Tropical Medicine and Travel Health Nurses’ Conference
- : Townsville QLD 4810
Includes: Tropical Diseases; Infection Transmission; Vaccinations; Immunisations; Community Health; Health Promotion and much, much more ...
Although, most of the Australian population lives in non-tropical areas many people travel to the tropics for a variety of reasons. You as a nurse need to be aware of diseases that originate in tropical areas. Stay up to date on prevention and recent developments that relate to tropical medicine and travel health. Attend this conference and find out:
- How to prevent and protect against tropical diseases
- How tropical infections are transmitted
- Common signs and symptoms of acute disease
- Infection control and nursing management of tropical diseases
- Who is most at risk in Australia?
- Travel medicine - facts - immunisations - new vaccines
Don’t miss out! Book now!
8:30AM REGISTRATION FOR DAY ONE
Dr Joan Faoagali
Introducing Tropical Diseases - What Do We Need to Know?
Tropical diseases are a fact of life for those who live in certain parts of the world. The mass movement of people through globalisation and travel, combined with changes to the environment, are affecting the prevalence and nature of tropical diseases. This introductory session gives you a ‘big picture’ view about the current state of play. Includes:
- How common are tropical diseases?
- What is a ‘tropical environment’ and where are the current disease ‘hot spots’?
- Why are nurses important in breaking the chain of infection?
- Is globalisation and world travel an emerging area of concern?
- What impact is global warming likely to have?
Dr Joan Faoagali
Immunisation and Eradication Update - How Far Have We Travelled?
Huge advances in world health have lead to the eradication of many infectious diseases. Through immunisation, many of us live in a much safer world. However, this security may not always be guaranteed. This session looks at:
- Which infectious diseases have been, could be or are planned for eradication?
- Can all tropical diseases be prevented through immunisation?
- What role do the World Health Organisation and immunisation treaties play?
- Is there a difference between the world distribution of infections in the tropics compared with temperate areas?
10:30 MORNING TEA
Dr Joan Faoagali
'Tasty but Lethal'? Food-Borne Tropical Diseases
Food is a notorious common vector or carrier of tropical disease. It is particularly vexatious as safe food preparation may be out of the hands of the person ingesting it. Consequently, tropical diseases have a strong history of inflicting devastating illness. This session provides latest evidence on the incidence, prevalence, clinical manifestations and prevention of a range of food-borne tropical diseases, from mild to very severe. Includes:
- Travellers diarrhoea
Dr Joan Faoagali
'Lord of the Flies'? Mosquito-Borne Tropical Diseases
All infectious diseases require a carrier or a vector for transmission to occur. Mosquitos are an example of a common carrier of tropical disease. This session provides latest evidence on the incidence, prevalence, clinical manifestations and prevention of a range of mosquito-borne tropical diseases. Includes:
- Dengue fever
- Zika virus infections
1:00PM LUNCH BREAK
Dr James Smith
Zika Virus - Public Health Update
This session will address a current topic of interest - and concern - Zika virus. You will have an opportunity to become up-to-date on:
- Clinical features
- Current epidemiology?
- Relationship to microcephaly
- Vector control
- Guidelines for suspected cases and management
2:30 AFTERNOON TEA
Dr James Smith and John Piispanen
The Ebola Virus - A Case Study
The Ebola virus, although a relatively rare disease, is devastating and remains a grave concern, with high mortality for many communities and health professionals alike. This session tells the story of a health professional's experience of working in Sierra Leone with patients with this tropical disease. Includes:
- Background to Ebola - transmission, clinical manifestations and is it curable?
- What risks were involved in working with people with Ebola and are there any long-term residual effects?
- What lessons can be learnt in terms of managing the transmission and effects of a tropical disease?
- What was the preparedness of Queensland Health?
- What were the personal experiences of Australians working in Sierra Leone?
Final Questions and Wrap Up
4:00 CLOSE OF DAY ONE OF PROGRAM
9:00AM COMMENCEMENT OF DAY TWO
Travel Medicine at Home and Abroad - 'Taking Off and Landing'
Most nurses receive little education about travel medicine due to the highly specialist nature of the topic. However, as travelling to tropical areas becomes more accessible, there is a need for nurses and other health professionals to be properly informed about tropical diseases resulting from travel. This highly informative session will look at the following
- Are vaccinations mandatory and if so under which circumstances?
- Vaccinations, pregnancy and babies - what is recommended?
- How can nursing knowledge be tailored to outgoing travellers and those arriving from tropical areas to improve health?
- What patient education is necessary for those people travelling to tropical areas who have an underlying chronic illness?
Dr Treasure McGuire
What Should You Pack in Your Suitcase?
If you were stranded on a tropical island, where sadly there were no cocktails, infinity pools or beach umbrellas, what three things would you want to have with you? Would an antimicrobial agent be on your list? This interactive session will look at a common scenario of a returned traveller presenting to a local healthcare setting with fever of unknown origin. Using a case study, the presenter will help you understand the indications for using antimicrobial agents while you are in a tropical environment. Includes:
- When should you pack antimicrobial agents?
- What about anti-malarial agents?
- How can good decisions prevent future ill-health?
11:00 MORNING TEA
Dr Peta-Anne Zimmerman
Infection Prevention and Control in the Tropics - Practical Nursing Care
The luxury of resources such as clean running water, gloves and gowns is not always afforded in tropical environments. However, the necessity to uphold the highest standards of infection prevention and control is essential. This session includes:
- Hand hygiene when there is no water - what works best?
- How can basic infection control principles be adapted to different contexts?
- How can isolation be best achieved in tropical areas?
Dr Peta-Anne Zimmerman
'Don't Touch Me' - Personal Responses to Infectious Diseases
Have you ever felt worried or concerned about your personal vulnerability when exposed to a person with an infectious disease? Why is this and what impact does it have on patient care? How can you understand causes of stigma and what should you do about it?
Dr Peta-Anne Zimmerman
Aligning Prevention of Infectious Disease with a Person's Culture
In order to reduce the prevalence of infectious disease, it is essential to understand the cultural practices of any given community. This session looks at the relationship between cultural practices and disease prevention. Includes:
- Can communal living affect tropical disease transmission?
- How can traditional food practices be integrated into modern disease prevention models?
- What is the best method of teaching sanitation and hygiene practices?
- Why must sexual practices be better understood?
- What about religious and ceremonial practices?
1:30PM LUNCH BREAK
Resourcefulness not Resources - Nursing in the Tropics
outcomes of communities living in tropical areas. This may mean working in an international refugee camp, on an island off the coast of Queensland or a large hospital in northern Australia. What are some of the common issues that nurses encounter when working in such conditions?
- How can you be resourceful when there is a lack of physical resources?
- How to always maintain basic infection control practices no matter where you are
- Can the safe use of medicines be achieved?
- Tips for coping personally under duress
3:00 AFTERNOON TEA
Natural Disasters and Tropical Diseases - Stories from Samoa
Being in a tropical environment often means exposure to unpredictable climates and consequently natural disasters. This inspirational final session reflects on the personal experience of a nurse who worked in Samoa following the 2009 earthquake and tsunami. Includes:
- Do natural disasters increase risk of exposure to tropical diseases?
- What are common Primary Health Care needs of a community following a natural disaster?
- How can health professionals make a difference?
- Advice for those considering working in disaster relief programs
4:00 CLOSE OF DAY TWO OF PROGRAM
The Goal Need for Program
Communities are increasingly exposed to tropical diseases due to the continuing movement of people across the planet. Evidence relating to prevention and management of acute tropical illnesses is growing but translation to practice may be slow. No matter where a nurse works, up-to-date knowledge about these conditions is essential. The avoidance of tropical disease transmission, and prevention of related chronic illnesses, relies on nursing practice which is based on best available evidence.
Purpose of Program
The purpose of this education is to improve the health outcomes of people exposed to tropical diseases.
Your learning outcomes:
Apply an understanding of tropical diseases to ensure patients receive rapid recognition, diagnosis, and appropriate treatment
Provide patients and colleagues with health risk management strategies when exposure to tropical diseases is likely
Administer to a patient nursing interventions based on evidence and tailored to the tropical environment
Influence the reduction of chronic disease that may result from preventable tropical diseases
Joan Faoagali qualified as a specialist pathologist in Dunedin, NZ, and has had roles including Director of Microbiology at Christchurch ... Read More
Dr Treasure McGuire is a medicines information pharmacist, pharmacologist, educator and researcher. As Assistant Director of Pharmacy, Mater Health Services, ... Read More
Dr Peta-Anne Zimmerman is an internationally respected clinician, educator and researcher in Infection Prevention and Control. Dr Zimmerman's experience includes ... Read More
Sarah Ansell is an Emergency Nurse from the Sunshine Coast, with a Master of Public Health majoring in Disaster Preparedness. ... Read More
Dr James Smith is a Public Health Physician at Metro North Public Health Unit in Windsor, Queensland. He moved to ... Read More
John Piispanen is the Director of the Metro North Public Health Unit in Windsor, Queensland. John is an Environmental ... Read More
To Be Determined
Carmel Sullivan has spent the last 10 years at CBD 7 Day Medical Centre & The Travel Clinic in Brisbane, ... Read More