The Perioperative Nurse Surgeon's Assistant: Issues and challenges associated with this emerging advanced practice nursing role in Australia.

Aims: The aim of this study was to obtain Perioperative Nurse Surgeon's Assistants' views about their emerging new role in contemporary nursing practice in Australia.

Background: Internationally advanced practice nursing has led to a range of specialist roles aimed at delivering higher quality, efficient nursing care. In 2005 an Australian university developed the Perioperative Nurse Surgeon's Assistant graduate education and training program to provide nurses with an opportunity to gain advanced practice knowledge and extended skills specifically in the perioperative setting.

The 2013 Australian dietary guidelines and recommendations for older Australians.

Background: Dietary guidelines are designed to assist people to make appropriate food choices to reduce their risk of diet-related diseases. In 2013, the Australian Dietary Guidelines were updated and now includes food group recommendations for two groups of older Australians (51-70 years and 70+ years), where previously only one older age group existed (60+ years).

Objective: The aim of this article is to raise awareness among general practitioners (GPs) about the latest Australian Dietary Guidelines and to identify relevant resources that will help GPs provide up-to-date dietary advice for older patients.

Factors that impact residents' transition and psychological adjustment to long-term aged care: a systematic literature review.

Aim: To identify the factors that impact residents' transition and adjustment to long-term aged care and influence their relocation experience.

Background: The transition to long-term aged care can be an emotional and stressful event for older people as well as their families and carers. The challenges triggered by relocation derive from home being on the move.

Patients' recollection and understanding of informed consent: a literature review.

Objective: To explore patients' recollection and understanding of the proposed medical procedures for which they have consented.

Methods: Six databases were searched from January 1995 to March 2013 for articles using the MeSH terms 'informed consent', 'patients' and 'comprehension', and the free text search term 'patient understanding'. This search identified 354 articles.

Older Australians' views about the impact of ageing on their nutritional practices: findings from a qualitative study.

Aim: To explore older people's views about how getting older has influenced their dietary practices.

Methods: Focus groups with independently living residents aged 60 years and older in northern NSW, Australia. An inductive approach to thematic analysis was used.

Focus group interviews with older Australians to explore their awareness of the national age-adjusted dietary recommendations and their suggestions for assisting them to meet these dietary targets.

Promoting a healthy, nutritious diet is central to the goal of assisting individuals to age well. This study used focus groups to explore older people's awareness of the current age-adjusted nutrient recommendations and age-adjusted core food groups, and to capture their views about these dietary guidelines. Thematic analysis was applied to aggregate data into categories of frequently occurring responses.

Effective leadership, teamwork and mentoring--essential elements in promoting generational cohesion in the nursing workforce and retaining nurses.

Despite recent increases in nurse recruitment in Australia, the current nursing workforce is still below the predicted numbers for the future demands. The combination of an ageing workforce, high nursing staff turnover and an inability to attract and retain nurses is eroding the capacity of the health care sector to appropriately respond to the care needs of the community. Currently, the nursing workforce may have as many as four generations working together.

Effects of person-centered care on residents and staff in aged-care facilities: a systematic review.

Background: Several residential aged-care facilities have replaced the institutional model of care to one that accepts person-centered care as the guiding standard of practice. This culture change is impacting the provision of aged-care services around the world. This systematic review evaluates the evidence for an impact of person-centered interventions on aged-care residents and nursing staff.

Creating the conditions for self-fulfilment for aged care residents.

In 1991 the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Principles for Older Persons as a framework for international policy responses to population ageing. These principles promote independence, participation, care, self-fulfilment and dignity as legitimate entitlements of all older people. Although these principles, or variations of them, are embedded in standards of best-practice in residential aged care facilities, the literature shows that in reality institutional care can deny older people opportunities to exercise some of these entitlements.

Action learning enhances professional development of research supervisors: an Australian health science exemplar.

The worldwide academic workforce is ageing. At the same time, health and human services workforces are expanding. The preparation of educators to fill gaps in expertise and to position the health sciences for future growth is an urgent need.

The management of loneliness in aged care residents: an important therapeutic target for gerontological nursing.

Social engagement and meaningful relationships are critical determinants of the quality of life of older people. Human beings have an intrinsic need for social connections and an engagement with the social environment. Deficits in the quality of these social relationships lead to feelings of isolation and loneliness in older people.

Establishing the Eden Alternative™ in Australia and New Zealand.

The Eden Alternative™ is a philosophy of personal, organisational and environmental transformation founded by Dr. William Thomas, a Harvard trained geriatrician. He wanted to create a living environment in existing aged care institutions to eliminate loneliness, helplessness and boredom from the lives of residents, which he argued were the plagues of ageing that account for the bulk of their suffering.

Treating primary insomnia - the efficacy of valerian and hops.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of valerian and hops in the treatment of primary insomnia.

Methods: The AMED and MEDLINE databases were searched for primary sources of literature published between 1950 and 2009, using keywords: herbal medicine, medicinal plants, herbal, Valeriana officinalis, valerian, Humulus lupulus, hops, sleep, insomnia. Studies were included if they evaluated the efficacy of valerian or hops in improving primary insomnia in adults: sixteen studies met the inclusion criteria.

Enhancing resilience in registered aged care nurses.

Aim: To identify the factors that impact the resilience of registered aged care nurses, that is their capacity to adapt to the physical, mental and emotional demands of working in aged care facilities.

Method: This study explored the lived experience of nine registered nurses working in residential aged care facilities on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, who were asked to reflect on the phenomenon of resilience in the workplace.

Results: This study found that clinical expertise, a sense of purpose in a holistic care environment, a positive attitude and work-life balance are important determinants of resilience in aged care nurses.

Predictors of dietary and health supplement use in older Australians.

Objective: This study aimed to identify the health conditions and symptoms that predicted dietary and health supplement use in older Australians.

Design: Almost 2,500 Australians aged 65 years and over were randomly selected from the 2000 Australian Electoral Commission roll. All states and territories were proportionally represented in the sample.

Why are elderly individuals at risk of nutritional deficiency?

The older population is the single largest demographic group at disproportionate risk of inadequate diet and malnutrition. Ageing is associated with a decline in a number of physiological functions that can impact nutritional status, including reduced lean body mass and a resultant decrease in basal metabolic rate, decreased gastric secretion of digestive juices and changes in the oral cavity, sensory function deficits, changes in fluid and electrolyte regulation and chronic illness. Medication, hospitalization and other social determinants also can contribute to nutritional inadequacy.

Health characteristics of older Australian dietary supplement users compared to non-supplement users.

The aim of this study was to measure the prevalence of dietary and health supplement use among Australians aged 65 years and over, and to contrast the health differences between supplement users and non-supplement users. Data was obtained from 1,263 randomly selected older Australians, who provided general demographic data, in addition to information related to their health, symptoms experienced and uses of medication, including dietary supplements. Supplement use was reported by 43% of the sample (52% of females and 35% of males).

Wading through the quagmire: making sense of dietary supplement utilization.

Since the 1980s, numerous studies conducted in the United States have attempted to estimate the prevalence of supplement use among the population (e.g., the National Health and Nutrition Survey and the National Health Interview Surveys).