Sharon Bourgeois

Review of transnational nursing education programme curricula: process, findings, and recommendations

BACKGROUND The University of Wollongong (UOW) delivers two Transnational International Programmes (TNEP) in Hong Kong (HK): a 1-year undergraduate Bachelor of Nursing (Conversion) degree and a 2-year postgraduate Master of Nursing degree. A curriculum review of these programmes has been undertaken to ensure the quality of the programme remains consistently high and competitive in an international environment. AIM The aim of the Curriculum Review Project was to utilise the experience of expert academic staff to review the TNEP curricula delivered by an Australian University in Hong Kong (HK) to ensure it met contemporary needs of students, the university, and the Hong Kong Authority. METHODS The curriculum review projects followed a qualitative research methodology. Thematic analysis was undertaken utilising Braun and Clarkes six-phase method (2006), as this method facilitated an inductive semantic approach where themes are strongly linked to the data and sourced from the explicit meaning of the discourse within the interview (Braun and Clarke, 2006). RESULTS In total, there were 6 participants who were all permanent academic staff members within the School of Nursing at the UOW. The results of this project have been reported within a strengths, weaknesses, opportunity, and threats (SWOT) framework. Participants recognised the value and challenges to both individual students and the broader nursing profession in HK. Overall, there was a perception that being involved as an academic staff member in a TNEP developed both their subject knowledge and teaching skills. CONCLUSIONS This project has demonstrated that the TNEP makes an important contribution to the nursing profession in HK, while also facilitating the growth and development of academic staff at UOW.

Empowering clinical supervisors to flourish though critical companionship

Education for professional nursing practice has undergone a significant shift over the last few decades impacting nursing practice and the relationship between nurses. Enhancing professional practice and acting as a conduit for empowering nurses to be active participants in their learning and development is Practice Development. This action research project with philosophical premises of critical companionship and human flourishing aimed to develop the knowledge and skills of registered nurses in their ability to provide clinical supervision of nursing students in practice. The overall project consisted of two action research cycles in two different health facilities. Participants in both projects identified similar issues and common learning needs including; how to better understand and develop skills in reflective practice; how to provide a positive learning and enabling environment; and how to provide effective solution focused feedback. Workshop facilitators witnessed the flourishing of participants as they were enabled to negotiate their learning requirements; grow and develop in their roles over the workshop series. Participants themselves identified personal growth in skills, knowledge and confidence in being a preceptor as a result of the workshops in the study. Overall, this study has resulted in the development and capacity building of the nursing workforce clinical placement capacity through the development of clinical supervisors.

Efficacy of non-invasive brain stimulation for people experiencing chronic pain

Background Healthcare practitioners regularly work with people who present with chronic pain. Using pain intensity measures and questioning the quality of life, the nurse assesses the experience of pain to action specific targeted care. Amid the myriad of treatment choices available, practitioners need accurate and up-to-date research on the efficacy of these treatments to help them select the most suitable approach. Treatment techniques include various devices used to stimulate the brain electrically to address and manage the experience of chronic pain. For this updated Systematic Review that only considered non-invasive stimulation therapies the primary outcome measure was the changes recorded in self-reported pain using validated measures of pain intensity such as visual analog scales, verbal rating scales or numerical rating scales. Four main non-invasive brain stimulation treatment types were the subject of the Systematic Review, and these treatment types included repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), cranial electrotherapy stimulation (CES), transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and reduced impedance non-invasive cortical electrostimulation (RINCE). The studies identified in the review demonstrated notable variation in the stimulation parameters applied and in the methodological quality of evidence from the studies. Importantly for nursing, this Systematic Review also extracted, when available, measures that may support healthcare professionals’ practice such as self-reported disability data, quality-of-life measures and the incidence/nature of adverse events. Unfortunately, no studies included in the Systematic Review explored and assessed these measures. Had these measures been assessed, this would allow practitioners to examine pain relief measures and lifestyle choices in collaboration with the patient who is experiencing chronic pain.

Securement and Dressing Devices for Central Venous Catheters

Editors note: This is a summary of a nursing care-related systematic review from the Cochrane Library.

Conservative Management Following Closed Reduction of a Traumatic Anterior Dislocation of the Shoulder.

Emergency department and primary health nurses are most likely to encounter a patient presenting with an acute anterior dislocation. Conservative interventions following a closed reduction of the joint are the most likely interventions for this injury. Conservative interventions may include immobilization for a period of 3–4 weeks; rehabilitative interventions, for example, advice, education; active and passive mobilization; proprioception and stabilization exercises; scapular setting and trunk stability exercise or both. Unfortunately, it has been found that redislocation often occurs for one third of patients within the fi rst 3 months of the initial dislocation. This means that assessing the patient experience and resumption of preinjury activities following the intervention being applied is needed to identify the correct services required for the patient. The review also reminds that for middle-aged-elderly patients immobilization times may need shortening as this group is often susceptible to immobilization stiffness and frozen shoulder.

Respite care for people with dementia and their carers

QuestionFor people with dementia and their carers, will respite care (as compared with no respite care or polarity therapy) affect rates of institutionalization?Relevance to nursing careRespite care can be defined as a service or group of services designed to provide temporary periods of relief or r

Sustainable recovery healthcare: enabling women to remain abstinent

Introduction and Aims: The aim of this study was to investigate patterns of supplement use among male university students, who have been identified as high consumers of these substances. Design and Methods: An online survey investigating supplement use was conducted over four weeks. Participants were sent a link to the survey via email and through posts on the online homepages of units from the School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences at Deakin University. Results: Sixty-one males completed the survey (median age 21 years). All participants had used at least one supplement in their lifetime, with most having used legal supplements; the most commonly used supplement was sports drinks (80%), followed by protein (80%), and vitamins and minerals (80%). Although no participants reported use of anabolic-androgenic steroids, 18% would consider using them in the future. Motivations for use differed according to substance; for instance, vitamins and minerals were used for general health purposes while creatine was used to gain muscle. Friends were a common source of information about supplements (57%), followed by online (36%) and a supplement store staff member (22%). Participants reported few negative side effects from supplement use. Discussion and Conclusions: Supplement use is common among this group, and some indicate intentions to use more serious substances such as steroids. This study presents valuable findings about supplement use habits and patterns among male university students. However, more research is needed among this population to determine whether body image and exercise habits can influence supplement use.Abstract presented at the Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs Conference 2014, 9-12 November 2014, Adelaide, AustraliaAbstract presented at the Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs Conference 2014, 9-12 November 2014, Adelaide, AustraliaIntroduction and aims: contemporary research examining drinking behaviour highlights the importance of implicit processes in the initiation and maintenance of alcohol consumption. By definition, implicit attitudes are formed through experience with a target object. It is argued that implicit attitudes toward alcohol may be ambivalent because consuming alcohol can produce various negative (e.g. feeling nauseous) and positive consequences (e.g. feeling relaxed). Therefore the aim of the current study was to examine the ambivalent nature of implicit alcohol-related attitudes. Design and methods: participants (N= 343, M= 25.72 years) completed a Single-Category Implicit Association Test (SC-IAT) in which they were required to classify alcohol-related words with positively- and negatively-valenced words. The reaction times (RTs) for each pairing were then calculated and compared. Implicit ambivalence was operationalised as having similar RTs for classifying alcohol-related words with positive words and classifying alcohol-related words with negative words. Results: RTs for pairing alcohol with positive words (M= 752ms) were similar to those pairing alcohol with negative words (M= 716ms), suggesting implicit ambivalence toward alcohol consumption. ANOVAs revealed a pattern of results suggesting that drinking more standard drinks in a single drinking episode produced greater feelings of implicit ambivalence. Discussion and conclusions: these findings suggest that individuals hold both positive and negative implicit evaluations toward alcohol consumption. Furthermore, implicit attitudes toward alcohol may become more ambivalent as individuals consume more alcohol. This suggests that greater alcohol consumption may produce more experiences with both positive and negative consequences and lead to the development of implicitly ambivalent attitudes.

Nurse practitioner work : a case study

Abstract Within any professional practice, knowledge developments to support service delivery and to understand roles inherent within that practice context are critical. The purpose of this article is to present findings from case study research that used the AUSPRAC Research Toolkit Interview Schedule and to propose an additional theme to the Interview Schedule. Case Study method was used to explore the role of a nurse practitioner (NP) within a specific context of practice in an Australian Healthcare institution. Three semi-structured interviews with a NP using the AUSPRAC Research Toolkit Interview Schedule and one additional interview were employed. Data was analysed where initial free coding, then theme generation contributed to knowledge development. The AUSPRAC Research Toolkit Interview Schedule generated knowledge about the NP role. Themes identified for interviews in the Schedule were: the organisation of care, team functioning and patient service. Analysis of data from these themes identified that information related to ongoing development of professional practice was not forthcoming from the participant. The authors recommend adding a fourth theme to the Interview Schedule to enable exploration of the professional elements of the NP role.