submission in

At 11.57pm on Friday night, APNA's submission to the National Primary Health Care Strategy Discussion Paper went in. A critical piece of work for determining the future work environment and roles of practice nurse, we felt we needed to be a loud voice in this process. Many of you got writing and gave me lots of ammunition and ideas for the submission and I want to thank all of you. if you read the submission I tried to get as many actual quotes and examples as possible in there.
What was really lovely was to receive not just the detailed emails but even the short ones just saying thank you for providing that voice. We are trying to provide that voice for nurses in a policy making space where others such as the GP/doctor groups are far better resourced than we are for staff and money and it often feels like we are not doing enough or doing it well enough. So it makes my day when someone reminds me of the reason we do it- to advocate for members and improve your lot in life.
Earlier this week I attended the Australian Health Care Alliance Health Reform conference which was extremely interesting. There was a very interesting session on teh tuesday afternoon on Primary Health Care- so got my bit in there.....
My father in the Southern Highlands of NSW has been very unwell recently having developed severe Type 2 Diabetes (almost comatose on admission to hospital) and I was reflecting on his situation. He has COPD requiring 24 hr O2 and atrial fibrillation as a result of the damage to his heart from undertreatment of his COPD. The cortisone for the COPD has resulted in the diabetes and he is feeling very sorry for himself. He has had depression previously as well. He is only 69 and an otherwise extremely intelligent, engaged, not 'elderly' person. Well, he is very attached to what he calls 'his' practice nurse. His practice has 2 practice nurses and whilst he likes them both, for some reason he has developed an attachment to Elizabeth (huge thanks Elizabeth if you are reading). Embarassingly he is very proud of me and my role and is very interested in the issues facing practice nurses - he is my very own media monitor ringing immediately there is anything in the papers. He has been trying to get 'his' practice nurses to attend the APNA conference and wants me to make sure 'his' practice nurses get VIP treatment at the conference if they come!! I am not sure that this entails! But all this serves to remind me of the very valuable role you all play particularly for those with complicated comorbid conditions, even if the role is primarily INR testing or whatever. You are someone they can talk to, can provide advice for him when GP is not contactable, make him feel like he is part of a caring health system not a nuisance etc. Dad is lucky to have access to fantastic care delivered through general practice.