DANA news

Further to an email sent to all DANA Members on Monday February 18^th 2019, an email will arrive in the in-box of all DANA members on Friday morning  a reminder that the DANA Management Committee has convened a Special General Meeting (SGM), to be held on Tuesday 12^th March 2019.

The SGM will be conducted via teleconference and will commence at 1800 hours (Australian Eastern Daylight Savings Time).  Dial-in details are contained within  the SGM agenda.

The only item to be addressed at the SGM is a vote on the acceptance of the revised DANA Constitution.

If you wish to attend and / or vote on the new constitution then check your email for full details.

If you have any questions please send an email to secretary@danaonline.org or dana.mail2access@gmail.com

Dear Colleagues
A DANA Special General Meeting (SGM) will be held on Tuesday 12^th March 2019 commencing at  6:00 pm (Australian Eastern Daylight Savings Time).

DANA is incorporated under NSW law and is therefore required to provide 21 days’ notice of the SGM. The calling of an SGM is outlined fully in section 35 of the DANA Constitution.

The only item to be addressed at the SGM is a vote on the acceptance of the revised constitution.

An email is being sent to all DANA members at 4:00am on Monday 18^th February 2019. If for some reason you do not receive the email please advise the DANA Project Officer (dana.mail2access@gmail.com) immediately and you will be provided with a link to the documentation.

I look forward to meeting you at the SGM.

Darren Smyth
DANA President

DANA conference organisers always strive to showcase the great research and work being undertaken by drug and alcohol nurses.

This year in particular we are keen to celebrate  the work of colleagues who are new to presenting. We welcome you to be a part of this exciting program that addresses the important work nurses undertake.

If you have something of importance that you would like to share with your colleagues, but are hesitant to do so, we are also here to offer you support and advice.

Abstracts may be submitted from February 15th to May 3rd 2019.

Download the three documents below to begin your preparation:

• DANA Conference call for abstracts 2019
• DANA abstract submission form
• DANA abstract authors’ details form

Any enquiries should be directed to Dr Adam Searby adam.searby@rmit.edu.au

Find out more about this years event. Visit the DANA Conference website. 

You can join, renew and even extend your DANA membership during this 72 hour window of opportunity.

This offer begins on February 14th and ends strictly at midnight on February 16th.

Click this  link to join.

Click this link to renew or extend.

DANA members will enjoy a special discount to attend  the Inaugural DANA Nurse Practitioner one-day symposium, 15th August 2019, in conjunction with the DANA Annual Conference, themed ‘The Power of Connection, 16th August 2019’. Find out more at the DANA Conference website.

Are you keen to go to WOWS 12?

If you are from  a rural or remote area of Queensland you may be eligible for a travel grant of $980 to attend WOWS 12   in Brisbane on Friday May 10th 2019.

You need to hurry because applications close on February 14^th 2019.

Find out more:

Travel Grant Information

Travel Grant Application Form

Call for Abstracts

Date Claimer

Photo supplied by Daniel Corneschi on Unsplash

WOWS12

Protocol title: Methamphetamine and Emerging Drugs Australian Clinical Research Priority Setting Study

NCCRED invites you to participate in  research that will help  determine priority areas for further clinical research and the key questions that stakeholders wish to see answered by clinical research.

They  seek your opinions on areas for the treatment of substance use disorder due to methamphetamine and other emerging drugs of concern that would benefit from the conduct of clinical research.

Find out everything that you need to know at this link.

*National Centre for Clinical Research on Emerging Drugs

Shortly you will be advised about your opportunity to participate in the DANA 2019 Conference themed ‘The Power of Connection’.

Abstracts for oral and / or poster presentations will be officially invited in mid-February. Watch your email in-box or this website.

We would love to see you showcase the work that you do.

Find out more about the DANA 2019 conference. Click here.

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.