Commercial Travellers Ward - The Neuroscience Unit
"The Children's Hospital at Westmead is a great place to work and Commercial Travellers Ward echo's this theme every day!"
Commercial Travellers ward, located on level 3 of The Children's Hospital at Westmead, and is the 19 bed neuroscience unit which cares for children with neuromedical and neurosurgical conditions from across New South Wales, as well as from Noumea. The unit also cares for children with neuro-oncology conditions and children requiring craniofacial surgery.
The working environment is supportive and friendly with a strong emphasis on team work. Commercial Travellers Ward prides itself on its collaborative approach to providing holistic care to children and families. This is achieved through a multi-disciplinary approach to patient care utilizing all members of the health care team. The unit is supported by a Nursing Unit Manager, Clinical Nurse Educator and two Nursing Clinical Co-ordinators.
Projects
The unit is currently engaged in the Teamwork, Learning, Change project which supports staff through action research with a view to improving patient care.
Rostering practices
Rostering practices are flexible and take into account each staff member's individual needs. The unit offers 6 hour, 8 hour, 10 hour (night duty) and 12 hour shifts.
Orientation and Education Assistance
All new nursing staff attend the hospital and general nursing orientation programme at commencement of their employment. This is followed by three supernumerary days to facilitate the introduction to Commercial Travellers ward, and hospital practices and routines.
The support and guidance of a Clinical Nurse Educator (CNE) is available throughout the orientation process with a current comprehensive orientation manual provided.
There is the opportunity for study leave, conference leave and a variety of in-house educational opportunities through our structured ward in-service program.
Commercial Travellers ward promotes a culture of professional development and enquiry which actively encourages and facilitates clinical learning.
The full time CNE provides staff with educational resources that meet the needs of nurses, assists with the continuum of learning, facilitates professional development and enhances the importance and usefulness of research in Clinical practice.
Professional Development
The nursing staff are encouraged and supported in their own professional development to present or attend professional courses/conference and further study or outside. The three nursing professional development pathways both within and outside the ward are Clinical, Educational and Managerial.
Staff Support
Staff on the unit work closely with a number of Clinical Nurse Consultants in Neuroliaison, the Epilepsy Programme, Rehabilitation, Stomal Therapy, and the Nurse practitioner for Neuro-oncology.
For information about employment in Commercial Travellers Ward, please contact Fiona Nelson, Nursing Unit Manager on (02) 9845 1073 or page through switch on (02) 9845 0000 page 6248