Doctor's Perceptions of the Systemic Influences on Advance Care Plan Application: A Thematic Analysis.

Context: Healthcare consumers are encouraged to develop an Advance Care Plan (ACP) to help to ensure their preferences are known and respected. However, the role of governing systems in the application of ACPs must be understood if patients' voices (expressed within this medium) are to be heard.

Objective: To explore systemic barriers influencing Queensland public hospital doctors' application of the Advance Care Plans of hospitalized people with a neurodegenerative disorder.

Multidisciplinary Clinicians and the Relational Autonomy of Persons with Neurodegenerative Disorders and an Advance Care Plan: A Thematic Analysis.

Introduction: People diagnosed with neurodegenerative disorders often grapple with threats to their agency, prompting some to engage in advance care planning. Advance care plans are intended to protect autonomy by helping patients receive goal-consistent healthcare. Accordingly, there is a need to better understand factors associated with hospital doctors' application of advance care plans to treatment decisions of this patient cohort.

Advance Care Plans and the Potentially Conflicting Interests of Bedside Patient Agents: A Thematic Analysis.

Aim: People diagnosed with a neurodegenerative disorder often contend with a threat to independence and control, leading some to complete an advance care plan. Advance care plans are commonly associated with treatment limitations; however, key patient agents (such as doctors, allied health, nurses and family) may instead make temporal, best interests or good medical practice decisions on behalf of the patient. Accordingly, there is a need to better understand ancillary decision-maker's perspectives, particularly of doctors.

Factors Which Influence Hospital Doctors' Advance Care Plan Adherence.

Context: Advances in medicine have seen changes in mortality in Western countries. Simultaneously, countries such as Australia, Canada, U.S.

Validation of the Kimberley Indigenous Cognitive Assessment short form (KICA-screen) for telehealth.

Introduction: Studies show Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are at increased risk of dementia. Whilst there have been several studies evaluating the use of telehealth for improving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health outcomes, and studies validating telehealth dementia screening tools for the wider community, none have addressed the pressing need for culturally appropriate telehealth dementia screening for this at-risk population. The aim of the study was to examine the utility of using a culturally appropriate dementia screening tool (KICA-screen) in a telehealth setting.

Facing the times: A young onset dementia support group: Facebook™ style.

Young onset dementia accounts for up to 1 in 10 dementia diagnoses. Those diagnosed face premature transition into the realm of aged care services and adjustment to an illness of ageing prior to age 65. To help elicit communication of the perceived psychosocial needs of this group, provide a platform to gain peer support and advocate for increased awareness, the Young Onset Dementia Support Group was established on the social networking site, Facebook™ .

Managing dementia-related cognitive decline in patients and their caregivers.

Background: There are over 332 000 Australians living with dementia. On average, families notice symptoms 3 years before a firm diagnosis is made. These symptoms are chronic and typically progressive and terminal.

Improving nursing management of patients with diabetes using an action research approach.

Nurses in an acute hospital implemented an action research process supporting changes to the assessment and management of acutely ill patients admitted with diabetes and other co-morbidities. An audit of practice identified inaccurate documentation and uncoordinated care that included inflexible protocols for blood glucose level (BGL) assessment and administration of insulin, unrelated to patients' meals and snacks, that in some instances resulted in hypoglycemic episodes. Specialist nurses and ward staff collaborated to improve practice by increasing nurses' knowledge of insulin and by designing and trialing a blood glucose monitoring form that enabled a more individualised approach to patient care.