Medshop Editor
Latest Articles
April 20, 2020
Medshop Editor
Hand Hygiene Australia — The Medshop Guide to Washing Hands Correctly
Australia’s experience of the novel coronavirus has been, to date, less severe than the in US and many European countries. However, as states continue with lockdown measures and the government discusses the possibility of a mandatory app to trace citizens’ contact with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 carriers, it is clear that the threat is far from over. The calls to remain at home or self-isolate, to wear masks and follow stricter hygiene protocols, and to minimise contact with others wherever possible, are now recognised as entirely necessary. The efficacy of these measures abroad is reflected in the flattening of the curve, and as long as everyone recognises these responsibilities, it is hoped that catastrophe can be avoided. So, in order to reaffirm sanitary protocols and remind everyone part of mitigating the spread of the virus is simple as maintaining hand hygiene, here we detail the correct hand washing procedure to keep it fresh in your mind. When to Wash Your Hands Washing your hands should now be routine, and whenever you have returned home after being outside, or after you blow your nose, cough, or sneeze you should wash your hands thoroughly. However, there are plenty of other occasions when you should go through the process, and maintaining good habits now will protect you when lockdown measures are eased. Washing your hands often is important during the crisis, and during these key moments you should take extra care, both before and after: Preparing food Eating and drinking Using the toilet Touching garbage Handling pets Changing nappies or cleaning children Caring for the sick Treating a wound Additionally, with the rise of home deliveries of essential items and food, it is important to wash your hands after receiving packages, bags of food, or other items. Finally, any trip to the pharmacy or handling of pharmaceutical goods should always be preceded and followed by a thorough hand washing. Hand Washing Steps The correct hand washing procedure is simple and only takes a few minutes at most, however, there are a few crucial points that should be adhered to: Remove All Jewellery and Other Items Jewellery such as rings or bracelets make it more difficult to wash your hands thoroughly. Additionally, plasters or bandages should be removed wherever possible as these can be home to pathogens. Once you have completed washing your hands, fresh ones can be applied. Wet Hands and Apply Soap Using warm to hot water, wet your hands thoroughly and apply standard soap or liquid soap. Warm water is generally better as this helps to kill pathogens and allows the soap to work more effectively, however, when used with soap, cold water is also effective. Lather and ScrubLather the soap and scrub your hands for AT LEAST 20 SECONDS. Rub them together, lather the backs of your hands and also between your fingers. Ensure you spread the soap around and under your nails.Rinse Your HandsRinse your hands under warm water where possible and remove all of the soap. Continue rubbing your hands together as you do this. Dry Your HandsWhere possible, dry your hands with an air dryer. Alternatively, a clean towel or paper towel should be used. Dirty towels can help to spread pathogens. Other Points to Think About Following these simple handwashing procedures will help to minimise the threat of transmission of the virus between you, your family, and anyone else you may come into contact with. However, while out of the house, it is important to maintain hygiene standards even when handwashing facilities are difficult to access. In these instances, hand sanitiser or another alcohol-based hand cleaning product should be used to help mitigate infections. While not as effective as handwashing procedures, they can be extremely useful when out and about.
February 02, 2020
Medshop Editor
Post-Op Shoes – Giving the Right Information to Patients
Post-op shoes are one of those small inventions that provide big benefits to patients. Used to protect feet and toes after a medical procedure or an injury, they help to relieve pain and also provide the right kind of support to encourage the healing process
May 31, 2020
Medshop Editor
The History of the Hypodermic Needle — Evolution with a Point!
The history of the hypodermic needle involves goose quills, animal bladders and little friendly rivalry. Read on to discover the surprising journey of a healthcare staple.
January 13, 2016
Medshop Editor
Make $100K as a Nurse
Nursing is a fantastic career for many reasons. Not only do nurses get to save lives, brighten people's days, promote health and well-being, they also receive an above average income package. In saying this, there is a vast difference in the earning potential of a nursing assistant compared to that of a director of nursing. In Australia housing costs are some of the highest in the world. The cost of living certainly isn't going down, so it makes sense that people are striving for higher incomes to meet the demands of modern life. For all of these reasons, we've decided to take a look at the average yearly incomes of nursing roles across Australia, to let you know what it takes to earn at least $80k as a nurse in Australia. Entry-level nursing position average incomes: Nursing Assistant: $48,893 Enrolled Nurse: $59,309 To become a nursing assistant or an enrolled nurse requires a vocational certificate combined with practical experience. The average incomes for these roles are less than that of a registered nurse, a role that requires candidates to hold a bachelor's degree qualification in nursing. Registered Nurse: $77,062 While it is possible to earn $80,000+ as a registered nurse, it is the exception rather than the rule. It might involve some serious overtime with multiple night shifts, but don't dismay. The role of registered nurse is a right of passage that can lead to higher paying roles in the future. Next-level nursing position average incomes: Clinical Nurse/Midwife: $86,478 Clinical Nurses are RN's who have gained experience working in a particular area for a number of years. They have usually undertaken additional postgraduate study within their area of expertise. These additional experiences, combined with the insight that comes with them, affords clinical nurses a higher salary that registered nurses. Clinical nurses also act as a mentor to registered nurses. Additionally, they may take on roles in education, leadership, and activity programs. A midwife is a registered nurse who has undertaken additional study in midwifery to achieve a registration to the midwifery board of Australia. This licence indicates that they are a registered nurse with midwifery endorsement. Want to strive for more? Nurse Practitioner: $109,413 A nurse practitioner is an experienced registered nurse who has undertaken additional education to enable them to work in an advanced clinical role. If all you are seeing right now are the dollar signs and thinking that sounds great, be prepared. To qualify for the role of a nurse practitioner in Australia, not only do you need to be an experienced registered nurse, you also need to hold a masters degree in nursing. Depending on whether you opt for full or part-time study, this can take anywhere from 1.5 - 3 years to achieve depending on the institution. Nurse Unit Manager: $111,629 Nurse unit managers are experienced registered nurses who have worked their way up the ranks. They've displayed exceptional organisational, administrative and leadership skills. Their role is to oversee all aspects of operations within a healthcare facility. This can involve supervising and organising staff, overseeing patient care and handling some administrative tasks. To qualify for a role as a nurse unit manager you need to have extensive clinical experience and administrative experience, combined with additional education or training in both nursing and management fields. Oh, and exceptional communication skills are a must as well as the ability to take leadership of any situation. Director of Nursing: $156,855 It is no surprise that the competitive director of nursing roles demand such lucrative incomes. Directors of nursing possess a blend of highly developed administrative skills along with well seasoned nursing credentials. They usually hold a master's degree in healthcare administration and or a master's in nursing. This is the kind of role that a nurse unit manager might aspire to transition into. Building on all of the responsibilities of the nurse unit manager role, directors of nursing are responsible for additional administrative functions including record keeping and budgeting. You might notice there is a progression with these roles, each building on and leading into the next. Of course everyone has different priorities and many nurses are content to work as a registered nurse for their entire nursing careers. Others aspire to reach the top of their field. Whatever you choose Medshop Australia is here to provide you with the tools and equipment you need to reach your goals. In fact, we are so committed to getting you the equipment you may need we owe you this information: We have discounted the Welch Allyn Pro 4000 thermometer probe covers. So if you own a Welch Allyn Pro 4000 thermometer, now is the time to stock up. All information on nurse salaries was obtained from the following resource. http://healthtimes.com.au/hub/nursing-careers/6/guidance/nc1/what-do-nurses-earn/605/
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