Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Nursing Student Experiences Of Death And Dying During A Palliative Care Clinical Placement: Teaching And Learning Implications, Olivia Gallagher, Rosemary Saunders, Karen Tambree, Selma Alliex, Leanne Monterosso, Y Naglazas

Nursing Conference Papers

The Building Capacity in Palliative Care Clinical Training project commenced in 2012 and is providing a dedicated palliative care clinical learning experience for nursing and medical students as part of preparation for palliative care practice in future workplaces. Many students fear death on a clinical placement. This paper reports on a pilot study as part the broader project evaluation that examined nursing students’ experiences of death and how the project driven teaching and learning supported students’ learning experiences.

Using The Glasgow Coma Scale In Non-Neurological Clinical Areas, Tracey Thornley, Lauren Rullis

Nursing Conference Papers

The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) was designed for use in a wide range of clinical environments with staff that had no special training (Teasdale and Jennett 1974). Evidence (Waterhouse 2007 and 2008) suggests however that there are ongoing problems with the use of the GCS assessment, and the impact that this might have on patient outcome is unknown. Variations in practice have been found in all areas, including the neurological specialties wards, however the skill level of nursing staff in non neurological areas is concerning with inconsistency in practice.

The purpose of this project was to explore the use of …

Clinical Leadership: A Matter Of Trust?, Tracey Thornley

Nursing Conference Papers

One of the many challenges facing the nursing profession in 2011 is the visibility of clinical leadership. Clinical leadership is essential for positive patient outcomes and a productive work environment; given this, the need for strong and effective leadership has never been more urgent. The attributes of leadership and how they are used to inspire and lead others are often overlooked. A research study (Thornley 2007) exploring the concept of expert, found that many personal characteristics were used by nurses to facilitate their expertise and it was these characteristics that expert nurses used to lead and inspire others.

Integrating The Pcc4u Modules Into A New Undergraduate Nursing Curriculum: The Unda –Sydney Experience, John Ramjan, Catherine Costa, Louise Hickman, Jane L. Phillips

Nursing Conference Papers

Introduction (from Power Point Presentation)

Why integrate palliative care concepts into an undergraduate nursing course?

- Do generalist nurses need this specialist knowledge?

- Why not a single, discreet palliative care unit?

- When should these concepts be introduced?

Sustainability Of Future Professionals, Selma Alliex

Nursing Conference Papers

As educators it is our responsibility that we not only teach our students sustainability strategies but also practices to sustain them in a world that is ever changing. This study addresses the theme of this conference because it deals with teaching students strategies to equip themselves with practices that will impact on their role as professionals. This pilot study aimed to assess effectiveness of a 3 week self-care intervention program from the perspective of 3rd year nursing students at the University of Notre Dame Australia. The methodological approach underpinning the study was Descriptive and the students were engaged as active …

Do Inquiries Make A Difference Or Are They A Waste Of Time?, Heather Gluyas

Nursing Conference Papers

Government inquiries into system failures are expensive, time consuming and have an enormous impact professionally and personally on those involved. They are set up to investigate systemic failures in healthcare delivery. Such major failures are different from a single event failure that may capture media attention or be the focus of a coronial inquest. Health system failures that result in an inquiry are distinguished by the scale and magnitude of the breakdown in care. The timescale of the events may stretch over months or years, and there are a number of different occasions where poor patient outcomes (including patient deaths) …

Collaborative Education: An Innovative Method Of Teaching Undergraduate Nursing Students, Karen Clark-Burg

Nursing Conference Papers

The aim of this presentation is to provide you with an insight into the structure of a unit I teach at Notre Dame University, where we have incorporated the idea of collaborative education as a method of teaching our undergraduate nursing student.

As a definition, “Collaborative education is an active learning experience crossing institutional, professional and historical boundaries”. That active learning experience is the essence of collaborative education, and is often expressed with the phrase, “learning by doing”. Academics and health care organisations become experts in the collaborative process only by immersion in it through actively working with each other …

Looking Forward To A Safer Future: The New Who Guidelines For Safe Surgery, Jed S. Duff

Nursing Conference Papers

Each year in Australia there are approximately 2 million hospital admissions for surgical services (Australia’s Health, 2008) and this number is set to grow significantly, with forecasts of at least a 22% increase by 2021 (Birrell, Hawthorne & Rapson, 2003). Surprisingly, for such a high-risk high-volume specialty, we have very little data on perioperative adverse events. This lack of even basic data means that we are unable to track event rates, leaving us oblivious to the full extent of the problem.

Research on intraoperative adverse events tells us that the rate of major complications is between 3-16%, with a mortality …

Clinical Placement Experiences In The Highlands Of Vietnam, Heather Gluyas, Annette Fraser

Nursing Conference Papers

There is a considerable body of literature which supports the value of international placements, however there is little reported in the literature where these experiences have been in remote third world countries. This presentation will present the experiences of the students and their clinical supervisors who traveled to the remote Highlands of Vietnam to provide health assessment clinics and health education in schools.

The objectives were to provide the opportunity for students to develop professionally and personally through:

• Experiencing a clinical placement within a health care system other than the Australian system

• Working within a health care system …

Glasgow Coma Scale: Improving Practice In Non-Neuro Specialty Wards, Lauren Rullis, Tracey Thornley

Nursing Conference Papers

The Glasgow Coma Scale published in 1974 was designed with simplicity in mind. The tool was developed for use in a wide range of clinical environments and for staff who had no specialised training (Teasdale and Jennett 1974) ensuring standardisation in assessment. Evidence (Waterhouse 2008) however suggests that there are ongoing problems in the use of the GCS assessment, and the impact that this might have on patient outcomes are unknown. Variations in practice have been found in all areas, including neurological specialty wards, however the skill level of nursing staff in non neurological areas is concerning with inconsistencies in …

Critical Factors Within An Inquiry Process That Influence Positive Changes In Clinical Governance, Heather Gluyas

Nursing Conference Papers

Major failures in patient safety often lead to high profile inquiries set up to establish the facts, and to identify areas of improvement to prevent further failures. In order to learn from inquiries, we need to be able to identify if, and how, the inquiry process influences improvements.

Using a case study strategy, this research study examined the impact or influence of the Douglas Inquiry on KEMH’s clinical governance systems. The research focused on two areas that were highlighted in the final Inquiry report as requiring reform. These systems deal with the clinical credentialing and performance review and the involvement …

Interactive Video Method Of Teaching And Assessment: Poster Presentation, Karen Clark-Burg, Selma Alliex, Annie Das

Nursing Conference Papers

The School of Nursing (University of Notre Dame Australia) was very keen to trial a method of teaching and assessment in one of the Nursing skills units. Students were divided into two groups to experience both traditional and interactive video methods using a commercially available software program in a cross-over research. It was expected that this strategy would enhance students ‘deeper learning’ and better standards of skills.

Videoing As A Teaching And Learning Tool In An Undergraduate Nursing Curriculum, Selma Alliex, Karen Clark-Burg, Annie Das

Nursing Conference Papers

This conference addressed a range of critically important themes related to nursing education. It was designed to bring together nursing educators from across the globe, who are proactive in providing innovative educational practice to meet the changing needs of nursing; nursing students and healthcare personnel.

Web 2.0: Experiences In Teaching Quality Use Of Medicines (Qum) To Undergraduate Nurses., Jed S. Duff, Karen Baskett

Nursing Conference Papers

Quality Use of Medicine (QUM) means selecting management options wisely; choosing suitable medicines if a medicine is considered necessary; and using medicines safely and effectively. Even though QUM has been a key component of the national medicines policy since 1992, there is much concern that it is not widely known or understood by nurses, one of the professional groups responsible for its implementation. The challenge for nurse educators is to try and incorporate QUM into the nursing curriculum. Unfortunately, lecturers are already pressured by the insufficient time allocated for teaching pharmacology. These time pressures force students to memorise long lists …

Utilising The Clinical Excellence Commission’S Performance Indicators For Quality Use Of Medicines, Jed S. Duff

Nursing Conference Papers

Like other aspects of health care, Quality Use of Medicine (QUM) can be considered in terms of structures, processes and outcomes. These components of QUM can be measured with performance indicators. This poster describes the Clinical Excellence Commissions (CEC) new performance indicators and their use in a warfarin practice improvement project.

Aim: - To measure performance indicators in order to; Comprehensively audit warfarin therapy.

- Benchmarking current practices.

- Identify opportunities for practice improvement.

- Measure practice change>

Method: Auditing structures, processes, and outcomes requires different tools and methods. For this project, the following tools were utilised;

- The CEC …

Perceptions Of External Stakeholders Regarding The Development Of Clinical Governance: A Western Australian Perspective, Heather Gluyas, Selma Alliex

Nursing Conference Papers

The current context of healthcare delivery is one that emphasises patient safety and high quality care. This focus on patient safety within the health industry has lead to the widespread adoption of the term clinical governance. Clinical governance has two aspects. Firstly, this term describes the systems and processes that a health agency has in place to detail accountability and responsibility for patient safety. Secondly, the term clinical governance also encompasses the mechanisms used to monitor and measure patient outcomes to ensure optimum quality care (Balding, 2005).

The growing awareness of the vulnerability of patients to safety related incidents was …

Sink Or Swim: Bridging The Gap Between The Flags, Karen Clark-Burg

Nursing Conference Papers

The focus of this presentation is on the nursing undergraduate curriculum at Notre Dame University and its contribution towards the recruitment of perioperative nurses in the nursing workforce. I will display aspects of the undergraduate curriculum that supports student nurses therefore preventing them from floundering in the breakers ‘sinking’ in the Deep blue ocean of perioperative nursing.

Bridge Over The Theory-Practice Divide, Judith Wilson

Nursing Conference Papers

This qualitative study was conducted to explore how the student midwife in the final stages of her Postgraduate Diploma of Midwifery Course perceived the theory practice gap. Much research has been published about the theory practice gap from the perspective of educators or employers but little is published on the view of the student who sits in the centre of this dilemma. This study was conducted by interviewing 5 student midwives with a set of open ended questions. The first of these questions sought to ascertain if indeed the student perceived such a gap existed. Further questions explored factors, if …

An Innovative Educational Experience: The Use Of Video To Enhance Learning Of Practical Skills In The Undergraduate Nursing Curriculum, Karen Clark-Burg, Annie Das, Selma Alliex

Nursing Conference Papers

Interactive video analysis program was used as a teaching and assessment tool in an undergraduate nursing curriculum at the University of Notre Dame Australia. Using a software program, students were required to code their footage into predetermined categories according to competencies set out for that skill. They could then review, reflect, and critically annotate their performance of the skill. The software program is designed to provide immediate analysis and student feedback, exemplify key lecture content, and moderate student performance.

It was decided that two 1st year nursing skills would be piloted. The lecturer was videoed demonstrating a particular skill and …