Australian Journal of Advanced Nursing : a Quarterly Publication of the Royal Australian Nursing Federation

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OBJECTIVE: The aim of this paper is to contribute to pertinent discussions regarding advanced practice nursing roles. In particular discussion will focus on the potential implications for the developing nurse ractitioner (NP) role on the existing clinical nurse specialist (CNS) roles. SETTING: The literature presented originates primarily from the United States of America (USA), United Kingdom and Australia. Specific emphasis is placed on the psychiatric/mental health nursing context...

INTRODUCTION: Painful medical procedures are the major sources of distress among children; and for those with chronic diseases, the procedure-related pain can be worse than that of the illness itself. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study was to determine the effect of local refrigeration prior to venipuncture on pain-related responses in school-age children. DESIGN: Quasi-experimental study. SETTING: This study was undertaken in a paediatric emergency ward of a paediatric centre...

BACKGROUND: The critical role of research in nursing practice is the application of nursing theories to discover new knowledge. This study uses King's interacting systems framework and theory of goal attainment to investigate the effectiveness of implementing clinical pathways for patients undergoing transurethral resection of prostate (TURP) at Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH), Pakistan. OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of the implementation of a clinical pathway for the surgical procedure of TURP on clinical quality, cost, and patient and staff satisfaction...

OBJECTIVE: The main purpose of this study was to examine the preceptorship relationship between students' and mental health nurses' in the mental health setting. DESIGN: This study used a qualitative research design: grounded theory. This type of research method was deemed appropriate due to the limited knowledge of preceptorship in mental health. SETTING: One metropolitan area mental health service (AMHS) in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia agreed to participate in this study...

BACKGROUND: Despite a high community smoking rate, few investigations of tobacco usage among Japanese nurses have been conducted in rural areas, particularly those in the southern islands. AIM: The aim of this research was to investigate the epidemiology of tobacco smoking among a previously understudied group of rural Japanese nurses. DESIGN: A self-reporting questionnaire was adapted from previous investigations and distributed to a complete cross-section of 1162 nurses from a large teaching hospital in southern Japan (response rate: 74...

OBJECTIVE: To review the published scientific literature for studies quantifying or examining factors associated with the attrition of undergraduate nursing students in pre-registration programs and the retention of graduate nurses in the workforce. METHODS: The following selection criteria were used to systematically search the literature: target populations were either students in pre-registration nursing programs or registered nurses in their graduate year; the studies were to be primary observational or analytical (cross-sectional, case-control or prospective cohort studies) in design; and outcome measures were attrition in undergraduate programs and/or retention of graduates within the workforce...

BACKGROUND: Palliative care has emerged as a specialist discipline in the past 25 years. However in relation to acute hospitals, a sense exists that patients who are receiving end of life care may not experience support which fully reflects appropriate palliative care management. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to analyse the end of life care received by patients in the acute wards of a busy teaching hospital. DESIGN: Retrospective analysis using multiple methods including: case note auditing and interviews of key staff was used to determine the quality of end of life support provided to an opportunistic sample of patients who died in acute care wards...

OBJECTIVE: Clinical educators in nursing perform a crucial role in facilitating effective learning for students of nursing. They have the potential to act as a catalysing agent for learning--motivating students to make links between theory and practice, moving students safely from the known to the unknown, developing clinical skills and reflective practice. Whilst their role is extremely important, clinical educators in Australia are undervalued and under-supported. They are isolated and fragmented, and lack a unifying professional body and infrastructure to assist them in education, research and practice development...

OBJECTIVE: In view of the evidence that general nurses have difficulty in caring for patients experiencing mental health problems, the aim of this study was to explore and describe the subjective experience of nurses in providing care for this client group. DESIGN: A grounded theory approach was used. The data were collected via semi-structured individual interviews and analysed using the constant comparative method. SETTING: The study was conducted with nurses from general health care settings that provide medical and surgical care and treatment...

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OBJECTIVE: To highlight the registration issues for nurses who wish to practice nationally, particularly those practicing within the telehealth sector. DESIGN: As part of a national clinical research study, applications were made to every state and territory for mutual recognition of nursing registration and fee waiver for telenursing cross border practice for a period of three years. These processes are described using a case study approach. OUTCOME: The aim of this case study was to achieve registration in every state and territory of Australia without paying multiple fees by using mutual recognition provisions and the cross-border fee waiver policy of the nurse regulatory authorities in order to practice telenursing...

AIM: This paper reviews the nursing research literature on chronic pain in the older person living in the community and suggests areas for future research. BACKGROUND: Chronic pain is a pervasive and complex problem that is difficult to treat appropriately. Nurses managing chronic pain in older people in domiciliary/home/community nursing settings face many challenges. To provide care, the many parameters of chronic pain which include the physical as well as the psycho-social impact and the effect of pain on patients and their families, must be carefully assessed...

OBJECTIVE: To improve access to clinical information for nurses and doctors providing after hours community palliative care in a regional Australian setting. DESIGN: This was an action research project designed to improve collation and distribution of succinct, pertinent and timely information about unstable palliative care patients to nurses and general practitioners (GPs) involved in after hours care. Each week day, each patient's purpose-designed single-page information sheet was updated on the community palliative care service computers...

AIM: To investigate women's perceptions of the contribution of cardiac rehabilitation to their recovery from a myocardial infarction. BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Cardiac rehabilitation programs have been based on research with almost exclusively male participants. It was unclear if cardiac rehabilitation programs meet the needs of women. METHOD: Ten women who had experienced one or more myocardial infarctions were interviewed. Data from these interviews were analysed using Glaserian grounded theory...

OBJECTIVE: To describe the experiences of culturally diverse family members who make the decision to stay with their relatives in acute care wards. DESIGN: A qualitative descriptive study. SETTING: Medical and surgical wards in an acute care hospital with a 70% non-English speaking background patient population. SUBJECTS: Eight culturally diverse family members who stayed with their hospitalised relatives for at least four shifts or the equivalent hours...

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to conduct research to inform the development of standards for nurse practitioner education in Australia and New Zealand and to contribute to the international debate on nurse practitioner practice. SETTING: The research was conducted in all states of Australia where the nurse practitioner is authorised and in New Zealand. SUBJECTS: The research was informed by multiple data sources including nurse practitioner program curricula documents from all relevant universities in Australia and New Zealand, interviews with academic convenors of these programs and interviews with nurse practitioners...

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BACKGROUND: Nurse leaders in Fiji are currently involved in meeting the challenges of being at the forefront of an AusAID supported Health Sector Improvement process. Fiji is experiencing the same shortages of health professionals (including nurses) as is occurring internationally, while simultaneously striving to improve the quality of its health services. PRIMARY ARGUMENT: This paper provides information about the current situation in relation to health services in Fiji, and describes strategies being undertaken by the nurse leaders of Fiji to meet the challenge of leading an exciting reform process...

BACKGROUND: Advances in outpatient and supportive care and increased pressure on hospital bed usage has led to the investigation of hospital in the home (HITH) management following autologous haematologous stem cell transplantation (AutoHSCT) for patients with multiple myeloma or lymphoma. DESIGN: The Newcastle Mater Hospital Haematology Unit together with the Mater Acute Care Community Service (MACCS) developed a protocol for HITH care following AutoHSCT. OUTCOMES: Clinical outcomes of the protocol were audited: 40% (13) of patients were suitable candidates for HITH care post transplantation...