News

Time: 7.30 pm (Sydney time)
Topic: Infant Mental Health in the NICU: Evidence Challenges & Strategies
Presenter: Dr Kim Psaila, RN, Midwife, PhD, NIDCAP professional, infant mental health professional. 
Overview: Parents with infants hospitalised in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) have increased rates of anxiety and depression, which in turn are associated with increased developmental risk in infants. Health professionals, in particular nurses, can play an important role in promoting positive developmental interventions in the NICU setting.  The objective of this presentation is to explore the potential challenges to infant mental health in the NICU setting, and to gain familiarity with interventions that can be implemented into routine practice to facilitate the parent – infant relationship, attachment, and emotional regulation in infancy.
Cost: Free for members; $20 for non-members

Thursday 18 November
Commencing 7 pm AEDT
“Neonatal Nurses’ Professional Quality of Life: An Integrative Review.” Presented by Patricia Lowe

Navigating Lactation Webinar: View online from 15 October 2021 until 31 January 2022.
https://conference.breastfeedingconferences.com.au/index.php

Turning the Tide for Birth and Breastfeeding
Live Conference: Warrnambool, Friday 25 February until Saturday 26 February 2022.

Optional Workshops: Thursday 24 February & Sunday 27 February 2022

Online Webinar: Available from 28 February until 30 June 2022

https://wbc.breastfeedingconferences.com.au/index.php

Saturday 6th November 2021. Commencing at 10 am. Topics include: Neonatal Adaptation Syndrome, Eat, Sleep, Console - guidelines, Admission Rates, Qualified & Unqualified babies, Neonatal Swim Programme, "Grow your Own" - 3 phase plan. 

Date: Tuesday 2nd November 
Time: 7-8:30pm (AEDT) which means 6-7:30pm (QLD).
Title: "Role modelling" 
Presenter: Julie Sorrell, MSc in Health and Social Care Leadership & Nurse Researcher at Qld Health
Overview: Leadership is Julie’s passion and she was able to use her knowledge and experience when she developed a Clinical Nurse Leadership development program for the North West Hospital Health Service nurses. A program that has been adopted by two further HHS’s across Queensland. The BOOST! Leadership Development Program has been presented at the ‘Are you remotely Interested’ conference, JCU centre for Rural and Remote Health, the 2019 ICN congress in Singapore and the 2019 AQNML conference in Brisbane and is supported by the QH OCNMO.

Julie will discuss effective leadership. It cannot be overstated that leaders who enhance their own skills and abilities set an example that has a significant impact on the rest of the workforce.

The 2021 Queensland Branch $1000 raffle tickets are now available for purchase. The $1000 prize is for use towards attending ACNN 2022/23 or a COINN related conference in 2022 or 2023.

The raffle will be drawn on Saturday 6th November at the Qld branch event in Caboolture. All proceeds from the raffle go towards funding education and training health care providers in Low Resource Countries.

Tickets can be purchased online or will be on sale at the qld branch event.

Purchase tickets  here

Date: Wednesday 13 October
Time: 6.30 pm (SA time start)
Topic: The impact of premature birth on the developing attachment relationship. Why this is important and how to help.
Presenter: Lynly Mader, Senior Occupational Therapist & an Infant Mental Health Therapist
Venue: Robinson Research Institute, King William Road, Nth Adelaide. 

Seminar Overview

Of the 300,000+ babies born in Australia each year, most experience a healthy delivery. However, for some complications can arise that can have profound implications for healthy brain development. Birth asphyxia – when the brain is starved of oxygen and blood around the time of birth – is the second leading cause of infant death and the leading cause of neonatal seizures in newborn babies around the world. Despite poor brain outcomes and life-long neurological disability in survivors, relatively few therapies or diagnostic tools have reached the neonatal ICU. The implementation of hypothermia treatment for hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) has resulted in record levels of survival, however 1 in 4 babies are still at significant risk of cerebral palsy, epilepsy and motor and intellectual impairment. It is clear that additional strategies are needed for the management of (HIE) to improve outcomes for this patient population.

Bronze Affiliate Benefits
- exclusive affiliate membership rate for all members
- 5% discount on all ACN CPD courses
- 10% discount on ACN endorsement services
- 1 x National Nursing Forum registration

Date: Monday 9 August
Time: 6.30 pm start
Presenter: Kate Donnellan, Health Programs Manager, Kokoda Track Foundation
Cost: free for members; $20 for non-members

Date: Tuesday 27 July 2021
Time: 7 pm sharp
Presenter: Sharon Crocetti, Clinical Application Team Manager, Acute Care Therapies, Getinge Australia.

Nominate a colleague NOW!

Monthly “Experiencing Research” presentations via ZOOM - The aim of this initiative is to  facilitate increased awareness of current research, and provide an avenue for neonatal nurses to contribute to neonatal research and clinical practice change.
Next presentation: Thursday 22^nd July @ 7pm AEST
“This is how we roll: a retrospective audit of positioning practices of extremely premature infants in the first 72 hours of life.” - Hannah Skelton

Title: Conflict Competence 
Date: Wednesday 7th July 2021
Time: 7- 8 pm AEST
Presenter: Julie Sorrell, Nurse Researcher at Queensland Health.
Nursing research is the key to unlocking innovative and creative solutions in nursing and associated health professions. Julie’s key achievements include: 
• Establishment of a robust process that ensures that clinical staff use evidence research and identify their research needs.
• Introduced feasibility process and support through systems for evidence-based review/quality improvement/research projects.

Key achievements in Leadership
Development and introduction of the BOOST Leadership development program for emerging nurse leaders.

Date: 6 July 2021
Time: Commencing 7.00 pm AEST
Presenters: Dr Eveline Staub; Dr Sheeja Perumbil and Justine Parsons. 
Topics include: “Standardised feeding protocols decrease complications in VLBW infants”;  ‘Gastric residual aspiration practices: need for an evidence-based clinical practice guideline’ ; "Donor Milk"

Topic: Neuro-critical nursing and supporting the developing brain
Date: 30 June 2021
Time 7.30 - 8.30 pm AEST (Sydney time)
Presenter: Dr Gayatri Jape, Consultant Neonatologist, King Edward Memorial Hospital, Perth. 
Please register to receive Zoom login details

‘Hot Topics in Neonates Workshop’ & Dinner Seminar
Saturday 26 June 2021
Workshop - Logan Hospital, Meadowbrook, 12.30 to 5.15 pm
Dinner seminar - Fitzy’s Hotel, Loganholme, 5.30 – 9 pm.

“Timing of breast expression initiation in mothers of preterm infants: A pilot randomised controlled trial”



Thursday, 20th May 2021, commencing at 7:00 pm AEST REGISTER HERE to receive zoom login details

Presentation overview: Low glucose levels in babies (neonatal hypoglycaemia) are common, and can cause brain injury, but the severity and duration of hypoglycaemia that causes injury is unknown.  Despite this, screening babies at risk and treating those with hypoglycaemia is generally recommended. We will review the pathophysiology of neonatal hypoglycaemia, and the evidence, or lack thereof, for best practice in diagnosis, prevention and treatment. 
Date: Tuesday 20 April 2021
Time: TBC
Cost: Free for members; $20 for non-members

Presenter: Jill Martin, Newborn Family Support Team, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney.

A significant part of my role within that team is in supporting vulnerable families, particularly those with substance use in pregnancy. In 2016 we started the Possum Playgroup to address the loss to follow-up of a significant proportion of these families. It is a “one stop shop’ for families involved in the drugs in pregnancy program, that provides access to a wide range of services and supports on a small budget. The group has been suspended during COVID, but we are working on safe ways to re-open – hopefully soon.

Date: Monday 12 April 2021
Time: 6.30 pm start
Topic: Possum Playgroup
Cost: Free for members; $20 for non-members
Register to receive zoom logon details

When: Thursday 8th April 2021
Time: 7.30 – 8.30 pm
Topic: “Oral feeding our premature babies – not as easy as it seems”
Guest Speaker:  Ms Krystal Furey Speech pathologist NICU, Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney
Where: Zoom meeting
Cost: Free for ACNN members; $20 for non-members

Date: Tuesday 30 March 2021
Time: 8 - 9 pm (Sydney time)
Cost: Free for members; $20 for non-members. 
Registration: is required to receive the Zoom logon details (emailed prior to the event).
Presenter: Bronwyn Bernerius RN RM IBCLC CNS Lactation, RPA Newborn Care, RPAH, Sydney

Outline: Mothers of premature or unwell infants face myriad challenges in establishing a full supply of breastmilk. Maintaining their supply of breastmilk stretches that challenge. It can be a long road from birthing a preterm baby to exclusive demand breastfeeding their infant. What advice can we offer to best support the dyad? What is the science to support expressing routines/styles?

This presentation starts with the normal physiology of lactation then explores evidence-based strategies to potentiate success towards exclusive demand breastfeeding in a vulnerable population.

Date: Thursday 25 March 2021
Time: 7pm (Sydney time)
Topic: Retrospective data analysis: A snapshot of time in the past
Presenter: Emre Ilhan, PhD candidate. Emre Ilhan is a physiotherapist and lecturer in the Department of Health Professions at Macquarie University. His PhD is looking at defining chronic pain in infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit using a consensus, prognostic, and statistical approach. Emre has completed his PhD in collaboration with Grace Centre for Newborn Intensive Care, a level 6 surgical NICU in the Children’s Hospital at Westmead.

Date: Sunday 21^st March 2021
Time: 1200hrs – 1830hrs
Where: The Constance, 14-20 Constance Street, Fortitude Valley, Brisbane
Cost: $50 for members; $70 non-members
Registration: will open Tuesday 2nd March and closes 18 March.
All welcome but please be aware that sessions will be at the level for recognition of learning level required for NNP registration.

12th March 2021 - 6.30 - 7.30 pm (NSW time)
Dr Arun Sett, Neonatal fellow MBBS (Hons), CCPU (Neonatal) , The Royal Children’s Hospital, Victoria will present on Lung Ultrasound!!! 
Arun is a Victorian trained neonatologist currently working for PIPER and Joan Kirner's Women's and Children's Hospital. Arun has completed ultrasound training through the Australian Society of Ultrasound in Medicine and has a keen interest in the use of point of care lung ultrasound in the respiratory management in NICU"

Interested in improving neonatal skin care?
Join our SIG and be part of the solutions!

Promoting family centred and developmentally
supportive practices in neonatal units.
Get involved. Join our SIG today!

Looking at a leadership role?
Join the SIG to be part of a group
offering mentorship in this area. 

Another of the new special interest groups of ACNN. Contact the SIG to be involved. 

Ethical Case Study Discussion
Hosted by the Education SIG
Tuesday 10 November 2020
7 – 8.30 pm AEDT

Speakers: •Justine Parsons – Neonatal Nurse Educator & interest in Bioethics
•Dr Janet Green – Neonatal Nurse, Masters in Bioethics, PhD (Caregiving dilemmas)
•Dr Trisha Prentice – Neonatologist, Bioethicist
•Dr Ahmed Mustafa – Neonatology Staff Specialist & interest in Clinical Ethics

Presenter: Prof Denise Harrison       

TITLE: Neonatal Pain Research: Improving pain management during painful procedures 

DATE: October 22^nd 7pm AEST  

Speaker: Mrs Tash Sorensen
Clinical Trial Coordinator for CIRA DIEM trial, Telethon Kids Institute, King Edward Memorial Hospital and
University of Western Australia
Topic:  Circadian care in the NICU: How can we use day and night to assist in preterm infant development?
Time: 7:30-8:30 pm AEST
Cost: Free for members; $20 for non-members. 
Registration: please register to receive the zoom link and passcode. Limited to 90 people. 
Full details available HERE

Thursday, 24 September 2020.
Time: 7 - 7.30 pm
Title: Designing Surveys in Health Research: Not as Simple as It Seems
Speaker: Associate Professor Samudragupta (Sam) Bora, Group Leader, Neurodevelopmental Follow-Up and Outcomes, Mater Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland

Speaker: Mrs Kristin Hughes
Clinical Nurse, the Sunshine Coast University Hospital, Queensland
Topic: The evolution of clinical practice after moving into a new nursery and post the Family and Infant Neurodevelopmental Education Program (FINE) training
Time: 19:30-20:30 AEST
Date: 26 August 2020
Cost: Free for Members; $20 for non-members
Once registered, you will receive zoom details and passcode

Thursday 20 August, 2020

Our first presentation will be given by Jeewan Jyoti who is the currently undertaking the  Grace Clinical Neonatal Nursing Research Fellowship at Grace Centre for Newborn Intensive Care, The Children’s Hospital at Westmead, NSW.
Topic: “Are Parents Aware and Involved in their Newborn’s Pain Management in Surgical NICU?”
Cost: Free for members; $20 for non-members. 
Registration: please register to receive the zoom link and passcode. Limited to 90 people. 

Wednesday 20^th May 2020 - POSTPONED
Once Covid-19 situation settles, new details will be posted. 

All ACNN events, including those hosted by branches and SIGs, scheduled between now and 30 June 2020 have been postponed. The National Conference due to be held from 2-4 September, will now take place as a 1 day virtual conference. The 2021 conference will be held in Canberra from 8-10 September.  

Updated guidelines by SANDA, released in 2019. Section 3. Respectful and supportive perinatal bereavement care. Endorsed by ACNN.