culturally safe health care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.
Join this presentation on the findings and recommendations that have contributed to the Guidance document: What nurses and midwives need to know about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Practitioners and the communication strategies to follow which support the safety of the public, quality patient outcomes and culturally safe practice.
Biography:
Saz is part of the team that supports the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia in the delivery of their regulatory policy initiatives. In her current role as Senior Project and Policy Officer, she is the lead for the development of strategies to improve the provision of culturally safe and effective care by nurses and midwives. Saz has a wide-ranging practice history as a registered nurse in critical care, remote area nursing, nurse education and health regulation.
Margaret McCallum is a proud Aboriginal woman descendant from the stolen generation with family connections to West Coast of South Australia. Margaret lives and works on Kaurna land where she has had a career spanning 30 years predominately in public health but started her career in Aboriginal public housing. Margaret has been instrumental in workforce initiatives across SA Health and their respective Local Health Networks. Margaret is motivated to ensure the strategic priorities she engages with are instrumental in achieving significant contribution to closing the gap for Aboriginal people. Margaret’s recently changed roles to work at the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) as Program Lead, Capacity Development, Wardliparingga Aboriginal Health Equity Theme. Margaret’s involvement with Ahpra as a community member on Nursing and Midwifery Board of SA and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Practice Board of Australia