Move it
in May
Eastern Bay Secondary students doing work experience at Whakatāne Hospital pictured with
Medical Leader Dr Matt Valentine (left), BOP Clinical School Programme Coordinator Matt Sinton
(back) and Hospital Coordinator Julie Chapman.
Eastern Bay teens
experience working at
the hospital
Awakeri School’s Jump Jam team show off their moves at the hospital.
Awakeri School’s Jump Jam team showed
patients and staff some of its moves at
Whakatāne Hospital’s ‘Move it in May’
launch earlier this month.
Research shows just a few days in bed
can reduce muscle strength and increase
complications, particularly for frail older
patients. And that can lead to a longer stay
in hospital.
Service Improvement Programme
Manager Dave van Dijk says, “We all
benefit from staying active, particularly in
the colder months, it helps us to stay well.
Move it in May aims to raise awareness
about the debilitating impacts for patients
of spending long periods in bed.
“Traditionally people think if they’re in
hospital they must stay in bed. We need to
shift that mindset and, as soon as possible
encourage our patients to get up and
move.”
Three mornings a week after the bell rings
at Awakeri School, students meet to do
their Jump Jam exercise routine.
Principal Peter Fitzgerald says, “It’s a
great start to the day; the children love
it, those who don’t do jump jam go for a
10-minute run. Being active is important
for children. It has a positive impact on
their physical, and mental wellbeing and
ability to learn.”
Earlier this week Whakatāne Hospital held
a Keep on your Feet community Strength
and Balance group class.
The Sport Bay of Plenty classes are
provided across the Eastern and Western
Bay of Plenty, as part of the nationwide
initiative.
Project Leader Rachel Garden says the
classes involve simple but effective
exercises to improve leg strength and also
challenge participants balance in a fun and
safe environment.
Research shows that older people with
muscle weakness, balance issues or
mobility limitations are 3-5 times more
likely to fall in any one year than those
without these problems. There is also
evidence that community group
strength and balance classes can
reduce falls by 29%.
This Monday patients at the hospital will
have the opportunity to see dancers from
Footnote New Zealand Dance, give a brief
show before they head out of town on
their nationwide tour.
“As a national dance company, movement
is what we're all about, so it's such a
pleasure to be able to share our passion
while we're in Whakatāne. With this short
performance at Whakatāne Hospital, an
excerpt of our brand new show Search
Engine, we hope to inspire people to
Move it in May,” says Richard Aindow,
General Manager Footnote New Zealand
Dance.
Eastern Bay teenagers who are thinking
of pursuing careers in health are being
given an up close experience of what
their future may hold at Whakatāne
Hospital. on their morning ward round as well as
observe in ED. One will be assigned
to the pharmacy while the others will
shadow nurses working throughout the
hospital.
Eleven Year 12 and 13 students from
Whakatāne, Trident and Tarawera
high schools as well as Edgecumbe
and Ōpōtiki colleges are doing ‘work
experience’ at the hospital for a few
hours a week for a four week period. “It’s a really valuable experience.
Choosing a career path is a big decision
for teenagers. The experience helps them
to decide one way or another.”
Whakatāne Hospital Medical Leader Dr
Matt Valentine says, “The experience
gives the students a real sense of what
it’s like to care for patients in a hospital.
Two of the students considering careers
in medicine will accompany doctors
Many secondary students who’ve taken
up this opportunity in the past have gone
on to study medicine or nursing.
The students sign confidentiality
agreements and are given a privacy
briefing before they step in the hospital.
They are also educated about
hand hygiene.
Improving our
health services
Latest feedback from patients on health
services provided by the Bay of Plenty
District Health Board shows an increase
in those saying they are ‘completely
satisfied’ with their care.
As part of on-going work to improve the
quality of health services provided across
our communities, the DHB has surveyed
patients and its staff.
It’s the second survey of its kind, the
previous occurred 12 month prior giving
the DHB the opportunity to compare
results.
Programme Leader Rosalind Jackson
says, “Research shows there is a clear
relationship between the wellbeing of
staff and patient wellbeing. And when
patients report a better experience of care
they also have better outcomes; shorter
length of stay and faster recovery.”
241 patients participated in the latest
survey compared to 289 previously. In
both surveys 71% of our patients were
either satisfied or completely satisfied
with their care. What was heartening to
see was that 57% reported they were now
completely satisfied with their care, up
from 40% a year ago.
Patients tell us we have improved in
some important areas: being able to
use their own experience to aid their
recovery; staff praising their efforts to
help themselves get better; they are more
confident and optimistic; and less scared.
Rosalind says the feedback also shows us
we need to continue work on improving
the way we care and listen to our patients
and involve them in treatment decisions.
More than a thousand staff also provided
feedback. She says overall the results
show good progress since the previous
staff survey, for example recognition
of our CARE values and behaviours
expected of staff and different teams and
services working well together.