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Aim: This study explores Australian clinical nurses' and midwives' familiarity with a new code of conduct and understanding in what ways the code is important for nurses as they carry out clinical practice. Background: Codes specify the expectations of nurses' responsibilities, legal requirements, behaviour and conduct. Being familiar with the code is central to being a professional nurse or midwife. As nursing continues to advance, updating the code is crucial to maintain professional and safe practice. Design: This project utilized a cross‐sectional descriptive design. Methods: A survey was developed incorporating Likert‐type scale assessments of the 7 value statements from the 2018 Australian Nurses' Code of Conduct for familiarity and importance. The survey included open‐ended questions to elicit clinical nurses' experiences of conduct breaches, opinions regarding usefulness and relevance of the code for current practice. Data were collected at an acute care hospital in Sydney during January 2018. Results: Significant differences relating to cultural and patient‐centred approaches were revealed in the study. The new value involving the role of research was least understood and ranked least important by nurses and midwives. Professional 'integrity' resonated with participants when considering the behaviour of nurses, and short, unambiguous values were the most popular. Additionally, a substantial number of participants had no knowledge of the code or were not aware of the recently revised version. Conclusion and implications for nursing: A code of conduct provides structure and guidance for workplace values and principles. A respected code is important to the nursing profession to help prevent inappropriate and incompetent behaviour and as a guide for nursing performance. Nurses in this study claimed the code was highly relevant to their work as a nurse and was incorporated into their daily practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aggressive and violent incidents in the health-care setting are increasing phenomena around the world. The evidence from current literature suggests that changes in health-care access, nursing staff shortages and patient acuity are some of the possible causes. De-escalation is a valuable intervention that can be used by nurses to help counter the growing problems of aggression and violence. The de-escalation project, discussed in the present paper, aimed to explore de-escalation as an important therapeutic process and is an event of considerable potential in the management of aggression and violence. While de-escalation is not a new tool, particularly in the mental health-care setting, an educative programme aimed at renewing nurses' knowledge and skills in de-escalation is a timely project. The final de-escalation kit included a large glossy poster, a nursing staff survey, an in-service education session and a literature-based discussion paper. The de-escalation kit can be of considerable benefit to those nurses who are transient within the workplace, such as casual and agency nurses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Simultaneous Multiplex Real Time PCR (SIMUL-qPCR) Listeria species and monocytogenes Assay is a quick, reliable method for detecting Listeria species and monocytogenes in environmental and food samples. The assay multiplexes several targets in one run to properly identify Listeria species and monocytogenes. The assay uses proprietary medium, Listeria Recovery and Enrichment Broth (LREB), for enrichment purposes. LREB was specifically formulated to improve the recovery and growth of Listeria while inhibiting competing background flora., Objective: This report details the method validation study to validate frankfurters, ready-to-eat (RTE) sliced turkey, soft fresh raw cheese, chicken salad, ice cream, cooked eggs, pasteurized milk, and frozen/cooked shrimp, as well as environmental surface sponges and swabs for stainless steel, plastic, rubber, ceramic tile, and sealed concrete., Method: Matrix studies, inclusivity/exclusivity, product consistency/stability, and robustness testing were conducted to assess the method's performance., Results: There were no statistically significant differences found between the candidate and reference methods in the matrix studies. Inclusivity/exclusivity testing showed that the assay was able to detect both Listeria species and monocytogenes strains while excluding the non-Listeria isolates. Small variations in critical test parameters (enrichment time, extraction reagent volume, and extracted sample volume) did not adversely affect the assay's performance, and stability testing indicated consistent results for at least 1 year., Conclusions: The data presented in this report show that this a reliable method for detecting Listeria species and monocytogenes., Highlights: This assay allows for one sample to be tested for both Listeria species and monocytogenes with one PCR test., (© AOAC INTERNATIONAL 2021. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Background: The Molecular Environmental Monitoring Program (MEMP) Listeria Assay is a quick, reliable method for detecting Listeria species in environmental samples. The assay incorporates a real-time PCR approach to identifying Listeria cells expressed from the swab sample. The assay does not require an enrichment step, leading to much faster time to a negative result., Objective: This report details the method validation study to validate the MEMP using environmental surface swabs for stainless steel, plastic, rubber, ceramic tile, and sealed concrete., Method: Matrix studies, inclusivity/exclusivity, product consistency and stability, and robustness testing were conducted to assess the method's performance. In the matrix studies, this method was compared to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Bacteriological Analytical Manual (BAM) Chapter 10 for environmental surface sponges and swabs., Results: Inclusivity and exclusivity testing showed that the MEMP Listeria Assay was able to detect all 75 Listeria strains tested while excluding the 30 non-Listeria species. There were no statistically significant differences found between the candidate and reference methods. Small variations in critical test parameters (volume of extraction reagent and volume of extracted DNA sample) did not adversely affect the assay's performance, and stability testing indicated consistent results for at least 1 year., Conclusions: The data presented in this report show that the candidate method performed as well as the reference method and can therefore be used in place of the reference method for detecting Listeria species., Highlights: The MEMP Listeria Assay requires no enrichment for detecting Listeria on environmental surfaces., (© AOAC INTERNATIONAL 2021. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Background: The Simultaneous Multiplex Real Time PCR (SIMUL-qPCR) Top 7 STEC Assay Collection is a quick, reliable method for detecting top seven Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in raw beef trim, raw ground beef, and beef carcass sampling sheets. Each assay multiplexes several targets in one run to identify E. coli O157: H7, O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, O145, Shiga toxin, and intimin genes. This collection uses specifically optimized proprietary media for single-step recovery and enrichment of enterohemorrhagic E. coli., Objective: This report details the method validation study to validate raw beef trim, raw ground beef, and beef carcass sampling sheets., Method: Matrix studies for raw beef trim, raw ground beef, and beef carcass sampling sheets, inclusivity/exclusivity, product consistency/stability, and robustness testing were conducted to assess the method's performance., Results: Fifty top seven STEC isolates were analyzed with the SIMUL-qPCR assay. Thirty-two isolates, including closely related non-E. coli species and E. coli non-STEC strains, were also tested. Inclusivity showed the collection detected the Shiga toxin (stx) gene, intimin (eae) gene, and top seven serogroups. None of the 32 exclusivity strains were detected. The candidate and reference methods' results had no statistically significant differences during matrix studies. Small variations in critical test parameters (enrichment time, extraction reagent volume, and extracted sample volume) did not adversely affect the assay's performance, and stability testing indicated consistent results for at least one year., Conclusions: The data presented demonstrate that the SIMUL-qPCR Top 7 STEC Assay is a reliable method for detecting the top seven STEC., Highlights: The Applied Food Diagnostics, Inc. Simultaneous Multiplex Real Time PCR (SIMUL-qPCR) Top 7 STEC Assay is capable of detecting the top seven Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli in beef trim, ground beef, and beef carcass sampling sheets in as little as 10 hours of enrichment., (© AOAC INTERNATIONAL 2021. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Background: The Molecular Environmental Monitoring Program (MEMP) Salmonella Assay is a quick and reliable method for detecting Salmonella species in environmental samples. The assay incorporates a real-time PCR approach to identifying Salmonella cells expressed from the swab sample. The assay does not require an enrichment step, leading to much faster time to a negative result., Objective: This report details the method validation study to validate the MEMP using environmental surface swabs for stainless steel, plastic, rubber, ceramic tile, and sealed concrete., Method: Matrix studies, inclusivity/exclusivity, product consistency and stability, and robustness testing were conducted to assess the method's performance. In the matrix studies, this method was compared to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Bacteriological Analytical Manual (BAM) Chapter 5 for environmental surface sponges and swabs., Results: Inclusivity/exclusivity testing showed that this assay was able to detect all 100 Salmonella strains tested while excluding the 30 non-Salmonella species. There were no statistically significant differences found between the candidate and reference methods. Small variations in critical test parameters (volume of extraction reagent and volume of extracted DNA sample) did not adversely affect the assay's performance, and stability testing indicated consistent results for at least one year., Conclusions: The data presented in this report show that the candidate method performed as well as the reference method; therefore, it can be used in place of the reference method for detecting Salmonella species., Highlights: The MEMP Salmonella Assay is the first and only AOAC Performance Tested MethodSM approved for detecting Salmonella on surfaces without enrichment., (© AOAC INTERNATIONAL 2021. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Background: The Simultaneous Multiplex (SIMUL) Real-Time PCR (qPCR) Salmonella Assay is a quick, reliable method for detecting Salmonella species in environmental and food samples. The assay multiplexes several targets in one run to identify Salmonella species. For most matrixes, the assay uses buffered peptone water for enrichment purposes. However, the assay can be used in conjunction with the SIMUL-qPCR Top 7 STEC Assay for raw beef trim and raw ground beef when proprietary media (Enterohemorrhagic E. coli Recovery and Enrichment Broth or EREB) has been used. This media is optimized for single-step enrichment and recovery of enterohemorrhagic E. coli and Salmonella in those matrixes., Objective: This report details the method validation study to validate raw beef trim, raw ground beef, fresh raw ground poultry, ready-to-eat cooked poultry, dry pet food, pasteurized liquid eggs, peanut butter, frankfurter/sausage, poultry carcass rinse, and environmental surface sponges and swabs for stainless steel, plastic, rubber, ceramic tile, and sealed concrete., Method: Matrix studies, inclusivity/exclusivity, product consistency/stability, and robustness testing were conducted to assess the method's performance., Results: Inclusivity/exclusivity testing showed the SIMUL-qPCR Salmonella Assay was able to detect Salmonella strains while excluding the non-Salmonella isolates. There were no statistically significant differences found between the candidate and reference methods in the matrix studies. Small variations in critical test parameters (enrichment time, extraction reagent volume, and extracted sample volume) didn't adversely affect the assay's performance, and stability testing indicated consistent results for at least one year., Conclusions: The data presented demonstrate the SIMUL-qPCR Salmonella Assay is a reliable method for detecting Salmonella., Highlights: The SIMUL-qPCR Salmonella Assay is validated to detect Salmonella in a variety of matrices in as little as 16 hours in Buffered Peptone Water. The assay can also be used in conjunction with the SIMUL Top 7 Assay to test for both Salmonella and the Top 7 Shiga toxin producing E. coli using a single enrichment in EREB media., (© AOAC INTERNATIONAL 2021. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Health literacy, or the ability to read and understand health information, is critical to the health of children. In this study, we compared the fever management knowledge of parents attending the emergency department with a child with fever. A cross-sectional survey of 33 parents/carers with limited health literacy and 122 with functional health literacy was undertaken. There were no differences in the overall proportion of correct responses to knowledge or management questions posed by the two scales between the two groups. Both groups presented with limited knowledge and poor practices (<60% correct in both scales) in relation to fever knowledge and management in their children. Although health literacy impacts health utilization, we did not find any differences in these groups. Inappropriate practices, such as when to give medications, were evident. Educational programs, responsive to health literacy, are urgently needed to address these information needs for parents. An assessment of parents' health literacy level can guide the selection of information that can be easily read, understood, and acted upon to deliver the best health outcomes for children., (© 2018 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.)

The transition of a medical student or a nursing student into a health care practitioner requires many changes. Among these is the development of an appropriate professional identity, which assists in the establishment of a sound base for professional practice and therefore should be a focus for health professions educators. There is evidence, however, that medical education and nursing education face challenges in guiding students' development of appropriate professional identities. In medicine, there is concern that medical education may contribute to the development of professional identities that alienate patients rather than identities that are patient centered. The nursing profession struggles with poor retention rates in the workforce, which have been attributed in part to discrepancies between the professional identities that students develop during nursing school and the realities of professional practice.In this Perspective, the authors explore the importance of and the pedagogical strategies used to facilitate professional identity formation for medical and nursing students. They argue that medical and nursing educators aim to instill in their students strong occupational identities which may perpetuate hierarchical disciplinary boundaries. They suggest that health professions educators should move beyond current disciplinary silos and create interprofessional education opportunities for medical students and nursing students to learn together to facilitate the development of the collaborative interprofessional identities necessary for the delivery of high-quality, patient-centered health care.

Background: Determining the reasons people choose to study nursing may help educators and managers develop student-focussed and enticing nursing programmes. In Australia, little research has been undertaken with students entering nursing programmes and the reasons for their choice., Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine why new students choose to enter nursing at university., Design: A descriptive survey design., Setting: An urban university in Sydney, Australia., Participants: Undergraduate nursing students at the beginning of their first year of study., Method: An open-ended question relating to the reasons for students' choice of a nursing programme was included in the survey. The transcribed textual data were content analysed for words related to the students' choice., Results: The students' reasons for entering nursing programmes were both personal and career related, with personal being more dominant. The reasons to start nursing were: being able to help and care for people, job security, the ability to enter tertiary education and the enjoyment or love of nursing., Conclusions: Nursing remains a career of choice for young and mature students entering university. It is seen to provide security, interest and opportunity to help and care for others. Universities must focus on this as they develop programmes for a generation where multiple changes of career appear inevitable during their lifetime. The nursing profession needs to look at career pathways after graduation that provide these challenges within nursing itself.

Parents frequently present to the emergency department (ED) concerned about their child's fever. Fever management education programs have been found to improve parents' knowledge of managing fever, although no education program was identified that specifically considered parents with lower functional health literacy. This article describes the development of an easily understood children's fever management education program for parents with varying levels of health literacy. A review of existing literature and guidelines was conducted. Pictorial images and written material constrained to fifth-grade level of readability were used. Academics and ED experts confirmed the content of this evidence-based program. The education program, a combination of Digital Video Disc (DVD) and a brochure in relation to child fever management, is currently being trailed at an ED in Sydney and is appropriate for EDs or primary care settings. Tailoring education programs with plain and simple language is potentially beneficial to all parents (or caregivers) presenting to the ED with children experiencing fever. This program will provide nurses with a simple and clear fever management brochure or DVD to give to parents or caregivers with varying levels of health literacy. We envisage that this program will be continuously televised within local EDs and available for parents or caregivers to view online.

Aim: This paper reports on the creation, development and testing of a new instrument to measure qualities of nurses, known as the Qualities of Nurses (QON) scale, applicable to student nurses., Background: High attrition rates within nursing programs and during early postgraduate years are an international phenomena. Mismatches between idealized perceptions of nursing and the realities of education and clinical experiences have been identified as contributing factors., Method: A survey method was used to elicit responses to scale items from 678 first-year nursing students at a large university., Results: A one-factor 12-item solution explaining 47 percent of variance in the construct was demonstrated., Conclusion: The QON can assist in the initial assessment and ongoing monitoring of changes in students' perceptions of nurses. Using the QON, researchers and educators can identify initial student nurses' perceptions and any changes associated in educational or other events that ultimately could be manipulated to reduce attrition.

Rationale: Volunteers are essential to the functioning of palliative care programs and serve as important members of the hospice team. They devote much time, effort, and diverse skills and talent to enhance the quality of care at Roger's House--a pediatric palliative care hospice., Objectives: To evaluate volunteering in a pediatric palliative care hospice and to assess the level of satisfaction from the perspective of hospice volunteers., Methods: A survey was sent to all active Roger's House volunteers. Questions were related to their demographics, their overall impression of their volunteering experience, and 47 closed (fixed-choice) statements, divided into 6 parts: 1) Orientation; 2) Training; 3) Feedback/Performance; 4) Communication; 5) Social Contacts; and 6) Value and Respect. Each statement was rated by the participants using a six-point Likert rating scale., Results: Volunteers fully completing the survey were 159 online and 4 on paper, giving a response rate of 66%. The greater number (66, 40.5%) of respondents were 50 years or older and they were mostly female (141, 86.5%). Successes identified included the volunteers' orientation, training, and feedback and performance. Challenges identified included certain aspects of communication, social contacts, and respect/value for the volunteer., Conclusion: Volunteers at Roger's House are generally satisfied with their volunteer position and the environment in which they work. Greater insight into volunteer satisfaction and factors that bring feelings of reward and/or dissatisfaction to the volunteers have allowed Roger's House to identify informed and effective interventions to improve the quality of and satisfaction with the hospice volunteer program.

A palliative care service provider may add or decrease overall operational costs to the healthcare system. This study assessed the costs of managing respite care for children with life-limiting illness at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario for the 12-month period both before and after services at Roger's House (RH, a paediatric hospice) was made available. The opening and operation of RH for providing respite care resulted in a minimization of operational costs (n = 66 patients, mean decrease of $4,251.95 per month per patient).

The shortage of nurses has reached a crisis point for health care services. A number of issues including the effects of economic rationalism, generational differences, working conditions and nurse education are revisited in a discussion that aims to refuel the debate on workplace reform for nurses. Economic rationalism has altered the healthcare service landscape. Attempts to balance service delivery with workforce resources have led to possibly unforeseen changes. Highly skilled nurses are required in acute services, however resource allocation may prevent this. The nursing workforce is aging although the current nursing workforce consists of three generations: baby boomers, generation X and generation Y. There are significant ideological and work organisational differences between these generations leading to possible conflict between nurses. The pool of available nurses to fill employment vacancies is finite. Attracting overseas nurses to fill nurse vacancies will leave vacancies elsewhere and is not a long-term solution to the nursing shortage. Moreover, if the workplace has not addressed the reasons why nurses have left the health care workplace then there is a real danger of losing those recently attracted back into the workplace. Working conditions are a critical element within the retention puzzle. Job satisfaction dimensions such as autonomy and professional relationships are key components for improving working conditions. The final issue explored is the question of whether the tertiary education system is the most appropriate place in which to develop and educate nurses. It is suggested that workplace reforms should be the target of retention strategies rather than changes in the educational process of nursing.

Little is known of nurses' self-concept in light of their professional identity or as working adults. This article explores the development and rigorous testing of a new self-concept instrument designed specifically for nurses. The new measure is based on the self-concept measurement theory of Shavelson, Hubner, and Stanton. An expert panel was used to critique and aid refinement of the measure. The dimensions of nurses' self-concept were measured in six scales: General Nursing, Care, Staff Relations, Communication, Knowledge, and Leadership. Two groups participated in this study: Group 1 consisted of nursing students prior to graduation (n = 506) and Group 2 consisted of randomly selected, experienced, working nurses (n = 528). A series of exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to test the fit of a priori models. The results indicate that all scales possess good construct validity and a satisfactory fit with the data.