Digital Commons Network^™

Predicting Academic Success Of Health Science Students For First Year Anatomy And Physiology, R Anderton, P Chivers

Health Sciences Papers and Journal Articles

Students commencing tertiary education enter through a number of traditional and alternative academic pathways. As a result, tertiary institutions encounter a broad range of students, varying in demographic, previous education, characteristics and academic achievement. In recent years, the relatively constant increase in tertiary applications in Australia has not translated to an increase in student retention or graduate numbers. The Health Sciences discipline typically falls within this paradigm, prompting various approaches to promote academic success and overall student retention. In this study, the demographic and previous education of health science students at an Australian University, were analysed along with first year …

Serum Models Accurately Predict Liver Related Clinical Outcomes In Chronic Hepatitis C, Yi Huang, Leon Adams, Gerry Macquillan, David Speers, John Joseph, Max Bulsara, Gary Jeffrey

Health Sciences Papers and Journal Articles

Background and Aim: This study developed liver outcome scores in chronic hepatitis C (CHC) that directly predict liver related death, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and liver decompensation.

Methods: 617 CHC patients were followed for a mean of six years and randomized into a training set (n=411) and a validation set (n=206). Clinical outcomes were determined using a population based data-linkage system.

Results: In the training set, albumin, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), hyaluronic acid (HA), age and sex were in the final model to predict five year liver related death (AUROC 0.95). Two cut points (4.0, 5.5), defined three risk groups with an …

The Ability Of Hepascore To Predict Liver Fibrosis In Chronic Liver Disease: A Meta-Analysis, Yi Huang, Leon A. Adams, John Joseph, Max Bulsara, Gary P. Jeffrey

Health Sciences Papers and Journal Articles

Background & Aims: Hepascore is a serum model that was developed to assess the severity of liver fibrosis. It has been well validated in common causes of chronic liver disease. This study performed a meta-analysis to evaluate the pooled diagnostic performance of Hepascore and to compare it for different aetiologies of chronic liver disease.

Methods: Two reviewers searched electronic databases from October 2005 to September 2015 for studies that evaluated the diagnostic performance of Hepascore for liver fibrosis in chronic liver disease.

Results: 21 studies were included. The AUROC was adjusted according to the distribution of fibrosis stages. The mean …

From Qasc To Qascip: Successful Australian Translational Scale-Up And Spread Of A Proven Intervention In Acute Stroke Using A Prospective Pre-Test/Post-Test Study Design, S Middleton, A Lydtin, D Comerford, D Cadilhac, P Mcelduff, S Dale, K Hill, M Longworth, J Ward, N Cheung, C D'Este

Health Sciences Papers and Journal Articles

Objectives: To embed an evidence-based intervention to manage FEver, hyperglycaemia (Sugar) and Swallowing (the FeSS protocols) in stroke, previously demonstrated in the Quality in Acute Stroke Care (QASC) trial to decrease 90-day death and dependency, into all stroke services in New South Wales (NSW), Australia’s most populous state.

Design: Pre-test/post-test prospective study.

Setting: 36 NSW stroke services.

Methods: Our clinical translational initiative, the QASC Implementation Project (QASCIP), targeted stroke services to embed 3 nurse-led clinical protocols (the FeSS protocols) into routine practice. Clinical champions attended a 1-day multidisciplinary training workshop and received standardised educational resources and ongoing support. Using the …

Self-Management Interventions To Improve Skin Care For Pressure Ulcer Prevention In People With Spinal Cord Injuries: A Systematic Review Protocol, J Baron, J Swaine, J Presseau, A Aspinall, S Jaglal, B White, D Wolfe, J Grimshaw

Health Sciences Papers and Journal Articles

Background: Pressure ulcers are a serious, common, lifelong, and costly secondary complication of spinal cord injury (SCI). Community-dwelling people with a SCI can prevent them with appropriate skin care (i.e. pressure relieving activities, skin checks). Adherence to skin care remains suboptimal however, and self-management interventions that focus on improving this have been designed. Little is known on their content, effectiveness, or theoretical basis. The aim of the proposed systematic review is to synthesize the literature on self-management interventions to improve skin care in people with a SCI. Specific objectives are to describe these interventions in relation to their content, effectiveness, …

Effect Of Airplane Transport Of Donor Livers On Post-Liver Transplantation Survival, Y Huang, G Macquillan, L Adams, G Garas, M Collins, A Nwaba, L Mou, M Bulsara, L Delriviere, G Jeffrey

Health Sciences Papers and Journal Articles

Aim: To evaluate the effect of long haul airplane transport of donor livers on post-transplant outcomes.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study of patients who received a liver transplantation was performed in Perth, Australia from 1992 to 2012. Donor and recipient characteristics information were extracted from Western Australian liver transplantation service database. Patients were followed up for a mean of six years. Patient and graft survival were evaluated and compared between patients who received a local donor liver and those who received an airplane transported donor liver. Predictors of survival were determined by univariate and multivariate analysis using cox …

Male Or Nurse What Comes First? Challenges Men Face On Their Journey To Nurse Registration, D Juliff, K Russell, C Bulsara

Health Sciences Papers and Journal Articles

Objective: This paper aims to provide an account of the first phase of a qualitative longitudinal study that explored the initial challenges men in nursing face to become registered. What is known is that men, a minority group within nursing, face the usual challenges of all new nurses in their quest to register as nurses. In addition, they have added pressures that hinder their quest due to being male.

Primary Argument: An Australian nursing shortage is looming due to nurses retiring from this female-dominate profession. Hence, the retention of men in nursing is an area requiring attention in order to …

Student Perceptions To Teaching Undergraduate Anatomy In Health Sciences, R Anderton, L Chiu, S Aulfrey

Health Sciences Papers and Journal Articles

Anatomy and physiology teaching has undergone significant changes to keep up with advances in technology and to cater for a wide array of student specific learning approaches. This paper examines perceptions towards a variety of teaching instruments, techniques, and innovations used in the delivery and teaching of anatomy and physiology for health science students, and asks whether active learning through more progressive methods of teaching is beneficial for students across health science disciplines. In total, 138 health science students consisting of 32 biomedical science students, 52 exercise and sports science students, and 54 health and physical education students completed the …

Models For Community Based Day Care For Older People: A Narrative Review, C Bulsara, C Etherton-Beer, R Saunders

Health Sciences Papers and Journal Articles

Objectives: Older Australians are choosing to live within the community and there are a number of initiatives to enable this sector of the population to do so for longer. In an effort to ensure that they remain both physically and psychologically engaged, one initiative has been to provide community based day care (CBDC).

Method: A narrative review was undertaken through searching MEDLINE, CINAHL Plus, Scopus and AgeInfo using keywords related to facility related, target group related and purpose/program of CBDC services.

Results: Results indicated that there is a much research investigating different approaches but little consensus regarding the optimal delivery …

Changing Practices To Better Support First-Year Health Science Students, G Hoyne, K Mcnaught

Health Sciences Conference Papers

Entrance to university in Australia, in a post-Bradley era, is diversified and massified, with targets and programs to increase the participation of equity groups that were previously not represented. The changed cohorts have major implications for universities, in meeting the students’ needs, and as a moral and ethical response to enrolment. At the University of Notre Dame Australia (UNDA) Fremantle campus, the 2011 cohort entering Health Sciences, experienced a high rate of failure and withdrawal from university. They entered university at a time when UNDA had begun to implement first year experience (FYE) pedagogical approaches but these had not been …

Disrupted Self-Perception In People With Chronic Low Back Pain. Further Evaluation Of The Fremantle Back Awareness Questionnaire, B Wand, M Catley, M Rabey, P O'Sullivan, E O'Connell, A Smith

Physiotherapy Papers and Journal Articles

Several lines of evidence suggest that body-perception is altered in people with chronic back pain. Maladaptive perceptual awareness of the back might contribute to the pain experience as well as serve as a target for treatment. The Fremantle Back Awareness Questionnaire (FreBAQ) is a simple questionnaire recently developed to assess back-specific altered self-perception. The aims of this study were to present the outcomes of a comprehensive evaluation of the questionnaire’s psychometric properties and explore the potential relationships between body-perception, nociceptive sensitivity, distress and beliefs about back pain and the contribution these factors might play in explaining pain and disability. Two-hundred …

Disturbed Body Perception, Reduced Sleep, And Kinesiophobia In Subjects With Pregnancy-Related Persistent Lumbopelvic Pain And Moderate Levels Of Disability: An Exploratory Study, Darren Beales, Alison Lutz, Judith Thompson, Benedict M. Wand, Peter O'Sullivan

Physiotherapy Papers and Journal Articles

Background: For a small but significant group, pregnancy-related lumbopelvic pain may become persistent. While multiple factors may contribute to disability in this group, previous studies have not investigated sleep impairments, body perception or mindfulness as potential factors associated with disability post-partum.

Objectives: To compare women experiencing no pain post-pregnancy with those experiencing pregnancy-related persistent lumbopelvic pain (either low- or high-level disability) across multiple biopsychosocial domains.

Design: Cross-sectional

Methods: Participants completed questionnaires for thorough profiling of factors thought to be important in pregnancy-related lumbopelvic pain. Specific measures were the Urinary Distress Inventory, Medical Outcomes Study Sleep Scale, Back Beliefs Questionnaire, Tampa …

Quality Of Life And Psychosocial Wellbeing In Youth With Neuromuscular Disorders Who Are Wheelchair Users: A Systematic Review, Vivienne Travlos, Shane Patman, Andrew Wilson, Gail Simcock, Jenny Downs

Physiotherapy Papers and Journal Articles

Objective: To investigate quality of life (QoL) and psychosocial wellbeing in youth with Neuromuscular Disorders (NMD) who are wheelchair users.

Data Sources: Medline, Embase, CINAHL and PsycINFO (January 2004 to April 2016) and reference lists of retrieved full-text papers.

Study Selection: Peer-reviewed studies were included when data describing self-reported QoL and psychosocial wellbeing could be separately understood for those using wheelchairs and aged 12-22 years old. 2058 records were independently screened and potentially eligible papers were obtained and examined by all reviewers. Twelve observational and three qualitative studies met the inclusion criteria.

Data Extraction: Population representativeness, measurement tools and outcomes, …

Assessing Knowledge, Motivation And Perceptions About Falls Prevention Among Care Staff In A Residential Aged Care Setting, Jo-Aine Hang, Jacqueline Francis-Coad, Bianca Burro, Debbie Nobre, Anne-Marie Hill

Physiotherapy Papers and Journal Articles

Falls are a serious problem in residential aged care settings. The aims of the study were to determine the feasibility of surveying care staff regarding falls prevention, and describe care staff levels of knowledge and awareness of residents' risk of falls, knowledge about falls prevention, motivation and confidence to implement falls prevention strategies. A custom designed questionnaire was administered to care staff at one site of a large residential aged care organization in Australia. The survey response was 58.8%. Feedback from staff was used to inform the administration of the survey to the wider organization. Seven (29.2%) care staff reported …

Changing The Antibiotic Prescribing Of General Practice Registrars: The Chap Study Protocol For A Prospective Controlled Study Of A Multimodal Educational Intervention, Mieke L. Van Driel, Simon Morgan, Amanda Tapley, Lawrie Mcarthur, Patrick Mcelduff, Lucy Yardley, Anthea Dallas, Laura Deckx, Katie Mulquiney, Joshua S. Davis, Andrew Davey, Kim Henderson, Paul Little, Parker J. Magin

Medical Papers and Journal Articles

Background: Australian General Practitioners (GPs) are generous prescribers of antibiotics, prompting concerns including increasing antimicrobial resistance in the community. Recent data show that GPs in vocational training have prescribing patterns comparable with the high prescribing rate of their established GP supervisors. Evidence-based guidelines consistently advise that antibiotics are not indicated for uncomplicated upper respiratory tract infections (URTI) and are rarely indicated for acute bronchitis. A number of interventions have been trialled to promote rational antibiotic prescribing by established GPs (with variable effectiveness), but the impact of such interventions in a training setting is unclear. We hypothesise that intervening while early-career …

Would You Recommend Nursing As A Career To Men?, D Stanley, T Beament, D Falconer, M Haigh, R Saunders, K Stanley, P Wall

Nursing Papers and Journal Articles

Objective : The principle objective of this study was to establish a profile and perception of men in nursing in Western Australia. This paper will discuss one sub-objective which sort to explore responses to the question: “Would you recommend a nursing as a career to males that you know?”

Design: Main study was a quantitative, descriptive survey design, however the question under review was significantly qualitative in nature and analysed as such.

Setting : The study took place across Western Australian public and private sector health care facilities, nurse education institutions and non- government providers across rural, remote and metropolitan …

Attitudes To Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual And Transgender Parents Seeking Health Care For Their Children In Two Early Parenting Services In Australia, E Bennett, K Berry, T Emeto, L Shields

Nursing Papers and Journal Articles

Aim: to examine the attitudes to and knowledge and beliefs about homosexuality, of nurses and allied professionals in two early parenting services in Australia.

Background: Early parenting services employ nurses and allied professionals. Access and inclusion policies are important in community health and early childhood service settings. However, little is known about the perceptions of professionals who work within early parenting services in relation to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender families.

Design: This is the final in a series of studies and was undertaken in two early parenting services in two states in Australia using a cross-sectional design with …

Embracing The Power Of Belongingness: A Descriptive Mixed Method Research Study, K Russell, S Alliex, H Gluyas

Nursing Papers and Journal Articles

Background: Clinical placements should provide nursing students with a positive environment for learning in which they develop a framework for future practice. The literature articulates that this is not always the case. The objective of this research was to develop, implement and evaluate a new education seminar for nursing staff—The Art of Clinical Supervision (ACS), designed for nurses to provide a toolbox of strategies to better support students whilst on clinical placement. The ACS was presented in Western Australia, in both metropolitan and regional health services, in both the public and private health sector. This sample consisted of 199 registered …

Communication Factors Impacting On The Ability Of A Family To Adjust To Caring For A Family Member Following A Catastrophic Injury In Western Australia, Caroline E. Bulsara, Beatriz C. Briand, Anne Mckenzie, Rachael Moorin

Nursing Papers and Journal Articles

Objectives: The study identified the issues for families affected by catastrophic injury in the early days post injury with a view to highlighting the need for some key changes to the system in Western Australia.

Methods: The research used a community participatory research framework to conduct the study. Overall, twenty-three carers of those with a catastrophic injury were interviewed using semi-structured interviewing technique. Transcripts were analysed using an iterative thematic analysis framework.

Results: The lack of preparedness for families in adapting to a family member with a permanent injury was highlighted. Experiences during the early days following the event had …

Models For Community Based Day Care For Older People: A Narrative Review, Caroline Bulsara, Christopher Etherton-Beer, Rosemary Saunders

Nursing Papers and Journal Articles

Objectives: Older Australians are choosing to live within the community and there are a number of initiatives to enable this sector of the population to do so for longer. In an effort to ensure that they remain both physically and psychologically engaged, one initiative has been to provide community based day care (CBDC). Method: A narrative review was undertaken through searching MEDLINE, CINAHL Plus, Scopus and AgeInfo using keywords related to facility related, target group related and purpose/program of CBDC services. Results: Results indicated that there is a much research investigating different approaches but little consensus regarding the optimal delivery …

Early Life Events And Motor Development: A Longitudinal Study, Tegan Grace

Theses

Longitudinal studies are important to fully understand the processes of neurological development during gestation and how risk factors present during this time impact motor development outcomes, yet few to date have focused on this critical time period.

The purpose of this study was to identify modifiable risk factors influencing motor development during the prenatal period. Of particular interest was finding out whether these risk factors differed between the sexes.

Participants (N=2900) were from the Western Australian Pregnancy Cohort (Raine) Study. The Raine Study began in May 1989 and women were recruited between 16-20 weeks gestation (m = 18 weeks) from …

Attitudes Of Mental Health Care Professionals Toward The Provision Of Tobacco Dependence Treatment In The Transition To A Smoke-Free Mental Health Unit: An Exploratory Mixed Method Study., Jane Chambers

Theses

Smoking rates among people with a mental illness have not declined and remain a significant and preventable risk factor contributing to increased morbidity and reduced life expectancy. This study aimed to measure commitment, thus underlying attitude of mental health professionals towards provision of tobacco dependence treatment and enablers and barriers to implementing routine tobacco dependence treatment and smoke-free policy in an acute inpatient mental health setting.

A convenience sample of health professionals from an acute inpatient mental health unit were surveyed. This exploratory mixed method study included the Tobacco Treatment Commitment Scale (TTCS), smoking status, the Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine …

Physiotherapy For Pain And Disability In Adults With Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (Crps) Types I And Ii (Review), K. M. Smart, Benedict Wand, N. E. O'Connell

Physiotherapy Papers and Journal Articles

Background: Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a painful and disabling condition that usually manifests in response to trauma or surgery. When it occurs, it is associated with significant pain and disability. It is thought to arise and persist as a consequence of a maladaptive pro-inflammatory response and disturbances in sympathetically-mediated vasomotor control, together with maladaptive peripheral and central neuronal plasticity. CRPS can be classified into two types: type I (CRPS I) in which a specific nerve lesion has not been identified, and type II (CRPS II) where there is an identifiable nerve lesion. Guidelines recommend the inclusion of a …

Physiotherapy Students' Perceptions And Experiences Of Clinical Prediction Rules, G Knox, S Snodgrass, T Stanton, D Kelly, B Vicenzino, B Wand, D Rivett

Physiotherapy Papers and Journal Articles

Objectives: Clinical reasoning can be difficult to teach to pre-professional physiotherapy students due to their lack of clinical experience. It may be that tools such as clinical prediction rules (CPRs) could aid the process, but there has been little investigation into their use in physiotherapy clinical education. This study aimed to determine the perceptions and experiences of physiotherapy students regarding CPRs, and whether they are learning about CPRs on clinical placement.

Design: Cross-sectional survey using a paper-based questionnaire.

Participants: Final year pre-professional physiotherapy students (n=371, response rate 77%) from five universities across five states of Australia.

Results: S …

Incidence, Risk Factors And The Healthcare Cost Of Falls Postdischarge After Elective Total Hip And Total Knee Replacement Surgery: Protocol For A Prospective Observational Cohort Study, Anne-Marie Hill, Gail Ross-Adjie, Leanne Monterosso, Max Bulsara, Steven Mcphail, Christopher Etherton-Beer, Sarah-Jayne Powell, Gerard Hardisty

Physiotherapy Papers and Journal Articles

Abstract:

Introduction:

The number of major joint replacement procedures continues to increase in Australia. The primary aim of this study is to determine the incidence of falls in the first 12 months after discharge from hospital in a cohort of older patients who undergo elective total hip or total knee replacement.

Methods and analyses:

A prospective longitudinal observational cohort study starting in July 2015, enrolling patients aged ≥60 years who are admitted for elective major joint replacement (n=267 total hip replacement, n=267 total knee replacement) and are to be discharged to the community. Participants are followed up for 12 months …

Preferred Practice Location At Medical School Commencement Strongly Determines Graduates’ Rural Preferences And Work Locations, Marie S. Herd, Max Bulsara, Michael P. Jones, Donna Mak

Physiotherapy Papers and Journal Articles

Abstract:

Objective: To identify factors influencing whether Australian medical graduates prefer to, or actually, work rurally

Design: Secondary analysis of longitudinal data from the Medical Schools Outcomes Database (MSOD) using univariate and multivariate logistic regression.

Setting: Twenty Australian medical schools.

Participants: Australian or New Zealand citizens and Australian permanent residents who completed MSOD questionnaires between 2006 and 2013.

Main outcome measures: Preferred and actual work locations one (PGY1) and three (PGY3) years post-graduation.

Results: Of 20,784 participants, 4028 completed a PGY1 and/or PGY3 questionnaire. Self-reported preference for rural practice location at medical school commencement was the most consistent independent predictor …

Demonstration Of The Test-Retest Reliability And Sensitivity Of The Lower Limb Functional Index As A Measure Of Functional Recovery Post Burn Injury: A Cross-Sectional Repeated Measures Study Design, M Ryland, T Grisbrook, F Wood, M B. Phillips, D Edgar

Physiotherapy Papers and Journal Articles

Background: Lower limb burns can significantly delay recovery of function. Measuring lower limb functional outcomes is challenging in the unique burn patient population and necessitates the use of reliable and valid tools. The aims of this study were to examine the test-retest reliability, sensitivity, and internal consistency of Sections 1 and 3 of the Lower Limb Functional Index-10 (LLFI-10) questionnaire for measuring functional ability in patients with lower limb burns over time.

Methods: Twenty-nine adult patients who had sustained a lower limb burn injury in the previous 12 months completed the test-retest procedure of the study. In addition, the minimal …

The Male Of The Species: A Profile Of Men In Nursing, D Stanley, T Beament, D Falconer, M Haigh, R Saunders, K Stanley, P Wall, S Nielson

Nursing Papers and Journal Articles

Aim: To establish a profile of men in nursing in Western Australia and explore the perception of men in nursing from the perspective of male and female nurses.

Background: A project team, including some of the current authors, produced a YouTube video and DVD about men in nursing which led to further inquiry on this topic.

Design: The study employed a non-experimental, comparative, descriptive research design focused on a quantitative methodology, using an online survey in early 2014.

Method: A convenience sample incorporated registered and enrolled nurses and midwives in Western Australia.

Findings: The range of data included demographic information …

Does Cardiotocography Have A Role In The Antenatal Management Of Pregnancy Complicated By Gestational Diabetes Mellitus?, T Jeffery, R Petersen, J Quinlivan

Medical Papers and Journal Articles

Background: Controversy surrounds the role of fetal cardiotocography (CTG) in the antenatal management of pregnancy complicated with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).

Aim: The aim was to investigate whether antenatal CTG aids the management in pregnancy complicated by GDM. Materials and Methods: A prospective audit of 1404 consecutive antenatal CTGs in women diagnosed with GDM. Outcomes for all CTGs were audited to determine if the CTGs altered pregnancy management.

Results: In women requiring combination therapy (diet and medication), 43 CTGs were required to change management of a pregnancy. In women managed by diet alone with a secondary pregnancy complication, 161 CTGs …

Identifying The Factors That Affect The Job Satisfaction Of Early Career Notre Dame Graduate Physiotherapists, Eleni Bacopanos, Susan Edgar

Physiotherapy Papers and Journal Articles

Objective: Previous studies have highlighted the short career intentions and high attrition rates of physiotherapists from the profession. The aim of this study was to examine the job satisfaction and attrition rates of early career physiotherapists graduating from one Western Australian university.

Methods: A self-administered online survey was conducted of 157 Notre Dame physiotherapy graduates (2006-2012), incorporating a job satisfaction rating scale.

Results: Results showed that lowered job satisfaction was related to working in the cardiorespiratory area of physiotherapy and working in multiple jobs since graduation. The majority of graduates did not predict a long-term career in …