Who, How, When and Why

As a paediatric nurse I have over 30 years experience working with children and families in the hospital setting.

As a child and family health nurse I am trained in assessing and managing feeding and sleeping issues, reading children’s non-verbal cues, understanding development delays, managing incontinence and establishing routines.

As a clinical nurse consultant I have over 17 years experience working in a specialised feeding clinic for children with disabilities and complex health needs (including cerebral palsy, undiagnosed developmental delay and chromosomal disorders). My role has involved:

• Helping assess and manage complex feeding issues.

• Helping families navigate and co-ordinate their child’s care in the hospital and the community.

• Providing support and education around all types of tube feeding.

• Providing advice on bowel management.

• Providing advice and support letters for NDIS plans.

HOW CAN I HELP?

Well Fed Nursing Support is a flexible nursing service for families experiencing gaps in their child’s or young adult’s current feeding team in the community.

Nursing support can be the bridge that helps bring together the medical advice of your child’s GP, specialist team and paediatrician with the feeding advice of your dietitian and speech pathologist.

Some of the ways I can help include:

1. Providing ongoing nursing advice after your child has a gastrostomy and has been discharged from their health facility around gastrostomy care. I can provide ongoing reviews in your home, help with button changes, support around consumable ordering and NDIS support letters for their NDIS plan reviews.

2. Providing feeding advice and support for newly diagnosed children while you are on the waiting list for allied health services or a specialist clinic, or you are in-between reviews with your paediatrician.  

3. Providing training on tube feeding for home care support workers, extended family members, school support workers or childcare staff. Education and training can include the care of your child’s gastrostomy or feeding tube, safe feeding practices, the administration of medications, pump feeding and replacing the tube in an emergency.

4. Support for tube weaning. Working with your family, medical team and allied health team on a safe and successful plan.

5. Nursing Continence assessments, advice and equipment requests.

6. Training on Basic Life Support, managing Seizures and administering Midazolam in an emergency.

WHO CAN I HELP?

My services are currently available for self-managed and plan-managed (non-NDIA managed) plans under the NDIS and follow the NDIS pricing guide.

The hourly rate for a clinical nurse consultant is $150.00/hr.

I would recommend requesting 10 - 18 hours of annual funding for a clinical nurse consultant in your child’s NDIS plan. This can be present in either Assistance with daily life in CORE SUPPORTS or Improved daily living skills under CAPACITY BUILDING SUPPORTS.

This funding can be used in a variety of ways depending on your child’s needs:

• A BASIC GASTROSTOMY SUPPORT PACKAGE (This includes 2 x 6 monthly reviews with the option of home visits, ongoing phone support, advice around consumable ordering, NDIS support letters, progress reports to your medical and allied health team and @ 2 hours of carer training).

• A period of regular (@ fortnightly) feeding reviews for newly diagnosed children while on the waiting list for therapy services.

• A tube weaning support package.

I also have private rates for non-NDIS eligible children starting at $150/hour.