Carmel Seibold

The changing reality of research education in Australia and implications for supervision: a review of the literature

This paper consists of a literature review addressing changes in research education in Australia and their implications for research supervision. The organising principle for the review is expressed in the question: What scholarly literature can support and educate universities and supervisors to effectively carry out the work of research supervision in the current climate of Australian tertiary education? Two categories of literature are examined: literature on new ways of conceptualising research degrees and literature on effective supervision. The research agenda of the Australian government and the massification and diversity of the Australian research student population demand new ways of conceptualising the research curriculum, and in particular, call for flexibility and a holistic view. The paper challenges the traditional notion of ‘good’ supervision as a private contract between supervisor and student, and claims that in this new climate ‘good’ supervision can be defined in specific ways, as one critical component in a whole research curriculum.

Nurses on the Move: Evaluation of a Program to Assist International Students Undertaking an Accelerated Bachelor of Nursing Program

This paper reports on an evaluation of a Teaching and Learning Enhancement Scheme (TALES) program designed to meet the unique need of the 2005 cohort of international nursing students undertaking an accelerated Bachelor of Nursing (BN) program at the Victorian campus of Australian Catholic University (ACU) National. The program involved a team approach with three academic mentors and the international students working together to produce satisfactory learning outcomes through fortnightly meetings and provision of additional assistance including compiling a portfolio, reflective writing, English, including colloquial English and pronunciation, as well as familiarisation with handover and abbreviations common in the clinical field, general communication, assistance with preparing a resume and participation in simulated interviews. This relatively small group of international students (20) confirmed the findings of other studies from other countries of international nursing students’ in terms of concerns in regard to studying in a foreign country, namely English proficiency, communication difficulties, cultural differences and unfamiliarity with the health care environment. The assistance provided by the program was identified by the completing students as invaluable in helping them settle into study and successfully complete the theoretical and clinical components of the course.

Young single women's experiences of pregnancy, adjustment, decision-making and ongoing identity construction

OBJECTIVE To explore young pregnant womens experiences of embodiment, ongoing identity construction, decision-making processes and the way in which these are influenced by contemporary discourse, information sources and interaction with health professionals and others. DESIGN An exploratory descriptive pilot study. Data were collected via diaries kept during pregnancy, two face-to-face, open-ended interviews, one in the second trimester of pregnancy and one six to eight weeks after the birth of the baby, and a brief telephone interview conducted six months post birth. SETTING A major metropolitan hospital for women in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, and the community. PARTICIPANTS Five English speaking participants, aged between 17 and 23 years. FINDINGS All the young women accepted, even welcomed, the physical changes of pregnancy. Acceptance of pregnancy and an evolving positive sense of identity was assisted by support from families, particularly mothers, access to sympathetic and expert health professionals, exposure to a range of opinions through classes, books and the media, general acceptance from society at large, support from friends, and choices and opportunities in relation to ongoing education and employment.

Emergency department care of women experiencing intimate partner violence: are we doing all we can?

Abstract A significant proportion of Australian women experience intimate partner violence (IPV), many of them unidentified and thus not necessarily supported when they seek assistance in Emergency Departments (ED). This article reviews the literature on IPV with a view to establishing the extent of the problem and the cost of IPV to the women, their families and the community. Electronic databases were searched using the keywords ‘intimate partner violence’, ‘domestic violence’, ‘nursing’ and ‘emergency department’. The information obtained may inform health care professionals and assist with management, in the Emergency Department, of those who have experienced IPV. We explore the influence and impact of different types of care on women and the way women understand their experiences of care. From this review the following issues were identified as requiring further investigation: 1. the need to understand IPV from the women’s perspective; 2. the factors influencing disclosure to ED staff; and 3. the type and consequent impact of care received in the ED.

Emergency healthcare experiences of women living with intimate partner violence

AIM AND OBJECTIVES To explore healthcare experiences of Australian women living with intimate partner violence (IPV) and consider how these influence their understanding of IPV and sense of self. BACKGROUND Despite international campaigns condemning violence against women, IPV remains a worldwide problem and recent Australian community attitudes demonstrate ongoing beliefs condemning women in abusive relationships. Women experiencing IPV are over-represented in healthcare-seeking populations; however, they are rarely identified as experiencing abuse and are often not provided care directed towards achieving ongoing safety. While women seek empathetic healthcare, disclosure of abuse often results in being judged negatively or blamed. DESIGN A grounded theory study drawing on Clarkes (Sage Publications, London, 2005) analytic approach of situational analysis. METHODS Semi-structured interviews conducted with seven women. Data was analysed using NVIVO 8 software within a Situational Analysis framework. RESULTS Four major categories were identified: Accessing healthcare: challenges and barriers; Care women need vs. care women receive; Discourses of IPV and constructions of self; and Acknowledging IPV: moving on and re-constructing self. Women faced significant challenges in accessing emergency healthcare and healthcare then often lacked empathy. Women created an understanding of self from a world dominated by an abusive partner and needed assistance re-labelling their experiences as IPV. Healthcare professionals who provided empathetic care were instrumental in assisting this process, enhancing womens abilities to explore options for limiting abuse and assisting them to enhance their self-efficacy and reconstruct a positive sense of self. CONCLUSIONS Healthcare is one of the few avenues women living with IPV have to receive emotional and physical support. Healthcare that ignores psychosocial issues further damages womens sense of self. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE Women require timely information and empathetic support from healthcare professionals to assist them in understanding and labelling their experiences as IPV. This enhances womens ability to feel deserving of, and ideally achieve, a life without violence.

Qualitative Research and Professional Practice ‐ Evaluation of the Hy Vong Moi (New Hope) Program

This paper reports on an evaluation of the ‘Hy Vong Moi’ (New Hope) program aimed at providing emotional, physical and cultural support to new parents of Vietnamese origin living in the Greater Dandenong area, Melbourne, Australia, and who are experiencing problems relating to drug use within their families. Six young Australian Vietnamese women participated in the program. Data were collected via questionnaires, focus groups, diaries and the case worker’s journal. Analysis was ongoing in keeping with a participatory research approach. All the women who participated in the program, involving the setting up of a parents/mothers playgroup as well as provision of education and support, reported very positively on the program. All agreed that the formal help they received had made an enormous difference in their lives and was assisting them to integrate into Australian culture with potentially positive benefits for their children. The additional support through the parents/mothers playgroup allowed formation of new friendships, the sharing of experiences and the acquisition of new skills, including parenting skills. All wanted the program and the parents/mothers playgroup to continue as a means of providing further assistance to them and others.

The challenge of implementing an undergraduate midwifery course within a three university consortium

Abstract The Werna Naloo Bachelor of Midwifery Consortium was formed between three universities in Victoria in 2000 to deliver a three-year Bachelor of Midwifery course. This paper describes the challenges experienced in implementing a multi-university consortium course, some of the steps taken to address course issues, as well as identifying the positive aspects of working within a consortium. Challenges related to administration of the course within the three universities and on-line subject delivery. Steps take to address challenges included establishment of a committee structure, including a curriculum implementation committee, ongoing dialogue between the course coordinators involved and being pro active in ensuring smooth delivery of the on-line content of the course. Some of the concerns expressed by the academics involved in the consortium reflected the findings of other reports of consortium education courses. These were insufficient time for ongoing sharing of ideas because of geographical distance resulting in some overlap of subject content, as well as the time taken to travel between institutions for meetings. Consortium benefits were the collegial sharing of ideas and resources, and the conversion of competition into alliance.