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The primary goal of this scoping review is to clarify how military culture and its impact on military personnel’s identity and mental health has been defined, classified and understood within the existing literature and to identify gaps for future research.

Background Migration trends to Australia have seen an increase in international nurses, with twenty-nine percent of current registered nurses having received their first nursing qualification outside of Australia. The process international and local nurses navigate to enable successful integration into the Australian healthcare system is unclear. Aim To explore how international nurses and Australian nurses adapt to work together in the Australian healthcare system and to develop a theory that explains this process. Methods Grounded theory methodology was used. Concurrent data collection/generation and analysis of online-survey data (n = 186) and in-depth interviews (n = 15) was undertaken. Storyline was used as a technique of analysis to develop, construct and present the theory. Focus groups (n = 9 + 7) were conducted to confirm the relevance of the theory. Findings Nurses work together to enable successful integration of international nurses. Four phases underpin this adaptation to the cultural norms of the workplace: (i) Joining the game; (ii) Learning the game, (iii) Playing by the rules, and (iv) The end game. These phases comprise the grounded theory Playing the game: Integration of internationally qualified registered nurses in the Australian healthcare system. Discussion Additional orientation programs and collegiate support for international nurses were significant factors influencing successful adaption to the cultural context of the work environment. Defining the role and scope of practice of the registered nurse in the Australian context provided challenges. Conclusion Supportive colleagues were critical to successful integration and retention of experienced nurses irrespective of where nurses obtain their nursing qualification. Additional orientation programs for international nurses could improve the experience of nurses migrating to work in Australia.

© 2017, © The Author(s) 2017. Introduction: International nurses account for 20% of the Australian nurse workforce. This review aims to identify and appraise research findings on the experiences of internationally qualified registered nurses working in the Australian healthcare system. Methodology: The review was structured using Whittemore and Knafl modified framework for integrated reviews. A systematic database search was undertaken. Articles (n = 48) were identified for appraisal based on set inclusion and exclusion criteria. Evaluation using the Critical Appraisal Skills Program tool resulted in (n = 16) articles in the final data set. Results: Three broad themes were identified: (a) Transitioning—Need for appropriate, timely, and adequate supports to assist transition to practice; (b) Practicing within local contexts—How expectations were different to the reality of clinical practice; and (c) Experiencing prejudice—when racial prejudice occurred. Discussion: Appropriate programs including cultural-safety education can mitigate adverse workforce dynamics within culturally diverse health care teams to enable provision of culturally congruent health care.

Aims and objectives To identify how science should be taught to nursing students, and by whom. Background An understanding of foundational science and its role in supporting safe and effective nursing practice is an important part of student learning. The well documented challenges in teaching this content are compounded by a lack of evidence regarding educational strategies that lead to improved educational outcomes. Design The study employed a cross-sectional design using online surveys. Methods Two surveys were conducted in Australia involving (i) academics who teach science in undergraduate nursing programs and (ii) registered nurses (RNs). Participants were asked to respond to a range of questions around how science should be taught to nurses. There were n=30 and n=1808 respondents respectively. Results Findings indicated a need to better integrate science content throughout nursing curricula. Participants were supportive of a discrete science subject in the foundation year and the integration of science content throughout the remainder of the curriculum. Participants across both surveys were ambivalent about whether the depth of science teaching was adequate for nursing practice. Most nurse academics and RNs thought that nurses should teach science, while non-nursing science teachers were less certain. Conclusions Existing consensus clearly values the delivery of science content as an initial and ongoing priority of learning throughout the undergraduate nursing program. Relevance to practice Improving the ways in which students learn sciences will impact on nursing practice, with the potential to improve patient care.

Background Nursing practice is underpinned by science knowledge. While the literature is consistent in identifying limitations in teaching science content to nurses, there is a lack of consensus regarding what should be taught and to what level of detail. No studies to date have systematically surveyed registered nurses (RNs) for their perspectives about the science knowledge that should underpin nursing practice. Aim To establish the relative importance RNs place on science content taught to nurses. Method Practicing RNs across Australia were invited to participate in a cross-sectional survey administered online. The survey asked participants to prioritize 179 science topics according to the relative importance of each item to nursing practice. Findings A total of 1583 RNs completed the survey. Participants indicated strong support for the inclusion of foundational science knowledge in undergraduate pre-registration nursing programs. The majority of topics (88%) were rated as a ‘high priority' (a rating of 4 or 5), particularly anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology. No topic received a rating of less than 3 (of a possible 5). Discussion RNs expressed different views about the prioritization of science content areas for nursing practice compared with the views of academics who teach science to nursing students. Identification of the science content areas that RNs regard as high priority for nursing practice can be used to guide improvements in nursing curriculum development. Conclusion The results of this study demonstrate that practising RNs place high value on various science topics and the teaching of biological sciences generally. This study suggests the need for greater inclusion of key stakeholders, including practicing RNs, when integrating bioscience within nursing curricula.

Background: Grounded theory is a well-known methodology employed in many research studies. Qualitative and quantitative data generation techniques can be used in a grounded theory study. Grounded theory sets out to discover or construct theory from data, systematically obtained and analysed using comparative analysis. While grounded theory is inherently flexible, it is a complex methodology. Thus, novice researchers strive to understand the discourse and the practical application of grounded theory concepts and processes. Objective: The aim of this article is to provide a contemporary research framework suitable to inform a grounded theory study. Result: This article provides an overview of grounded theory illustrated through a graphic representation of the processes and methods employed in conducting research using this methodology. The framework is presented as a diagrammatic representation of a research design and acts as a visual guide for the novice grounded theory researcher. Discussion: As grounded theory is not a linear process, the framework illustrates the interplay between the essential grounded theory methods and iterative and comparative actions involved. Each of the essential methods and processes that underpin grounded theory are defined in this article. Conclusion: Rather than an engagement in philosophical discussion or a debate of the different genres that can be used in grounded theory, this article illustrates how a framework for a research study design can be used to guide and inform the novice nurse researcher undertaking a study using grounded theory. Research findings and recommendations can contribute to policy or knowledge development, service provision and can reform thinking to initiate change in the substantive area of inquiry.

Background Professional nursing practice is informed by biological, social and behavioural sciences. In undergraduate pre-registration nursing programs, biological sciences typically include anatomy, physiology, microbiology, chemistry, physics and pharmacology. The current gap in the literature results in a lack of information about the content and depth of biological sciences being taught in nursing curricula. The aim of this study was to establish what priority is given to the teaching of science topics in these programs in order to inform an understanding of the relative importance placed on this subject area in contemporary nursing education. Method This study employed a cross-sectional survey method. This paper reports on the first phase of a larger project examining science content in nursing programs. An existing questionnaire was modified and delivered online for completion by academics who teach science to nurses in these programs. This paper reports on the relative priority given by respondents to the teaching of 177 topics contained in the questionnaire. Results Of the relatively small population of academics who teach science to nursing students, thirty (n = 30) completed the survey. Findings indicate strong support for the teaching of science in these programs, with particular priority given to the basic concepts of bioscience and gross system anatomy. Of concern, most science subject areas outside of these domains were ranked as being of moderate or low priority. Conclusion While the small sample size limited the conclusions able to be drawn from this study, the findings supported previous studies that indicated inadequacies in the teaching of science content in nursing curricula. Nevertheless, these findings have raised questions about the current philosophy that underpins nursing education in Australia and whether existing practices are clearly focused on preparing students for the demands of contemporary nursing practice. Academics responsible for the design and implementation of nursing curricula are encouraged to review the content of current programs in light of the findings of this research.