Sonographers' communication in obstetrics: Challenges to their professional role and practice in Australia.

Introduction/purpose: Despite the clinical importance of patient-centred care in the sonographer/patient interaction in obstetric ultrasound, there has been very little current research in Australia on sonographer and sonologist communication practices in the event of an adverse finding. This study sought the views, experiences and practices of Australian sonographers, particularly in relation to adverse findings, with consideration of the implications for their professional role and practice.

Methods: Qualified and trainee sonographers who perform obstetric ultrasound were invited to complete a survey through the Australasian Sonographers Association.

Adoption and use of guidelines for whiplash: an audit of insurer and health professional practice in New South Wales, Australia.

Background: In Australia, the New South Wales (NSW) State Insurance Regulatory Authority has been continuously developing and implementing clinical practice guidelines to address the health and economic burden from whiplash associated disorders (WAD). Despite this, it is uncertain the extent to which the guidelines are followed. This study aimed to determine insurer and health professional compliance with recommendations of the 2014 NSW clinical practice guidelines for the management of acute WAD; and explore factors related to adherence.

Mammography image quality and evidence based practice: Analysis of the demonstration of the inframammary angle in the digital setting.

Aim: The aim of this study is to determine the clinical rates of the demonstration of the inframammary angle (IMA) on the mediolateral oblique (MLO) view of the breast on digital mammograms and to compare the outcomes with current accreditation standards for compliance. Relationships between the IMA, age, the posterior nipple line (PNL) and compressed breast thickness will be identified and the study outcomes validated using appropriate analyses of inter-reader and inter-rater reliability and variability. Differences in left versus right data were also investigated.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Efficacy for Reducing Recidivism Rates of Moderate- and High-Risk Sexual Offenders: A Scoping Systematic Literature Review.

This literature scoping review compared recidivism rates of moderate- and high-risk sexual offenders who received cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) oriented treatments. Ten empirical studies from 2001 to 2014 were selected for review that met the following criteria: (a) Treatment program included a CBT-based intervention with a comparative intervention; (b) participants included adult, male, moderate- and high-risk sexual offenders only; and (c) follow-up data for up to 12 months. Data were analyzed using a summative metric for recidivism rate comparisons ( N = 3,073 for CBT and N = 3,588, for comparison approaches).

Sexual expression, fulfilment and haemophilia: reflections from the 16th Australian and New Zealand Haemophilia Conference.

Following a presentation given at the 16th Australian and New Zealand Haemophilia Conference; Enjoying your sex life: Issues and solutions for men with physical impairment [Dune TM. Enjoying your sex life: issues and solutions for men with physical impairment. 16th Australian and New Zealand Haemophilia Conference: Health and Wellbeing - The Decade Ahead.

A study investigating the travel habits and preferences of older Australian adults with a falls risk.

Aim:   To investigate the travel habits and preferences of city-dwelling older Australians with a falls risk, and factors influencing outings.

Methods:   A retrospective cross-sectional survey was conducted with 96 community-dwelling adults with a falls risk.

Results:   The mean age of participants was 78.

Use of visual acuity to screen for significant refractive errors in adolescents: is it reliable?

Objective: To detect significant refractive error in a population-based random cluster sample of 12-year-old schoolchildren by using sensitivity and specificity of uncorrected visual acuity (VA).

Methods: The Sydney Myopia Study randomly selected 21 secondary schools stratified by socioeconomic status. All year 7 students (mean age, 12.

Prevalence of heterophoria and associations with refractive error, heterotropia and ethnicity in Australian school children.

AIMS To establish the prevalence of heterophoria and its association with refractive error and ethnicity in a population-based study of Australian schoolchildren. METHODS The Sydney Myopia Study is a stratified, random cluster (school-based) sample of 4093 students (examined: 2003-2005). Two samples aged 6 (n=1692) and 12 years (n=2289) without heterotropia were included.

Loneliness and living arrangements.

Adults with ID/DD live in increasingly small community settings, where the risk of loneliness may be greater. We examined self-reported loneliness among 1,002 individuals with ID/DD from 5 states in relation to community residence size, personal characteristics, social contact, and social climate. One third reported being lonely sometimes and one sixth said they were often lonely, but loneliness was not more common for people living alone or in very small settings.

The triumph and continuing struggle of nurse practitioners in New South Wales, Australia.

Finally nurse practitioners in New South Wales, Australia, are legally recognized after more than a decade of struggle. In this article the authors provide an update on the nurse practitioner movement, including the continuing conflict with the medical profession as nursing strives to achieve full implementation and acceptance of the nurse practitioner role in New South Wales. Discussion includes nurse practitioner role legislation and authorization process.

Rural and remote mental health placements for nursing students.

Clinical placements can be instrumental in encouraging nursing students to consider a future career in rural Australia. Twenty nursing students from a metropolitan university were provided with the opportunity to undertake a clinical placement in mental health in a rural or remote setting. The majority of placements were between 2 and 4 weeks in length.