Endoscopy nursing in the pacific - ANZGITA contributing to endoscopy nurse education and expertise through the Fiji Endoscopy Training Program
Tracks
Plenary Session
| Sunday, May 19, 2024 |
| 12:00 PM - 12:10 PM |
| Grand Ballroom |
Overview
Karen Kempin
Speaker
Karen Kempin
Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand
Endoscopy nursing in the pacific - ANZGITA contributing to endoscopy nurse education and expertise through the Fiji Endoscopy Training Program
Abstract
Endoscopy Nursing in the Pacific – ANZGITA contributing to endoscopy nurse education and expertise through the Fiji Endoscopy Training Program.
The ANZGITA volunteer training program for gastroenterology has been running since 2008, started by visits to Fiji and now expanded to 8 countries.
Gastroenterologists in the first program quickly recognised the need for a team approach to capacity building and teaching so nurses have attended all programs since 2009. ANZGITA focuses on in country hands on teaching that builds knowledge and skills for trainees in their home environment. The nurses program in Fiji takes novice RN/staff nurse level counterparts through a teaching program with a focus on patient preparation, sedation management, therapeutic procedure equipment, patient recovery, manual endoscope reprocessing, IPC and chemical safety. The goal at the end of the 4 week program is competent and confident nurses who can manage patients through admission, procedure and discharge, assist with basic endoscopy procedures and interventions and complete manual reprocessing of endoscopes and reusable medical instruments.
Long term benefits to participating nurses have also been identified, including access to expert nurses through messaging apps to answer questions and problem solve after the programs finish and sponsorship for nurses to attend AGW and GENCA conferences.
The program in 2023 was extremely successful with eight nurses receiving 2-4 weeks training. Five experienced endoscopy nurses from Australia and New Zealand provided the program, including group and individual training, informal and formal assessments and passing on team work, endoscope reprocessing and patient care skills.
The program gives Australian and New Zealand endoscopy nurses the opportunity to experience nursing in other cultures, enhances teaching and mentoring skills and has a phenomenal ”feel good” factor that refreshes the spirit and gets them “out of the rut”. ANZGITA is looking for nurses with the ability to think outside of the box and a desire to pass on skills and knowledge for the benefit of our counterparts overseas.
The ANZGITA volunteer training program for gastroenterology has been running since 2008, started by visits to Fiji and now expanded to 8 countries.
Gastroenterologists in the first program quickly recognised the need for a team approach to capacity building and teaching so nurses have attended all programs since 2009. ANZGITA focuses on in country hands on teaching that builds knowledge and skills for trainees in their home environment. The nurses program in Fiji takes novice RN/staff nurse level counterparts through a teaching program with a focus on patient preparation, sedation management, therapeutic procedure equipment, patient recovery, manual endoscope reprocessing, IPC and chemical safety. The goal at the end of the 4 week program is competent and confident nurses who can manage patients through admission, procedure and discharge, assist with basic endoscopy procedures and interventions and complete manual reprocessing of endoscopes and reusable medical instruments.
Long term benefits to participating nurses have also been identified, including access to expert nurses through messaging apps to answer questions and problem solve after the programs finish and sponsorship for nurses to attend AGW and GENCA conferences.
The program in 2023 was extremely successful with eight nurses receiving 2-4 weeks training. Five experienced endoscopy nurses from Australia and New Zealand provided the program, including group and individual training, informal and formal assessments and passing on team work, endoscope reprocessing and patient care skills.
The program gives Australian and New Zealand endoscopy nurses the opportunity to experience nursing in other cultures, enhances teaching and mentoring skills and has a phenomenal ”feel good” factor that refreshes the spirit and gets them “out of the rut”. ANZGITA is looking for nurses with the ability to think outside of the box and a desire to pass on skills and knowledge for the benefit of our counterparts overseas.
Biography
Karen is currently a nurse endoscopist and nurse practitioner employed by Te Whatu Ora (Health New Zealand) at the Hutt Hospital in Wellington. Karen was born and trained/ worked as a nurse in Australia until 2012 when she moved to Dunedin, New Zealand to take up a position as an Endoscopy Unit Charge Nurse Manager. Karen started in endoscopy nursing in 1999 at the Sunshine Coast and commenced training to do gastrointestinal endoscopy in 2016 and continued with this role part time until 2021, when she accepted a full time nurse endoscopist position at the Hutt.
Karen's main professional interests are endoscopy training for nurses and doctors, endoscope reprocessing and workplace training in endoscopy skills for newly employed nurses. Karen has been a member of ANZGITA since 2010 and has attended multiple programs in Fiji, Samoa and Tonga.
Karen and her husband Julius live in the Lower Hutt area and have three adult children living in Brisbane and one child in Dunedin. Spare time is taken up by house renovations and travel.
