The Centre for Psychiatric Nursing would like to support our community of Mental Health Nurses and people with Lived Experiences during these uncertain times. Their fantastic new website is a community well-being resource that’s great for all. You’ll find regularly updated links to other websites, articles, stories and hopefully some light-hearted messages and practical ways to manage your mental health when you need it most.

Leading physiotherapists concerned ‘stay at home’ restrictions could exacerbate falls and poor physical function in older people have developed a new website to support older Australians to stay active – safely – at home.

The Department of Nursing is delighted to present Nursing in the New Era of Infection and Communicable Disease: 2020 and Beyond, a webinar which we are hosting in collaboration with Universitas 21, featuring keynote speaker Ann Kurth, Dean of Nursing at Yale University. The webinar will be held on 12 May, International Day of the Nurse and the Midwife, in part a tribute to the vital contribution nurses have made on the front line in the fight against COVID 19.

The University of Melbourne has launched a new online course to help healthcare workers be informed, confident and agile when it comes to communicating with patients.

The Australian government has promised a $1.1 billion health and domestic violence package to help protect vulnerable Australians during the COVID-19 crisis. But one of the most vulnerable groups of all, Aboriginal women and their children, may see little benefit at all.

Do you have an idea for making an impact in the community? Does it address a social, economic, environmental or cultural issue? You can project manage that idea into reality with a Student Engagement Grant of up to $10,000.

I am delighted to announce that we can confirm Ann Kurth, Dean of Nursing at Yale will be hosting our webinar on 12 May for the International Day of the Nurse in conjunction with Universitas 21. Her chosen topic, “Nursing in the new era of infection and communicable diseases 2020 and beyond” couldn’t be any more relevant in the context of the issues we are facing.

It’s only a matter of weeks since David Denborough, the Coordinator of the Master of Narrative Therapy & Community Work, met with Lou Harms to decide whether a two week intensive, with 35 people due to fly internationally in mid-March, should go ahead. They are both relieved to have decided to transform the planned face-to-face experience into an online adventure and develop a revolutionary mode of delivery, turning the Dulwich Centre into a film studio and even factoring in morale boosting online dance clips.

While we had to close most of our clinics, we took the decision to keep our Emergency Hearing Aid Clinic open. It’s especially hard for those who have hearing difficulties at this time. We have been managing our clients as best as we can. Our Audiology clinic continues to provide an emergency service to the community for their hearing rehabilitation needs – primarily through telehealth contact and assistance with hearing aids and other devices using delivery and courier options available. With social isolation restrictions in place and most of our clients over 60, we had to think of a new system of operation.

In this challenging time, Physiotherapy staff and students have been rapidly discovering new ways of working and learning, while supporting the physiotherapy profession to respond to COVID-19. It has been a huge effort from all, highlighted in these examples:

The Melbourne School of Health Sciences is committed to making a meaningful contribution to the COVID-19 pandemic and assisting those affected. While precautions can help 'flatten the curve,' students can also help to 'raise the line' of health care capacity by applying for a number of paid 'SASH roles' that Victoria’s health services are establishing.

The Department of Audiology and Speech Pathology is proud to present the very first Australasian Mobile FEES Symposium on the 29th of October 2020. Tickets are available now.

Promising new research from our Department of Audiology and Speech Pathology has found that the use of hearing aids may delay cognitive decline in older adults and even improve brain function. This research is a leading step from researchers at the University of Melbourne in promoting health across the lifespan.

It’s great to see commentary by Professor of Social Work, Cathy Humphreys published in The Age on 3 March, discussing her views on how the Clarke family murders highlight the failings of our custody system.

Lucy Shiels has recently accepted a position as a Clinical Audiologist Intern at the School of Health Science’s Department of Speech Pathology & Audiology. She is enjoying pushing boundaries working in groundbreaking research at the Autism Listening Clinic and hopes to pursue a career in auditory processing.

On 18 February, visiting physio Dr Jonathan Quicke presented a lecture on "a physiotherapist’s clinical-academic journey", sharing his clinical academic journey as a Physiotherapist in the UK with a specialist interest in exercise and weight loss for osteoarthritis.

A full-time graduate research studentship is available for a suitable PhD candidate with a nursing or allied health degree.

This new short course is invaluable for all students looking to enter the Master of Nursing Science, or wanting to refresh their bioscience knowledge.More Information

After over 10 years working as a Professor in Canada, it’s great to welcome Professor Denise Harrison back to the University of Melbourne’s School of Health Sciences Department of Nursing.

A world first study conducted at the Royal Melbourne hospital using the same drug tests that police use on the roads is putting research into practice. The study tested the saliva of people who came to the emergency department with signs of acute behavioural disturbance for illicit substances to measure prevalence and test feasibility of this approach.