Royal District Nursing Service Helen McPherson Smith Institute of Community Health Closes the gap between Evidence and Practice

Our solar system holds the sun, planets, satellites and billions of asteroids and comets. Each is an individual entity, but together they form one system within a vast and exciting universe where endless connections are possible.

The RDNS Helen Macpherson Smith Institute of Community Health sees itself as part of a dynamic solar system with the Royal District Nursing Service at its core. The key to our innovative model is the unique and unlimited ability to develop, facilitate and support partnerships with a multitude of internal and external groups. Each entity may enhance, and also benefit from the RDNS Institute's own core programs in education, research, and information management education and training.

Significantly, the model has two critical links - one to the RDNS clinical environment, and the other to the academic world outside. To ensure there is a dynamic exchange between the academic and clinical worlds with real benefits for all, the RDNS Institute has a shared Professorial Chair of Community Nursing with LaTrobe University and a range of relationships with other major universities and consortia.

The interconnection between diverse entities helps to ensure that we remain responsive and flexible to the ever-changing needs of our staff, our clients and the broader home nursing environment. Our quest is simple: to engage our staff in evidence based practice: to offer them the opportunity for lifelong learning; to forge an active connection between clinical practice and professional goals; and to continuously improve clinical practice and client care at RDNS and the broader community health environment.

Above all, we remain deeply committed to developing a culture of evidence-based practice at RDNS. Our journey of exploration starts with enquiry, travels through a process of review and research and leads to the identification of best practice. This is filtered back into the system through education and supported throughout the organisation by infrastructure, processes and an equally committed management team.

The RDNS Institute has come a long way since its inception, but like the solar system, there is still a lot to be discovered and marvelled at. We are excited by our future of growth and welcome you to share our journey. For more information contact us on (03) 9536 5251.