Gabrielle McGuigan

Commenced delivering 2024 Influenza vaccine to UQ Staff and Students, now transferring potentially to the UQ Health Care Centre as a Practice Nurse.

As a registered nurse I was employed by Dawson's Engineering to complete pre employment medicals for workers from mining companies.

Medicals included:

-Drug screening

-Hearing assessment

-General vital signs and skin assessment

-Cranial nerve assessment

-Electrocardiogram

-Spirometry

-Flexibility's and strength assessment

Responsibilities also included Maintaining medical equipment audits, medical supply ordering and communication between Dawson staff and clients.

In 2018 I commenced work with Tropical Public Health Services Cairns as a Clinical Nurse- Immunisation.

My primary position was working on a project - Connecting Our Mob, which focused on the immunisation rate disparity between Indigenous and non-Indigenous babies of 0-18 months, in urban Cairns. A National agreement on 'Closing the Gap'.

We developed initiatives that addressed this issue and saw a marked increase in the immunisation rates in this demographic.

As a clinical Nurses-Immuniser I also worked closely with other Vaccine Immunisation Providers within Far North Queensland, including Private Medical Practices and Aboriginal Medical Associations .

Such tasks included:

General Immunisation advise regarding the NIP schedule

Catch up immunisation schedules

Cold Chain Management advice and 'Strive for 5' education

Vaccine Management Protocol Accreditation,

Best Practice Data Systems for recall and vaccine reminders

As Covid set in the daily business of immunisation took a back seat and Contract tracing and health screening at the Cairns airport became my new role.

I commenced vaccinating with the Cairns School Immunisation Program team in 2008. I co-ordinated this program from 2014-2018. Skills included:

-managing a casual pool of Authorised Vaccinators to roll out vaccine clinics in 20 plus high schools in the Cairns region.

-Communicating with Stakeholders including QUIPS, medical equipment suppliers, School admin officers and QLD Public Health Units.

-Providing Vaccine histories through AIR data and immunisation information and reassurance to students and families.

-Introduction and education for new staff and university students to the SIP.

-Regular reporting and feedback to capture immunisation rates and trends for this demographic to appropriate Stakeholders.

This is an ongoing program for which I vaccinate on a casual basis.

Between 1994 -1996 I worked as a midwife at the Cairns Private Hospital (Previously The Calvary Private Hospital).

Between 1998-2014 I worked as a midwife at the Cairns Public Hospital. As a casual midwife I alternated between all area - birth suite, theatre, Special Care Nursery and the post-natal ward.

• Educated mothers and families on pregnancy-related topics to inform and prepare for pregnancy, childbirth and newborn care.
• Promoted benefits of breastfeeding and offered education on proper positioning, latching and breast care.
• Kept accurate medical records by documenting patient prenatal care, labor and delivery and postpartum care.
• All aspects expected of a registered midwife in a multidisciplinary maternity ward.

As a full time registered nurse I worked between orthopaedic, medical and surgical :

• Utilized critical thinking skills to prioritize nursing interventions based on patients'' acuity levels and individual needs.
• Managed care from admission to discharge.
• Collaborated with physicians to quickly assess patients and deliver appropriate treatment while managing rapidly changing conditions.
• Improved patient outcomes by implementing evidence-based nursing interventions and individualized care plans.
• Served as a preceptor for nursing students during their clinical rotations, providing valuable real-world experience and guidance to foster professional growth.

• Utilized critical thinking skills to prioritize nursing interventions based on patients'' acuity levels and individual needs.
• Conducted thorough patient assessments to identify changes in condition, promptly notifying physicians and initiating
• appropriate interventions when necessary.
• Administered medications safely according to established guidelines while closely
• monitoring for side effects or adverse reactions requiring intervention.
• All aspects expected of a registered nurse in an acute surgical setting.

Initial Post Graduate Employment. As a full time registered nurse I worked in the Medical ward and the intensive care unit.

• Utilized critical thinking skills to prioritize nursing interventions based on patients'' acuity levels and individual needs.
• Administered medications via oral, IV, and intramuscular injections and monitored responses.
• Conducted thorough patient assessments to identify changes in condition, promptly notifying physicians and initiating appropriate interventions when necessary.
• Administered medications safely according to established guidelines while closely monitoring for side effects or adverse reactions requiring intervention.
• Managed care from admission to discharge.