Silva Brown - Profile

My name is Silva Brown and I am employed as a Division 2 Registered Nurse in a 20 bed respiratory ward at Austin Health that incorporates two High Dependency Respiratory beds, the Victorian Respiratory Support Service, a Ventilation Weaning Unit and Infectious Diseases Unit.

I have a background in legal secretarial work and later, rental management. I became interested in health care in 1992 and began work as a Patient Care Attendant and later working in a number of residential aged care facilities before completing a Certificate IV in Health (Nursing) that allowed me to register as a Division 2 Nurse in March 1999.

Since undertaking and completing a medicines endorsement course and completing training in a range of advanced clinical competencies, I am now able to provide comprehensive patient care to a designated group of patients.

My day-to-day role includes utilising many specialist skills in manage respiratory patients including those with a tracheostomy and requiring invasive and non-invasive ventilatory support. I have advanced clinical skills in ventilator management, weaning ventilated patients, suctioning, tracheostomy stoma care and many types of oxygen therapy including high flow oxygenation, the insertion of indwelling catheters, venepuncture, and managing patients with PEG[1] or naso-gastric tubes. 

Enhancing my scope of practice has increased my autonomy and allowed me to provide comprehensive patient centered care.  My role is professionally rewarding, as I am able to safely deliver quality nursing care and have a greater understanding of the patients’ condition and treatment.

I want to continue my skill development to enhance my capacity to deliver the highest standard of care and I will continue to pursue available education programs to enhance my scope of practice.