Hello NurseWatch Family, Community and New Clients,
Welcome to NurseWatch Healthcare. I hope this finds you and your loved ones safe and in good health. Please take a couple of minutes to read our COVID-19 information announcement.
Our purpose at NurseWatch is to care for people and allow them to be their best. It is that simple, and it is the centre of everything we do. With the recent unsettling times, NurseWatch looks into the future and towards COVID-19 (coronavirus) management and recovery.
NurseWatch wants to help you experience the joy of our holistic health care with a stronger presence on safety and wellbeing. We have taken comprehensive measures to implement guidelines as directed by the Australian Government Department of Health Guidelines.
If you are a new client we respectfully request you to follow our 5 step process:
1. Download the COVid-19 App
The Australian Government has released an app to help in contact tracing people who may have been exposed to COVID-19. The COVIDSafe app helps find close contacts of COVID-19 cases by utilising your smartphone’s Bluetooth capabilities to determine whether you have been in close physical contact with someone who has tested positive to COVID-19. COVIDSafe is completely voluntary.
2. Read and understand the Public Health Order, ‘What you Must Do Under New Coronavirus Rules’, dated 6 July 2020: https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/diseases/Documents/easy-read-pho-directions.pdf
3. If you feel unwell, please click on the symptom checker tool link below and follow the prompts:
• https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/symptom-checker/tool
4. The latest Australian Government Information: As socially responsible citizens, it is important that we keep abreast of the daily updates of each respective state. The link below provides current updates.
5. Referrals: All new clients require a referral from a registered medical practitioner being a general practitioner and/or medical specialist.
*Please note: Unfortunately, as of 18 December 2020 NurseWatch will not be accepting new clients from the Northern Beaches to Mosman Area, Sydney, due to the COVID-19 situation. We will regularly update our service capability as the situation improves.
NURSEWATCH HEALTHCARE RESOURCES
All resources supplied are available in different languages, however, are defaulted to English. Please follow prompts on website to preferred language
To assist you please refer to government links below:
• Older Persons COVID-19 Support Line Phone 1800 171 866 open 8.30 am - 6.00pm weekdays (AEST) free of charge. Supported by COTA, Dementia Australia, National Seniors Australia, OPAN and the Australian Government Department of Health https://www.facebook.com/opanaus/videos/704485933707079/
• General Information: https://www.health.gov.au/resources/collections/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov-resources
• Advice for people who are at greater risk: risk: https://www.health.gov.au/resources/collections/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov-resources
• Understanding COVID-19: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtN-goy9VOY&feature=youtu.be
• Understanding the difference between a Pandemic, Epidemic-endemic and an Outbreak: https://intermountainhealthcare.org/blogs/topics/live-well/2020/04/whats-the-difference-between-a-pandemic-an-epidemic-endemic-and-an-outbreak/
• WHO (World Health Organisation) Information: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019 & https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public/myth-busters
EXISTING CLIENTS:
For our existing clients, your Health Concierge Clinician has been in touch to discuss your personalised healthcare journey through COVID-19, with NurseWatch practice of policy and procedure recommendations guided by the Australian Government.
As each of our client’s healthcare journey is individual, please find below information and resources.
YOUR WELLBEING:
Throughout the COVID-19 recovery phase and beyond, NurseWatch will continue to provide and manage your individual care needs, safety and wellbeing. Your holistic healthcare will continue to be provided through our premium services and LiveitUp® Model of Care.
If you require further information regarding our COVID-19 approach, please refer to Beyond Blue website and ’10 Ways to Look After Yourself’. An excellent resource.
• Beyond Blue Telephone: 1800 512 348
NURSEWATCH HEALTHCARE COMMUNITY:
For our LGBTI Community:
• https://www.acon.org.au/what-we-are-here-for/covid19/
Positive Life NSW – Getting practical about COVID-19 and HIV:https://www.positivelife.org.au/latest-news/covid19-resources.html
• Or phone (02) 9206 2000 or 1800 063 060 for confidential counselling
ACON/naphwa/ashm/afao: Making sense of COVID-19 – LGBTIQ and HIV communities:https://www.acon.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/AFAO-NAPWHA-ASHM-Fact-Sheet-COVID-19-9-March-2020_ACON.pdf
For our Trans and gender diverse people:
TransHub – Australia’s first digital information/resource platform for trans and gender diverse people in NSW, their families, and health providers. Created by trans people, for trans people. This is their COVID-19 specific information: https://www.transhub.org.au/covid19
For our Cognitive Impairment Community:
• https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/our-work/cognitive-impairment/cognitive-impairment-and-covid-19
Dementia :
Dementia Australia – Coronavirus – tips for people living with dementia: https://www.dementia.org.au/sites/default/files/helpsheets/DA_COVID19_Helpsheet_04_PLWD-v2.pdf
For our Community languages/CALD community:
https://www.sbs.com.au/language/coronavirus
Disability : Disability Information Helpline: 1800 643 787
Council for Intellectual Disability – Easy-read coronavirus information:https://cid.org.au/covid-19/
Australian Department of Health – information for family, carers and health workers supporting people with disability during the COVID-19 pandemic:https://www.health.gov.au/news/health-alerts/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov-health-alert/advice-for-people-at-risk-of-coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-covid-19-advice-for-people-with-disability
The Growing Space – COVID-19 hub: www.thegrowingspace.com.au/covid19/
For our Carers:
CarerHelp – COVID-19 information and resources for carers: factsheets and infographics with practical information, pointers, and resources. The resources discuss how to care for a person at home and hospital, as well as arranging funerals and managing grief. Pointers on using telehealth to consult with a health professional, and selecting trustworthy online information are also presented:https://www.carerhelp.com.au/tabid/6001/Default.aspx
For our Families:
Health Consumers NSW have developed a guide to support families when visiting their loved one.
Wearing Masks:
Wear a mask if it is hard to maintain 1.5 metres of physical distance from others. Also wear a mask if you have symptoms and are seeking medical advice, or if you are in isolation in the same room as another person.
Video produced by the Australian Department of Health
https://publish.viostream.com/play/bfxgwognhhfmnn
https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/face-masks?mc_cid=76d9c3ba0a&mc_eid=%5bUNIQID%5d
Mask Wearing Fact Sheet:
Masks are increasingly being recommended within Australia as well as globally. In some areas they are now mandatory. But it is important to understand why many of us with trauma histories may be triggered when we are asked to wear a mask, or even when we see them. An excellent resource.
https://www.blueknot.org.au/Resources/Fact-Sheets/face-masks-and-complex-trauma
INFORMATION FOR SPECIFIC HEALTH CONDITIONS:
Cancer
Cancer Council NSW – Cancer and COVID-19 hub:https://www.cancercouncil.com.au/get-support/covid-19/
Bowel Cancer Australia – COVID-19 & Bowel Cancer:https://www.bowelcanceraustralia.org/media-centre/covid-19-bowel-cancer
American Prostate Cancer Foundation: https://www.pcf.org/covid-19/
Kidney health
Kidney Health Australia – COVID-19 and dialysis, transplants etc:https://kidney.org.au/about-us/news/coronavirus-covid-19
Palliative Care:
COVID-19 Resources for Carers; Information for anyone caring for a person at end of life during COVID-19 pandemic – factsheets:https://www.carerhelp.com.au/tabid/6001/Default.aspx
Heart disease
Australian Heart Foundation – COVID-19 and heart disease, all you need to know:https://campaigns.heartfoundation.org.au/covid-19/
Australian Heart Research Institute – COVID-19 and heart health:www.hri.org.au/health/your-health/lifestyle/covid-19-and-heart-health
Smoking
iCanQuit – COVID-19 and smoking FAQ:www.icanquit.com.au/reasons-to-quit/covid-19-and-tobacco-smoking-faq
IF YOU ARE THINKING OF REMOVING YOUR LOVED ONE FROM THEIR PRESENT HOME IN A RESIDENTIAL AGED CARE FACILITY
We are happy to assist. Although we highly recommend you listen to OPAN Older Person's Advocacy Network webinair before making your final decision in consultation with your loved one.
If you would like to review the slides, please click on the link below
https://opan.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/OPAN-C19-W14-Graphics-190820.-HiRespdf.pdf
We understand that COVID-19 has created uncertainty in aged care and that you may think it appropriate to take your loved one out of their aged care home. If you or someone you know needs assistance or is considering this, call OPAN on 1800 700 600.
NURSEWATCH HEALTHCARE CUSTOMER ENQUIRIES:
• NurseWatch Healthcare front, middle and back office staff are working in ways that support social distancing. https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/2020/03/coronavirus-covid-19-information-on-social-distancing.pdf. Due to the change in our working environment, we respectfully request that you are patient with your inquiries. If there is an emergency, please phone 000.
• NurseWatch Healthcare staff are working in ways to keep ourselves, colleagues, community, and clients safe. Our staff are 100% compliant with ISO 9001:2016 regulatory requirements.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me on +61448 885 201.
On behalf of our NurseWatch Healthcare family thank you for your support.
Kind regards
Kate Spurway, CEO
YOU'RE ALWAYS WELCOME AT NURSEWATCH HEALTHCARE
Need to book more than once? Not a problem, you can add the same package multiple times.
Once you complete the booking form simply click add Multi Care and add as many packages as you require at different or sequential times.
Australia has one of the highest rates of bowel cancer in the world but, if detected early, up to 90 per cent of cases can be successfully treated.
The Australian Government has introduced the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program to increase the rates of bowel cancer screening and improve the outcomes from bowel cancer. Everyone between the ages of 50 and 74 will receive a bowel cancer screening kit every 2 years, which they can complete at home. The screening faecal immunochemistry test (FIT) checks for minute traces of blood in the stool. If the initial screening test is positive, then patients are notified and are usually referred for further testing with a Colonoscopy procedure, where a camera is advanced into the bowel to check for the source of bleeding, such as bowel polyps or early bowel cancer.
To help people complete their Colonoscopy procedures, well-known Sydney Gastroenterologist, Dr Darren Pavey has partnered with NurseWatch.
“I see the main role of NurseWatch in the pre and post-operative support for patients,” says Dr Pavey. “Most of our patients are fine and able to go home the same day of the procedure, but there is a requirement that someone should be with them after the procedure because they’ve had sedation (or anaesthesia) – and they may need help before the procedure as well.”
Premium medical care for all types of procedures
As NurseWatch CEO, Kate Spurway, says: “For Sydney GI patients, we can supply a registered or enrolled nurse to ensure patients are receiving premium medical care. We can provide pre-procedure assistance with the bowel preparation and post-surgery care including observation following sedation and after-care management.”
Now that Sydney Gastroenterology has partnered with NurseWatch, patients who come from remote areas of Australia or overseas can stay at a hotel rather than be admitted to the hospital and have a nurse from NurseWatch helping them: “If they’re on their own at home, it’s helpful to have someone there to assist them when they’re going through the bowel preparation,” Dr Pavey adds.
“This is usually the day before the procedure – they start drinking the bowel preparation at about 6.00 o’clock in the afternoon. They need to watch they’re not getting dehydrated and if they’re diabetic, that their sugar levels are OK.”
Pre and post-procedure help available via NurseWatch
After the procedure, patients are usually able to go home the same day. Dr Pavey says his patients usually recover from the sedation quickly, “within an hour or two.” But he says they must have a nominated escort with them who can watch them overnight following the procedure,” he adds.
“If they’ve travelled from regional centres or from overseas and they want to stay in a hotel the night after their procedure, this means someone needs to be with them, otherwise they need to stay an extra night in hospital,” he says.
“We have had some patients who come from overseas and we’ve had quite a few patients from regional areas come to the city. It’s important they’re monitored after the procedure, particularly if they’re diabetic or if their sugar is low. There needs to be a responsible adult around who can help them if required,” he says.
Most common procedures are Colonoscopy and Gastroscopy
Dr Pavey’s hope is for a future without cancer and he is a strong advocate for cancer screening and prevention. He says: “We are now able to detect and treat many pre-cancerous and early cancer cases endoscopically, thereby avoiding major surgery. This has a dramatic impact on the quality of life for my patients, since they are usually able to go home the same day instead of a requiring a prolonged stay in hospital recovering from an operation.”
“We know that we can save people’s lives and prevent cancer – or at the very least, find the cancers when they’re at a very early stage,” he adds. In addition to bowel cancer screening, we also offer screening for oesophageal cancer, gastric cancer and pancreas cancer in those individuals with high risk,” says Dr Pavey.
What’s the first step in detecting colon cancer?
“If people complete the home screening test and it indicates they need to investigate further with a Colonoscopy, it’s best not to put it off. People can get anxious and worried that they may have bowel cancer, but the sooner they have a Colonoscopy, the better.
This philosophy ties in well with NurseWatch’s mandate of assisting clients to live a healthy lifestyle so they can enjoy living in their own home for as long as possible. As Kate Spurway, CEO of NurseWatch, adds: “This is the basic premise of my company, NurseWatch. We recognise the importance of working with medical practitioners so we can provide optimum health outcomes for our clients.”
Dr Darren Pavey has trained extensively in this area
Dr Pavey has trained extensively in the endoscopic diagnosis and management of gastrointestinal cancers and is actively involved in research in the endoscopic management of GI malignancies. He works at Chris O'Brien Lifehouse which is one of the premier centres for cancer care in NSW, where he routinely performs Colonoscopy, Gastroscopy, Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) and ERCP procedures.
When explaining what he does, Dr Pavey says: “Interventional endoscopy encompasses a variety of endoscopic procedures used to diagnose and treat diseases that are typically beyond the scope of regular endoscopic techniques. By combining advanced imaging and device technology with technical expertise, I am able to help patients to avoid more invasive traditional treatment approaches such as major surgery.”
“I am fortunate to work with some amazing people, who continue to motivate me to do better, and I look forward to one day living in a world without cancer,” he adds.
Dr Pavey’s Qualifications
Dr Pavey received his medical qualifications from The University of Sydney and then went on to complete an Advanced Fellowship in ERCP, EUS and Interventional Endoscopy at Duke University in North Carolina; he was a Faculty member at Duke until he returned to Sydney to establish his practice in 2008.
Dr Pavey is Co-Chair, Gastroenterology Network, NSW Agency for Clinical Innovation (ACI), and Head of Endoscopy at Bankstown Hospital. He established and runs the Barrett’s Program in the South West Sydney Local Health District and has co-written the guidelines for the Cancer Council of NSW for the treatment of Barrett’s Oesophagus. Dr Pavey is the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) representative on the Conjoint Committee for the Recognition of Training in Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (CCRTGE), which reflects his ongoing interests in training and maintaining quality in endoscopy. He is also closely involved in the research of outcomes for patients with oesophageal, gastric, pancreatic and bowel cancers and collaborates with the Australian Gastrointestinal Trials Group (AGITG) and other researcher institutions, including the Garvan Research Institute and the Ingham Institute. He is Conjoint Senior Lecturer at the University of New South Wales and Clinical Senior Lecturer at Macquarie University.
How to book
You can book in to visit Dr Pavey here at Sydney GI or call him on (02) 9707 3523.
NurseWatch provides premium nursing and wellness services tailored to your needs in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. To book your care, go to www.nursewatch.com.au or call (02) 9331 3344.