Description:
Aim: To examine, in a simulated environment, rural nurses’ ability to assess and manage patient deterioration using measures of knowledge, situation awareness and skill performance. Background: Nurses’ ability to manage deterioration and ‘failure to rescue’ are of significant concern with questions over knowledge and clinical skills. Simulated emergencies may help to identify and develop core skills. Methods: An exploratory quantitative performance review. Thirty five nurses from a single ward completed a knowledge questionnaire and two video recorded simulated scenarios in a rural hospital setting. Patient actors simulated deteriorating patients with an Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) as the primary diagnosis. How aware individuals were of the situation (levels of situation awareness) were measured at the end of each scenario. Results: Knowledge of deterioration management varied considerably (range: 27%-91%) with a mean score of 67%. Average situation awareness scores and skill scores across the two scenarios (AMI and COPD) were low (50%) with many important observations and actions missed. Participants did identify that ‘patients’ were deteriorating but as each patient deteriorated staff performance declined with a reduction in all observational records and actions. In many cases, performance decrements appeared to be related to high anxiety levels. Participants tended to focus on single signs and symptoms and failed to use a systematic approach to patient assessment. Conclusion: Knowledge and skills were generally low in this rural hospital sample with notable performance decrements as patients acutely declined. Educational models that incorporate high fidelity simulation and feedback techniques are likely to have a significant positive impact on performance.
Description:
Aim: To examine, in a simulated environment, rural nurses’ ability to assess and manage patient deterioration using measures of knowledge, situation awareness and skill performance. Background: Nurses’ ability to manage deterioration and ‘failure to rescue’ are of significant concern with questions over knowledge and clinical skills. Simulated emergencies may help to identify and develop core skills. Methods: An exploratory quantitative performance review. Thirty five nurses from a single ward completed a knowledge questionnaire and two video recorded simulated scenarios in a rural hospital setting. Patient actors simulated deteriorating patients with an Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) as the primary diagnosis. How aware individuals were of the situation (levels of situation awareness) were measured at the end of each scenario. Results: Knowledge of deterioration management varied considerably (range: 27%-91%) with a mean score of 67%. Average situation awareness scores and skill scores across the two scenarios (AMI and COPD) were low (50%) with many important observations and actions missed. Participants did identify that ‘patients’ were deteriorating but as each patient deteriorated staff performance declined with a reduction in all observational records and actions. In many cases, performance decrements appeared to be related to high anxiety levels. Participants tended to focus on single signs and symptoms and failed to use a systematic approach to patient assessment. Conclusion: Knowledge and skills were generally low in this rural hospital sample with notable performance decrements as patients acutely declined. Educational models that incorporate high fidelity simulation and feedback techniques are likely to have a significant positive impact on performance.
Description:
The article discusses the possible knowledge that can be learned by British adult educators from the men's sheds movement. It provides a definition and history of the men's sheds movement and offers examples for it. It cites the information that can be gained by adult education providers from the movement including the significance of gender and benefits of workshop-type settings for men learners. It mentions the effectivity of informal learning for men when it is social and situated.
Description:
As part of an evaluation of a web-based early literacy intervention, ABRACADABRA, a small exploratory study was conducted over one term in three primary schools in the Northern Territory. Of particular concern was the relationship between attendance and the acquisition of early literacy skills of Indigenous and non-Indigenous children. Using the GRADE literacy assessment, it was found that students made significant gains in a number of early literacy skills (e.g. phonological awareness skills and vocabulary processing). Classroom attendance was strongly and positively correlated with the acquisition of phonological awareness skills and early literacy skills (e.g. letter recognition, word identification processing). Indigenous children attended class significantly less frequently than non-Indigenous children and performed significantly worse overall, particularly with regard to phonological processing tasks. In light of these findings, it is suggested irregular attendance contributed to the Indigenous students' lowered literacy acquisition.
Description:
In this paper we focus on the production of a local Catholic primary school Annual Concert by Grade 3-4 students, which took as its theme, Wauthaurong Heritage in the Region. The school approached the local University's School of Education to suggest one of its Bachelor of Education students who might be willing to work with the school on this production. With this initiative, we were presented with the basis for a community-based project which would incorporate the local Aboriginal Collective, a private Catholic primary school, and a School of Education within the University of the city in the form of the annual school concert. Combining the knowledge, expertise and experience from each of these organisations to deal with a variety of issues involved in education and community perceptions, the project was set to explore the ways in which these were to be dealt with.
Description:
The discourse of integration has been ascendant in migration policy internationally, particularly after western concerns linking terrorism with cultural separatism. Retreats from multiculturalism signal a view that conformance by outsiders with a normative, universal, and static national citizen subject will facilitate social cohesion. The discourse of integrationism, perpetuated through the practice of UnSpeak (Poole 2006), represents resettled refugees as innately problematic against dominant, normative values (Marston 2004). I explore these representations in Australian settlement education policy and suggest an appeal to marginal voices (Foucault 1980; Spivak 1988) as a means for contesting them. Rejecting an engagement driven by policy categories (Bakewell 2008), I interview nine, long settled Melbourne refugee women about education’s purposes. I make sense of the women’s feedback through Foucault’s (1990) Care of the Self, which provides an account of agency in the subject. The interviewees emphasize education’s role in facilitating self actualization, informed by a ‘knowledge of the self’. In contrast to their dominant representation as the problematic subjects of a policy encouraging conformity, refugees should be regarded as agents with potential.
Description:
Fisher's spiritual well-being (SWB) questionnaires assessed students' levels of relationship in four domains, namely with themselves, others, the environment and with a Transcendent Other (commonly called God). Students also reported the extent to which different entities helped them develop relationships in the four domains of SWB. However, emphasis here will be on the transcendental domain of SWB, i.e., relation with God. Levels of perceived help for relating with God (from mothers, friends, themselves, teachers, RE teachers and God) varied significantly between schools, in line with students' self reports of relationship with God, i.e. Christian Catholic independent ( government) schools. Contrary to the students' claims that teachers, especially RE teachers, provided major help for them in relating with God, other factors provided greater explanation of observed statistical variance. The 'importance of religion' and direct 'help from God' were key factors, together with how well students 'help themselves'. It is not surprising, therefore, that school ethos, which is influenced by teachers and religious affiliation of students, plays a vital role in fostering students' relationship with God, for their spiritual well-being.
Description:
This educational note measures the impact of the Albrecht & Sack (2000) monograph in accounting education literature from its publication date at the end of 2000. Impact refers to the number of times Albrecht & Sack (2000) has been cited and referenced in the three leading US Accounting education journals, being Advances in Accounting Education, issues in Accounting Education, and the Journal of Accounting Education. This educational note found that since 2001, and until 2007, "Albrecht & Sack (2000)" has been cited in 29.3% of research papers, and the most cited chapter was Chapter 5- "Improving accounting education". While Albrecht & Sack (2000) has been widely cited, the impact in terms of policy changes, and changes to the accounting curriculum has yet to be eventuated. Indeed it may still be too early to examine impact beyond pure citation.
Description:
Some elected Health and Safety Representatives in Australia choose to undertake a Certificate IV level OHS course. To determine if they are more effective at representing their Designated Work Group as a result, a sample population of Health and Safety Representatives and members of their Designated Work Group were surveyed. The survey participants were also tested in regard to their approach to solving health and safety problems posed in three hypothetical workplace scenarios. The results were compared with the results of the same test undertaken by Health and Safety Representatives that had only completed a 5-day training course. As a result of undertaking a Certificate IV OHS program, Health and Safety Representatives have more confidence in undertaking workplace inspections and the frequency and the quality of those inspections is increased. They seek more information from their employer in regard to workplace hazards and are consulted by management more often and also consult with the members of their Designated Work Group more frequently. There were statistically significant differences between responses to the three hypothetical workplace scenarios given by subjects that had undertaken a Certificate IV course and those that had only completed a 5-day training program. The Certificate IV course group were more likely to apply safe place control principles to problems. Together with increased frequency of inspections and greater consultation, this is likely to lead to more effective representation of the DWG.
Description:
Some elected Health and Safety Representatives in Australia choose to undertake a Certificate IV level OHS course. To determine if they are more effective at representing their Designated Work Group as a result, a sample population of Health and Safety Representatives and members of their Designated Work Group were surveyed. The survey participants were also tested in regard to their approach to solving health and safety problems posed in three hypothetical workplace scenarios. The results were compared with the results of the same test undertaken by Health and Safety Representatives that had only completed a 5-day training course. As a result of undertaking a Certificate IV OHS program, Health and Safety Representatives have more confidence in undertaking workplace inspections and the frequency and the quality of those inspections is increased. They seek more information from their employer in regard to workplace hazards and are consulted by management more often and also consult with the members of their Designated Work Group more frequently. There were statistically significant differences between responses to the three hypothetical workplace scenarios given by subjects that had undertaken a Certificate IV course and those that had only completed a 5-day training program. The Certificate IV course group were more likely to apply safe place control principles to problems. Together with increased frequency of inspections and greater consultation, this is likely to lead to more effective representation of the DWG.
Description:
Abstract AIM: To examine, in a simulated environment, the ability of final-year nursing students to assess, identify and respond to patients either deteriorating or at risk of deterioration. BACKGROUND: The early identification and management of patient deterioration has a major impact on patient outcomes. 'Failure to rescue' is of international concern, with significant concerns over nurses' ability to detect deterioration, the reasons for which are unknown. DESIGN: Mixed methods incorporating quantitative measures of performance (knowledge, skill and situation awareness) and, to be reported at a later date, a qualitative reflective review of decision processes. METHODS: Fifty-one final-year, final-semester student nurses attended a simulation laboratory. Students completed a knowledge questionnaire and two video-recorded simulated scenarios (mannequin based) to assess skill performance. The scenarios simulated deteriorating patients with hypovolaemic and septic shock. Situation awareness was measured by randomly stopping each scenario and asking a series of questions relating to the situation. RESULTS: The mean knowledge score was 74% (range 46-100%) and the mean skill performance score across both scenarios was 60% (range 30-78%). Skill performance improved significantly (p < 0.01) by the second scenario. However, skill performance declined significantly in both scenarios as the patient's condition deteriorated (hypovolaemia scenario: p = 0.012, septic scenario: p = 0.000). The mean situation awareness score across both scenarios was 59% (range 38-82%). Participants tended to identify physiological indicators of deterioration (77%) but had low comprehension scores (44%). CONCLUSION: Knowledge scores suggest, on average, a satisfactory academic preparation, but this study identified significant deficits in students' ability to manage patient deterioration. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: This study suggests that student nurses, at the point of qualification, may be inadequately prepared to identify and manage deteriorating patients in the clinical setting.
Description:
Accounting involves the recording of events, the preparation and reporting of results and is a key medium in discharging accountability. It pervades organisations and institutions in every country and is a key element of the business fabric and economic development of any nation. This study examines the development of accounting regulation, education, and literature in Australia across five key phases of European settlement from 1788 to 2005 and presents an overview of the major historical trends in each of these periods. The development of accounting and the profession is intimately linked with significant economic development in Australia over 200 years.
Description:
Finding the most appropriate way to assess knowledge is an enduring issue. In the past, nurses seeking state registration or professional qualification through nursing association membership were required to pass state final or association examinations. This historical research describes final examinations in surgical nursing in Australia and New Zealand, 1905-1930, when the examination process and standards were first being established. A comparison shows more similarity than difference between the two countries' examinations. Not surprisingly, the most common topic in this pre-antibiotic period was prevention of wound infection. Despite the generally high pass rate, analysis of published examiners' comments in New Zealand reveals concern about areas of nurses' knowledge and level of general education. Examiners were concerned to ensure an effective examination but also provided advice on how to pass it. The research contributes to a consideration of surgeons' expectations of nurses, and relations and knowledge boundaries between the two professions.
Description:
This paper argues that philosophy matters more than platforms - and even learning object design - in effective online education. Much of the literature concerning quality, experiential learning and associated pedagogical issues for online learning falls short of examining the fundamental role of educational philosophy. While questions of platform and design are also relevant, they represent second order considerations in the overall scheme of effective learning. It seems likely that this gap helps to explain why meaningful online and e-learning pedagogies have not flourished or matured alongside the growth of online learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Description:
This paper argues that philosophy matters more than platforms - and even learning object design - in effective online education. Much of the literature concerning quality, experiential learning and associated pedagogical issues for online learning falls short of examining the fundamental role of educational philosophy. While questions of platform and design are also relevant, they represent second order considerations in the overall scheme of effective learning. It seems likely that this gap helps to explain why meaningful online and e-learning pedagogies have not flourished or matured alongside the growth of online learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Description:
Our paper examines and analyses the contexts and organisations in rural and regional communities that informally and effectively encourage men to learn. It is based on a combination of local, rural adult education practice and a suite of studies in Australia and elsewhere of learning in community contexts, most recently into community-based men's sheds. It is underpinned by both experience and research evidence that many rural men tend to have an aversion to formal learning. The intention of our paper and its specific, practical conclusions and recommendations is to focus on and share positive and practical ways, demonstrated through practice and validated through research, of encouraging rural men to learn.
Description:
Our paper examines and analyses the contexts and organisations in rural and regional communities that informally and effectively encourage men to learn. It is based on a combination of local, rural adult education practice and a suite of studies in Australia and elsewhere of learning in community contexts, most recently into community-based men's sheds. It is underpinned by both experience and research evidence that many rural men tend to have an aversion to formal learning. The intention of our paper and its specific, practical conclusions and recommendations is to focus on and share positive and practical ways, demonstrated through practice and validated through research, of encouraging rural men to learn.
Description:
This article reviews research into the genesis and spread of both neighbourhood houses and learning centres in Victoria and community-based men's sheds in Australia to identify some similarities and differences. Our article asks questions about the gendered communities of practice that underpin houses for women on the one hand, and sheds for men on the other. Our particular interest is with the gender issues associated with the development of the relatively mature neighbourhood house 'sector', and those associated with the very recent and developing community-based men's sheds 'sector'. Our underpinning research question has to do with the desirability (or otherwise) in each of these sectors of political and strategic decisions being either gender specific or gender neutral. We identify a number of tantalising parallels between the rationale behind the establishment of both sectors,for women and men, albeit in very different circumstances, along with some obvious differences.
Description:
This article reviews research into the genesis and spread of both neighbourhood houses and learning centres in Victoria and community-based men's sheds in Australia to identify some similarities and differences. Our article asks questions about the gendered communities of practice that underpin houses for women on the one hand, and sheds for men on the other. Our particular interest is with the gender issues associated with the development of the relatively mature neighbourhood house 'sector', and those associated with the very recent and developing community-based men's sheds 'sector'. Our underpinning research question has to do with the desirability (or otherwise) in each of these sectors of political and strategic decisions being either gender specific or gender neutral. We identify a number of tantalising parallels between the rationale behind the establishment of both sectors,for women and men, albeit in very different circumstances, along with some obvious differences.