Dominique Parrish

Unlocking reflective practice for nurses: innovations in working with master of nursing students in Hong Kong.

Being reflective is well established as an important conduit of practice development, a desirable tertiary graduate quality and a core competency of health professional membership. By assisting students to be more effective in their ability to reflect, they are better able to formulate strategies to manage issues experienced within a professional context, which ultimately assists them to be better service providers. However, some students are challenged by the practice of reflection and these challenges are even more notable for international students. This paper presents a teaching initiative that focused specifically on enhancing the capacity of an international cohort of nursing students, to engage in reflective practice. The initiative centered on an evaluation of a reflective practice core subject, which was taught in a Master of Nursing programme delivered in Hong Kong. A learning-centered framework was used to evaluate the subject and identify innovative strategies that would better assist international students to develop reflective practices. The outcomes of curriculum and teaching analysis and proposed changes and innovations in teaching practice to support international students are presented and discussed.

Motivation to engage in therapeutic recreation programmes for older people with diabetes

ABSTRACT Therapeutic Recreation programmes have been shown to have positive benefits for control of diabetes and its complications). As with most health promotion programmes, a major consideration for success of such programmes is the initiation into, and continuing participation of, individuals into programmes. Given the poor outcomes of diabetes on morbidity and mortality, understanding how to engage older people with diabetes in ways that are meaningful to them, is essential to ensure active and sustainable participation in the activities that can reduce these poor health outcomes. This study considers older people with diabetes, completing a Therapeutic Recreation (TR) programme and uses a phenomenological approach to examine the factors described as influential in encouraging their initial engagement in the programme.

Demographic predictors of emotional intelligence among radiation therapists

Contemporary health care services are more productive and successful when their health professionals have emotional intelligence (EI). The objective of this study was to explore the demographic predictors of EI among radiation therapists working in cancer care centres in NSW, Australia.

An effective leisure program for older people with diabetes

ABSTRACT This paper will present findings from a research study, undertaken in Australia, to explore the meaning that older people with diabetes attribute to being involved in an exercise and health promotion leisure programme. A phenomenological approach was adopted to identify what participants perceived was meaningful to them about the experience of being involved in a leisure programme. Semi-structured interviews and a focus group were conducted with participants following the facilitation of a leisure intervention, which incorporated individualized physical activity and lifestyle education over a 12-week period. The primary goal of the intervention was to enhance the health and wellness of people with diabetes. A number of themes emerged from the analysis of participant interview and focus group transcripts. The overarching theme, and critical point of difference, identified in this research study, of effective leisure programmes for health and wellness purposes, is person-centeredness. This essence of meaning, person-centered programme efficacy is explored as a key to ensuring the effective design, promotion and delivery of leisure programmes for older people with diabetes. Since determination of an effective leisure programme can only be established by those involved, the expertise of the participants on their own journey is recognized throughout this presentation by privileging their voices and presenting their words, thereby allowing the findings to be contextualized through the lens of the participants. It is anticipated that exploration of these findings can lead to better understanding how participant engagement particularly of older people, in other health promotion leisure programmes can be enhanced.

Tectonic Plates: Leading and Advancing Technology Enhanced Learning

A blended approach to teaching in higher education, which integrates online with faceto-face teaching, has been found to result in higher student satisfaction, increased student motivation and positive student performance and outcomes. Blended learning promotes flexibility, self-pacing and access as well as providing manageable solutions to issues associated with large classes. However, the adoption of blended learning in higher education frequently relies on repackaging traditional teaching approaches in a new medium rather than harnessing the potential of incorporating online or eLearning pedagogies. Effective online learning requires academics to rethink how they might transform old practices utilising the affordances of new and emerging technologies. This transition involves considerable realignment of pedagogical approaches and a shift in the existing culture. Further, it necessitates appropriate professional development and support. This chapter describes an initiative that sought to support and guide the advancement of eLearning through the conceptualisation of an eTeaching Framework. The resulting Framework could be used at an individual, unit, and institution level to inform staff professional development, probation, promotion and recruitment, funding and support decisions, and evaluation and progression of online learning.