Registered nurse scope of practice in Australia: an integrative review of the literature.

The nursing profession comprises Australia's largest regulated health workforce yet its practice boundaries are poorly understood. The ambiguity surrounding the practice scope of nurses limits the profession's ability to fully respond to Australia's current and emerging health system challenges. The aim of this review is to explore the concept of scope of practice of registered nurses (RN) in Australia, as reflected in contemporary literature.

Is population flow an unintended consequence of alcohol management plans?

Aims And Objectives: The aim of this study was to gauge whether, and to what extent, population flow occurred as a result of the implementation of alcohol management plans in Indigenous communities.

Background: Alcohol management plans involving carriage limits and dry places were introduced into 15 Queensland Indigenous communities between 2002-2004. Controls on alcohol availability were further tightened between 2008-2010, seeing the closure of eight mainly remote community taverns/canteens.

Incidence, risk factors and the healthcare cost of falls postdischarge after elective total hip and total knee replacement surgery: protocol for a prospective observational cohort study.

Introduction: The number of major joint replacement procedures continues to increase in Australia. The primary aim of this study is to determine the incidence of falls in the first 12 months after discharge from hospital in a cohort of older patients who undergo elective total hip or total knee replacement.

Methods And Analyses: A prospective longitudinal observational cohort study starting in July 2015, enrolling patients aged ≥60 years who are admitted for elective major joint replacement (n=267 total hip replacement, n=267 total knee replacement) and are to be discharged to the community.

Culturally capable and culturally safe: Caseload care for Indigenous women by Indigenous midwifery students.

Background: Evidence is emerging of the benefits to students of providing continuity of midwifery care as a learning strategy in midwifery education, however little is known about the value of this strategy for midwifery students.

Aim: To explore Indigenous students' perceptions of providing continuity of midwifery care to Indigenous women whilst undertaking a Bachelor of Midwifery.

Methods: Indigenous Bachelor of Midwifery students' experiences of providing continuity of midwifery care to Indigenous childbearing women were explored within an Indigenous research approach using a narrative inquiry framework.

Using a community of inquiry framework to teach a nursing and midwifery research subject: An evaluative study.

Background: Postgraduate nursing students' negative perceptions about a core research subject at an Australian university led to a revision and restructure of the subject using a Communities of Inquiry framework. Negative views are often expressed by nursing and midwifery students about the research process. The success of evidence-based practice is dependent on changing these views.

How Well Do We Understand Health Care Professionals' Perceptions and Needs in the Provision of Palliative Care? A Mixed Methods Study.

Objectives: Despite palliative care being standard for patients with chronic and/or life-limiting conditions, a perceived lack of clarity regarding the definition and scope of palliative care persists. We aimed to identify health care professionals' (HCPs) perspectives, education, and support needs related to palliative care provision in a large private Australian tertiary hospital.

Methods: A validated survey was administered and four focus groups were conducted with multidisciplinary HCPs.

A prospective comparison of times to presentation and treatment of regional and remote head and neck patients in North Queensland, Australia.

Background/aim: This study aims to examine differences between outer regional (OR) and remote/very remote (RVR) patients in northern Queensland, Australia in the times taken to receive various aspects of head and neck cancer management.

Methods: Our study prospectively recruited head and neck cancer patients presenting to three North Queensland regional hospitals from January 2009 to January 2011. Data on demographic and cancer-specific details, comorbidities and timing of presentation to various services, were collected using a self-administered questionnaire that included two questions in relation to possible reason for delays to health services.

Students' perceptions of the use of eportfolios in nursing and midwifery education.

ePortfolios have been introduced into many higher education degrees in the past decade in an effort to help students to link theory, practice and personal experiences. This pilot study used a survey to examine ePortfolio use from the perspective of undergraduate nursing and postgraduate midwifery students. Fifty-seven students from a regional Australian university completed an online questionnaire which contained questions about the following areas of ePortfolio use: understanding of the tool; psychological perceptions; challenges around use; assessment; outcomes of use; benefits; maintenance of the ePortfolio; and enhanced learning.

Protocol for Care After Lymphoma (CALy) trial: a phase II pilot randomised controlled trial of a lymphoma nurse-led model of survivorship care.

Introduction: Lymphoma is the sixth most common cancer diagnosed in Australia and internationally. Owing to the aggressive nature of the disease and intensity of treatment, survivors face long-term effects that impact on quality of life. Current models of follow-up post-treatment fail to address these complex issues.

Effective pain management as part of palliative care for persons living with HIV/AIDS in a developing country: a qualitative study.

Aim And Objectives: The aim of this research was to explore and understand nurses' experiences of managing pain for persons living with human immune virus/ acquired immune deficiency syndrome receiving palliative care at home in Botswana.

Background: Community palliative and hospice care in Africa and Botswana were developed for persons with end-stage acquired immune deficiency syndrome and other terminal illnesses being cared for at home. As antiretro viral therapies extend the lives of persons living with human immune virus/acquired immune deficiency syndromes, there is an increase in the chronic conditions associated with human immune virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome.

Miscarriage in Australia: The geographical inequity of healthcare services.

Complications in early pregnancy can lead to pregnancy loss (miscarriage) and ultimately the presentation of a woman to their local emergency department (ED). Miscarriage is a common occurrence, with one in six pregnancies resulting in pregnancy loss.(1) Unfortunately medical and nursing care does not change the likelihood of a threatened miscarriage progressing to pregnancy loss; this is a highly emotional and stressful time for the woman and her family.

Preregistration student nurses' self-reported preparedness for practice before and after the introduction of a capstone subject.

Aims And Objectives: To assess changes in perceptions of confidence and preparedness for practice of preregistration nursing students before and after the introduction of a capstone subject, and factors associated with perceptions of preparedness.

Background: Preregistration nursing student 'readiness' or 'preparedness' for practice has been highlighted in the literature in recent years, along with employer concerns that university graduate nurses are not work ready. Few studies have examined Australian preregistration nursing students' perceptions of preparedness for clinical practice following their final clinical placement or assessed whether preregistration student nurses' perceptions of preparedness change as the result of undertaking a capstone subject.

Cross-sectional survey of the disaster preparedness of nurses across the Asia-Pacific region.

Healthcare workers who have received disaster preparedness education are more likely to report a greater understanding of disaster preparedness. However, research indicates that current nursing curricula do not adequately prepare nurses to respond to disasters. This is the first study to assess Asia-Pacific nurses' perceptions about their level of disaster knowledge, skills, and preparedness.

#Learning: The use of back channel technology in multi-campus nursing education.

This paper reports on the results of a study into the use of microblogging technology (TodaysMeet) in large, multi-site lectures in a nursing program. The aim of this study was to investigate students' use of the technology and their perceptions of its value in stimulating engagement in a complex learning environment. The study demonstrated that students like the anonymity that the technology provided, allowing them to ask questions without fear of appearing less competent than their peers.

Sleep Disorders in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People and Residents of Regional and Remote Australia.

Study Objectives: To compare the use of sleep diagnostic tests, the risks, and cofactors, and outcomes of the care of Indigenous and non-indigenous Australian adults in regional and remote Australia in whom sleep related breathing disorders have been diagnosed.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study of 200 adults; 100 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and 100 non-indigenous adults with a confirmed sleep related breathing disorder diagnosed prior to September 2011 at Alice Springs Hospital and Cairns Hospital, Australia.

Results: Results showed overall Indigenous Australians were 1.

Staff perceptions of palliative care in a public Australian, metropolitan emergency department.

Objective: The primary aim was to investigate staff experiences and attitudes towards palliative care provision in a public metropolitan ED.

Methods: Using a previously validated survey tool, data were collected from ED clinical staff using Likert-type, open-ended and dichotomous items asking about perceptions of palliative care and education needs. Comparisons were made between nursing and medical staff.

Teaching science content in nursing programs in Australia: a cross-sectional survey of academics.

Background: Professional nursing practice is informed by biological, social and behavioural sciences. In undergraduate pre-registration nursing programs, biological sciences typically include anatomy, physiology, microbiology, chemistry, physics and pharmacology. The current gap in the literature results in a lack of information about the content and depth of biological sciences being taught in nursing curricula.

Remote chemotherapy supervision model for rural cancer care: perspectives of health professionals.

Townsville Cancer Centre (TCC), a tertiary cancer centre in North Queensland, Australia, provides chemotherapy services to surrounding small rural towns using the Queensland Remote Chemotherapy Supervision model (QReCS). Under this model, selected chemotherapy regimens are administered in rural hospitals by rural based generalist doctors and nurses, under the supervision of TCC-based medical oncologists and chemotherapy competent nurses through videoconferencing. We sought to explore the perspectives of health professionals participating in QReCS.

Bowel management post major joint arthroplasty: results from a randomised controlled trial.

Aim: To evaluate the effect of a new post-operative bowel protocol in total hip and total knee replacement patients.

Background: Up to 65% of total hip and total knee replacement patients experience some degree of constipation post-operatively. A lack of robust evidence to guide bowel management and reduce constipation in this cohort was the impetus for this study.

Human rights of the mentally ill in Indonesia.

Background: The mentally ill are vulnerable to human rights violations, particularly in Indonesia, where shackling is widespread.

Aim: The aim of this study was to understand the provision of mental health care in Indonesia, thereby identifying ways to improve care and better support carers.

Methods: Grounded theory methods were used.

Strengthening and preparing: enhancing nursing research for disaster management.

Nurses are often first line responders in a large scale emergency or disaster. This paper reports an evaluative study of a tailored research capacity building course for nurse delegates from the Asia Pacific Emergency and Disaster Nursing Network (APEDNN). Twenty-three participant delegates from 19 countries attended a three-week course that included learning and teaching about the critique and conduct of research.

Clinical decision-making: midwifery students' recognition of, and response to, post partum haemorrhage in the simulation environment.

Background: This paper reports the findings of a study of how midwifery students responded to a simulated post partum haemorrhage (PPH). Internationally, 25% of maternal deaths are attributed to severe haemorrhage. Although this figure is far higher in developing countries, the risk to maternal wellbeing and child health problem means that all midwives need to remain vigilant and respond appropriately to early signs of maternal deterioration.

The role of antiseptics in pressure ulcer management.

Pressure ulcers are areas of localised tissue damage and are associated with increased morbidity. The presence of infection further increases the risk of tissue damage and development of bacteraemia and septicaemia. Classic signs of infection are not always obvious in chronic wounds such as pressure ulcers and the clinician must monitor for signs of pain, tissue breakdown and poor healing.