Safewards is a program that supports staff and consumers to make hospital wards a more positive place to be.

The Nurses and Midwives Towards a Safer Culture ‘The Next Steps’ Strategy has supported four wards to implement Safewards across Canberra Hospital and North Canberra Hospital, where a range of tools are used to reduce the occurrence of occupational violence and restrictive practice.  Another four wards at University of Canberra Hospital will be commence implementation of Safewards in September 2024.

Safewards includes evidenced based activities like:

• staff and consumers   agreeing on their expectations of each other
• finding more   positive ways to support consumers when they are in distress
• supporting consumers   when they receive bad or surprising news to limit the distress the person or   their families may experience

Laura is a registered nurse with Canberra Health Services, who works in a ward that has implemented Safewards at North Canberra Hospital. Her team have introduced a new 'know each other' initiative. People in the ward also call it the 'sunflower tool'.

Using the tool, staff, visitors and consumers in the ward can share details about themselves. This includes their hobbies, favourite TV shows or pets. Sharing information like this helps to build stronger relationships between people in the ward. This creates a better sense of understanding, safety and connection.

“After introducing the tool, we had a patient's family fill out some of their information,” Laura said.

“Later, we were able to use the information provided as a prompt to help them during episodes of agitation and distress due to their advanced dementia and post traumatic stress disorder.”

“Being able to use some familiar nicknames used by family, friends and colleagues in the military, we were able to help them calm down.”

Laura says the tool has allowed her team to develop stronger therapeutic relationships with their consumers.

“By displaying our own staff sunflower, it's allowed us to learn more about each other and to connect both staff and patients in a really special way.”

The initiative promotes care that is:

• person-centred
• trauma-informed
• recovery   orientated.

Research shows that Safewards interventions ensure staff, consumers, and carers are supported. This helps to reduce potential conflict, rates of occupational violence and restrictive practices.

By the end of June 2026, the program will be in place at 12 wards across Canberra Health Services.

For more information on Safewards go to health.act.gov.au/safewards