Professor Debra Nestel from the Gippsland Medical School continues to play a lead role on the world stage, attending the invitation-only meeting of the Global Network for Simulation in Healthcare in Paris on July 29-31.

The meeting brings together leaders of healthcare simulation from around the world and Debra was attending in her capacity as Chair of the Australian Society for Simulation in Healthcare.

Debra will deliver an oral presentation during the Second International Conference on Faculty Development in Health Professions at the AMEE Conference in Prague this month.  She will also run a workshop on ‘The AusSETT and NHET-Sim Programs: a national investment in faculty development for healthcare simulation educators/technicians.’

Debra has accepted an invitation as the Howard S. Barrows Keynote speaker at the opening plenary session of the Association of Standardized Patient Educators in Indianapolis in June next year.

Rebecca Kippen

Dr Rebecca Kippen, an ARC Future Fellow with the School of Population Health at the University of Melbourne, has joined the Office of Research for a six-month visit.

Rebecca is a demographer and during her visit will be working with the researchers within the Office of Research on joint projects and publications.

If you would like to learn more about Research Professional please contact Helen Chambers Helen.chambers@monash.edu or Cathy Ward cathy.ward@monash.edu who can help you set up specific searches or alerts for your particular area.

The following provides information about funding opportunities over the next three months.

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The research resources on the SRH Intranet have been updated.

Did you know that you can find links to the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research, Monash and Faculty research offices, the ERA 2010 Ranked Journal List, ROPES and Research Professional?

There is also now a dedicated page for Higher Degrees students and early career researchers. The aim is to have these pages as a resource for staff within the School so please contact Cathy Ward to provide feedback or suggestions on how to make these pages even more useful.

A special session focusing on decision making in dementia is being held by the Journal Club this month.

With facilitator Marita Chisholm, the session on Wednesday 14 August will consider the article: ‘Everyday decision-making in dementia: findings from a longitudinal interview study of people with dementia and family carers.’

This paper addresses the issue of decision-making capacity for people with dementia and carers who assist with day to day activities. Working with people who have dementia or any other cognitive impairment raises the issue of informed consent, which in turn raises the issue of decision-making capacity.  Choice and control over decisions is important for the person with dementia.

It should prove an interesting session and education, clinical, research staff and students are invited to take part.

It is in Meeting Room 3 (Level 2), School of Rural Health, 26 Mercy St Bendigo or by videoconference (IP 130.194.213.113) or teleconference (9903 5988) from other sites. It will run from 12 noon for an hour.

Please inform Deb Russell if you are able to attend, deborah.russell@monash.edu or 5440 9046.

As part of the ongoing Practice Nurse Education Group program, a General Practice Emergencies workshop was held at the Bairnsdale campus of East Gippsland Regional Medical School recently.

Results from the workshop show that as well as being a valuable learning experience for the medical practice nurses, it is also a positive networking opportunity as many of the participants travel from rural and remote areas of Gippsland.

Comments noted that the workshop was a positive reinforcement of existing knowledge, gaps in knowledge were covered and there was special mention of the introduction to SimMan as a learning tool.

Specific topics for the latest workshop included Management of Chest Pain and Anaphylaxis, Management of Asthma and a Structured Approach to Psychiatric Emergencies.

The workshops are designed to give medical practice nurses up to date training opportunities and have been held regularly over the last three years.

Each workshop offers a number of topics and all participants help by providing feedback and evaluation. The responses are taken into account when developing future program topics.

The program is well supported by local medical practitioners and nurse educators who run the topic discussions and instruction.

The Open and Distance Learning Association of Australia (ODLAA) is holding its first webinar for 2013 next Tuesday, 13 August, which is free of charge and open to members and non-members alike.

The open invitation has gone out to those in the School of Rural Health, with registrations needed by Friday 9 August. All you have to do is reply to jo.osborne@utas.edu.au by 4pm Friday.

An email acknowledgement will be sent on receipt of registration with details of how to access and join in the webinar. It is from 4 to 5pm (Australian EST) on Tuesday, 13 August.

Topic of the webinar is: Digital Assessment – no place for paper?

Presenters include:

Dr Andrew Fluck, Senior Lecturer in Information Technology, School of Education, University of Tasmania who will discuss eExams

Kerry Earl, Senior Lecturer, Professional Studies in Education, University of Waikato, NZ – Short text assignments

Dr Barrie Todhunter, Associate Director, Faculty of Business & Law, University of Southern Queensland – Digital group assessment

Sally Jordan, Deputy Associate Dean (Assessment), Faculty of Science, Open University UK – Computer-marked assessment with feedback

With a focus on practitioner experience, the expectation is that the webinar will run as short presentations on individual aspects of the theme, followed by discussion/questions from the ‘floor’.

ODLAA is a professional association of educators, instructional designers, educational researchers, education consultants, and administrators from across Australia and overseas that is dedicated to advancement of research, practice, and support of education ‘across time and space’.

Writing an evidence summary requires particular skills. Staff of the School of Rural Health have an opportunity to attend a one-day workshop designed to teach academics how to write and publish evidence summaries.

When: Thursday 5 September 2013, 10am – 4pm
Where: Room M4 Building 13C, Monash University’s Clayton campus

Jointly sponsored by MUDRIH and the School of Nursing and Midwifery, the workshop will be facilitated by the Chronic Disease Management Node, an affiliated centre of the Joanna Briggs Institute.

The course is free, but there are limited places. Download the flyer for full details. To register, email practicedevelopment-sonm@monash.edu.

Terri Mathot

Your name and position

Terri Mathot, Administrative Officer, Rural Education Program, School of Rural Health (Clayton Campus)

Describe your job/role

My role is quite varied and never dull. I liaise with all the Regional Clinical School sites in the administration of the MBBS program Years 1 – 5D, but particularly in relation to the Year 2 Rural Placement Program. As well I help coordinate the Year 1 Introduction to Rural Health Program which is implemented at Monash University, Clayton. I am executive support to a number of committees and working groups and have taken on a project management role in the organising of SRH activities for Monash Open Day 2013. I deal with student inquiries and arrange any finance claims for reimbursement, etc. I also work collaboratively with WILDFIRE students and help out in a variety of ways with different events and finance needs. I work closely with Laura Major, Manager Rural Education Program (SRH) doing whatever I can to ensure the SRH office in Clayton is running smoothly.

Why is it important?

Where do I start … I believe this position plays an integral role in the Rural Education Program office within the SRH. I provide advice not only to MBBS students but also to central MBBS staff on issues relating to rural placements as well as having responsibility for providing expert advice to our rural student club WILDFIRE. I believe it’s also important to be able to continue to raise awareness of rural health issues amongst the students who don’t have a good understanding of the issues facing rural Australians when it comes to healthcare.

What is the best aspect of your work with the School of Rural Health?

I think the best part of the job is dealing with the students and of course the staff. Everyone I deal with has welcomed me and made me feel part of the team and have most importantly valued my opinion and shown me respect. I can’t remember enjoying coming to work so much throughout my career. I have also grown to have a real passion for rural health!

When you are not at work, what do you enjoy doing?

I have recently re-married so I am really enjoying starting the next chapter of my life with my husband and his family. Our weekends are always full seeing our grandchildren and we both love cooking special meals for family and friends.

What was your most recent holiday destination and why did you choose it?

My husband and I went to Cairns for our honeymoon as we both love the warm weather and the beach. We stayed at a beautiful resort and just enjoyed the good weather, great food and of course the wine…

If you were Emperor for a day, what is one thing you would implement?

Hmmm, I suppose I would like to see all unemployed people able to secure a job to alleviate the financial stresses. I would also want day light savings all year round or at least more daylight hours. I hate getting home in the dark.

Surprise us! What is something about you that most of your peers would not know?

I was asked to be in the Miss Victoria Quest as a teenager. My mum couldn’t afford all the dresses for me to officially be part of the competition but I raised a lot of the money for the Spastic Society at the time. I am a mother of three beautiful grown daughters who are all independent and have great careers. I just found out that I am going to be grandmother again!

The first view of Mt. Sonder, from Counts Point.

Year 3 Academic Administration officer at Mildura Regional Clinical School, Kate Murdoch, decided on a unique way to celebrate her 50^th birthday recently.

Kate and husband Ralf joined a group on a trek of about 230 km along the Larapinta trail in Australia’s red centre.

The Larapinta trail winds its way along the western end of the MacDonnell Ranges ending with a climb onto Mt Sonder, the fourth highest peak in the Northern Territory.

Kate and Ralf and the group passed along rocky ridges and dry sandy creek beds, visiting iconic landmarks such as Simpson’s Gap, Standley Chasm, Ormiston Pound and Glen Helen Gorge.

The trail is named after the local Aboriginal name for the Finke River, which is one of the world’s oldest rivers having run the same course for more than 350 million years.  Larapinta means brackish/salty water – and it is.

There were eight walkers in the group and they were warned on the first day that no section of the trail is easy, which according to Kate proved to be an understatement. The trail is made up of 12 sections some of which are completed over two days.

Kate completed 11 of the 12 sections (15 out of 16 days of walking) and says: “You have to leave something for next time.”

Highlights of the trek for Kate were the first view of Mt Sonder from Counts Point, getting up at 2:00am to climb Mt Sonder to view the sunrise, and not having any phone contact for 16 days!

And would she do it again? You bet.