Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Ars Moriendi: An Overview Of Approaches To The Art Of Dying, Grief And Loss For Nurses Working In Mental Health, Meagan G.A. Dickerson, Darren Conlon, Toby Raeburn

Nursing Papers and Journal Articles

This historical discussion paper is an overview for nurses working in mental health of medieval and Early Modern texts known as Ars Moriendi literature, which focuses on the art of dying, grief and loss. Primary and secondary historical documents are used to describe Ars Moriendi literature and how historical understandings of death and dying were shaped within a spiritual context. Ars Moriendi concepts are compared with modern Western secularised and medicalised notions to prompt reflection on historical versus modern approaches to dying, grief and loss.

Graduate Nurse Transition Programs Pivotal Point Of Participants’ Practice Readiness Questioned During The Covid-19 Pandemic Crisis: A Scoping Review, Kylie Russell, Dianne Juliff

Nursing Papers and Journal Articles

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic requires an accessible, practice-ready nursing workforce to assist with the increase in health service delivery. Graduate nurse transition programs are the entry point for most graduates into professional practice, and this review focused on both empirical studies and gray literature to identify at what point practice readiness occurs and what can assist graduate nurses’ transition to become practice ready.

Method: A scoping review was conducted using the Joanna Briggs Institute scoping review framework.

Results: Consensus purports supportive environments, ideally in formal structured graduate transition to practice programs, to enhance graduate nurses’ clinical skills and confidence development. …

Moral Competence In Nursing: An Exploration Of The Giving Voice To Values Curriculum, Catherine Costa

Theses

The development of moral competence is central to the profession of nursing and its practice. Nurses engage in moral decision making that impacts the health of people, families, and communities. It is important, then, to ensure that nursing graduates possess the necessary moral development for engaging in professional practice. To this end, research was conducted, the principle premise of which was to explore the use of the introduction of the Giving Voice to Values curriculum (Gentile, 2010) and its contribution to the development of moral competence in nursing. The Giving Voice to Values curriculum is a values-based methodology enabling students …

A Qualitative Descriptive Study About The Experiences And Views Of Undergraduate And Postgraduate Nursing Students: What Influenced Them To Choose The Mental Health Specialty, Kaile Moon

Theses

Nurses perform a vital role in the mental health (MH) speciality. The mental health nurse (MHN) role is complex with expectations to manage a safe milieu, practice person-centred care, crisis management, and therapeutic skills, teach coping skills, provide emotional support, and set professional boundaries. However, MHN recruitment and retention continues to be a global struggle. Nursing students typically have low interest in choosing the MH speciality. Strategies to reduce stigma and improve attitudes and beliefs about MH nursing and mental illness have been successful among nursing students, globally and in Australia. However, these successful strategies have not extended to an …

Socio-Spatial And Quality Of Life Themes In Aged Care Architecture: A Qualitative Methods Protocol, Sarah Mcgann, Caroline Bulsara, Holly Farley

Arts Papers and Journal Articles

Aim: To evaluate the connection between residential aged care architecture, the residents’ ability to find home and Quality of Life themes.

Design: This study uses convergent qualitative mixed methods approach across the three phases of the research project to explore the lived experience of residential aged care residents, their family members, and direct care staff.

Methods: The chosen qualitative methodology is based on a constructionist paradigm and uses a combination of observations, photo production and prompted discussions, and architectural visual data collection methods. Funding was approved in March 2018.

Discussion: This research will provide a novel approach to understanding ways …

The Nursing History Of Ngala Since 1890: An Early Parenting Organisation In Western Australia, Elaine Bennett, Selma Alliex, Caroline Bulsara

Nursing Papers and Journal Articles

Background: This study was the first phase of a larger study which explored the past, present and future of nursing in early parenting services in Australia.

Aim: The aim of this paper is to describe the history of nursing within an early parenting service in Western Australia (WA).

Methods: Triangulation of multiple data sources was used to summarise the nursing role over 120 years. The history was discovered through a document analysis of archives, including oral histories, organisational documents, focus groups, nurses’ diaries and interviews with nurses.

Findings: The nursing role and context is described over three time periods: 1890–1960; …

The Steering Towards Readiness Framework : The Lived Experience Of Clinical Facilitators In Identifying, Assessing And Managing Students At Risk Of Not Being Ready To Practice As Beginning Practitioners Within Western Australian Health Settings, Rosealie Southwell

Theses

Clinical facilitators (CFs) are a fundamental resource for student registered nurses (RNs) as they facilitate the consolidation of theory and practice in preparation for registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA). Health service providers (HSPs) and higher education providers (HEPs) require CFs to identify, assess and manage (I, A & M) the risks of final placement nursing students and, in doing so, protect risk to patient safety. This research aimed to explore the lived experience of CFs in Western Australia in identifying, assessing and managing risk of a student progressing to be a RN. The study used …

The Effect Of Continuing Professional Development From The Perspective Of Nurses And Midwives Who Participated In Continuing Education Programs Offered By Global Health Alliance Western Australia: A Mixed-Method Study, Yan Ing (Jenni) Ng

Theses

Continuing professional development (CPD) opportunities for nurses and midwives are central to improving knowledge, broadening skills and maintaining competencies to provide best practice and clinical care. This is gained through participating in continuing education (CE). CPD is readily accessible and a mandatory requirement for nurses and midwives in developed nations, such as Australia. However, in developing countries, such as Tanzania, while CPD is promoted, it has limited availability. As such, the Global Health Alliance Western Australia (GHAWA), an international health development program, seeks to provide further sustainable CPD opportunities for nurses and midwives in Tanzania.

The purpose of this research …

Protocol For Care After Lymphoma (Caly) Trial: A Phase Ii Pilot Randomised Controlled Trial Of A Lymphoma Nurse-Led Model Of Survivorship Care, K Taylor, D Joske, M Bulsara, C Bulsara, L Monterosso

Nursing Papers and Journal Articles

Introduction: Lymphoma is the sixth most common cancer diagnosed in Australia and internationally. Owing to the aggressive nature of the disease and intensity of treatment, survivors face long-term effects that impact on quality of life. Current models of follow-up post-treatment fail to address these complex issues. Given that 74% of patients with lymphoma cancer now survive 5 years beyond diagnosis and treatment, it is important to address this gap in care.

Aim: To determine self-reported informational and practical needs, anxiety, depression, stress, coping and empowerment at baseline, 3 and 6 months.

Methods and analysis: A pilot randomised controlled trial will …

The "Globesity" Trend: Exploring The Ethical Concerns Of Registered Nurses Caring For Bariatric Surgery Patients, Casey L. Lowden-Crook

Theses

Obesity is a major global health problem. The comorbidities associated with obesity (for example: diabetes mellitus type 2 and cardiovascular disease) are multisystem and require continual medical management which places a great strain on the healthcare system. Australia is ranked the 5th most obese population in the world and deaths associated with obesity and obesity related illnesses are estimated at 7,200 per year (Medibank, 2010). This lifestyle disease is now the leading cause of premature death in Australia. The obesity epidemic is blamed on changes in the social, economic and physical environment (obesogenic environments) which have influenced people to over-consume …

The Art Of Clinical Supervision Program For Registered Nurses, Kylie P. Russell

Theses

Nursing students’ clinical placements should provide an environment in which they can apply their nursing education in the fast-paced world of health care and develop a framework for practice. Students rely on effective teaching and supportive clinical supervisors to provide a placement in which they are not only encouraged to practice, but also to learn from this practice. This is achieved through welcoming students into the health care team by valuing their input and contributions, and consolidating their clinical practice through activities such as critical thinking and reflection.

The role of the clinical supervisor is therefore complex and often constrained …

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 …

Graduate Nurse Transition Programs In Western Australia: A Comparative Study Of Their Percieved Efficacy, Ce (Cecilia) Kealley

Theses

This research compares the findings of a survey questionnaire sent to 858 newly graduated Registered Nurses (RNs) in 2010, with those from a similar study conducted 10-years previously. The purpose of the present was threefold. Firstly, to investigate how current transition programs compared to those of 10-years ago; second, to gain insight into how well formal programs assisted the transition of the novice nurse into the workforce; and thirdly, to examine what effect transition programs have for making decisions to remain in the nursing workforce. A mixed methods triangulation design was selected to investigate the research questions. Additional questions to …

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 …

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 …

Towards A Conceptual Framework For Preceptorship In The Clinical Education Of Undergraduate Nursing Students, Melanie Zilembo, Leanne Monterosso

Nursing Papers and Journal Articles

A recent study undertaken by the authors (2007) highlighted that undergraduate nursing students were subjected to varying experiences in clinical practice, which were mediated by a number of factors. Mediating factors included continuity of preceptors, student attitudes, the clinical setting environment, student and preceptor expectations of the clinical practice experience and interactions between the student and preceptor.

Of note, interactions with preceptors were seen to 'make or break' the practical experience. Therefore, the relationship that is forged between preceptor and student is vital in shaping the student's experience of the clinical area and of the real world of nursing work. …