Search

The transfer of nurse education from the hospital setting to the university sector has increased the dichotomy between theory and practice. Nurse academics have been exploring methods of maintaining clinical competence and credibility through organizational structures such as faculty practice. Faculty practice is a formal arrangement which exists between a clinical setting and a university which allows nurse academics to consult and deliver client care resulting in research and scholarly outcomes. The most important advantage of faculty practice is its potential to contribute to nursing knowledge and validate theories through the use of reflective practice and professional journalling by nurse academics which can help demystify and analyse the intricate elements of nursing. Other advantages of faculty practice are described as improving student's learning and client care through the application of an advanced knowledge base and facilitation by a faculty member. It also facilitates communication with clinical staff and assists in the professional development of nurse academics. The major barriers which need to be addressed to facilitate faculty practice are the allocation of time in the nurse academic's workload which incorporates consultation and faculty practice, organization and administrative support and the recognition of clinical competence in the promotion and tenure process of universities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and Objectives: The aim of this study was to gauge whether, and to what extent, population flow occurred as a result of the implementation of alcohol management plans in Indigenous communities., Background: Alcohol management plans involving carriage limits and dry places were introduced into 15 Queensland Indigenous communities between 2002-2004. Controls on alcohol availability were further tightened between 2008-2010, seeing the closure of eight mainly remote community taverns/canteens., Design: A retrospective observational study was undertaken using data from the Queensland Injury Surveillance Unit., Methods: Population flow was measured by changing patterns of alcohol-related injuries in a mining region near dry Indigenous communities following the introduction of alcohol management plans and a control mining region distant from Indigenous communities with alcohol management plans. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Logistic regression was used for the comparison of the characteristics between the emergency department presentations. The rates of alcohol-related injury presentations per 1000/population were calculated and age-standardised to the Australian population., Results: Between the five-year periods 2003-2007 and 2008-2012, alcohol-related injury presentations to the Mount Isa emergency department trebled from an age-adjusted average annual rate of 9·5/1000 in the region's population to 27·1/1000 population. In the control region, alcohol-related emergency department injury presentations did not increase to the same degree with age-adjusted average annual rates of 1·42/1000 and 2·21/1000, respectively., Conclusions: The 10-year pattern of emergency department presentations for alcohol-related injuries increased significantly in the Mount Isa region compared with the control region. Further research should investigate the impacts of population flow related to Indigenous community alcohol management plans., Relevance to Clinical Practice: Although initiatives such as alcohol management plans have been implemented to reduce alcohol use and related consequences in Indigenous communities, there needs to be a greater consideration of the impact of these policies in nearby towns in the future., (© 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

The transition of nursing education from the hospital setting to the university sector over recent decades has opened dialog about who is guiding the development of nursing students' professional identity. In addition, there is ongoing debate over real or perceived gaps between nursing student learning in the university and the clinical area, how this translates into professional behaviors and how well students make the transition between the two settings. This paper presents the findings of an integrative literature review into the topic of role modeling in undergraduate nursing education. This review was conducted to identify and appraise research findings about role modeling of professional behaviors for undergraduate nursing students. Literature reviewed from 2000 onwards assesses what is currently known about role modeling of undergraduate nursing students. A systematic search of the databases of CINAHL, Scopus and PubMed from 2000 onwards resulted in the selection of 33 articles for deeper analysis. Two clear themes emerged from the literature, the first relating to nurse clinicians as role models for students during clinical placements and the second relating to nurse academics as role models in the academic setting. Findings from this integrative literature review show an imbalance in the recognition of the role modeling of professional behaviors in the clinical versus the academic setting. Nurses in academic settings have more contact with the students over their period of study and as such, the significance of nurse academics as student role models requires further investigation., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Many registered nurses (RNs) do not regularly perform breast self-examination (BSE), and even fewer routinely teach the procedure. The aim of this descriptive survey was to investigate registered nurses' BSE practice and teaching to female clients. A systematic random sample of 171 female Australian RNs aged 20 to 65 who worked in acute or long-term care areas was surveyed. A questionnaire I developed and mailed to participants was used to collect the data, and descriptive statistics were used in data analysis. Ninety-three percent of participants reported performing BSE in the preceding 12 months. However, less than half (46%) had performed BSE monthly, and the major reason cited for not performing monthly BSE was "forgetting" (57%). Most participants (81%) stated they did not include the teaching of BSE in their nursing care; the major reason identified was "it was not relevant to their work context" (86%). However, 77% indicated feeling confident in teaching BSE, and most (94%) would teach BSE if they had the opportunity. Furthermore, participants were found to be more likely to teach BSE if they performed monthly BSE, felt confident with their BSE teaching skills, and had completed other nursing courses. The implications of this study are that nurses' teaching to clients may be increased if more emphasis on BSE occurs in the workplace and in undergraduate and postgraduate courses. Also, the provision of BSE educational programs is necessary to increase nurses' knowledge, confidence, performance, and teaching of BSE.

Paracetamol overdose now represents one third of all self-poisoning cases. In contrast to other drugs, the use of paracetamol as a self-poisoning agent is increasing. As very large doses of the drug cause severe liver injury, which can result in fulminant hepatic failure when left untreated, it is essential that nurses have a complete understanding of the mechanisms of normal paracetamol metabolism, effects of overdosage and treatment strategies to guide the nursing management of clients. This review therefore critically examines the pathophysiology and nursing management of clients with acute paracetamol overdosage.

A descriptive survey was conducted to identify and describe breast self-examination (BSE) knowledge and practices of young women (< 45 years). The sample consisted of 65 female university nursing students, whose ages ranged between 17 and 45 years (M = 19). Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics. The results of the study were that 99% of the sample had performed BSE in the previous 12 months. Fewer than half (44%) of these participants indicated that they would classify their BSEs as regular; only 27% of the participants reported they had examined their breasts from 9 to 12 times in the previous 12 months, which would normally be considered regular BSE. No significant relation was found between a family history of breast cancer and regular BSE (r = .262). A large percentage of the sample (77%) correctly identified the recommended time for BSE in relation to their menstrual cycle, although only 37% of the participants performed BSE at this time. Significant differences were found between the recommended times for performing BSE and the days of the menstrual cycle on which the participants performed BSE, chi 2(16, N = 64) = 35.330, p < .01. Forty percent of participants indicated they would ask their doctor to obtain more information about BSE. A further 36% of participants indicated they would go to a community health center. The most commonly cited community resource stated by the participants for obtaining BSE information was a doctor.

The neonate is a unique individual with his/her own needs. This article deals with the adjustments the neonate has to make to extrauterine life; some of the differences between neonates and older children and adults, and the special needs of the neonate who needs surgery.