Robyn Nayda

Students with disabilities and clinical placement: understanding the perspective of healthcare organisations

The Australian Disability Discrimination Act (1992) has challenged higher education to meet the increasing needs of students with different abilities. This may be more so in programmes that have practice components where students must demonstrate competency, regardless of their situation. This qualitative exploratory study undertaken at the University of South Australia (UniSA) investigated host healthcare organisations’ perspectives on providing clinical practice placements and supporting Bachelor of Nursing (BN) students with physical disabilities through their practice components. An advisory group consisting of the university’s legal officer, disability services representative, programme directors and other academics from the BN monitored the project. Directors of nursing from 50 randomly selected South Australian metropolitan and rural healthcare organisations that host student placements nominated a representative from their organisations to participate in a series of focus groups. Focus group discussion was guided by open questions developed from relevant literature, research team deliberations, advisory group recommendations and the previous focus group discussions. Data analysis consisted of manually identifying themes from each stage of the process, and the congregate data. The findings were bridging the reality gap through joint commitment, the right of disclosure versus confidentiality and proactivity through collaboration and communication.

Muslim person's experiences of diabetes during Ramadan: Information for health professionals

This phenomenological study provides an in-depth understanding of the lived experiences of Muslim persons with diabetes during Ramadan. The findings facilitate health professionals’ knowledge of the unique needs of these clients during this time. van Manen’s (1990) and Hycner’s (1985) analytical methods assisted in producing the themes: knowing and understanding – being in harmony with the body, knowing its capabilities and limitations and its response to change; controlling – being in charge of diabetes during Ramadan; accepting and recognising – acknowledging diabetes and its impact on fasting during Ramadan; and faith and belief – the courage of conviction.

Chronic condition self-management: working in partnership toward appropriate models for age and culturally diverse clients.

Abstract Chronic conditions place a significant burden on the Australian health care system, and this burden continues to increase. This literature review examines the concepts of chronic illness and chronic condition self-management (CCSM), particularly in the context of asthma. It explores the implementation of, and barriers to, CCSM in the modern health care system with a focus on CCSM in children and adolescents, and the differences that need to be recognized when dealing with Indigenous Australian children.

Australian physiotherapists and mandatory notification of child abuse: legislation and practice

Child abuse is an international phenomenon occurring in all socioeconomic groups. Reports of child abuse continue to increase and many professionals are likely to see abused children and may be the first contact for an abused child. In addition, many health professionals and others are mandated in some Australian states to report suspected child abuse. However, the literature addressing the roles of Australian health professionals in child protection is limited. This paper informs Australian physiotherapists about child protection legislation, types of abuse, suspicion on reasonable grounds, and responding to a situation of suspected child abuse.