Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Homelessness Research: Shaping Policy And Practice, Now And Into The Future, Dennis P. Culhane, Vince R. Kane, Mark Johnston

Dennis P. Culhane

Social Media Experiments: Scholarly Practice And Collegiality, Chris Gibson, Leah Gibbs

Chris Gibson

We draw out and seek to build on two key insights in Kitchin et al. (2013), namely the possibilities of social media for transforming knowledge production practices and for generating new spaces of collegiality and communality. Most promising are capacities to shape the terms of academic labour and to disrupt binaries of core/periphery, research/impact and academic/public.

Social Media Experiments: Scholarly Practice And Collegiality, Chris Gibson, Leah Gibbs

Leah Maree Gibbs

We draw out and seek to build on two key insights in Kitchin et al. (2013), namely the possibilities of social media for transforming knowledge production practices and for generating new spaces of collegiality and communality. Most promising are capacities to shape the terms of academic labour and to disrupt binaries of core/periphery, research/impact and academic/public.

Uptake Of Medicare Chronic Disease Items In Australia By General Practice Nurses And Aboriginal Health Workers, Elizabeth J. Halcomb, Patricia M. Davidson, Nicola Brown

Elizabeth Jane Halcomb Professor

The Australian health care system is currently in a state of reform and there is increasing pressure to provide care in community settings. Rising costs, demands and population ageing underscore the importance of adopting models of health care delivery to address changing epidemiological patterns. Population ageing and the increase of chronic conditions challenge models based on acute care. Changes to the Medicare benefits schedule have facilitated the development of a range of expanded nursing services in the general practice setting. In particular, item number 10997 was introduced to reimburse practice nurses and Aboriginal health workers (AHWs) for providing monitoring and …

Development Of A Clinician-Led Research Agenda For General Practice Nurses, Elizabeth J. Halcomb, Louise Hickman

Elizabeth Jane Halcomb Professor

Objective: This study sought to identify and prioritise research issues as perceived by Australian general practice nurses. In this context, a research priority refers to the most pressing research problems that necessitate exploration to improve clinical practice. Design: This paper reports the findings of a two-round Delphi study. Initially, focus groups identified research issues. Subsequently, an online survey facilitated ranking of these issues on a 5-point Likert scale. Setting: Australian general practices. Subjects: Twenty-five practice nurses participated in the focus groups and 145 practice nurses responded to an online survey. Main outcome measure(s): The main outcome measure was the prioritisation …

Practice Nurses Experiences Of Mentoring Undergraduate Nursing Students In Australian General Practice, Elizabeth J. Halcomb, Kathleen Peters, Susan Mcinnes

Elizabeth Jane Halcomb Professor

Internationally, the delivery of health services has shifted from secondary to primary care, necessitating an exponential growth of the nursing workforce and expansion of the nursing role in general practice. This growth, and the subsequent need to develop this workforce, has created a need to expose undergraduate nurses to general practice nursing as a viable career option. Concurrently, universities are struggling to find sufficient clinical places for their undergraduate students to gain clinical experience. It is logical, therefore, to increase the number of undergraduate nursing student placements in general practice. Through qualitative research methods, this paper seeks to explore the …

A Qualitative Evaluation Of New Zealand Consumers Perceptions Of General Practice Nurses, Elizabeth J. Halcomb, Kath Peters, Deborah Davies

Elizabeth Jane Halcomb Professor

Background An important consideration in health service delivery is ensuring that services meet consumer needs and that consumers are satisfied with service delivery. Patient satisfaction can impact on compliance with suggested treatments and therefore impact on health outcomes. Comparatively few studies have explored consumer satisfaction with nurses in general practice. Methods A sub-group of 18 consumers from a larger quantitative evaluation of consumer satisfaction with New Zealand general practice nurses participated in semi-structured telephone interviews. Interview data was analysed using thematic analysis. Results Four major themes emerged from the data. These themes highlighted that, despite confusion experienced by some consumers …

Clinical Placements In General Practice: Relationships Between Practice Nurses And Tertiary Institutions, Kath Peters, Elizabeth J. Halcomb, Susan Mcinnes

Elizabeth Jane Halcomb Professor

As a practice-based discipline a key component of undergraduate nurse education is clinical practice experience. The quality of clinical experiences has a significant impact on the students' ability to function competently post graduation. The relationship between higher education institutions (HEIs) and health service placement providers impacts upon the quality of clinical placements. In Australia, the growth of primary care nursing and the shortage of acute clinical places has prompted HEIs to explore the placement of students in general practice. Given the increasing attention being paid to non-traditional clinical placements, it is timely to explore how universities are establishing relationships and …

Quit In General Practice: A Cluster Randomised Trial Of Enhanced In-Practice Support For Smoking Cessation, Nicholas Arnold Zwar, Robyn Richmond, Elizabeth Halcomb, John Furler, Julie Smith, Oshana Hermiz, Irene Blackberry, Ron Borland

Elizabeth Jane Halcomb Professor

Background This study will test the uptake and effectiveness of a flexible package of smoking cessation support provided primarily by the practice nurse (PN) and tailored to meet the needs of a diversity of patients. Methods/Design This study is a cluster randomised trial, with practices allocated to one of three groups 1) Quit with Practice Nurse 2) Quitline referral 3) GP usual care. PNs from practices randomised to the intervention group will receive a training course in smoking cessation followed by access to mentoring. GPs from practices randomised to the Quitline referral group will receive information about the study and …

Teaching Thesis Writing, Policy And Practice At An Australian University, Janice Skillen, Emily Purser

Emily R Purser

As an indicator of serious engagement in an academic discourse, thesis writing enjoys universal recognition. While its importance in higher education is unquestioned, the need to teach students how to write a thesis (let alone what method to use) has been less generally accepted. In Australia, explicit instruction in thesis writing was rare until quite recently, but is now widespread and becoming almost mandatory. This paper briefly explains the shift and describes how the teaching of thesis writing is approached at the University of Wollongong. UoW’s major provider of academic skills instruction – Learning Development – supports student learning across …

Teaching Academic Literacy: Testing The Transferability Of Sound Pedagogic Practice, Emily Purser, Janice Skillen

Emily R Purser

No abstract provided.

Good Practice Guidelines: Leading Teaching Teams, Alisa Percy, Gerry Lefoe, Jeannette Stirling, Rosemary Beaumont, Kathy Rudkin

Jeannette Stirling

1.The University of Wollongong is committed to providing an excellent teaching and learning experience for its staff and students. The University recognises that: a. the leadership of the Subject Coordinator can facilitate the development of a community of practice; b. an effective community of practice can result in a significant reduction in the overall time required for effective subject coordination; c. communities of practice entail a culture of respect, participatory engagement and collegiality where teaching and teachers are valued; d. teaching teams inspire teachers when they function as communities of practice; and e. the teaching team is a key site …

Concepts Of Divine Action For A Theistic Approach To Psychology, Brent S. Melling

Theses and Dissertations

Recent years have seen increased interest in using theism (the perspective that assumes that God is currently actively in the world) as a conceptual framework for scientific inquiry. This interest has built particular momentum in psychology where several scholars have expressed that traditional naturalistic approaches limit understanding and investigation of psychology's subject matter and thus are insufficient to fully account for human phenomena. Others have previously made the case for the consideration of theism as a legitimate alternative basis for psychological theory, research, and practice. This dissertation begins with that consideration and examines what would be required to move a …

Ward Rounds: Developing A Collaborative Best Practice Model Of Interdisciplinary Teaching For Multidisciplinary Practice, Patrea Andersen, Noel Tait, Kenneth Walsh, Pauline Gaetani, Alison Jones, Angela Brown

Alison L Jones

Ward rounds are an everyday occurrence in clinical practice. They provide the means for assessing patient care needs and communicating these within a multidisciplinary team. The literature demonstrates poor ward round practice contributes to poor patient care outcomes (O'Hare, 2008). Garling (2008) identifies that there is a need to change current practise and facilitate more effective interdisciplinary communication. This presentation reports collaborative research between The Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District (ISL HD) and The University of Wollongong. Using a Practice Development methodology, the aim of the research is to develop and test a best practice model for conducting ward rounds …

Do Australian Adolescent Female Fake Tan (Sunless Tan) Users Practice Better Sun-Protection Behaviors Than Non-Users?, Melinda Williams, Sandra C. Jones, Peter Caputi, Donald C. Iverson

Sandra Jones

Objective: To determine differences in sun-protection behaviours, and incidence of sunburn, between Australian adolescent female fake tan users and non-users. Design: Cross sectional survey. Method: 398 adolescent females aged 12 to 18 years participated in a survey at public venues, schools, and online. The main outcome measures were self-reported fake tan usage in the past 12 months, frequency of sunburns and habitual sun-protection behaviours. Setting: Surveys were completed in New South Wales, Australia. Results: The prevalence of self-reported use of fake tanning products in the past 12 months among Australian adolescent females was 34.5%. Female fake tan users were significantly …

Non-Advertising Alcohol Promotions In Licensed Premises: Does The Code Of Practice Ensure Responsible Promotion Of Alcohol?, Sandra C. Jones, Melissa Lynch

Sandra Jones

Introduction and Aims. Binge drinking is a major public health issue in Australia, particularly among young people. There has been a considerable focus on alcohol advertising, among both researchers and policy makers, resulting in efforts to bring about some level of regulation of unacceptable advertising practices. However - despite the existence of a Code of Practice for Responsible Promotion of Liquor Products which provides 'a framework of practices which are considered acceptable and reasonable' for licensed premises - there are few, if any, data on the nature and extent of promotions which could arguably fall under either 'acceptable' or 'unacceptable' …

Cultural Continuity In A Nipmuc Landscape, Joseph Bagley

Graduate Masters Theses

This thesis examines the lithic assemblage from the 2005-2012 field seasons at the Sarah Boston site in Grafton, Massachusetts. The Sarah Boston site is associated with a multi-generational Nipmuc family living on the site during the late 18th through early 19th centuries. In total, 163 lithic artifacts, primarily quartz flakes and cores, were found throughout the site with concentrations north of a house foundation associated with the Nipmuc family. Reworked gunflints and worked glass were examined as examples of lithic practice associated with artifacts that are conclusively datable to the period after European arrival. Presence of quartz artifacts in an …

Optimizing The Value Of Public Health Services: Lessons From Research & Practice, Glen P. Mays

Health Management and Policy Presentations

Expanding the delivery of efficacious public health programs and policies holds considerable potential for improving population health and constraining the growth in health care spending. Achieving such expansions efficiently, particularly in low-resource settings, requires careful attention to interorganizational and intergovernmental relationships in public health delivery.

Information Literacy:, Sharon A. Weiner

Libraries Faculty and Staff Presentations

This presentation was given at the University of South Carolina on March 22, 2013. It is a review of the state of research, policy, and practice in information literacy.

Awareness And Beliefs Regarding Intimate Partner Violence Among First-Year Dental Students, Rhonda J. Everett, Karl Kingsley, Christina A. Demopoulos, Edward E. Herschaft, Christine Lamun, Sheniz Moonie, Timothy J. Bungum, Michelle Chino

Environmental & Occupational Health Faculty Publications

Intimate partner violence (IPV) may affect one to four million individuals per year in the United States, with women accounting for the majority of both reported and unreported cases. Dental professionals are in a unique position to identify many types of IPV because injuries to the head and neck may be indicators or predictors of IPV abuse. Fewer than half of dental programs surveyed have reported having IPV-specific curricula, and most dental students surveyed have reported having little experience or training to recognize IPV. Based on this information, this pilot study sought to assess the awareness and beliefs regarding IPV …

The Case Study Methodology In Place Management Research And Practice, Gregory Kerr, Gary Noble, John Glynn

John J Glynn

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to assist those in the relatively new field of place management to undertake sound and appropriate research for which there is a current need. Approach: This paper identifies and provides an interpretation of key terms associated with research in the social and behavioural sciences and then recommends the case study methodology as being appropriate for research in place management. Findings: Based on a review of the literature this paper offers a viewpoint about the meaning and application of the terms ‘methodology’, ‘methods,’ ‘ways’, ‘strategies’ and ‘approaches’ when they are applied to research. Research …

A Multifaceted Approach To Distributed Communities Of Learning And Practice, Helen Hasan, Kate Crawford

Helen Hasan

In the electronic age, locally-driven regeneration of the concept of community could be enabled by a flexible, multifaceted model where new information and communication technologies are the catalyst. However technology, no matter how advanced, is far from providing the complete answer and it is essential to take an integrated socio-technical approach to this issue. This paper reports on two cases that are part of ongoing research into distributed communities, framing them as phases of an activity system in expansive learning cycles in the context of a program of innoyatiye learning. This research d!monstrates that such communities are viable. with a …

Skill Acquisition And The Influence Of Attentional Focus And Practice, Alison Beth Regal

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open

Attentional focus and practice schedules are important components in learning a new skill. For attention this includes focusing inward or outward, for practice this includes interference between tasks. Little is known about how the two interact. Four groups; blocked/extraneous (BE); blocked/skill-focused (BS); random/extraneous (RE); and random/skill-focused (RS), practiced 100 trials of golf putting and 64 trials of a key-pressing task in addition to responding to a random tone distracting attention towards or away from skill movement. Participants performed immediate and delayed retention tests. Results demonstrated the BE group had decreased RTE scores compared to the BS group. Immediate retention demonstrated …

Ethical Practice In Learning Through Participation: Showcasing And Evaluating The Pace Ethical Practice Module, Michaela Baker, Alison Beale, Laura Ann Hammersley, Kate Lloyd, Anne-Louise Semple, Karolyn L. White

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

In 2008, Macquarie University instituted the Participation and Community Engagement (PACE) initiative. This initiative embeds units in the curriculum that involve learning through participation (LTP) that is mutually beneficial to the student, the University and the organisation or community in which student participation activities take place. Ethical practice is thus an integral part of this initiative. The issue of ethical practice in LTP 'has not been comprehensively addressed in the literature to date' and warrants further examination. This paper discusses the development of the innovative PACE Ethical Practice Module to teach ethical practice in participation units. We evaluate the effectiveness …

Practice Nurses And Sexual Health Care: Enhancing Team Care Within General Practice, Penny Abbott, Ann Dadich, Hassan Hosseinzadeh, Melissa Kang, Wendy Hu, Chris Bourne, Carolyn Murray, Jenny Reath

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background: Collaboration between general practitioners (GPs) and practice nurses (PNs) can enhance health care delivery. However, despite evidenced shortfalls in general practice-based sexual health care, the PN role in sexual health appears underdeveloped. Evaluation of New South Wales Sexually Transmissible Infections Programs Unit GP Project provided an opportunity to canvass views of GPs and PNs regarding PNs and sexual health care. Methods: A purposively sampled group of 10 PNs and nine GPs were interviewed. Interviews were transcribed and analysed thematically. Results: The extent and nature of PN-GP teamwork in sexual health care was variable, influenced largely by GP recognition and …

Practice Nurses And Sexual Health Care - Enhancing Team Care Within General Practice, Penny Abbott, Ann Dadich, Hassan Hosseinzadeh, Melissa Kang, Wendy Hu, Chris Bourne, Carolyn Murray, Jenny Reath

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Aims & rationale/Objectives Despite a high prevalence of sexually transmissible infections (STIs) and evidenced shortfalls in Australian general practice STI screening, practice nurse (PN) roles in sexual healthcare appear underdeveloped. The evaluation of the NSW STI Programs Unit (STIPU) GP Project provided opportunity to canvass the views of general practitioners (GPs) and PNs regarding PN roles in sexual healthcare. Methods As part of a broader evaluation of resources developed through the STIPU GP project, survey respondents were invited to participate in interviews exploring their views on how to support and increase the delivery of sexual health care in general practice. …

Risky Business: Do Private Practice And Clinical Placement Make A Happy Partnership?, Angela Douglas

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

Abstract of paper presented at the 2013 Exercise & Sports Science Australia Business Forum, 18-19 May, Wollongong, Australia.

The Influence Of Longitudinal Integrated Clerkships On Clinical Scholarship In Regional And Rural Communities Of Practice, Kathryn M. Weston, Judith Nicky Hudson

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

All senior medical students at the University of Wollongong undertake a longitudinal integrated community-based cle rkship, supervised by experienced generalist practitioners (GPs) in a regional or ru ral community. Prior to the first clerkship, GP preceptors predicted outcomes from their relationship with the long-term students, including a more scholarly approach to clinical pract ice. This prompted exploration of preceptor post·clerkship perceptions In the light of Grigsby and Tl10rndykes (2011) recent working definition of dlnical scholarship in academic medicine.

Addressing The Deficiencies In The Evidence-Base For Primary Practice In Regional Australia - Sentinel Practices Data Sourcing (Spds) Project: A Pilot Study, Abhijeet Ghosh, Karen E. Charlton, Lisa Girdo, Marijka J. Batterham, Keith Mcdonald

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

Background Chronic disease risk on a population level can be quantified through health surveys, either continuous or periodic. To date, information gathered from primary care interactions, using sentinel sites, has not been investigated as a potentially valuable surveillance system in Australia.

Methods A pilot study was conducted in a single General Practice in a regional area of New South Wales, Australia to assess the feasibility of accessing data obtained through a computerised chronic disease management program that has been designed for desktop application (Pen Computer Systems (PCS) Clinical Audit Tool: ™ PCS CAT). Collated patient data included information on chronic …

Culturally And Linguistically Diverse General Practitioners' Utilisation Of Practice Nurses, Elizabeth J. Halcomb, Yenna Salamonson, Melissa Cooper, Jennifer L. Clauson, Lien Lombardo

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

Background Practice nurses are primarily employed by general practitioners, however little is known about the barriers to practice nurse employment from the perspective of general practitioners (GPs). Aim This paper seeks to explore solo, culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) general practitioners' perceptions of the practice nurse role, and to identify the barriers and facilitators of these doctors employing nurses within their practice. Methods A descriptive study, using semi-structured interviews, was conducted from July to August 2010. Participants were CALD GPs working as solo practitioners who were members of a Division of General Practice in South Western Sydney. Quantitative data were …