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Introduction This paper, presented by the former nurse manager of cancer services at Royal North Shore Hospital, now working with Episoft, will discuss the pros and cons of nursing in a digital world. Objectives To look and discuss the benefits that digital health can bring to patient outcomes, as well as discussing what is sometimes compromised along the way and why? Description Digital health can improve communication and collaboration between health professionals which ultimately leads to better patient outcomes. Digital health is timely, contemporaneous and cannot be lost, erased or hidden. However, nurses are spending increasing amounts of time behind a computer screen, and some may argue that this would be better spent at the bedside. Patients are frequently interacting with nurses and health professionals who instead of fully engaging with the patient have their eyes on a computer screen. Digital health/technology is not going away. To be more meaningful the systems need to be simple to use, efficient and show their value to the clinician. The clinician needs to learn techniques to interact with patients using communication skills that need to be adapted to this new technological era. Results Digital technology enables faster access to patient information and there has been much work focused on the development of oncology software systems which are helping to provide safer more effective care. Systems can be tailored to individual workflows and can be cloud-based, reducing the need for costly hardware overheads. From booking to discharge with assessments, treatments, holistic planning, care, and management in one place. Conclusion Digital health systems can support the core functions of primary care, and the primary care giver. They need to be user-friendly and meaningful. There needs to be adequate and on-going training to ensure user competency and ensuring that the patient remains at the forefront of the care trajectory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Haemodialysis (HD) is one form of kidney replacement treatment (KRT) for patients with kidney disease. HD removes fluid and toxins through diffusion and ultrafiltration. Isolated ultrafiltration (Iso Uf) may be performed to facilitate increased fluid removal, improve a patient's tolerability, and achieve the ultrafiltration goal (UFG). Iso Uf can be performed in association with, or in addition to, standard HD and requires no additional equipment. However, although this type of treatment has been evident for decades, there is minimal current evidence in relation to clinical practice, assessment criteria and process evaluation. Current practice trends are often based on clinical judgement, experience and patient assessment. Inconsistent practices have therefore been raised as an area for investigation in order to define appropriate standards of clinical care. The aim of this paper is to understand current practices in relation to Iso Uf, including assessment criteria, treatment interventions and evaluation strategies, and compare this with currently available literature in order to scope treatment considerations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preparation and communication arc key to ensuring the safety of dialysis patients when natural disasters strike. This paper recounts the Cyclone Yasi experience that hit Queensland in February 201 1, with particular focus on the many nutritional challenges faced. Seventy-one dialysis patients were evacuated from Cairns to Brisbane in the early hours of the morning, a potentially life-saving decision made by the Queensland Government. Many patients, rushed from their homes, arrived in Brisbane with only the clothes on their back and no medications, identification cards or documented medical history. Timely multidisciplinary response and communication and consistent advice on menu planning is necessary to inform both individual patients and evacuation centres of the appropriate dietary restrictions. This paper proposes a guide for future direction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes one nurse's story of the evacuation of patients in Queensland during the event of a major category 5 cyclone in February 2011. The lessons learned include the importance of communication, both manual and electronic records, clothing, medication and personal requirements, accommodation and transport needs, and the need for extensive culturally appropriate emotional and family support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consumer-focused groups can assist in times of natural disasters such as floods and cyclones. This paper reports on the work of the Queensland Kidney Support Network (KSN) who provided support in collaboration with health and emergency services. This support included transport, communication with local communities, emergency accommodation, emotional reassurance, support in hospital and emergency clothing. A coordinated response utilising services such as the KSN can contribute to renal patient care during disasters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the personal account of a nurse unit manager's four-day vigil working in the Wesley Hospital, which is situated on the Brisbane River and bore the brunt of the January 2011 Brisbane floods. Implications from this story are many and illustrate the resilience and commitment of renal staff in times of disaster. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents several abstracts which were presented at the third Biennial Renal Society of Australia Nephrology Educators Symposium, which was held on February 21-22, 2013 in Queensland, Australia, including abstracts on pre-dialysis education, using pictures to communicate and home dialysis therapies using electronic learning.