DANA news

Dear  Friends and Colleagues

2018 was a big DANA year! 2019 promises even more!

You spoke, and we listened 
The DANA Committee met in Brisbane in November and reviewed the 115 responses to the recent DANA Satisfaction Survey. We learned a lot; what is working well, what you would like to see in the future and what we could do better. Every suggestion and every comment was carefully considered.
As a direct consequence of the survey, these are just some of the benefits to members that you can expect in 2019:

• Investing in knowledge with even more scholarships; especially with a view to encouraging newer graduates to take up tertiary AOD studies.
• Although there is strong support for Credentialling and Advanced Certification the pathway can be difficult to navigate. We will be working simplify the process and provide a greater level of support.
• Using the skills and expertise of experienced AOD nurses to connect with colleagues through the DANA Clinical Supervision and Mentoring Program.
• DANA will strengthen processes to provide AOD  /Addiction nurses   an increased  opportunity for input into issues affecting nursing practice.
• Greater flexibility around membership renewals and payments options.
• An inaugural full-day Nurse Practitioner meeting in Sydney on the 15^th August 2019.

Pushing the envelope
DANA is undertaking a major workforce research program. Our goal over the next two years is to ‘map’ the location of all AOD / Addiction nurses across Australia and New Zealand. The research is being steered by Dr Adam Searby; DANA’s Education and Training Portfolio Officer.

You can look forward to even more partnership arrangements with organisations that share similar values to DANA and serve the interests of DANA Members.  Did you know that DANA Members are entitled to complimentary Associate Membership of ASHM? Have you activated yours? If not send an email to dana.mail2access@gmail.com for instructions on activating your membership.

DANA members will soon be asked to vote on an updated Constitution. This is important for several reasons, but in  particular it will provide DANA with greater flexibility to meet the needs of members into the future.  Watch your email in-boxes for an email from Margo Hickman, DANA’s Secretary.  She will explain the changes and how to place your vote.

The DANA Conference: The Power of Connection
Catch up with friends and colleagues at the Sydney ‘Power of Connection’ conference in August. Keep watching the DANA website and reading the monthly e-blast for more information.

Let’s meet in Sydney at the DANA Conference.

Best wishes
Darren Smyth
Darren Smyth  is the President of DANA and Nurse Practitioner,  Drug and Alcohol.

image courtesy of https://unsplash.com/

Dear Friends and Colleagues
May the season bring you joy, happiness and hope.

It seems that the end of 2018 arrived suddenly. It has taken all of us at DANA HQ by surprise.

Even as we launch into the full festive mode of celebrations, decorations and holidays this time of year is also a time for reflection and gratitude.  Our relationship with you, our DANA friends and colleagues, is top of mind, so thank you for your contribution to, and ongoing support of, DANA.

I would especially like to single out the efforts of the hard-working DANA Committee. Without them there would be no DANA. Through their dedication DANA has achieved a lot over the last twelve months from the highly acclaimed ‘It Starts with Us’ Conference, held in Melbourne in July to the unprecedented number of DANA scholarships awarded to members for their ongoing professional development.

We are delighted that the ranks of Credentialled Drug and Alcohol Nurses / Advanced Certified Addiction Nurses continues to grow. This process provides an opportunity for each of us to validate our experience, knowledge and expertise. If you haven’t taken the next step towards this, make this your resolution for 2019.

Be sure to join us on August 16th 2019 at the Swissotel in Sydney for the annual DANA Conference.

Let me take this opportunity to wish you the very best for the Festive Season. Be happy and stay safe!

Best wishes
Darren Smyth

(Darren is the President of DANA and Nurse Practitioner  Drug and Alcohol,).
DANA’s Christmas image is a photograph supplied  by Markus Spiske on Unsplash

This year DANA is show casing the Northern Territory’s Mental Health Month theme, ‘Talk, Support Recover’.

The painting that  DANA has featured is by Leigh Fowlestone. This is her story…

Healing your thoughts

In the old ways, we use to have gatherings, in these gatherings the elders would speak about ways of healing the young and old. They would bring their own knowledge from their area (country) and share within the circle to teach their people.

This painting represents four characters coming together to share their knowledge and to represent a whole person. Combining:

• Mind (mental illness),
• Speech (expression),
• Courage (stomach) and
• Strength (heart),

to show the path to healing your thoughts.

Lots of events to raise awareness about Mental Health Month are planned around New Zealand and Australia.

To find our what is happening in your regions follow the links below:

Australia: Do you see what I see?

New Zealand: Let nature in, strengthen your wellbeing – Mā te taiao kia whakapakari tōu oranga!

Queensland: Value mental health

South Australia: Mind your health

Tasmania: Stronger Together

NSW: Mental health month

Northern Territory: Talk Support Recover

Western Australia

Take a moment to explore the DANA website while you are visiting this page. Follow this link.

Would you give DANA 3-4 minutes of your time and complete a short survey?

The purpose of the survey is to:

• Help determine DANA’s future direction;
• Better understand what members value most or why, in some instances, some members choose not to renew their membership;
• Determine the most effective ways for DANA to communicate with members.

The results of the survey will be used by the DANA Management Committee when developing the 2019-2022 Strategic Directions plan.

We will share survey results with DANA members in December and present the final Strategic Directions document at the 2019 AGM.

On behalf of the DANA Management Committee, thank you.

(by the way, you will also have a chance to win a double pass to the movies).

If you are a current  DANA Member  click here to take the survey.

If you are a former DANA Member  click here to take the survey.

Photo by Nicholas Swanson on Unsplash

Take advantage of this offer!
Applications for this round of DANA scholarships closes October 15^th 2018.
To be eligible you need to meet the following criteria. You:

• must have been be a full financial DANA member for at least the last 12 months.
• will need to fully complete the official application form.

The information contained in the DANA 2018 Scholarship Information Package   will help you complete the Application Form.

Download the DANA 2018 Scholarship Information Package

Find out more about DANA. Explore the website. Click here.

On Monday October 22^nd, the Prime Minister of Australia, the Hon Scott Morrison MP, will deliver the National Apology to Victims and Survivors of Institutional Child Sexual Abuse at Parliament House in Canberra.

You can register to attend this event by ballot.  Entries for the ballot can be submitted on the Ballot page of the Apology website until midnight, Tuesday 25 September 2018.

For more information visit the  National Apology Website and follow the links.

There will be satellite events around the country for people who cannot make the trip interstate. It is likely that the Apology will be screened on the ABC and streamed online.

Survivors & Mates Support Network or SAMSN is a not-for-profit organisation that provides support to adult male survivors of child sexual abuse and their families.  Find out more about SAMSN by clicking here.

If you are unsure how to start the RU OK conversation  then the  RU OK Day 2018  website can help.  It  provides conversation steps to help you help someone else.

Simply put:

• Ask
• Listen
• Encourage action
• Check-in

Visit the RU OK DAY website.

Applications for DANA Scholarships are now being accepted. Successful applicants will be able to use the scholarship to assist in funding their professional development.

To take advantage of this opportunity you need to meet the following criteria:

• You must have been be a full financial DANA member for at least the last 12 months.
• You will need to fully complete the official application form.
• Email your completed application  to scholarships@danaonline.org.au  by the closing date, 30th September 2018
• In the subject line of the email, use the heading ‘DANA 2018  Scholarship’.

The information contained in the DANA 2018 Scholarship  Information Package   will help you with the completion of the Application Form.  Click to download: DANA 2018 Scholarship Information Package

Click here to find out more about DANA: www.danaonline.org

You can continue to raise awareness about the importance of being alcohol free for the nine months of pregnancy with these free resources.

Click here.

#RedShoesRock

#FASDay

Also , Drink  Tank has also published a story by Louise Gray,  ‘We must do more – Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder’ where the lived experience of FASD is poignantly rendered.

Click here to read.

AHA Working Group: Expressions of Interest

The Australasian Hepatology Association (AHA) is the peak professional body supporting and educating hepatology nurses and other health professionals across Australia and New Zealand.

They have extended an invitation to DANA to provide a representative to a working group to update their ‘HCV Consensus Guidelines’ to reflect current nursing practice.

Your commitment would be mostly email based with the possibility of one or two short teleconferences.

Find out more about the AHA at this link.

If you are interested in being a participant on this  working group  send an email to dana.mail2access@gmail.com