BRAINSTEM

1. a u s t r a l a s i a n n e u r o c i e n c e n u r s e s ’ a s s o c i a t i o n BRAINSTEM www.anna.asn.au Well, its only August but already those 'Christmas in July' events seem a world away and the real Christmas is fast approaching. Of course that's if you are a Christian and I just found myself checking on the Internet what other religions celebrate a special date in December - I'm sure you are all preparing for those events or when they arrive…that you had prepared at this time! The huge issue confronting Australians and health care is whether the new Free Trade Agreement will ensure protection of our Pharmaceutical Benefit Scheme. I am sure that there are many of our patients out there receiving drugs that would be beyond their own resources to afford without government intervention. I sincerely hope that as nurses we maintain our patient advocacy and work towards maintaining a system that is the envy of our Canadian and American colleagues.Ah, enough of standing on a soap box in the domain (a very Sydney tradition for all our other state and Island members!). What are your plans for September 2004? Sharryn Byers, our Vice-President, has again organised what will be a sensational annual conference for ANNA members and interested nurses. Abstracts have been received in abundance and this year we are fortunate to have the extra support from our Trade colleagues in the provision of a poster prize from B-Braun and a 'best-paper' prize from Johnson and Johnson. We will continue to offer our Neurosurgical Society of Australasia prize and we are currently working with our Neurosurgical medical colleagues to define the previous prize funded by Larry Marshall (the Sharon-Bowers-Marshall prize). For more information, please see further in this edition of Brainstem or visit our fantastic webpage: www.anna.asn.au August, Volume 3/04 Presidents Report • Executive Committee • President Maureen Edgtton-Winn • Ph. (02) 9828 3627 • Pager 49198 • Email: • winningedge3@optusnet.com.au • Vice-President • Sharryn Byers • Ph: (02) 4734 2296 • Email: Sharryn_Byers@bigpond.com.au • Treasurer • Angela Lownie • Ph: (02) 9476 4521 • Email: lownie@500cc.com • Secretary • Rochelle McKnight • Ph. (02) 9926 7527 • Email: annaexecutive@bigpond.com.au • Executive Address • PO Box 6 • Artarmon • NSW 1570 • AUSTRALIA • Website • www.anna.asn.au • Email: annaexecutive@bigpond.com.au • Phone: 61 2 99267527 • Fax: 61 2 9439 9029

2. Presidents Report Another webpage worth visiting is the World Federation of Neuroscience Nurses. (WFNN) see the Links section. Each year $US 1 is paid to WFNN per ANNA member ensuring that you are part of this worldwide network. Utilising the resources of the website will hopefully enable us to communicate more effectively across the continents and I urge you to consider what resources are open to you to assist in your attending the WFNN World Congress in Sitges, Spain in May 2005? Once upon a time I would hear of these far-flung places and just think it was beyond me to afford. Nowadays there are funding opportunities available form Nursing Boards, Unions, Hospitals and Trade that are worth pursuing. Give it a thought…and its tax deductible! Finally, for those nurses able to make it to Newcastle (and the Hunter Valley) NSW for the Annual Conference - please ensure that you are able to make the AGM. This is where elections for new Executive positions are announced and any changes to our constitution are raised and voted upon by members - YOU! We also accept proxy votes so if for some inexplicable reason you are not attending (!), please send your proxy with an attending colleague or forward this to the Executive. And, again, finally… remember that this association of neuroscience nurses is unique. We do not separate ourselves from rehab neuro' nurses or from medical/surgical areas of expertise. In fact we include all nurses who care for patients with central or peripheral nervous system illness. We need to ensure that we professionally represent this specialty (and as such we are an official member of the National Nursing Organisations) and to do so we need to encourage neuro' nurses to join and participate. If you know someone who is a Neuro' nurse and not a member - give them your Brainstem and encourage them to join! Maureen Edgtton-Winn. WFNN ☺☺☺☺☺☺ Dear Friends - near and far,I am happy to inform you that the website link for the  9TH WORLD FEDERATIONOF NEUROSCIENCE NURSES CONGRESS, in Barcelona, Spain, during May 8 - 12, 2005 is now "live". Please go to the WFNN site:www.wfnn.nuOnce there, point your browser to Events for information on the Congress.The links are working so that you may submit your abstract, register for theCongress, and obtain additional information.Final date for submission of abstracts is October 24, 2004.Please let me know if you have any questions or problems.Sincerely,Virginia Prendergast Website news – 10, 000 hits Just to say congratulations to everyone involved in developing, contributing to and maintaining the ANNA website. As of the 23rd of June, the ANNA website registered over 10,000 hits!!! Special congratulations to Chris Baker (for developing and maintaining the website) and to Anita Lloyd for developing and maintaining the links pages to a high standard. This website remains a well developed resource for neuroscience health professionals and consumers of health care

3. Annual Scientific Conference Newcastle, Australia 2004 The Federal Executive WANTS U!! The positions of the President, Vice President (Conference Organiser) will become vacant at the next Annual General Meeting in September. If you are interested in representing the Association and the interest of Neuroscience Nurses both at regional and international levels and would like more information about what is required to be part of the Australasian Neuroscience Nurses Association Executive Committee, please contact a member of the Executive or your branch delegate for more information or a position description. With the Annual Conference only weeks away, preparation to ensure an informative and enjoyable time for all is well underway. Everyone who has submitted an abstract should have had a reply indicating acceptance status. If you have submitted an abstract and have not heard from me please call on 0419144965 or e-mail home sharryn_byers@bigpond.com.au or work byerss@wahs.nsw.gov.au.  The great news is that Codman, Johnson and Johnson are sponsoring the prize paper to the value of $1000. This prize will be judged by persons nominated by the ANNA Executive and administered by Codman, Johnson and Johnson. The standard of papers continues to grow and I am really looking forward to the hearing the presentations as I have had a sneak preview when reading the abstracts. If you would like to chair a session or nominate as a judge please forward a brief outline to the Executive. - Sharryn Byers Vice President To book accommodation at the Crowne Plaza e-mail reservations on: res.ntlwr@ichotelsgroup.com or phone  0249075000 - ask for in-house reservations and let them know you are attending the ANNA Conference ANND the winner is!!!!! Australasian Neuroscience Nurses Day 2004 From the east to the west, the south and the north of both Australia and New Zealand!! Neuroscience Nurses’ Day was celebrated on Tuesday the 4th of May this year – AUSTRALASIAN style!! Neuroscience nurses continue to promote collaboration with other nurses and other health professionals in a committed effort to the professional development and education of nurses within the specialty. This year we saw the advent of the ANND competition where members can send in short reports to the Executive about how you celebrated you day and be in the running to win $100 for your ward! we heard how your ward/unit/community celebrated. This year we received outstanding nominations from Liverpool Hospital and Royal North Shore Hospital which made it a very difficult decision as two of the four Exec were represented here. It was a hard and much discussed deliberation, (a conflict of interest was not involved in the decision making process!!!) so both hospitals were awarded for their efforts. CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!

4. Welcome New Members! On behalf of ANNA the executive would like to welcome the following new members. As requested by members, work places have been included. Maybe there is a new ANNA member at your institution! Perhaps in a different department? Isabel Harvey The Canberra Hospital ACT Louise Hunt University of Newcastle NSW Dr. Heather Johnson NSW Sandra Krpez Liverpool Hospital NSW Danae McDonald Royal North Shore Hospital NSW Michael Sham Royal North Shore Hospital NSW Elaine McGloin Royal Prince Alfred Hospital NSW Maria Moran Royal North Shore Hospital NSW Judy Munroe Prince of Wales NSW Patricia Sasko Westmead Hospital NSW Nicole Wong Royal North Shore Hospital NSW Jason Birse Starship Hospital NZ- Auckland Pat Simpson Waikato Hospital NZ Auckland Lindsey Harrison Canterbury District Health NZ Christchurch Karen O’Maley Royal Brisbane Hospital QLD Mahlah Watchman Flinders Medical Centre SA Jo Coltman Austin VIC Sofia Filo Monash Medical Centre VIC Lucy Fleming Epworth Hospital VIC Belinda Ford Austin Health VIC Trina Krieger Jessie McPherson Hospital VIC Nerida Leggo Melbourne Private Hospital VIC Danielle Rawlings Epworth Hospital VIC Ann Weaver Great Southern Hospital WA • As you know most branches have a Branch Delegate and that the larger Branches such as the North Island of New Zealand, NSW, Victoria, and Western Australia have regular meetings. Currently, South Australia, Tasmania and the South Island of New Zealand don't have such a structure in place, which allows for the development of professional ties and the dissemination of information. The Executive is responsible for ensuring information gets to members. Do you feel you are kept well informed? Is there something you need that you are not getting? The Executive is keen to hear from you. • From time to time the Executive is asked to provide the name of a contact person for the purpose of inviting a representative of ANNA to participate in forums or summits. We ask now if there are any interested people who would like to take on such a responsibility. • The responsibilities of the contact person is to: • Make available contact details (this could be an e-mail address or phone number) for other organizations and associations within these areas to make contact; • Be a contact person for ANNA members within the State; • Occasionally receive and forward correspondence from the Executive to members within the State; and • Occasionally assist the Executive with requests for information regarding Neurosciences. • The role of the more formal position of 'State Delegate' and role of the State Branch within the Association can be found on page 12 of the Association Handbook. • If you are interested in undertaking the role of Contact Person for any of these states, and would like more information, or wish to be put in contact with other ANNA members please contact me at annaexecutive@bigpond.com.au,. Alternatively you can contact another member of the Executive I look forward to hearing from you soon. • Rochelle

5. Membership Renewals ANNA News/Upcoming events ★ Congratulations and welcome to Suzy Goodman as the new state delegate for VIC. ★Congratulations and welcomeAuckland branch re Newly elected treasurer - Denise Le Lievre ★ Standards of Neuroscience Nursing Practice have been revised and finalised, and going to the printers. Be expected to receive your updated copy in the mail soon! ★ September 6-10 Parkinson's Awareness Week 16-19 ANNA Annual Scientific Conference, Newcastle ★ Integra Neuroscience Workshop Keynote speaker: Ms Karen March Headline topics include Brain Injury and Hydrocephalus Management For further details Email: harriet.chan@health.wa.gov.au Congratualtions to all members who have succesfully renewed their ANNA membership for the 04/05 period. We hope to see yet another exciting year ahead of us. Those who are unsure of their membership status should contact myself or your state delegate (located at the back of this brochure) for queries. As per the Association Constitution a member’s name will be retained on the membership roll for a period of three months following notification of outstanding membership dues (page 5 of the ANNA handbook). If the member remains unfinancial after that period they will be deemed to have ceased to be a member of the Association. You are invited to renew your membership to the Association at the present renewal fee of $80, making you a financial member until 30th June, 2004 Members have until September 2004 before they are deemed unfinancial. & Australasian Neuroscience Nurses Association Inc. Membership Renewal 2004/ 2005 Please find enclosed membership payment for the Australasian Neuroscience Nurses Association Inc. Renewal $80 Name Address Phone E-mail Place of Employment Phone Fax Please tick one only: Cheque / Money order for $80 enclosed Credit Card payment overleaf Signature Date / /2004

6. Branch Delegates/Contact People Victoria Suzy Goodman Epworth Hospital Ph: (03) 9426 6890 suzyg@epworth.org.au ACT Sonja Eldridge Canberra Hospital Ph: 6244 2632 eldridge@webone.com.au Tasmania New Zealand North Angela Davenport Auckland Public Hospital Ph: +62 3 9307 4949 adavenport@adhb.govt.nz New Zealand South QLDTim O'Malley Royal Brisbane Hospital Ph: (07) 3365 5127 Tim_O’Maley@health.qld.gov.au NSW Maureen Edgtton-Winn Liverpool Health Service Ph: (02) 9828 3627 Pg 49198 winningedge3@optusnet.au South Australia Western Australia Sue Shapland MS Society WA (Inc) Ph: (08) 9346 3799 Sue.Shapland@multiple-wa.asn.au Payment with Bankcard, Master Card or Visa Please charge my 2004 / 2005 membership to the Australasian Neuroscience Nurses' Association to my credit card. Type of Card (tick one only ) Bankcard Master Card VISA Card holders Name Card Number Expiry Date Amount Signature Date / / /2004