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Building the capacity of pre-service teachers to work in globalized cross-cultural environments is essential to cope with the challenges of the 21st century. This study establishes the value of internationally paired, authentically collaborative practicums with strong epistemological and positional framing in pursuing such capacity development. It was conducted among 90 pre-service teachers from three different universities in Australia and India who participated in a three-week paired practicum in three schools in India. The practicum included the collaborative production of an integrated Australian and Indian combined theme presented in a whole school forum. Mixed methods and a design-based research approach yielded data affirming that such a model did indeed provide pre-service teachers with the confidence to teach in increasingly diverse classrooms and contexts, while also identifying which aspects of this practicum model were most influential in this regard.

The development of integrated skills and knowledge in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) are necessary in order to deal with challenging complex situations and should be developed from primary school. It is expected that early experiences can influence and foster a deep and ongoing interest in STEM. In order to provide these early experiences in their future classrooms, preservice teachers need subject matter knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge and expertise to innovate and deal with STEM in their own future classrooms This research focused on the beliefs and understandings preservice primary teachers (n=119) have about teaching and to what extent they are prepared to teach STEM subjects in primary schools. A questionnaire based on the position paper on STEM issued by the Australian Office of the Chief Scientist (Prinsley & Johnston, 2015) and guided by the theory of reasoned action was used as the basis of this study. The data was analysed qualitatively and quantitatively. The results suggest the preservice teachers in this study believed there should be STEM in the curriculum, but they were not confident in their ability to teach STEM without more professional preparation and development.

Aim: To explore internationally qualified nurses' perceptions regarding the facilitators and barriers to specialty skill transfer in Australia. Design: The study utilised a descriptive research design with a cross‐sectional survey. Data were collected from July to September 2022. Methods: A self‐designed survey was distributed through social media, snowballing and nursing professional organisations. The survey included six open‐ended questions which were analysed using thematic content analysis. Results: Sixty‐three participants completed the open‐ended questions in the survey. The findings identified a range of facilitators (support, previous experience, self‐agency) and barriers (systems barriers, bias/discrimination, being undervalued, lack of trust) to skill transition. Conclusion: Recognising and addressing facilitators and barriers, coupled with creating customised pathways for specialty skill integration, are essential for optimising the utilisation of specialised skills in internationally qualified nurses. Impact: This study aims to explore the barriers and facilitators involved in maximising skill utilisation among internationally qualified nurses in Australia. Identifying these barriers and facilitators is essential for improving patient care, as it will guide the development of strategies for safe nursing service delivery and the optimisation of skill usage. These findings hold significant implications for policymakers, healthcare organisations and nurses, providing valuable insights into how to address these obstacles and capitalise on the factors that make skill transfer smoother and more effective. Patient or Public Contribution: Sixty‐three internationally qualified nurses shared their experiences and opinions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) is an important therapy for complications of portal hypertension but remains underutilised in regional settings. Aims: The aim of this study is to explore the demographics, indications, outcomes and complications in patients undergoing TIPS in two regional hepatology centres. Methods: Retrospective analysis was undertaken of all patients undergoing TIPS at two regional centres between January 2017 and March 2023. The primary outcome measures were efficacy and complications of TIPS. Patient demographics (such as age, baseline liver severity scores and aetiology of liver disease) and indications for TIPS are detailed. Results: Forty‐eight patients underwent TIPS. Median age was 56 years (interquartile range (IQR): 46–65). The most common indications for TIPS were refractory ascites (n = 17) and failure of secondary prophylaxis of variceal bleeding (n = 13). Cumulative survival at 3 months and 1 year was 93% and 77% respectively. There was no significant difference in outcomes based on TIPS indication. The median number of paracenteses in patients undergoing TIPS for refractory ascites 1 year pre‐ and post‐TIPS were 10 (IQR: 4.5–16) and 2 (IQR: 0–4) respectively (P < 0.001). There were no procedure‐related deaths. Inpatient management of liver disease complications had a mean cost of $32 874.67 (SEM: 7779) in 1 year pre‐TIPS compared with $12 304.70 (SEM: 3531.1) in 1 year post‐TIPS (P < 0.001). Conclusions: TIPS is a safe and effective treatment to reduce complications of portal hypertension and can be performed successfully in the regional setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To identify barriers and facilitators of speciality skill transfer for internationally qualified nurses in Australia from the nurses' perspective. Design: A cross‐sectional study. Methods: A cross‐sectional online survey was distributed through social media, snowballing and nursing professional organization. Data analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. Data Sources: Online survey data from participants matching the inclusion criteria were collected from July to September 2022. Results: Survey results reveal facilitators (competence, scope of practice, linguistic sufficiency, understanding of decision‐making) and barriers (lack of opportunity, transition pathways, confidence in overseas education, financial instability) for internationally qualified nurses' speciality skill utilization in Australia. Conclusion: Identifying and addressing barriers and facilitators, along with developing tailored transition pathways, are crucial for maximizing speciality skill utilization among internationally qualified nurses. These findings have implications for policymakers, healthcare organizations and nurses. They highlight the need to address barriers, facilitate smooth transitions and implement proactive measures for internationally qualified nurses to effectively utilize their specialty skills. Impact: The study addresses maximizing skill usage for internationally qualified nurses, identifies barriers and facilitators for specialty skill transfer in Australia and will impact policymakers, healthcare organizations and nurses by guiding strategies for safe nursing service delivery and optimizing patient care. Reporting Method: STROBE checklist. Patient or Public Contribution: A total of 71 internationally qualified nurses contributed their experiences and opinions. What Does this Paper Contribute to the Wider Global Clinical Community?: Lack of opportunity and the lack of transition pathways inhibit the use of specialty nursing skills by internationally qualified nurses.This study's findings contradict the result of other studies that suggest language is a significant obstacle to the utilization of specialty skills of internationally qualified nurses. Trial and Protocol Registration: The protocol is registered on OSF. The data for this study are available for sharing with the reviewers upon request. However, it is worth noting that ethical approval has not been obtained specifically for web sharing, and therefore, the data has not been posted in any repositories or public platforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]