Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Exploring Approaches To Dietetic Assessment Of A Common Task Across Different Universities Through Assessment Moderation, Claire Palermo, E Volders, S Gibson, Meredith A. Kennedy, A Wray, J Thomas, Mary Hannan-Jones, Danielle Gallegos, Eleanor J. Beck

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Background: Assessment presents one of the greatest challenges to evaluating health professional trainee performance, as a result of the subjectivity of judgements and variability in assessor standards. The present study aimed to test a moderation procedure for assessment across four independent universities and explore approaches to assessment and the factors that influence assessment decisions. Methods: Assessment tasks designed independently by each of the four universities to assess student readiness for placement were chosen for the present study. Each university provided four student performance recordings for moderation. Eight different academic assessors viewed the student performances and assessed them using the corresponding …

The Development And Testing Of The Dementia Friendly Communities Environment Assessment Tool (Dfc Eat), Richard Fleming, Kirsty A. Bennett, Terri Preece, Lyn Phillipson

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Background: There is a growing recognition of the need to make the built environment in towns and cities more enabling for people with dementia. This study reports the development of a reliable tool to assess the support provided to people with dementia by public and commercial buildings such as council offices, supermarkets, banks, and medical centers as they approach, use, and leave them.

Methods: A three-step process was carried out to develop and establish the reliability of the tool: (1) a review of principles and available tools informed the development and modification of an environmental audit tool of …

'Involve Me And I Learn': Development Of An Assessment Program For Research And Critical Analysis, Judy Mullan, Kylie J. Mansfield, Kathryn M. Weston, Warren C. Rich, Pippa Burns, Christine A. Brown, Peter L. Mclennan

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Evidence-based medical practice is best achieved by developing research understanding in medical practitioners. To this end, medical councils worldwide increasingly recognise the importance of medical schools graduating students with well-developed research skills and research capacity. To meet this need, the principles of programmatic assessment were implemented in designing a research and critical analysis curriculum and assessment program that aimed to enhance the research and critical analysis skills of medical students. The program was developed by mapping assessment tasks to a research capabilities framework that was in turn scaffolded to different levels of Miler's pyramid. The curriculum and assessments were integrated …

Is It My Job? The Role Of Rns In The Assessment And Identification Of Delirium In Hospitalized Older Adults: An Exploratory Qualitative Study, Miriam Coyle, Pippa Burns, Victoria Traynor

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Delirium is characterized by acute and fluctuating cognitive decline, which is often missed in older adults who are assumed to be experiencing age-related changes or dementia. Delirium affects up to 50% of hospitalized older adults. The aim of the current study was to (a) explore current practices of RNs in assessing and identifying delirium in hospitalized older adults and (b) inform new educational initiatives. Qualitative methods were adopted using eight semi-structured group interviews with 24 RNs. Thematic analysis revealed a dichotomy in practice where RNs described delirium assessment and identification as (a) It's Not My Job, (b) It is …

Evaluation Of Assessment In The Context Of Work-Based Learning: Qualitative Perspectives Of New Graduates, Claire Palermo, Alexandra Chung, Eleanor Beck, Susan Ash, Sandra Capra, Helen Truby, Brian Jolly

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Aim Evaluation or assessment of competence is an important step to ensure the safety and efficacy of health professionals, including dietitians. Most competency-based assessment studies are focused on valid and reliable methods of assessment for the preparation of entry-level dietitians, few papers have explored student dietitians' perceptions of these evaluations. The present study aimed to explore the perceptions of recent graduates from accredited nutrition and dietetics training programs in Australia. It also aimed to establish the relevance of competency-based assessment to adequately prepare them for entry-level work roles. Methods A purposive sample of newly graduated dietitians with a range of …

Evaluating Objective Structured Clinical Assessment (Osca) In Undergraduate Nursing, Leah East, Kathleen Peters, Elizabeth J. Halcomb, Debra Raymond, Yenna Salamonson

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

The aims of this mixed methods study were to gain insight into how individual assessors determine an Objective Structured Clinical Assessment (OSCA) result for undergraduate nursing students and identify whether individual assessor perceptions and professional characteristics have an impact on students' results. Results from 25 participants showed that although less than half (44%) of the participants were teaching in the course that they were assessing, the participants were highly experienced clinicians and nearly three-quarters (72%) had completed formal teaching qualifications. There were wide variations in pass rates (16.7-90%) between assessors. The widest disparity was observed between assessors with and those …

Assessment Of A Sequential Phase Extraction Procedure For Uranium-Series Isotope Analysis Of Soils And Sediments, P O. Suresh, A Dosseto, H K. Handley, P P. Hesse

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

The study of uranium-series (U-series) isotopes in soil and sediment materials has been proposed to quantify rates and timescales of soil production and sediment transport. Previous works have studied bulk soil or sediment material, which is a complex assemblage of primary and secondary minerals and organic compounds. However, the approach relies on the fractionation between U-series isotopes in primary minerals since they were liberated from the parent rock via weathering. In addition, secondary minerals and organic compounds have their own isotopic compositions such that the composition of the bulk material may not reflect that of primary minerals. Hence, there is …

An Assessment Of The Bhutanese Traditional Medicine For Its Ethnopharmacology, Ethnobotany And Ethnoquality: Textual Understanding And The Current Practices, Phurpa Wangchuk, Stephen G. Pyne, Paul A. Keller

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Ethnopharmacological relevance : This study involves the assessment of the Bhutanese traditional medicine (BTM) which was integrated with the mainstream biomedicine in 1967 to provide primary health care services in the country. It caters to 20-30% of the daily out-patients within 49 traditional medicine units attached to 20 district modern hospitals and 29 Basic Health Units in the country. Aim of the study : This study presents the ethnopharmacological, ethnobotanical and the ethnoquality concepts in relation to mainstream Tibetan medicine and describes the current practices of BTM. Materials and methods : Experienced BTM practitioners (Drung-tshos and Smen-pas) were selected using …

Assessment Of A Multi-Species In Situ Ftir For Precise Atmospheric Greenhouse Gas Observations, S Hammer, D W. T Griffith, G Konrad, S Vardag, C Caldow, I Levin

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

We thoroughly evaluate the performance of a multi-species, in situ Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analyser with respect to high-accuracy needs for greenhouse gas monitoring networks. The in situ FTIR analyser is shown to measure CO2, CO, CH4 and N2O mole fractions continuously, all with better reproducibility than the inter-laboratory compatibility (ILC) goals, requested by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) for the Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW) programme. Simultaneously determined δ13CO2 reaches reproducibility as good as 0.03‰. Second-order dependencies between the measured components and the thermodynamic properties of the sample, (temperature, pressure and flow rate) and the cross sensitivities among the sample …

The Added Value Of Understanding Informal Social Networks In An Adaptive Capacity Assessment: Explorations Of An Urban Water Management System In Indonesia, Silva Larson, Kim S. Alexander, Riyanti Djalante, Dewi G.C Kirono

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Social networks play an important role in environmental governance regimes, and they are a key to the adaptive capacity of systems that deal with complex, contextual and multi-faceted issues. Urban water systems are typical examples of complex systems facing many pressures, such as increased population, water quality deterioration, and climate change. This paper explores social networks of the key stakeholders engaged in urban water management, in Makassar City, Indonesia, in the context of exploring ways to improve management of an increasingly complex urban water system. Three social networks were explored; those constituted by formal and informal interactions and networks perceived …

Application Of Thresholds Of Potential Concern And Limits Of Acceptable Change In The Condition Assessment Of A Significant Wetland, Kerrylee Rogers, Neil Saintilan, Matthew J. Colloff, Li Wen

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

We propose a framework in which thresholds of potential concern (TPCs) and limits of acceptable change (LACs) are used in concert in the assessment of wetland condition and vulnerability and apply the framework in a case study. The lower Murrumbidgee River floodplain (the 'Lowbidgee') is one of the most ecologically important wetlands in Australia and the focus of intense management intervention by State and Federal government agencies. We used a targeted management stakeholder workshop to identify key values that contribute to the ecological significance of the Lowbidgee floodplain, and identified LACs that, if crossed, would signify the loss of significance. …

A Geospatial Assessment Of The Relationship Between Reef Flat Community Calcium Carbonate Production And Wave Energy, S M. Hamylton, A Pescud, J X. Leon, D Callaghan

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

The ability of benthic communities inhabiting coral reefs to produce calcium carbonate underpins the development of reef platforms and associated sedimentary landforms, as well as the fixation of inorganic carbon and buffering of diurnal pH fluctuations in ocean surface waters. Quantification of the relationship between reef flat community calcium carbonate production and wave energy provides an empirical basis for understanding and managing this functionally important process. This study employs geospatial techniques across the reef platform at Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef, to (1) map the distribution and estimate the total magnitude of reef community carbonate production and (2) empirically ascertain …

A Methodology For The Rapid Assessment Of The Potential Impact And Hazard Of Coal Seam Gas Mining On Aquifers And The Environment, John M. Bradd, Emma Kiekebosch-Fitt, Tim J. Cohen, Sam K. Marx, Solomon Buckman

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

The potential environmental impacts and hazards of coal seam gas mining in Australia are highly contentious and poorly understood. Concerns have been raised by communities, and the Australian government has incorporated management tools and strategies to address these concerns. The primary environmental issue associated with coal seam gas mining would be on the aquifers above the target coal seam. If the upper aquifers are affected in terms of quantity and quality, then there are cumulative impacts to the surface environment such as groundwater dependent ecosystems and surface waters. This paper will examine the Australian situation with regard to coal seam …

Morphological Characterisation Of Reef Types In Torres Strait And An Assessment Of Their Carbonate Production, Javier X. Leon, Colin D. Woodroffe

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Coral reefs represent major accumulations of calcium carbonate (CaCO3). The particularly labyrinthine network of reefs in Torres Strait, north of the Great Barrier Reef (GBR), has been examined in order to estimate their gross CaCO3 productivity. The approach involved a two-step procedure, first characterising and classifying the morphology of reefs based on a classification scheme widely employed on the GBR and then estimating gross CaCO3 productivity rates across the region using a regional census-based approach. This was undertaken by independently verifying published rates of coral reef community gross production for use in Torres Strait, based on site-specific ecological and morphological …

Development And Validation Of An Insulin Proficiency Assessment Tool For Insulin Self-Management In Adults With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Dianna Fornasier, Andrew Bonney

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

No abstract provided.

Barriers And Enablers To Implementation Of A New Zealand-Wide Guideline For Assessment And Management Of Cardiovascular Risk In Primary Health Care: A Template Analysis, Ann Mckillop, Jackie Crisp, Kenneth Walsh

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Aim: The aim of this study was to identify the enablers and barriers to guideline implementation in a primary healthcare setting by employing the Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services (PARIHS) framework as a template for data analysis and interpretation. Background: The use of clinical practice guidelines is pivotal to improving health outcomes. However, the implementation of guidelines into practice is complex, unpredictable, and, in spite of much investigation, remains resistant to explanation of what works and why. Optimising the enablers and minimising the barriers to implementation of a guideline for reducing cardiovascular disease risk has the potential …

Reef-Scale Assessment Of Intertidal Large Benthic Foraminifera Populations On One Tree Island, Great Barrier Reef And Their Future Carbonate Production Potential In A Warming Ocean, Steve S. Doo, Sarah Hamylton, Maria Byrne

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Populations of large benthic foraminiferans (LBFs) that inhabit coral reef platforms are major producers of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) in reef ecosystems. This study documented the population density of living intertidal LBF populations at One Tree Reef (OTR), southern Great Barrier Reef, in a community dominated by Marginopora vertebralis and Baculogypsina sphaerulata. Densities of 7.7 × 103 M. vertebralis individuals (ind.)/m2 and 4.5 × 105 B. sphaerulata ind./m2 were estimated for these populations in May 2011. We applied remote-sensing technology to determine reef-scale estimates of suitable Foraminifera habitats and used these to estimate overall stocks of LBF populations on the intertidal …

Comparison Of Assessment Performance Of Rural And Regional Students In A Unique Australian Graduate-Entry Medical Program, David L. Garne, J Bushnell, A Lethbridge, J Douglas

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

The Graduate School of Medicine at the University of Wollongong is one of Australia's newest medical schools, with a regional/rural focus and a distributed campus, and students are all expected to spend a significant proportion of their training in a rural setting. Due to the diverse learning environments that students are exposed to, we sought to determine by phase if there was any difference in examination results between groups who were located in rural settings and those in regional settings.

Bioregional Assessment Project: Sydney Metropolitan, Southern Rivers And Hawkesbury-Nepean Catchments: Data Collation Phase To Study The Impact Of Mining Activity And Coal Seam Gas On Environmental Assets, John Bradd, Tim Cohen, Sam Marx, Sol Buckman, Emma Burkhardt, A Clarke, Nicole Cook, Stephen Cullen, James Daley, Alexi Gavin, Ren Hu, Emma Kiekebosch-Fitt, Matt Lemcke, Andrew Lowe, Thomas Mcmahon, Luke Mcneilage, Kaitlyn O'Mara, Garth Nagle, Sam Robson, Carolyn Silveri, Joe Stammers

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

This study was commissioned by the Hawkesbury-Nepean (HNCMA), Sydney Metropolitan (SMCMA) and Southern Rivers (SRCMA) Catchment Management Authorities and undertaken by the University of Wollongong to collate existing data and to provide a preliminary assessment of the potential impacts of coal seam gas (CSG) and coal mining activities on environmental assets within the three CMA regions, where environmental assets were defined under three broad themes; water, land and biodiversity. This study formed part of the Australian Federal Government’s Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities (SEWPaC) Bioregional Assessment initiative within regions potentially affected by CSG and coal mining activities. …

Reporting Of Dietary Assessment Methods And Use Of Information Technology In Food-Based Randomised Controlled Trials, Yasmine Probst

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

The range of randomised controlled trials reported in the scientific literature is extensive. A systematic literature review was conducted with the aim of determining how dietary assessment methods were reported and the use of assisted technologies. OVID (Medline, PreMedline, PsychINFO, Cochrane, ERIC and Cynahl) and ScienceDirect databases 2000- 2010 were searched for food-based parallel randomised controlled trials in humans. Studies relating to drug testing, vitamin or mineral supplements, enteral or parenteral nutrition and behavioural/educational interventions were excluded. Meal replacement studies were included. A total of 1364 abstracts were reviews and 347 studies identified. Additional articles referred to in the methods …

Tomorrows Workforce: Factors Influencing Nursing Students' Development Of Nursing Assessment & Clinical Skills, Andrew Horne, Patrea Andersen, Roy Brown, Patrick A. Crookes

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Research Design - The aim of this research was to: •Describe student nurses experiences undertaking nursing assessments on clients in clinical practice. •Identify factors influencing the students’ ability to perform assessments. •Determine the types of nursing assessments undertaken by students and the frequency of these. •Identify student involvement in completing assessment documentation on nursing assessments.

Competency Assessment Using A Standardised Tool Across Nursing Programmes In Australia, Roy A. Brown, Patrick A. Crookes

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

No abstract provided.

A Comparative Study Of Assessment Grading And Nursing Students' Perceptions Of Quality In Sessional And Tenured Teachers, Yenna Salamonson, Elizabeth J. Halcomb, Sharon Andrew, Kathleen Peters, Debra Jackson

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Purpose: Although the global nursing faculty shortage has led to increasing reliance upon sessional staff, limited research has explored the impact of these sessional staff on the quality of teaching in higher education. We aim to examine differences in (a) student satisfaction with sessional and tenured staff and (b) assessment scores awarded by sessional and tenured staff in students' written assignments. Design: A comparative study method was used. Participants were recruited from students enrolled in the three nursing practice subjects across the 3 years of the baccalaureate program in an Australian university during the second semester of 2008. Methods: This …

Cardiovascular Absolute Risk Assessment And Management Engagement And Outcomes In General Practice Patients, Qing Wan, Nicholas Zwar, Sanjyot Vagholkar, Terry Campbell, Mark Fort Harris

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Despite a decline in recent decades, cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the major cause of death and disability in Australia.1,2 To improve primary prevention of CVD, many clinical guidelines recommend using cardiovascular absolute risk (CVAR) assessment to guide risk factor management.3-6 Cardiovascular absolute risk assessment predicts the overall risk of a cardiovascular event over a given time period (usually 5 or 10 years). However, use of CVAR is limited and has not been incorporated well in routine general practice.7-9 There has been little research on CVAR implementation and an effective implementation strategy has been lacking.10

Transforming Higher Education Through Learning-Oriented Assessment, Mike Keppell, Dominique Parrish

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Outcomes By the completion of the workshop participants will be able to: • Recognise the distinct characteristics of a learning-oriented assessment task • Determine the appropriateness of learning-oriented assessment for their own context • Design a learning-oriented assessment task for a subject they are currently teaching • Examine a model for transforming and leading change in higher education through learning-oriented assessment • Explore potential avenues for transforming and leading change in assessment in the university setting.

A Self-Administered Dietary Assessment Website For Use In Primary Health Care: Usability Testing And Evaluation, Y. C. Probst, Linda C. Tapsell

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

A dietary assessment website for use in the primary healthcare setting has been developed. The website allows patients, referred from their GP, to self-report their dietary intake. Data from the website feeds to a dietitian who develops individualised dietary advice for the patient. The aim of this paper is to describe the usability testing of the dietary assessment website with its potential users. Testing was broken into two phases. Forty-two free-living adults with metabolic syndrome volunteered, 17 completed phase one and 10 completed phase two, with a 64% rate of completion. Phase one participants spoke aloud as they progressed through …

Testing The Validity Of The Recovery Assessment Scale Using An Australian Sample, Mandy Mcnaught, Peter Caputi, Lindsay G. Oades, Frank P. Deane

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Objective: Mental health services in Australia are increasingly becoming recovery orientated. However, there are varying meanings for recovery and few measures that specifically target recovery outcomes. The current study aimed to assess the construct and concurrent validity of a patient self-report measure, the Recovery Assessment Scale (RAS).

Method: Participants were 168 individuals with severe and persistent psychiatric disability who were participants in the Australian Integrated Mental Health Initiative (AIMhi) project. They completed self-report recovery and other mental health measures and their case workers completed the Health of the Nation Outcome Scales. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were carried out to …

A Study Into The Use Of Computer Aided Assessment To Enhance Formative Assessment During The Early Stages Of Undergraduate Chemistry Courses, Simon B. Bedford, Gareth J. Price

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

A Virtual Learning Environment (WebCT and latter Moodle) was used to provide students with instant, meaningful feedback on their study of chemistry units during their first semester at University. Short multiple choice questions (MCQ's) were written covering each segment of material delivered in lectures and made available to students over the University computer intranet to allow "24/7" access. The most important aspect of the work was the feedback offered to students within the questions, which was written by undergraduate students to ensure its usefulness. The vast majority of the cohort used the MCQ's, most to gain formative feedback and some …

The Chronic Heart-Failure Assistance By Telephone (Chat) Study: Assessment Of Telephone Support For Vulnerable Patients With Chronic Disease, Julie Yallop, Bianca Chan, Leon Piterman, Andrew Tonkin, Andrew Forbes, Patricia M. Davidson, Robyn Clark, Elizabeth Halcomb, Andrea Nangle, Simon Stewart, Joanne Croucher, Henry Krum

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Aim: To determine whether telephone support using an evidence-based protocol for chronic heart failure (CHF) management will improve patient outcomes and will reduce hospital readmission rates in patients without access to hospital-based management programs. Methods: The rationale and protocol for a cluster-design randomised controlled trial (RCT) of a semi-automated telephone intervention for the management of CHF, the Chronic Heart-failure Assistance by Telephone (CHAT) Study is described. Care is coordinated by trained cardiac nurses located in Heartline, the national call center of the National Heart Foundation of Australia in partnership with patients' general practitioners (GPs). Conclusions: The CHAT Study model represents …

An Assessment Of The Repetitive Manual Tasks Of Cleaners, Fiona Weigall, Katrina Simpson, Alison F. Bell, Lynn Kemp

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

WorkCover NSW established a Steering Committee to investigate musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in the cleaning industry following advice arising from the Workplace Safety Summtt 2002. In September 2004, Health & Safety Matters Pty Ltd was appointed to undertake research into this area, with a focus on conducting an assessment of the upper limbs demands of repetttive cleaning ta~ks, and to provide advice on reducing the risk of MSDs. The objectives of the project were to: 1. explore the impact of upper limb musculoskeletal disorder injuries amongst cleaners; 2. describe the physical and work organisational demands of the upper limb work in …