On the the success of our Melbourne Nursing services growth we are pleased to say that our exceptional Nursing care is now being offered in Geelong and surrounding suburbs.
Have peace of mind knowing we have carefully selected our Nursing team to ensure that our standards will continue for you and the people you care for.
Our Nursing appointments are minimum 30 mins (where appropriate) which differ from others in the area.
To ensure we have all the information needed, every new client will have an initial assessment.
Our Empower Nurses spend their days visiting clients in their homes and delivering gold standard care and services.
Join Registered Nurse Briony for her day in the community.
7.30am:
I have a full schedule today, so I open my iPad and read through my clients notes, referrals and other documentation via the client management system. Planning my day helps me be prepared for each client. I check that I have all the equipment and consumables needed and then I am out the door.
8am:
Luckily my first appointment takes me past my favourite café and I grab a coffee.
8.30am:
My first client likes me to be early to help her change her catheter and for medication management so that she can get on with her day. Good catheter care is essential to prevent infections and improve the quality of life for clients. We chat while I work. Getting to know my clients and talking to them is one of the favourite parts of my job. Once I’m finished, I make sure she has the supplies and advice needed until I next visit which I confirm with her and book it in.
9.30am:
My second appointment is a regular client who has slow healing wounds. I have been visiting her for some time now, and we have made some great progress. All Empower nurses undergo extensive training and professional development in wound management, so I am equipped with the latest knowledge and dressings to improve healing for my client.
11.00am:
I arrive in a Bayside suburb with time to spare so I find a car park overlooking the bay and catch up on my notes and follow up emails on my iPad before heading to my next client. On assessment, I realise he isn’t doing well and we have the difficult discussion that it may be best to head to hospital to get further investigations done. He hates going to hospital, but agrees he needs to go. This client lives alone, and doesn’t have anyone who can drive him, so I organise non-emergency patient transport. I spend the time to call his next of kin, his GP and his case manager who are all supportive of him going in. I don’t want to leave him while we wait for transport as he is anxious about going to hospital. I liaise with his Case Manager who is also supportive and organises for his normal support worker to head over and wait with him.
12.30:
Lunch time and I pop into head office to pick up some consumables and complete some CPD training at one of the desks. I catch up with colleagues and have a conversation with my manager about a client management challenge I have been having.
2.00pm:
It’s a short drive to my next appointment who is booked for an initial assessment. This involves getting to know the client and completing a comprehensive overall nursing assessment. Sometimes new clients need referrals for allied health services or additional supports. We have a longer session than usual but I know spending the extra time is what he needs to ensure that he keeps receiving the care that ensures his quality of life and independence.
4.00pm:
I arrive home to complete all today’s documentation, send emails to my clients’ care and case managers and organise any follow up tasks.
Tomorrow I will be seeing different people with different needs – no two days are the same. I love the flexibility and variety of being an Empower Nurse. It also helps being backed by experienced nurse managers, a friendly Home Care Support Team and being equipped with all the technology, knowledge, and equipment to deliver the care needed.
Empower Nurses are on the road every day, delivering great care and outcomes.
Nick has been with Empower for 3 years, supporting clients and staff through the most difficult period of the pandemic as a Team Leader in Residential Aged Care (RAC) and as Regional Manager of Aged Care services. Nick now brings his extensive knowledge and experience to a new role as Home Care Team Leader.
Nick began his physiotherapy career in New Zealand, graduating from the University of Otago in 2012. Within a year, he had moved to central Queensland to work as a physiotherapist in a RAC facility, delivering and managing physiotherapy services. Nick honed his leadership skills during Tropical Cyclone Marcia as a member of the Emergency Response Team, where he was responsible for emergency planning and the care and management of residents requiring complex care during evacuation.
After moving to Melbourne in 2016, Nick worked in RAC and Home Care, before joining Empower in 2020. Nick is deeply committed to the well-being of the clients and the clinicians he supports, facilitating and demonstrating high quality healthcare delivery and the best outcomes possible.
Of his work, Nick says,
As physiotherapists who work with people in their homes, we are in the privileged position of getting to know our clients at a personal level which allows us to treat them holistically. I want to ensure that sessions are effective in helping clients achieve their goals, but also enjoyable and something my clients look forward to.
In his spare time, Nick enjoys spending time with his precious baby daughter and wife.
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How Empower Nurses and Dietitians can help with Ostomy management
Nurses and Ostomy Care
While many people with a stoma or ostomy can independently care for themselves, there are times when some extra help is required. This may be when adjusting to living with an ostomy, when experiencing illness or when managing additional health conditions or disability. Empower nurses provide general ostomy management and support for people who need it. They are fully equipped for ostomy care and carry emergency kits.
As part of delivering high quality nursing services, our Nurses provide:
• Ostomy bag changes
• Assessment of stoma and skin health
• General assessment of health, including monitoring for digestive problems
• Referral to Stomal Therapists if complex care is required.
Dietitians and Ostomy Care
It is possible for people with an ostomy to eat a full and satisfying range of foods. In fact, eating real food after surgery can help the digestive system to begin functioning again. However, learning what foods are easiest to digest, how a person’s body is responding to certain foods and how to maintain good nutrition following surgery can require the input of a Dietitian.
Dietitians can help people:
• Manage low appetite following surgery
• Ensure adequate nutrition and energy levels
• Develop meal plans that are enjoyable and nutritious
• Make dietary adjustments when necessary
• Monitor dietary intake, digestive health and stoma output
• Manage additional health conditions, like diabetes and hypertension
• Choose and use supplementation appropriately.
For in-home, professional care while recovering from surgery, living with a chronic condition or when managing life’s unexpected health challenges, let Empower take care of your health needs.
Click to read more about our Nursing and Dietetic Services
Matthew joined Empower’s Home Care Team in Melbourne this year after working in private practice and residential aged care since graduating in 2017.
Why did you choose this career?
I feel that I was destined to work as an Osteo in Home Care and community settings. It’s just the perfect job for me.
What are your strengths as an Osteo?
I’m good listener and as a result can construct a good overview of a person’s health. I see my client’s holistically and can diagnose and treat a wide range of conditions using manual skills, exercise and functional activities.
What motivates you?
Treating my clients in their homes is so rewarding to assist them in achieving the goals that will make the greatest difference in their daily lives. Seeing them smile when they have managed to do something that they couldn’t before, makes my day.
What is something you would tell your younger self about your work if you could?
Osteopathy is second nature to you. Stick to the path, don’t hesitate and you will be rewarded.
Is there a quote that you use to explain the work you do?
The goal of the Osteopath is to find health.
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Trish is a Registered Nurse with 10 years’ experience working in Aged Care, Home Care and NDIS. She has also worked in a nurse run bush hospital, an experience that informs much of her approach to patient care.
Can you describe your role with Empower?
As Clinical Manager I am responsible for ensuring all Empower nurses are supported in their clinical work. I make sure our nurses can provide care that surpasses industry standards through education and professional development. I also provide hands on clinical support for clients in their homes.
What makes you well suited to this role?
I love to solve problems- for clients, clinicians, and providers. The nature of my job means that no two days are the same and I thrive on the challenge of adapting to ensure we meet the needs of all our clients.
What sets your team apart?
We provide catheter care for all 3 types of catheters but so much more than that- we deliver high quality preventative care that bridges the gaps in the healthcare system and helps our clients avoid hospitalisation by meeting their needs at home.
What matters most to you and the Empower nursing team?
We want all our clients to be healthy, happy, and healing.
What motivates you at work?
I enjoy my job and I make sure that the nurses I support enjoy theirs- happy nurses provide the best care.
What would surprise people about what you do?
I don’t think people realise the scope of community nursing practice, we provide complex care for complex conditions, and we do it in a way that best suits the needs of our clients.
What is the best feedback you have received from a client recently?
As I was leaving their home a client said,
“I always feel better after you have visited.” That is my goal with every home visit.
Is there a motto that you apply to your work?
“Never stop learning”
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Incontinence is a very common condition affecting 1 in 4 Australian adults.
The good news is that there are many ways that both bladder and bowel leaks and accidents can be treated and managed. With the help of nurses and other health care professionals, your clients can continue to live an active and independent life with dignity.
How we can help
Our nursing services involve support in the management of bladder and bowel control problems. We offer discreet services that aim to preserve dignity, reduce stress, and help people regain confidence so they can participate in daily activities and get you back to enjoying life.
Our support
We will take the time to fully assess your client and understand the challenges they face. We will conduct a Level 2 Basic Continence Assessment and then develop personalised plans and strategies to suit the persons lifestyle and goals.
Our Multidisciplinary Team support
Whilst our nurses provide continence treatment, they also have access and work closely with a large team of Allied Health therapists that can also provide additional continence care and intervention.
Dietetics
Our Dietitians assist with:
• urinary incontinence by monitoring fluid intake and providing recommendations for other bowel management strategies. Clients experiencing urinary incontinence tend to restrict fluid intake and this can contribute to poor health through dehydration and increase the occurrence of constipation.
• faecal incontinence by recommending a modified diet that can alleviate the urgency of bowel motions as well as assist clients with implementing a diet that will help with the frequency and consistency of bowel motions.
*Dehydration is a great risk in this group of clients.
Physiotherapists
Our Physiotherapists assist with:
• improving a client’s mobility and function so that they can access facilities in a timely manner
• utilise their continence aids safely.
• improve balance and coordination to assist with independent toileting
*We don’t have any specialist continence physios.
Occupational Therapists
Our Occupational Therapists assist with:
• routines based interventions – working on toileting routines
• strategies such as visual prompts and social stories to support understanding, reinforce routines and reduce anxiety
• understanding their sensory systems and interoception, so the person understands the body’s signals of when they need to go to the toilet.
• working towards independence with assistive technology eg. over toilet seats or commodes, Clothing adaptations
• educating clients family and formal supports.
Management depends on the type of incontinence, its aetiology, the severity of symptoms, as well as the consumers factors such as cognition, functional status and medical history. Our nurses have the clinical background and experience to advise options for suitable treatment approach for each individual to match their lifestyle and keep them at home longer.
It is possible to live an independent and active life with a catheter and Empower’s nurses are ready to help clients and their families.
Our nurses are trained to deliver best practice catheter care with dignity to help people maintain the life they are accustomed to.
Our skilled nurses are fully trained to deliver care for all three types of catheters:
• Male
• Female
• Suprapubic
For people who rely on catheters, having a routine to care for the catheter is an important part of living a full life without the common complications that a catheter use can cause. Empower nurses deliver person centred, individualised catheter care to every client beginning with a comprehensive assessment at home.
Our nurses assess the level of support, education and care needed and work with clients and their families to set goals and develop management plans to suit their individual needs.
Good catheter care starts with good nursing care.
Our catheter care routines help users:
Reduce Urinary Tract Infections
By regularly emptying bags and performing hygiene activities like good hand washing, people who use catheters can reduce the likelihood of infection. Developing habits of adequate water consumption can also help to reduce bacterial infection risk and keep the system functioning optimally.
Eliminate Leakage
Regular emptying of bags is necessary to reduce the chance of overflow leakage. Having established fluid consumption routines can also help with the management of urine output.
Avoid Kidney damage
Reducing the load on the kidneys by allowing complete bladder voiding protects kidney function.
Live a full life
A well-established routine can allow people who rely on catheterisation to lead full and active lifestyles with the freedom to work, travel, exercise and socialise knowing that their bodies are well cared for.
Having a plan and support is vital for developing routines when taking care of a catheter system. Our experienced nurses help people to ensure the best care for their catheters while meeting their lifestyle needs and goals. After all, catheterisation should allow people to focus on the things in life that really matter and enable them to live life their own way.
Bacteria can be our best friend. They help us digest food and get the most out of our diets and good bacteria can protect us from infection and disease. They can, however, also be our worst enemy. Bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms that can cause disease are all around us and it is vital that healthcare providers protect clients from the pathogens that are found even in the cleanest of environments. To do this, clinicians use practices and procedures to prevent contamination.
These strict rules and processes are the aseptic technique.
When is aseptic technique used?
Any time the skin or mucous membranes are breached, it is vital that clinicians ensure sterility of the area, equipment, and themselves. Examples of instances requiring this technique are:
• Catheterisation
• Surgical procedures
• Wound care
Can this technique be used in a home environment?
Yes, many procedures require healthcare practitioners to be able to create sterile conditions to meet the needs of their clients. They do this by creating a sterile field to work in, using sterile equipment, proper cleaning of the area and their own hands, wearing gloves and other protective clothing and masks and lastly by following a process that maintains the pathogen free zone throughout the procedure.
How do I know that my healthcare provider is able to perform asepsis technique?
All Empower Healthcare nurses are qualified and trained to be able to perform asepsis technique when indicated. All Empower Healthcare clinicians are equipped and trained to protect their clients by using the appropriate techniques and equipment for the needs of the people they work with.
Delivering high quality allied health services is how we do it.
Empower Healthcare was founded in 2016 by two people who were determined to improve the standards of allied health services in residential aged care and knew how to do it. With industry knowledge and an innovative approach, Adam and Matthew set about defining what allied health services can be when quality and person-centred care is placed before all else in healthcare.
The partnership, that merged clinical expertise with business acumen, soon established Empower Healthcare as a leading provider of quality physiotherapy services in residential aged care facilities in Victoria. This success fuelled the expansion of our services within residential aged care, home care and NDIS to deliver occupational therapy, physiotherapy, nursing, podiatry, dietetics, osteopathy, massage and speech pathology.
Now offering comprehensive allied health services with more than 180 dedicated and passionate clinicians working in Victoria, Western Australia, New South Wales and Queensland, Empower Healthcare is growing and taking our unique approach with us.
A lot has changed over the years but not our commitment to the highest quality care, delivered by expert clinicians, aimed at improving the independence and quality of life of our clients- helping our clients live rocket-australia.com their lives the way they want to.
How To Get Clients Started With Our Home Care & NDIS Services
Simply click on the image below for our referral form.
250 000 Australians are hospitilised each year due to problems relating to medicine use, and many more are not experiencing the full benefits of the medicines prescribed to them due to mistakes made in how they take their medication – Nurses can assist with medication management.
When used correctly, medicines can prevent serious illness and improve health and wellbeing, but the positive and powerful effects of medications can also carry risks when not used properly.
Home Care Nurses play a key role in assisting people to manage and obtain the maximum benefit from their medicines, safely and conveniently, in their own homes. With their extensive pharmacological and clinical knowledge, nurses can provide the right amount of support to suit each person’s unique circumstances. They do this by providing the following care and services:
Assessment
Nurses supporting people with medication management conduct thorough assessments to determine the needs of their clients.
Education
Nurses play a vital role in educating people about the medicines they are taking, the dosages and timing of administration.
Monitoring
The aim of good medicine management at home is to maintain independence through the self-administration of medicines where possible. Nurses can help by monitoring the use of medicines and determining if there are any issues with administration.
Intervention
Home Care nurses can help people and care givers with practical ways of scheduling, planning and administering medication as independently as possible.
Communication and referral
When issues arise related to medication, nurses can reach out to dispensing pharmacists, GP’s and specialists in order to optimise medicine use.
Good medication management means creating as much independence and self-management as possible with the support needed to ensure that clients receive better, safer and more convenient care where they want to be – at home.
About Empower
We Change Lives
Empower Healthcare is a national allied-health service provider and partner with Home Care package providers, NDIS plan managers & Aged Care organisations to deliver life changing allied health services. We offer a full-service platform from physiotherapy, occupational therapy, podiatry, dietetics to osteopathy, massage therapy and most recently, home nursing services and pride ourselves in the delivery of high-quality therapy solutions, value packed services and responsive ethos.
It is a very exciting time with Empower Healthcare building on the success of its Victorian operation and now expanding nationally into NSW & WA. With a growing team of 100+ clinicians, we provide over 1,500 treatments every day and service more than 100 healthcare organisations. Building on this strong foundation, we are well positioned and committed to delivering exceptional care.
Our therapists genuinely care about the people we work with and take the time to build strong relationships that holistically improve social, physical and mental wellbeing to live happier and healthier lives.
How To Get Clients Started With Our Home Care & NDIS Services
Simply click on the image below for our referral form.
