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Background: Public policy across the world is increasingly focusing on the role of mental health promotion in whole of health strategies. There is a growing evidence-base that mental health promotion, delivered by trained facilitators, is effective in promoting self-awareness and self-care to prevent the damaging effects of ongoing stress in one's life and to promote early detection of any possible emerging mental health problems. Within Australia, however, few clinicians or school staff are confident or trained in mental health promotion. Aims: This paper reports the results of a two-day training designed for facilitators of a mental health program for secondary-school students. The goal was to develop facilitators' knowledge and understanding of best practice in youth mental health promotion and to increase their confidence in delivering the program. Design: A mixed methods evaluation assessed the impact that a solution-focused training program had on participating facilitators. Methods: A questionnaire was created and included eight quantitative items and one open ended, qualitative question. Twenty-seven nurses and guidance officers from central Queensland were recruited via convenience sampling and data were analysed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. Results: The evaluation revealed that participants' perception of their ability to facilitate a youth mental health program significantly improved after completing the training. Qualitative data indicated that participants found the professional development experience to be valuable, provide useful and transferable skills, and believed it to be necessary for mental health promotion work. Conclusion: By providing detailed description of the program's content and processes, other mental health professionals may be inspired to further develop effective learning experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and objectives: This paper reports a study aimed at exploring the nursing practices associated with the administration of pro re nata (PRN) postoperative analgesia to children, and at gaining a preliminary understanding of the decisions that nurses make about this important intervention. Background: Nurses are responsible for assessing and administering the appropriate medication at the appropriate time to the child in pain. There was scant published research about the administration of postoperative PRN analgesia to children, or about the decision-making processes inherent in this aspect of clinical nursing care. Design: A sequential mixed methods explanatory study with two data collection phases -- quantitative followed by qualitative -- was conducted. Results: Nurses used multiple strategies to ascertain children's need for postoperative PRN analgesia, including reference to pain assessment tools, focussing on the behavioural cues of children, involving parents and children, and drawing upon personal and professional backgrounds and experience. Evaluation of the effectiveness of PRN postoperative analgesia was poorly communicated. Conclusions: Decision-making associated with the selection and administration of appropriate analgesia to children is complex. In-service education should be developed and offered to nurses working with children postoperatively to ensure the appropriate use of PRN pain relief. Relevance to clinical practice: Documentation surrounding this task is poor and needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency to ensure quality patient outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Remote-living and Indigenous Australians can experience menstrual health and hygiene challenges. The topic is not often openly discussed as it is considered private 'women's business'. We were invited into a remote Indigenous town and community to discuss the lived experience of menstruation with female students as well as clinical, educational and community workers. Our yarning circles and interviews collated 16 barriers in four clusters: structural living situation; knowledge, culture and behavior; discomfort and public life; and finances. Targeted efforts by relevant organizations, including schools and government agencies, were identified by participants to better support menstrual health and hygiene without associated pain, ranging moods and a sense of shame. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore the decision-making processes and experiences of acute and rehabilitation clinicians, regarding referral and acceptance of patients to rehabilitation after stroke. Multi-site rapid ethnography, involving observation of multidisciplinary case conferences, interviews with acute stroke and rehabilitation clinicians, and review of key documents within five (5) acute stroke units (ASUs) in Queensland, Australia. A cyclical, inductive content analysis was performed. Seven key themes were identified, revealing the complex nature of post-stroke rehabilitation referral and acceptance decision making. Although the majority of clinicians felt that all patients could benefit from rehabilitation, they acknowledged this could not always be the case. Rehabilitation potential and goals were considered by clinicians, but decision making was impacted by ASU context and team processes, rehabilitation service availability and access procedures, and the relationships between the acute and rehabilitation clinicians. Patients and families were not actively involved in the decision-making processes. Post-stroke rehabilitation decision making in Queensland, Australia involves complex processes and compromise. Decisions are not based solely on patients' rehabilitation needs, and patients and families are not actively involved in the decision-making process. Mechanisms are required to streamline access procedures, and improve shared decision making with patients. Referral decision making for post-stroke rehabilitation is complex and not always based solely on patients' needs. Clear and straightforward access procedures and positive relationships between acute and rehabilitation clinicians have a positive impact on referral decision making. Stroke services should review their processes to ensure shared decision making is facilitated when patients require access to rehabilitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fathers in families raising children with disabilities are under-researched. Fathers' perspectives can be better accommodated in childhood disability services that operate on a family-centred paradigm if their perspectives are understood. This study aimed to investigate the perspectives of fathers on caring and family life, work, and health. A mixed-methods design with an online questionnaire included open-ended questions and three instruments: Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS); Health Promoting Activities Scale (HPAS-M); Fathers of Children with Developmental Challenges (FCDC) Scale. Fathers (n = 33) reported high depressive (58%), anxiety (37%), and stress symptoms (61%). Fathers reported low participation in health-promoting activity with less than weekly: planning health activities (58%); solo physical activity (26%); social activity (3%); time relaxing (16%). Sixty-four percent worked full-time, although work was reported to be challenged by family responsibilities. Fathers described directly caring for their children although service interactions were low and delegated to mothers. Fathers in this study reported stress, mental health issues, and low participation in healthy activity. Fathers experienced challenges related to career progression and job choices due to family responsibilities. Providing individualised and responsive support to fathers of a child with a disability would better support the family unit. Fathers of children with a disability in this study experienced high mental health symptoms. Fathers were involved with their child's care at home but had low service interactions suggesting that service providers need to discover new ways to better engage fathers. Fathers experienced challenges to participation in paid work secondary to care responsibilities for their child with a disability and resulting needs of their family. Services that better support fathers are important to promote better health and wellbeing and support families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The present study aimed to explore the nature of parental involvement in the intervention of children with hearing loss, as experienced by parents. Design: A qualitative descriptive methodology was adopted to conduct semi-structured in-depth interviews with a purposive sample of parents who have a child with hearing loss. Study sample: Seventeen parents of 11 children aged 6-9 years participated in this study. Results: The overarching theme of parents taking the central role was identified using thematic analysis. This overarching theme connected five themes which described the nature of parental involvement: (1) parents work behind the scenes; (2) parents act as ‘case managers’; (3) parents always have their child’s language development in mind; (4) parents’ role extends to advocacy for all children with hearing loss; and (5) parents serve a number of roles, but at the end of the day, they are parents. Conclusions: The results indicate that parental involvement in the intervention of children with hearing loss is multifaceted in nature and incorporates a broad range of behaviours and practices. These findings have important implications for the provision of family-centred practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine test–re-test reproducibility of the Timed Up & Go (TUG) test, 30-second repetition maximum (repmax) of functional exercises, 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT) and High-level Mobility Assessment Tool (HiMAT) in children with Acquired Brain Injury (ABI). Secondarily, to assess the accuracy between hand-timed and video-timed scores for the TUG test and HiMAT. Methods: Thirty children at least 1 year post-ABI (mean age at assessment = 11 years 11 months, SD = 2 years 4 months; 14 males; Gross Motor Function Classification Scale I = 17, II = 13) were assessed twice. Intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC), standard error of measurement and minimum detectable change (MDC) were determined. The Bland-Altman method and 95% limits of agreement (LOA) were used to assess the agreement between hand and video-timed TUG test and HiMAT scores. Results: Test–re-test reproducibility was acceptable for the TUG test (ICC = 0.92; MDC = 1.2s); repmax of functional exercises (ICC = 0.84–0.98; MDC = 4–8 reps); 6MWT (ICC = 0.90; MDC = 69.38 m) and HiMAT (ICC = 0.98; MDC = 6). Comparison of hand and video scores for the TUG test and HiMAT demonstrated a mean difference of 0.23 (LOA = –0.3–0.7) and –0.07 (LOA = –1.99–1.85), respectively. Conclusions Test–re-test reproducibility of lower limb activity capacity measures in children with ABI are acceptable. The MDC scores provide a useful reference to interpret treatment effectiveness. Video timing was more accurate than hand-timing for the TUG test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives:This Australian study examined individual experiences of the implementation of the Capabilities Model of Dementia Care (CMDC) and subsequent outcomes for the care of residents with dementia living in long-term care. Furthermore, this study aimed to explore those factors that facilitated and inhibited the implementation of the new model of care. Methods:The CMDC was developed and then tested in a non-randomised clinical trial. Staff, residents and family experiences of their involvement and perceptions of the model were captured at the end of 12 months. Semi-structured interviews and focus groups were conducted with the 25 participants (12 nursing staff, 6 residents with dementia, 7 family members). Questions varied depending on the participant group but were designed to assess experiences of and changes to care during the intervention. Inductive thematic analysis was used to identify the experiences of the implementation of the CMDC. Results:Five themes included: general reflections on nursing care, implementation of the CMDC intervention, positive outcomes of the CMDC intervention, challenges in the implementation of the CMDC, difficulty sustaining care and tensions between participants’ perspectives of care. Conclusion:Positive change resulted from implementation of the CMDC, however, staff mentorship was identified as a key to sustaining changes in practice. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]