Suzanne Kearney
Subiaco
Summary
I am a dedicated healthcare professional with extensive experience in palliative care and clinical management across diverse settings, including community, not-for-profit, and government-run organizations. My expertise spans strategic planning, clinical service redesign, quality improvement, and clinical governance.
Overview
23
23
years of professional experience
Work History
Clinical Lead WA Childrens Hospice Project
Children And Adolescent Health Service
02.2022 - Current
- Provide clinical expertise and leadership for planning, design, implementation, transition, operation, and service planning programs/processes of the WA Children's Hospice, to ensure effective engagement and input from all stakeholders
- Provide clinical leadership in the development and implementation of clinical and operational policies and protocols relating to design and operational effectiveness of the new service
- Contributes to the development and facilitation of Organisational change and reform strategies with a particular emphasis on clinical service issues
- Provide project management with demonstrated ability to ensure resources are appropriately directed, in the context of high risk (highly complex) service reconfiguration projects within a government environment
- Initiates and establishes partnerships with consumers, carers, community-based providers, private and non-government sectors ensuring all are appropriately actively involved in the planning of the project to achieve reconfiguration of this new State service.
Nurse Immuniser
DHS Rapid Response Team And Sonic Health
01.2021 - 02.2022
- Collaborated with teams to provide COVID 19 vaccinations across Victoria, administering vaccines, drawing up and managing cold chain in line with National Standards set by National Health & Medical Research Council and Department of Health guidelines.
Hospice Manager and Nurse Immuniser
Very Special Kids
01.2013 - 07.2021
- Responsible for the management of an eight bedded Hospice, to include a team of over fifty staff
- Designed and implementing clinical governance structures and clinical competencies
- Overhauling and rewriting over eighty new clinical policies and Procedures, whilst navigating the hospice through two rounds of accreditation, the first Non-Government Organisation to attempt the new Australian National Safety and Quality Health Standards and achieve compliance with merit
- Ensured clinical and care trends were reported, escalated, and actioned to policies to ensure quality and continuous improvement
- Determined clinical priorities and allocated resources and rosters to ensure best outcomes, all the while conscious of budget constraints, timelines and staff wellbeing
- Built a skilled, educated, and high performing clinical team
- Collaborated with families to determine a comprehensive approach when caring for the child and family
- Actively involved with external agencies, consumers, stakeholders and other multidisciplinary teams throughout the State, which included not only medical referrers but other healthcare agencies such as Royal flying Doctor Service and Department of Health
- Presented to the Board and external agencies, collating data analysis reports and providing statistical information through several committees that I reported to
- Headed up the design and planning project for the rebuild of Very Special Kids ensuring that the completed hospice would be fit for purpose
- Consulted with external agencies, architects, and government bodies to ensure that the new hospice would be operationally safe, whilst putting a plan in place for respite in the home during the demolition of the existing hospice
- Scoped appropriate services as a temporary site that would be suitable for the ongoing needs of children and families
- Despite my strategic responsibilities I was still highly visible to staff and worked with them on several clinical shifts, not only to provide support and teaching opportunities, but also to maintain my own clinical skills to ensure and promote best practice and leading by example.
- Established and maintained successful relationships with patients, families and physicians by utilising exemplary communication and active listening skills
Registered Nurse
Very Special Kids
04.2006 - 01.2013
- An eight bedded paediatric hospice, I was responsible for the day-to-day assessment, planning, and implementation of care for children with life limiting or life-threatening conditions, and often associated complex disabilities
- Provided end of life care for the child whilst helping to support and guide the family throughout that time
- Consulted with external agencies and other members of the multidisciplinary team
- Planned and implemented palliative care that incorporated an integrated approach to effective pain management and symptom control.
Hospice Manager
Horizon House Paediatric Hospice
01.2005 - 01.2006
- Responsible for day to day running of a ten bedded paediatric hospice
- Managed a team of nurses, carers, and admin staff
- Navigated the hospice through its first accreditation process
- Ensured the team worked in accordance with the latest research-based practice, whilst promoting an effective working environment
- Consulted with external agencies, stakeholders, and other members of the multidisciplinary team
- Developed and implemented education frameworks and initiatives for nursing practices in the hospice setting, encompassing core competencies, assessment, and monitoring
- Planned and implemented hospice referrals and admissions whilst adopting palliative care strategies for children admitted for end-of-life care
- Providing support, education and guidance for families and members of my team.
Registered Nurse
Horizon House Paediatric Hospice
03.2001 - 01.2005
- Horizon House is a ten-bedded paediatric hospice caring for children with life threatening/limiting conditions, providing respite and end of life care for over eight hundred children and their families within Northern Ireland
- Part of the senior team that opened the new hospice and ensured operational readiness both clinically and strategically
- Developed teaching aids for staff and students
- Designed and implemented care planning and assessment tools for al staff to access
- Working as part of a multidisciplinary team whilst using a holistic approach
- Working with children and their families on a day-to-day basis, whilst also responsible for the supervision of junior staff, project 2000 students and post registered nurses, which would include teaching and assessing skills
- Contributed to a positive learning environment and providing support and encouragement in what is often an incredibly stressful situation.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Registered Nurse
Preston University
United KingdomBachelor of Science - Essential Palliative Care
Belfast University
Northern IrelandGraduate Diploma - Supervisory Management
Preston University
United KingdomAccreditation - Nurse Immuniser
La Trobe University
Melbourne, VICSkills
- Interdisciplinary Collaboration
- Cultural Competence
- Patient Care Coordination
- Strategic Planning
- Quality Improvement
- Change Management
- Clinical Decision Making
- Staff Development
- Public Speaking
- Emotional Intelligence
- Conflict Resolution
Activities
- Member of Palliative Care Australia.
- Member of Australian College of Children and Young Peoples Nurses (ACCYPN).
- Member of End-of-life Sub Committee and Standard five Committee.
- Representative for palliative care at the Minister for Health Roundtable.
- Subject matter expert for the Australasian Healthcare Facility Guidelines.
- Executive member of the Paediatric and Palliative Care Australia and New Zealand (PAPCANZ).
- Present at numerous palliative care conferences across Australia and UK on behalf of paediatric palliative care.
References
- Lisa Cuddeford, Lisa.Cuddeford@health.wa.gov.au
- Karen Opie, Karen.opie@health.wa.gov.au
Timeline
Clinical Lead WA Childrens Hospice Project
Children And Adolescent Health Service
02.2022 - Current
Nurse Immuniser
DHS Rapid Response Team And Sonic Health
01.2021 - 02.2022
Hospice Manager and Nurse Immuniser
Very Special Kids
01.2013 - 07.2021
Registered Nurse
Very Special Kids
04.2006 - 01.2013
Hospice Manager
Horizon House Paediatric Hospice
01.2005 - 01.2006
Registered Nurse
Horizon House Paediatric Hospice
03.2001 - 01.2005
Bachelor of Science - Registered Nurse
Preston University
Bachelor of Science - Essential Palliative Care
Belfast University
Graduate Diploma - Supervisory Management
Preston University
Accreditation - Nurse Immuniser
La Trobe University
Similar Profiles
Georgia Mather-IvesGeorgia Mather-Ives
Mental Health Registered Nurse at NHS - Children & Adolescent Mental Health ServiceMental Health Registered Nurse at NHS - Children & Adolescent Mental Health Service
Deborah FewsterDeborah Fewster
Registered Nurse at Child and Adolescent Health Service. South Metropolitan Health ServiceRegistered Nurse at Child and Adolescent Health Service. South Metropolitan Health Service
Hovea ReedHovea Reed
Senior Mental Health Professional at Child & Adolescent Mental Health ServiceSenior Mental Health Professional at Child & Adolescent Mental Health Service