Barbara L Beale

Screening and Intervention for Domestic Violence During Pregnancy Care: A Systematic Review:

Domestic violence (DV) against women during pregnancy affects many women and unborn infants worldwide. Pregnancy presents a window of opportunity for health care providers to identify DV and provide appropriate intervention. The aim of this systematic review was to appraise the effectiveness of DV screening and interventions for women identified for DV through screening in pregnancy. The Cochrane Library, EMBASE, MEDLINE, and PsycINFO were searched from January 1995 to November 2009 to identify potentially relevant studies. Studies using any comparative methodology from both national and international arenas were included but had to be in the English language. Nine studies (13 references) met the inclusion criteria, five for screening and four for interventions. Of the five screening studies, the identification of DV was significantly higher compared to studies that used a nonstandardized screen or no screen at all. There was also evidence that recurrent screening throughout the pregnancy further increased identification rates. There was some evidence that interventions for pregnant women who had experienced DV reduced the amount of violence experienced by these women, but the evidence is very limited by the small number of randomized studies with small participant numbers. Further research is required to establish the most effective interventions for women who are identified at risk of DV during pregnancy.

Towards sustainable models for clinical education in nursing: An on-going conversation

This paper grew from a series of conversations about the challenges associated with clinical education for undergraduate nurses. In it we consider clinical education for undergraduate nurses within the current context of increasing resource and industry constraints. Beginning level clinical competence is the major aim of undergraduate nurse education, and therefore clinical education is central to nursing curricula. However, almost 20 years after the transfer of nurse education to the tertiary sector in New South Wales, Australia, concerns about the clinical learning opportunities in undergraduate nursing curricula continue to be raised. Many educational providers have adopted various permeations of the sessional clinical facilitator model. However, this model has inherent problems that threaten its sustainability and usefulness for undergraduate nurse education. We call upon the discipline to explore alternative pathways for undergraduate clinical education, and present sustainable options for future development in this area.

The impact of type 1 diabetes and eating disorders: the perspective of individuals

AIM To describe the perspective of individuals living with the chronic conditions of both type 1 diabetes (T1D) and eating disorders. BACKGROUND The TID and eating disorders are major concerns in Western society with the consequence of more prevalent and severe health complications. This paper arose from research on the impact of T1D on the self of adolescents and young adults. DESIGN In a larger longitudinal study (doctoral) of 27 participants (both male and females), data were collected from 1994 from 2001 using in-depth semi-structured interviews and a grounded theory approach; four female participants reported that they were experiencing T1D and an eating disorder. This subset of four participants from the original study was case analysed and the issues that arose for the participants are described using secondary analysis. CONCLUSIONS Issues uncovered included the complexity of managing the interactions of the physical, emotional and social dimensions as well as personal relationships for the participants. These interrelated issues interfere with all-round management of T1D and eating disorders. Recognition and management of the comorbidity that exits in substantial numbers are of paramount importance in clinical practice. It is also necessary to incorporate the support of significant others in the health care partnership. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE Health professionals who treat individuals with T1D need to be aware of the incidence of eating disorders among people with TID. Unhealthy weight control practices are of particular concern because they lead to poorer metabolic control which has a flow on effect causing micro vascular complications.

Discipline matters: embedding academic literacies into an undergraduate nursing program.

In recent years the higher education sector in Australia has been increasingly concerned with ensuring that the English language proficiency levels of students are commensurate with the academic and professional tasks that they must perform. In many universities, this heightened attention to language proficiency has driven changes to teaching and learning practices. This paper reports on a project to embed academic literacies development into a core first year subject within a Bachelor of Nursing program in a large, culturally and linguistically diverse, metropolitan university. Prior to the commencement of their nursing program 747 students completed a Post Enrolment Language Assessment. Students who required additional support were advised to enroll in tutorials which included an additional literacy focus. These tutorials were part of the normal tutorial program for this nursing subject. Students with lower level language skills who attended the streamed tutorial with additional literacy support showed a greater improvement in their written communication than those with similar language proficiency who attended non-streamed tutorials. Evidence suggests that this improvement was transferred into writing tasks in other non-streamed subjects. The findings reported in this paper highlights that discipline specific embedded strategies are an effective approach to the development of academic literacies.

Enhancing Management of Depression and Type 1 Diabetes in Adolescents and Young Adults

Anxiety, depression, and eating disorders are higher in adolescents and young adults with diabetes than in their unaffected counterparts worldwide. This descriptive qualitative research paper, using secondary analysis, described the experiences of adolescents and young adults living with depression and Type 1 diabetes. The study showed that depression negatively affected the participants physically, emotionally, and socially and impacted on their relationships. Negative dimensions of self had a flow-on effect for health management. A deeper understanding of these experiences may assist health professionals to enhance the management of affected adolescents and young adults, leading to better health outcomes.

Life After Breast Cancer: Australian women's stories of support

Quality support is crucial to the care of women diagnosed with breast cancer. Little qualitative research has been conducted in this area. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six women in New South Wales, Australia, to explore their experiences of breast cancer. Specifically the study focused on the support the women felt they needed at different times during their illness experience, how this was given and by whom. The qualitative data from the interviews supported previous research in that the diagnosis of breast cancer was devastating. Their primary source of support was family and friends with their surgeon and general practitioner providing some support. Overall the women felt they received physical support. However, emotional support was lacking, especially from nurses.

Aunties and Uncles Co-operative Family Project Ltd : volunteers making a difference in the lives of children and parents

Abstract This paper reports an evaluation of the Aunties and Uncles Co-operative Family Project Ltd, founded 30years ago, that connects community volunteers (aunts and uncles) with disadvantaged children in the Sydney area, New South Wales. A postal survey was used which included both open and closed questions regarding the volunteer aunts, uncles, parents, coordinators, nieces and nephews’ satisfaction with the project. Demographic data was also collected. Responses from the survey were statistically analysed using SPSS software. Responses to the open ended questions were transcribed and coded. The findings from the study indicated that the experiences were positive for all stakeholders with volunteers and co-ordinators finding the project personally rewarding and parents receiving respite and support. The children enjoyed new experiences by going to different places and undertaking activities. Recommendations include increased volunteer training and guidelines for difficult situations, increased support for coordinators and more structured activities for all participants. The findings indicate the reciprocal benefits to all participants. These significant benefits reflect the philosophy of the Aunties & Uncles Co-operative Family Project Ltd.