Working together for stronger health outcomes.

The two-day South Island Respiratory Educators' Forum (SIREF) in February delighted all who attended. I always enjoy the range of topics and high calibre of presenters the committee arranges for the benefit of their respiratory colleagues from around New Zealand.

The theme this year was "Bricks in the wall: working together for stronger health outcomes". The topics included Fingers, flies, food and fomites; Sleep disordered breathing; When research contradicts education; The acute and chronic cough; Making the connections: linking whanau; The concept of total suffering in the respiratory patient; When snoring gets serious; Working with adolescents; and Caring for ourselves.

A scientist from Southern Community Laboratories in Christchurch, Ben Harris, presented, in a very entertaining manner, the sad statistic that New Zealand has the highest reported cases of campylobacter of any country in the Organisalion for Economic Co-operation and Development--15,000 reported cases each year! Poor chicken preparation, handling and cooking is thought to account for much of this, along with poor hand washing prior to eating takeaways and the increase in cattle and cattle faeces in New Zealand.

Director of the Canterbury Respiratory Research Group, Mike Epton, presented When research and education collide. The most common phrase he used was, "We don't know yet!" He raised many examples to challenge our thinking, eg breastfeeding and asthma (does breastfeeding really improve asthma rates?). Epton's advice was education should be evidence-based. We should regularly update ourselves and never be afraid to say "we don't know yet"

Primary health care nurse specialist Jackie Cooper presented her challenging experience of setting up a neighbourhood nursing service for a "high needs" population in Aranui, Christchurch. Her achievements sound outstanding. She has worked to improve access by lessening the barriers for the local people to medical care. Cooper acknowledged that the steps of change had been hard and she often felt she was a square peg in a round hole.

Pegasus Health whanau link co-ordinator Michelle Turrall presented a very personal account, showing how the service is working at getting GP practices into the homes of those most needing primary and secondary care.

A written report cannot do justice to all the presenters we heard. If you have not been to SIREF before, I strongly recommend it. Not only do you get the chance to enjoy high quality speakers and very efficient management, you also benefit from the collegial spirit of other people working in the area of respiratory management and education.

The Respiratory Nurses' Section (NZNO) held its AGM directly after the forum. If you have a particular interest in respiratory nursing and are an NZNO member, you are welcome to join the section. Contact membership co-ordinator Gillian McCloy on email: [e-mail] or snail mail to 5 Rogers Street, Blenheim.

Report by section member and respiratory/diabetes educator, Woirau Hospital, Gillian McCloy