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Transformative learning aims to awaken students to issues of injustice, and to promote their critical analysis of assumptions, beliefs and values that lead to and sustain social inequities, so that they may become agents of social change. This paper introduces the Sensitise Take Action and Reflection (STAR) framework, which encapsulates transformative learning principles, as a tool for educators to enhance student health professionals' capacity and preparedness to address health inequities they are likely to encounter in their future practice. Using an action research methodology within a three-cycle process, STAR was trialled and evaluated by an interdisciplinary team of health educators (n = 25) in an Australian university. Disciplines included: nursing, nutrition and dietetics, public health, occupational therapy and paramedic science. Data were gathered via individual interviews, focus group discussions and field notes, and were analysed inductively, with member-checking of emerging themes to ensure interpretive rigour. The results of this research suggest that STAR is easily understood by users, has relevance for health professional education, and holds promise for producing desired educational outcomes within and across health disciplines. Furthermore, this project could be considered a model for fostering inter-professional collaboration in health education, research and practice. (Contains 3 figures.)

Asserts that the craft knowledge of skilled teachers must be shared to help nursing students become competent, committed qualitative researchers. Strategies to develop a qualitative eye, deal with challenges such as ethical conduct, inform approaches to fieldwork, and extend capacity and confidence to interpret data, play with ideas, analyze themes, and contribute to knowledge are described. (Contains 31 references.) (SK)

The philosophical basis of a nursing education curriculum in Australia is the human dimension of nursing. The curriculum acknowledges the importance of the learning climate, diverse learning styles, diversity, and the active role of teachers in developing nurses who are competent and critical thinkers. (SK)

Describes a teaching-learning framework for nursing education that has learning outcomes at its center. Elements discussed include learning climate; shared culture; input factors (student, teacher, and institutional characteristics); course design, content, organization, and objectives; the psycho-socio-political-economic environment; and assessment and evaluation. (Contains 60 references.) (SK)

Abstract: Australia is a country rich in cultural diversity, with Indigenous Australians having specific cultural values and a variety of spoken languages. In addition, the increasing number of people from migrant and refugee backgrounds requires that health professionals be able to communicate effectively with people from a wide range of cultural backgrounds. This is particularly relevant when undertaking a mental health assessment, because members of diverse communities often face the dual vulnerability of marginalization and stigmatization. This paper reports on the development and evaluation of a virtual teaching and learning resource that prepares health students to be culturally competent in mental health assessment. Four online interprofessional learning journeys were developed. Evaluation of the learning resources was conducted across three participating Australian universities. Quantitative evaluation involved pre‐ and post‐testing using an empathy scale, the Mental Health Nursing Clinical Confidence Scale, and the Cultural Competence Questionnaire informed by the theory of planned behaviour. Qualitative data from focus group interviews explored participants’ experiences of using the guided learning journey. Participants reported changes from pretest to post‐test in their empathy and attitudes towards culturally and linguistically diverse consumers with significant positive changes in cultural competence, empathy, and attitudes. There was strong satisfaction with the learning materials, indicating that participants valued this ‘real world’ learning experience. Results require cautious interpretation, given recruitment difficulties in the evaluation phase. However, these learning journeys appear to have potential to be an effective way to challenge attitudes and perceptions, as well as increase cultural competence towards culturally and linguistically diverse consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because there is a global shortage of nurse educators, highly productive and committed nurse educators are needed to supply a rapidly expanding and changing health landscape. To support the aforementioned effort professional development needs of nurse educators must be systematically identified. This study explores practical issues around professional development needs of nurse educators. One hundred and thirty eight Australian nurse educators based in Queensland answered an online survey around professional development needs. Results indicate that 83% (n = 115) of the respondents were enthusiastic about nurse education yet only 45% (n = 62) were confident in their skills and less than 10% (n = 13) saw themselves as expert nurse educators. The most desired areas of future development in teaching were information technology skills, assessment and technical knowledge. There seems to be a shared need for developing global online and offline support resources and communities of practice to support nurse educators in their teaching and research endeavours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antipsychotic medication has long been one of the first-line interventions for people with serious mental illness, with outcomes including reductions in symptoms and relapse rates. More recently, however, questions have been raised about the efficacy of antipsychotic medications, especially in light of their side-effect profile. Such questions have implications for the nurses administering antipsychotic medications, particularly in relation to their knowledge of the antipsychotic medication, its efficacy, and side-effect profile. Also important is the education of nursing students about antipsychotic medications, their use, and management. The present study reports findings of research that explored current curriculum content concerning psychopharmacological treatment in Australian undergraduate and postgraduate nursing programmes. Using a survey design, the research examined the content and modes of delivery of this content to gauge how well students are prepared for administering antipsychotic medication to people with serious mental illness. Findings of the research suggested the need for improvement in preparing nursing students to administer antipsychotic medication, including indications, contraindications, as well as recognition and management of side-effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An editorial is presented that discussed about the nurses focus on to step up to improve child and adolescent mental health globally. It mentions about nurses who particularly located in community and primary care settings should focused on professional development and greater career opportunities and also highlights nurses trained in collaborative ways of working with families and young people.

Healthcare is dynamic and complex, and against this background, nursing students must negotiate the transition from lay person to healthcare professional. Diverse life experiences and learning styles can further complicate this journey of transformation. The contemporary role of the nurse includes caring for and making clinical decisions about patients based on ethical principles. Learning about and integrating ethical comportment as part of the transformative journey requires nurse educators to create and implement learning experiences that challenge nursing students to think deeply and broadly about the experiences they encounter, to question their previous assumptions and prejudices, to consider the world of healthcare through a new lens, and to reflect on and learn from the process. The judicious use of film has the potential to assist students to recognize and develop ethical comportment as they prepare for real-world clinical practice experiences. In this paper, we present three film exemplars and related teaching strategies designed to facilitate transformative learning and development of ethical comportment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In addition to acquiring a solid foundation of clinical knowledge and skills, nursing students making the transition from lay person to health professional must adopt new conceptual understandings and values, while at the same time reflecting on and relinquishing ill-fitting attitudes and biases. This paper presents creative teaching ideas that utilise published narratives and explores the place of these narratives in teaching threshold concepts to nursing students. Appreciating nuance, symbolism and deeper layers of meaning in a well-drawn story can promote emotional engagement and cause learners to care deeply about an issue. Moreover, aesthetic learning, through the use of novels, memoirs and picture books, invites learners to enter into imagined worlds and can stimulate creative and critical thinking. This approach can also be a vehicle for transformative learning and for enhancing students' understanding and internalisation of threshold concepts that are integral to nursing. Guided engagement with the story by an effective educator can help learners to examine taken-for-granted assumptions, differentiate personal from professional values, remember the link between the story and the threshold concept and re-examine their own perspectives; this can result in transformative learning. In this paper, we show how threshold concepts can be introduced and discussed with nursing students via guided engagement with specific literature, so as to prompt meaningful internalised learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teaching is a complex art that takes courage to commit to, particularly in the face of stressed students, crowded curricula, tensions in preparation for the graduate role, and ongoing educator shortages. My colleagues and I have been taking on this challenge by imbuing our teaching of nursing with more passion. As Parker Palmer (1998 , p. 144), the renowned educationalist once said: “The growth of any craft depends on shared practice and honest dialogue among the people who do it. We grow by trial and error, to be sure – but our willingness to try, and fail, as individuals are severely limited when we are not supported by a community that encourages such risks”. The vision that I have is for nursing educators to come together in communities of practice to talk about the challenging aspects of nursing and ways these challenges can be reframed and reapproached through education. This work is underpinned by the pedagogy of Transformative Learning (TL). At its heart this pedagogy is interested in problematic practices that keep afflicting a discipline such as nursing, and in pondering and revising the educational solutions. In nursing, our biggest problems are where stigma, inequality and inertia persist to make vulnerable communities experience more illness and hardship than others who are more privileged. TL treats students as critical agents – who have the potential to rethink problems and change practices. TL aims to make space within the classroom and online for a dialogue that is affirming so that students believe in their own capacity to make a better world for all people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simulation-based resuscitation education has emerged as a key to improving patient safety and numerous healthcare organisations have invested in high-fidelity simulation training centres. However, the high purchasing cost, limited portability, technical expertise and organisational skills required to coordinate these high-fidelity simulation centres are factors that limit their use as a wide-spread teaching and learning method. Creative innovation is required. The aim of this study was to pilot an inexpensive, portable, novel high fidelity humanistic simulation modality, for educating nurses and doctors in recognising and responding to the deteriorating patient. Analysis of five focus group discussions revealed the main theme of engagement in the simulation experience with three main subthemes of realism of the character, believability of the experience and being more connected. In conclusion, this innovative simulation modality offers a viable alternative for resuscitation training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Active participation in immersive simulation experiences can result in technical and non-technical skill enhancement. However, when simulations are conducted in large groups, maintaining the interest of observers so that they do not disengage from the learning experience can be challenging. We implemented Tag Team Simulation with the aim of ensuring that both participants and observers had active and integral roles in the simulation. In this paper we outline the features of this innovative approach and provide an example of its application to a pain simulation. Evaluation was conducted using the Satisfaction with Simulation Experience Scale. A total of 444 year nursing students participated from a population of 536 (response rate 83%). Cronbach's alpha for the Scale was .94 indicating high internal consistency. The mean satisfaction score for participants was 4.63 compared to 4.56 for observers. An independent sample t test revealed no significant difference between these scores ( t (300) = −1.414, p = 0.16). Tag team simulation is an effective approach for ensuring observers' and participants’ active involvement during group-based simulations and one that is highly regarded by students. It has the potential for broad applicability across a range of leaning domains both within and beyond nursing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the world prepares to commemorate the centenary of the First World War, it is timely to discuss meaningful learning activities that students of nursing could be engaged in to encourage them to reflect on the nurse's role then and now. Several films and television series about the war and featuring nursing have already been aired. No doubt there will be many more stories to come. Such stories have the potential to do more than eulogise nursing for students and practitioners. Stories, such as The crimson field, have potential to stimulate serious contemplation about values and cultural practices that have remained constant or have changed and to assist students to develop and articulate values that will be fitting for contemporary practice. Recently, excerpts from the series were examined with a group of nursing students and key learnings were found. These are shared in this paper for the benefit of educators planning to utilise public discourse as triggers to engage nursing students in discussions about nursing values, nursing history and representations of the profession. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Major streams in mental health nursing in undergraduate nursing programs were introduced in Australia as a strategy to address current and projected workforce shortages. Of the 14 programs originally planned or implemented, only five are continuing. Design and Methods A qualitative exploratory study was conducted involving in-depth interviews with representatives of universities that had ceased the major streams or abandoned plans to introduce them. Findings Significant themes from interview material on abandoned programs were efficient use of resources, expertise, and problems with registration. On the programs now terminated significant themes were viability and commitment to mental health nursing. Practice Implications These findings suggest demonstrable and sustainable commitment to mental health nursing is a precursor to success of major streams and advancement of the mental health nursing specialty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and Objectives To explore the perspectives of nursing directors in mental health in Queensland, Australia, regarding the skills and attributes of graduates of comprehensive nursing programme to provide an industry perspective and thus augment knowledge from theoretical and professional dimensions. Background There is a worldwide shortage of appropriately qualified nurses with the knowledge, skills and attitudes to work effectively in mental health services. Within Australia, this has been well documented since the introduction of comprehensive nursing education. The underrepresentation of mental health content in undergraduate curricula has been identified as the primary reason for nursing graduates not being adequately prepared for practice in this field. To date, this issue has primarily been addressed from the perspective of university academics, with the voice of industry relatively silent in the published literature. Design Qualitative exploratory. Method In-depth telephone interviews with Director of Nursing (Mental Health) in Queensland, Australia. Results The concerns of participants were expressed in six main themes: (1) foundational knowledge of mental health and disorders, (2) recovery-oriented skills, (3) physical as well as mental health skills, (4) therapeutic strategies, (5) resilience and self-development and (6) advanced knowledge and skills. Conclusions The education of comprehensive nursing education needs to be reviewed as a matter of priority to ensure graduates with the attributes required to provide high-quality care for consumers of mental health services. Relevance to clinical practice A skilled and knowledgeable workforce is an essential component of high-quality mental health services. Research highlighting the current deficits and issues is therefore of the highest priority. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Changes to the educational preparation of the nursing workforce in mental health continue to have profound effects on the availability of sufficient numbers of skilled graduates willing to work in this field. The longevity of the problem has focused attention on possible solutions. Introducing a major stream in mental health nursing in undergraduate Bachelor of Nursing programmes was proposed and supported as a potentially beneficial strategy, adopted by some Australian universities. Despite the promise invested in this strategy, systematic evaluations to determine the effectiveness or otherwise of this approach were not initiated. A qualitative exploratory study was undertaken with Australian universities, which had implemented the major stream, regarding their experiences and observed outcomes. In-depth interviews were conducted with a mental health nurse academic from each university. The barriers to the effectiveness of the major in mental health nursing are the specific focus of this paper. Thematic data analysis revealed three main barriers: clinical placements, lack of support from other academics, and integrated curricula. These barriers substantially limited the effectiveness of this strategy - in some instances, leading to the programme's termination - and must be assertively addressed to maximize the potential of the major in mental health nursing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nursing faces an uncertain future as technological developments, structural changes within health systems and rapidly evolving health needs create new and challenging possibilities. This article draws on the results of a qualitative study undertaken with a range of Queensland nurse leaders to explore their perceptions of these changes. The study re-surfaced, and allows for a re-examination of, four issues that have long created tension within nursing and which continue to have a negative impact on the profession as a whole. These are as follows: professionalisation; preparation of graduates; myths and narratives of nursing; and leadership. We provide a metaphor that imagines all of these tensions operating in dynamic interplay. The image is that of a Newton's Cradle - a model for energy and momentum. The metaphor allows one to see the wide context of changes affecting nursing and the significance of the interconnections. If tensions within nursing maintain their own integrity through containment, understanding and development, they remain in alignment, and energy is conserved rather than wasted or misdirected. It suggests that with increased awareness and attention paid to internal challenges, and by taking a broad-based approach to systemic improvements, nursing could become more effective, progressive and proactive in shaping its own future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rising health inequities, continuing nursing shortages, and overlooked professional development needs of nurse educators are three important issues facing nursing in Australia. This paper argues for an innovative and proactive strategy that could transform the nurse education workforce into one that is repopulated, reinvigorated and refocused. The problem facing nurse educators, and subsequently affecting nurses' preparation for practice and longevity in the profession, was identified by drawing on findings from the literature, extensive educational experience, and an exploratory study of nurse educators working in universities, colleges and health services. A solution has been devised by drawing together the tenets of critical social theory, transformative learning, communities of practice and social media. Nursing educators, refocused around a social justice agenda, may be the remedy that the Australian Health Care System requires to embark on effective action that can benefit everyone, from the health service staff to our most vulnerable groups in society. This refocusing can be achieved in a structured and strategic process that builds confidence and professional capabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Simulation learning in nursing has long made use of mannequins, standardized actors and role play to allow students opportunity to practice technical body-care skills and interventions. Even though numerous strategies have been developed to mimic or amplify clinical situations, a common problem that is difficult to overcome in even the most well-executed simulation experiences, is that students may realize the setting is artificial and fail to fully engage, remember or apply the learning. Another problem is that students may learn technical competence but remain uncertain about communicating with the person. Since communication capabilities are imperative in human service work, simulation learning that only achieves technical competence in students is not fully effective for the needs of nursing education. Furthermore, while simulation learning is a burgeoning space for innovative practices, it has been criticized for the absence of a basis in theory. It is within this context that an innovative simulation learning experience named “Mask-Ed™ (KRS simulation)”, has been deconstructed and the active learning components examined. Establishing a theoretical basis for creative teaching and learning practices provides an understanding of how, why and when simulation learning has been effective and it may help to distinguish aspects of the experience that could be improved. Three conceptual theoretical fields help explain the power of this simulation technique: Vygotskian sociocultural learning theory, applied theatre and embodiment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In Australia, nursing educators work across three main contexts -- training colleges, health services and universities. Because the pace of change for nursing has increased dramatically and the curriculum is becoming even more crowded, educators in these contexts are likely to be experiencing work-related stress. This study investigated this issue utilising a purposive sampling strategy to interview a cross section of nurse educators and those supporting educators. Eighteen in-depth interviews were completed, which included fourteen nurse educators and four key stakeholders. Qualitative analysis revealed that regardless of context, nurse educators found their role rewarding but there are common challenges. These included: Work role pressures, a non-validating culture, the pace of change, isolation and concern for the profession. There are also differences amongst the cohorts. Finally, participants elaborated on specific solutions to these problems and there is strong support for the establishment of a national community of practice to bring diverse educators together to share, support, extend and evaluate each others' work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: This paper, based on a review of the literature, discusses resilience and the application of resilience research to nursing education. The paper advances the educational discourse on professional preparation, arguing that resilience theory should be part of the educational content and taught in a way that promotes reflection and application in order to give students strength, focus and endurance in the workplace. In addition, we argue that resilience and similar qualities ought to be emphasised in clinical experience courses, internships, work integrated learning and other work experience courses. Recommendations for building resilience in health professionals through education, training and modifications in workplace culture, as well as suggestions for priorities in research are presented. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This article examines student perceptions of learning related to anatomy and physiology in a bachelor of nursing program. One strategy to teach the sciences is simulated learning, a technology that offers exciting potential. Virtual environments for laboratory learning may offer numerous benefits: teachers can convey information to a larger group of students, reducing the need for small laboratory classes; less equipment is required, thus containing ongoing costs; and students can learn in their own time and place. However, simulated learning may also diminish access to the teacher-student relationship and the opportunity for guided practice and guided linking of theory with practice. Without this hands-on experience, there is a risk that students will not engage as effectively, and thus conceptual learning and the development of critical thinking skills are diminished. However, student perceptions of these learning experiences are largely unknown. Thus, this study examined students' perceptions of anatomy and physiology laboratory experiences and the importance they placed on hands-on experience in laboratory settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This conceptual article, drawn from the authors' shared teaching experiences and recent student and clinician evaluation data, set out to reveal and then address some common problems faced by clinical educators and nursing students in the time-constrained, complex, specialized field of clinical learning. We explain and argue the benefits of transformative learning and outline specific strategies for building skills in transformative education, such as interrogating clinical routines and habits, teaching diplomacy skills, and using a process of interruption. Clinical educators can use these strategies to move beyond unwittingly serving the status quo toward consciously contributing to change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The world is facing a chronic and persistent shortage of nurses. Critical social theory can help to understand why nurses are leaving the system. It can also point to solutions. Education in Higher Education has an opportunity to lead the way in changing this dire situation by shifting to a transformative approach for teaching students how to nurse, and how to move beyond practices that maintain their marginalised and dissatisfying status within the health system. This paper will describe, illustrate and critique the processes used in the 5 years that the program has been running. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective:: Clinical educators in nursing perform a crucial role in facilitating effective learning for students of nursing. They have the potential to act as a catalysing agent for learning -- motivating students to make links between theory and practice, moving students safely from the known to the unknown, developing clinical skills and reflective practice. Whilst their role is extremely important, clinical educators in Australia are undervalued and under-supported. They are isolated and fragmented, and lack a unifying professional body and infrastructure to assist them in education, research and practice development. This paper reports on a study to explore what educational solutions could help to resolve the problem. Design: A qualitative design utilising snowball sampling and semi-structured interviews was conducted. Setting: The study took place in Queensland and thus results are limited to the needs identified in this region of Australia. Subjects: Ten participants provided their views about educational innovations. Conclusions: There is strong support for a curriculum focused on clinical education and centred on the concept of learning community in order to provide community and build capacity in the specialty group so that they become self-reliant and their achievements and contributions are sustainable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current expectation in health care for nurses to use research evidence when making decisions about patient care practices requires a change in the culture of nursing service delivery. There are many different approaches to support this change. One approach frequently referred to in contemporary literature is practice development, which aims not just for understanding and acquiring new knowledge, but also for implementing change by improving clinical practice and increasing effectiveness in patient care. its success depends on skilled change agents or facilitators. This article discusses strategies used in a workshop to educate and prepare practice development facilitators for effecting change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nurses work in complex health care systems, which today are based not only on medical treatment and cure, but also on enabling individuals and strengthening communities. This paper describes a curriculum approach to teaching nursing in an Australian university which seeks to prepare students for this environment. Underpinned by transformative education principles, and termed Solution Focused Nursing, specific teaching and learning strategies are discussed. A goal is to cultivate critical thinkers and knowledge workers, that is, nurses who are not only able to work skillfully, strategically, and respectfully with clients, but who also demonstrate discernment, optimism, and vision about nursing and health care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses how empathy in medical students decline as their interaction with patients start increasing to survive personally and professionally. It states the students objectify and dehumanize the patients they treat. It suggests that healthcare workers should judiciously use the strategies that reduce or increase their proximity to the patient.

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article "A broken promise? Exploring the lack of evidence for the benefits of comprehensive nursing education," by B. Happell and J. Cutcliffe.