eNurse features on News Mail

Nurse hopes to inject some inspiration into workshop

Source News Mail, Published: Thursday, 1st May 2014

FORMER Rockhampton nurse Glen Riverstone has forged a successful business career after his medical invention won national acclaim in 2007.

His revolutionary “Snapit” ampoule opener won the New Inventor’s People’s Choice Award on the ABC television program The New Inventors in 2007.

An ampoule is a small sealed vial containing liquid that is ready for injecting.

In a bid to market the Snapit, Mr Riverstone started an online venture which has developed into eNurse Pty Ltd, a national company which now has more than 65,000 nurses on its database.

“It has evolved into a broad online business for nurses,” Mr Riverstone said from his Brisbane base.

“We provide a complete approach to nursing, from selling equipment to supporting the professional and personal needs of individual nurses.”

Mr Riverstone will return to Rockhampton as a guest speaker at a professional development workshop, held at CQUniversity as part of the International Nurses Day program on Saturday.

“I am keen to share my story from where I started to where I am now,” he said. “It has required an intensive amount of ongoing personal development. That is how you progress your career, by continuing to develop, continuing to learn.”

Mr Riverstone was working in the emergency department of the Rockhampton Hospital when he got the inspiration for Snapit, which is now available in more than 10 countries.

“I remember a lot of staff used to complain about cutting themselves on the ampoules. I naturally set about solving the problem,” he said. “I was always optimistic and enthusiastic about it but it is quite surreal to see how much has come from that.”

WORKSHOP

WHAT: International Nurses Day professional development workshop

WHERE: CQUniversity Rockhampton

WHEN: Saturday, May 3, 9.15am to 4pm

SPEAKERS: Glen Riverstone, managing director, eNurse Pty Ltd; Christine Foley, St Vincent’s Hospital; Paula Ryan, nurse unit manager, Cancer Care Services, Central Queensland Hospital and Health Service

SESSIONS: Keeping the Patient Safe, Standards 9 Recognition and Responding to Clinical Deterioration in Acute Health Care, Standard 6 Clinical Handover, Standard 4 Medication Safety