The mechanisms of student grit at the height of a major crisis : identifying key predictors when times get really tough
- Terry, Daniel, Peck, Blake, Biangone, Marianne
- Authors: Terry, Daniel , Peck, Blake , Biangone, Marianne
- Date: 2024
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Nursing Open Vol. 11, no. 1 (2024), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Aim: The study aims to provide insights into the key predictors of grit both before, during and throughout a common crisis event, where other more individualised challenges may not provide these insights. Design: A repeated cross-sectional design. Methods: Data were collected via an anonymous questionnaire among n = 818 (20.8% response rate) nursing students who were undertaking a three-year baccalaureate degree. Data collection occurred in the mid-year break of 2019, 2020 and 2021. The online questionnaire, which examined student demographics, personality, locus of control-4, general self-efficacy, psychological capital and grit, took 15–25 min to complete. Data were prepared and analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences to undertake Structural Equation Modelling. Reporting methods adhered to the STROBE guidelines. Results: The pathway models of grit prior to, at the time of, and after the global pandemic varied slightly as to their predictor variables, however, neuroticism was consistently present. Locus of control and psychological capital also varied over this period with hope having a positive impact, prior to and after the initial crisis, however, negatively impacted grit afterwards. Understanding the key drivers of grit, particularly those essential at or around the time of a crisis guides our understanding of how to better support nursing or healthcare students. These insights enable a greater focus of energies towards malleable attributes that can increase grit levels and better fortify nursing students for challenges they may encounter in practice. These insights also serve to further prepare healthcare, emergency, or other professionals who may encounter regular crises. Within months of a global pandemic occurring, the key predictors of grit were shown to fundamentally alter. Each pathway model varied slightly suggesting the timing of a crisis impacts students' capacity to manage new or novel situations, with hope as a key driver of grit throughout a crisis. © 2023 The Authors. Nursing Open published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
- Authors: Terry, Daniel , Peck, Blake , Biangone, Marianne
- Date: 2024
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Nursing Open Vol. 11, no. 1 (2024), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Aim: The study aims to provide insights into the key predictors of grit both before, during and throughout a common crisis event, where other more individualised challenges may not provide these insights. Design: A repeated cross-sectional design. Methods: Data were collected via an anonymous questionnaire among n = 818 (20.8% response rate) nursing students who were undertaking a three-year baccalaureate degree. Data collection occurred in the mid-year break of 2019, 2020 and 2021. The online questionnaire, which examined student demographics, personality, locus of control-4, general self-efficacy, psychological capital and grit, took 15–25 min to complete. Data were prepared and analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences to undertake Structural Equation Modelling. Reporting methods adhered to the STROBE guidelines. Results: The pathway models of grit prior to, at the time of, and after the global pandemic varied slightly as to their predictor variables, however, neuroticism was consistently present. Locus of control and psychological capital also varied over this period with hope having a positive impact, prior to and after the initial crisis, however, negatively impacted grit afterwards. Understanding the key drivers of grit, particularly those essential at or around the time of a crisis guides our understanding of how to better support nursing or healthcare students. These insights enable a greater focus of energies towards malleable attributes that can increase grit levels and better fortify nursing students for challenges they may encounter in practice. These insights also serve to further prepare healthcare, emergency, or other professionals who may encounter regular crises. Within months of a global pandemic occurring, the key predictors of grit were shown to fundamentally alter. Each pathway model varied slightly suggesting the timing of a crisis impacts students' capacity to manage new or novel situations, with hope as a key driver of grit throughout a crisis. © 2023 The Authors. Nursing Open published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Yoga in schools that contributes to a positive classroom atmosphere for young children and educators : a PRISMA scoping review
- Martin, Beverley, Peck, Blake, Terry, Daniel
- Authors: Martin, Beverley , Peck, Blake , Terry, Daniel
- Date: 2024
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: Frontiers in Education Vol. 9, no. (2024), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Introduction: This scoping review aims to examines yoga taught to children in a variety of different educational settings including after-school and in-school activity. Yoga has been found to support children in regard to wellbeing in a number of ways. Methods: A scoping review using a systematic approach was undertaken using EBSCO, CINAHL, Medline and Psycinfo. Google Scholar was used to search for grey literature and journal reference lists reviewed. Results: Fourteen studies were identified within the review that describe how children are able to understand and regulate their bodies through movement. As such four main themes were identified and included: (1) yoga and psychological wellbeing in school children; (2) yoga and self-regulation in pre-school children (3) yoga and cognitive function in school children; and (4) yoga and contemplative practices. Conclusion: Children who participate in yoga during and after school were framing their world using their own creativity and fantasy in an attempt to understand and navigate it. The physical and psychological difficulty of some of the yoga shapes assisted children to develop a persistent mindset which enabled them to use in other unrelated contexts, such as difficulties at school. Copyright © 2024 Martin, Peck and Terry.
- Authors: Martin, Beverley , Peck, Blake , Terry, Daniel
- Date: 2024
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: Frontiers in Education Vol. 9, no. (2024), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Introduction: This scoping review aims to examines yoga taught to children in a variety of different educational settings including after-school and in-school activity. Yoga has been found to support children in regard to wellbeing in a number of ways. Methods: A scoping review using a systematic approach was undertaken using EBSCO, CINAHL, Medline and Psycinfo. Google Scholar was used to search for grey literature and journal reference lists reviewed. Results: Fourteen studies were identified within the review that describe how children are able to understand and regulate their bodies through movement. As such four main themes were identified and included: (1) yoga and psychological wellbeing in school children; (2) yoga and self-regulation in pre-school children (3) yoga and cognitive function in school children; and (4) yoga and contemplative practices. Conclusion: Children who participate in yoga during and after school were framing their world using their own creativity and fantasy in an attempt to understand and navigate it. The physical and psychological difficulty of some of the yoga shapes assisted children to develop a persistent mindset which enabled them to use in other unrelated contexts, such as difficulties at school. Copyright © 2024 Martin, Peck and Terry.
- Terry, Daniel, Peck, Blake, Biangone, Marianne
- Authors: Terry, Daniel , Peck, Blake , Biangone, Marianne
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Nursing Education Scholarship Vol. 20, no. 1 (2023), p.
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: Objectives: To examine changes in grit and psychological capital among nursing students prior to, during the height of the pandemic, and more than 12 months after the initial pandemic announcement. Methods: A cross-sectional study design addressed the aim of the study. Nursing students undertaking a three-year baccalaureate degree between 2019 and 2021 were included. Results: Mean grit levels among the n=818 unique student participants were significantly lower in 2020 than in 2019 and 2021; however, no significant difference was detected for psychological capital over the same period. Conclusions: Although normative day-to-day challenges may aid grit development, a major event has a negative impact yet has a buffering effect of negative life events at the time of a crisis. The study further placates that psychological capital remains malleable and open to change at the time of a crisis and may be an essential mechanism to mediate grit and has the capacity to influence student performance over time. It remains essential to develop grit through the mediating elements of psychological capital to enable nursing student to undertake academic studies, particularly in the event of major challenges, such approaches may further enable students' endurance to withstand major crises as they enter the workforce. © 2023 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston.
Developing rights-based standards for children having tests, treatments, examinations and interventions: using a collaborative, multi-phased, multi-method and multi-stakeholder approach to build consensus
- Bray, Lucy, Carter, Bernie, Kiernan, Joann, Horowicz, Ed, Dixon, Katie, Ridley, James, Robinson, Carol, Simmons, Anna, Craske, Jennie, Sinha, Stephanie, Morton, Liza, Nafria, Begonya, Forsner, Maria, Rullander, Anna-Clara, Nilsson, Stefan, Darcy, Laura, Karlsson, Katarina, Hubbuck, Cath, Brenner, Maria, Spencer-Little, Sian, Evans, Kath, Rowland, Andrew, Hilliard, Carol, Preston, Jennifer, Leroy, Piet, Roland, Damian, Booth, Lisa, Davies, Jean, Saron, Holly, Peck, Blake
- Authors: Bray, Lucy , Carter, Bernie , Kiernan, Joann , Horowicz, Ed , Dixon, Katie , Ridley, James , Robinson, Carol , Simmons, Anna , Craske, Jennie , Sinha, Stephanie , Morton, Liza , Nafria, Begonya , Forsner, Maria , Rullander, Anna-Clara , Nilsson, Stefan , Darcy, Laura , Karlsson, Katarina , Hubbuck, Cath , Brenner, Maria , Spencer-Little, Sian , Evans, Kath , Rowland, Andrew , Hilliard, Carol , Preston, Jennifer , Leroy, Piet , Roland, Damian , Booth, Lisa , Davies, Jean , Saron, Holly , Peck, Blake
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: European Journal of Pediatrics Vol. 182, no. 10 (2023), p. 4707-4721
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Children continue to experience harm when undergoing clinical procedures despite increased evidence of the need to improve the provision of child-centred care. The international ISupport collaboration aimed to develop standards to outline and explain good procedural practice and the rights of children within the context of a clinical procedure. The rights-based standards for children undergoing tests, treatments, investigations, examinations and interventions were developed using an iterative, multi-phased, multi-method and multi-stakeholder consensus building approach. This consensus approach used a range of online and face to face methods across three phases to ensure ongoing engagement with multiple stakeholders. The views and perspectives of 203 children and young people, 78 parents and 418 multi-disciplinary professionals gathered over a two year period (2020–2022) informed the development of international rights-based standards for the care of children having tests, treatments, examinations and interventions. The standards are the first to reach international multi-stakeholder consensus on definitions of supportive and restraining holds. Conclusion: This is the first study of its kind which outlines international rights-based procedural care standards from multi-stakeholder perspectives. The standards offer health professionals and educators clear evidence-based tools to support discussions and practice changes to challenge prevailing assumptions about holding or restraining children and instead encourage a focus on the interests and rights of the child. What is Known: • Children continue to experience short and long-term harm when undergoing clinical procedures despite increased evidence of the need to improve the provision of child-centred care. • Professionals report uncertainty and tensions in applying evidence-based practice to children’s procedural care. What is New: • This is the first study of its kind which has developed international rights-based procedural care standards from multi-stakeholder perspectives. • The standards are the first to reach international multi-stakeholder consensus on definitions of supportive and restraining holds. © 2023, The Author(s). **Please note that there are multiple authors for this article therefore only the name of the first 30 including Federation University Australia affiliate “Blake Peck” is provided in this record**
- Authors: Bray, Lucy , Carter, Bernie , Kiernan, Joann , Horowicz, Ed , Dixon, Katie , Ridley, James , Robinson, Carol , Simmons, Anna , Craske, Jennie , Sinha, Stephanie , Morton, Liza , Nafria, Begonya , Forsner, Maria , Rullander, Anna-Clara , Nilsson, Stefan , Darcy, Laura , Karlsson, Katarina , Hubbuck, Cath , Brenner, Maria , Spencer-Little, Sian , Evans, Kath , Rowland, Andrew , Hilliard, Carol , Preston, Jennifer , Leroy, Piet , Roland, Damian , Booth, Lisa , Davies, Jean , Saron, Holly , Peck, Blake
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: European Journal of Pediatrics Vol. 182, no. 10 (2023), p. 4707-4721
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Children continue to experience harm when undergoing clinical procedures despite increased evidence of the need to improve the provision of child-centred care. The international ISupport collaboration aimed to develop standards to outline and explain good procedural practice and the rights of children within the context of a clinical procedure. The rights-based standards for children undergoing tests, treatments, investigations, examinations and interventions were developed using an iterative, multi-phased, multi-method and multi-stakeholder consensus building approach. This consensus approach used a range of online and face to face methods across three phases to ensure ongoing engagement with multiple stakeholders. The views and perspectives of 203 children and young people, 78 parents and 418 multi-disciplinary professionals gathered over a two year period (2020–2022) informed the development of international rights-based standards for the care of children having tests, treatments, examinations and interventions. The standards are the first to reach international multi-stakeholder consensus on definitions of supportive and restraining holds. Conclusion: This is the first study of its kind which outlines international rights-based procedural care standards from multi-stakeholder perspectives. The standards offer health professionals and educators clear evidence-based tools to support discussions and practice changes to challenge prevailing assumptions about holding or restraining children and instead encourage a focus on the interests and rights of the child. What is Known: • Children continue to experience short and long-term harm when undergoing clinical procedures despite increased evidence of the need to improve the provision of child-centred care. • Professionals report uncertainty and tensions in applying evidence-based practice to children’s procedural care. What is New: • This is the first study of its kind which has developed international rights-based procedural care standards from multi-stakeholder perspectives. • The standards are the first to reach international multi-stakeholder consensus on definitions of supportive and restraining holds. © 2023, The Author(s). **Please note that there are multiple authors for this article therefore only the name of the first 30 including Federation University Australia affiliate “Blake Peck” is provided in this record**
- Huang, Wai, Terry, Daniel, Peck, Blake
- Authors: Huang, Wai , Terry, Daniel , Peck, Blake
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Nursing Education Vol. 62, no. 4 (2023), p. 199-206
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: Background: Internationalization at home (IaH) is a novel concept that aims to integrate intercultural learning into an academic curriculum to promote global collaborative learning and support cross-cultural engagement without leaving home. However, little is known about the experience and perceptions of tertiary health education students who have engaged in IaH. This literature review examines how intercultural learning via IaH can enhance students' sense and capacity of cultural competency. Method: A systematic database search of all published studies between 2001 and 2021 was conducted. Results: A total of 113 studies were screened for eligibility, and nine studies were included in the analysis. Three subthemes emerged from the overarching theme of enhancing cultural competence. Conclusion: IaH provides an effective and safe learning environment for students to engage in cross-cultural interactions and broaden their multi-cultural views and understanding. © 2023 Slack Incorporated. All rights reserved.
Health literacy among children living with a long-term condition : ‘what I know and who I tell’
- Peck, Blake, Bray, Lucy, Dickinson, Annette, Blamires, Julie, Terry, Daniel, Carter, Bernie
- Authors: Peck, Blake , Bray, Lucy , Dickinson, Annette , Blamires, Julie , Terry, Daniel , Carter, Bernie
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Health Education Journal Vol. 82, no. 5 (2023), p. 487-504
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Background: Little is known about the health literacy of children living with long-term conditions. This study aimed to gain insight into the life of children with a long-term condition in the context of health literacy, specifically their understanding of their health and the barriers and facilitators to sharing information about their condition with others. Design: Child-centred qualitative arts-based approach with children aged 6–12 years. Setting: Children participating in the study came from three countries – the UK, Australia and New Zealand. Method: A participatory arts-based qualitative child-centred approach prompted children to draw, label and use stickers, body-outlines and collage to describe elements central to health literacy. This encompassed their long-term condition, their understanding of their condition, its management and decision-making associated with sharing information about their condition with others. The sessions were audio-recorded, and reflexive thematic analysis was undertaken. Results: Four central themes related to key elements of child health literacy: (1) pragmatic understanding – what it feels like and what happens in my body; (2) management regime – what do I have to do to keep on going; (3) information sharing – I don’t tell random people; and (4) benefits of sharing – they’ve got my back. Conclusion: Children indicated a pragmatic or process type understanding of their condition and its management. Children were discerning about who they shared information about their condition with, but tended to establish a network of well-informed peers capable of providing support if needed. Despite gaps in children’s health literacy, parents and families have an important role to play in checking children’s understandings and developing critical health literacy. © The Author(s) 2023.
- Authors: Peck, Blake , Bray, Lucy , Dickinson, Annette , Blamires, Julie , Terry, Daniel , Carter, Bernie
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Health Education Journal Vol. 82, no. 5 (2023), p. 487-504
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Background: Little is known about the health literacy of children living with long-term conditions. This study aimed to gain insight into the life of children with a long-term condition in the context of health literacy, specifically their understanding of their health and the barriers and facilitators to sharing information about their condition with others. Design: Child-centred qualitative arts-based approach with children aged 6–12 years. Setting: Children participating in the study came from three countries – the UK, Australia and New Zealand. Method: A participatory arts-based qualitative child-centred approach prompted children to draw, label and use stickers, body-outlines and collage to describe elements central to health literacy. This encompassed their long-term condition, their understanding of their condition, its management and decision-making associated with sharing information about their condition with others. The sessions were audio-recorded, and reflexive thematic analysis was undertaken. Results: Four central themes related to key elements of child health literacy: (1) pragmatic understanding – what it feels like and what happens in my body; (2) management regime – what do I have to do to keep on going; (3) information sharing – I don’t tell random people; and (4) benefits of sharing – they’ve got my back. Conclusion: Children indicated a pragmatic or process type understanding of their condition and its management. Children were discerning about who they shared information about their condition with, but tended to establish a network of well-informed peers capable of providing support if needed. Despite gaps in children’s health literacy, parents and families have an important role to play in checking children’s understandings and developing critical health literacy. © The Author(s) 2023.
Hermeneutic constructivism : one ontology for authentic understanding
- Authors: Peck, Blake , Mummery, Jane
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Nursing Inquiry Vol. 30, no. 2 (2023), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Nursing and nurses rely upon qualitative research to understand the intricacies of the human condition. Acknowledging the subjective nature of reality and commonly founded in a constructivist epistemology, qualitative approaches offer opportunities for uncovering insights from the perspective of the individual participants, the insider's view, and the construction of representations that maintain an intimacy with the subject's realities. Debate continues, however, about what is needed for a qualitative construction to be considered an authentic understanding of a subject's realities. Authenticity in the context of qualitative research has been described as entailing consideration of a number of well‐trodden dimensions: fairness, ontological, educative, catalytic and tactical. Taking these dimensional requirements as key, this paper argues that authenticity may not always be as well‐developed through some of the standard practices in qualitative research as perhaps expected. In particular, qualitative understandings of authenticity stress that participants should not be merely reported on but instead should be dynamically involved in and changed by the constructions and interpretations of data developed throughout the research process. As this paper illustrates, such engagements appear problematic for qualitative research approaches that are beholden to designative commitments in the context of language and meaning‐making and which tend to prioritise commonality and generality at the expense of individual authenticity. An alternative qualitative approach, Hermeneutic Constructivism, is proposed as better able to achieve the requirements of the dimensions of authenticity. As outlined, this approach is well‐placed to present an understanding of human experience through a genuinely expressivist approach and transcends the stress upon the common or the general that can be pervasive and problematic.
- Authors: Peck, Blake , Mummery, Jane
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Nursing Inquiry Vol. 30, no. 2 (2023), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Nursing and nurses rely upon qualitative research to understand the intricacies of the human condition. Acknowledging the subjective nature of reality and commonly founded in a constructivist epistemology, qualitative approaches offer opportunities for uncovering insights from the perspective of the individual participants, the insider's view, and the construction of representations that maintain an intimacy with the subject's realities. Debate continues, however, about what is needed for a qualitative construction to be considered an authentic understanding of a subject's realities. Authenticity in the context of qualitative research has been described as entailing consideration of a number of well‐trodden dimensions: fairness, ontological, educative, catalytic and tactical. Taking these dimensional requirements as key, this paper argues that authenticity may not always be as well‐developed through some of the standard practices in qualitative research as perhaps expected. In particular, qualitative understandings of authenticity stress that participants should not be merely reported on but instead should be dynamically involved in and changed by the constructions and interpretations of data developed throughout the research process. As this paper illustrates, such engagements appear problematic for qualitative research approaches that are beholden to designative commitments in the context of language and meaning‐making and which tend to prioritise commonality and generality at the expense of individual authenticity. An alternative qualitative approach, Hermeneutic Constructivism, is proposed as better able to achieve the requirements of the dimensions of authenticity. As outlined, this approach is well‐placed to present an understanding of human experience through a genuinely expressivist approach and transcends the stress upon the common or the general that can be pervasive and problematic.
Professionalising care into compliance : the challenge for personalised care models
- Cole, Clare, Mummery, Jane, Peck, Blake
- Authors: Cole, Clare , Mummery, Jane , Peck, Blake
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Nursing Inquiry Vol. 30, no. 3 (2023), p.
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: One of the most basic understandings of nursing is that a nurse is a caregiver for a patient who helps to prevent illness, treat health conditions, and manage the physical needs of patients. Nursing is often presented as a caring profession, which provides patient care driven by ideals of empathy, compassion and kindness. These ideals of care have further been foregrounded through the development and implementation of stress on patient centred care (PCC) and/or person-centred practice (PCP). Although the idealisation of nursing as a caring profession is common, and one certainly seen as integral by nurses and written into the heart of regulatory documentation, we contend that the actual delivery of care is being undercut by the very regulatory climate that strives to professionalise care. As we outline, with specific reference to the context of Australian Nursing, this transformation delivers a commodified, even McDonaldized, model of patient management rather than care. It seems that even with its explicit stress on PCC and PCP, Australian Nursing cannot live up to its own care ideals. Having outlined this problem, the paper then demonstrates the ways in which PCC is thwarted at the coal face of nursing practice and that there must be an institutionalised change to be able to provide genuine patient-centred care. © 2022 The Authors. Nursing Inquiry published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Sustaining rural pharmacy workforce understanding key attributes for enhanced retention and recruitment
- Terry, Daniel, Peck, Blake, Hills, Danny, Bishop, Jaclyn, Kirschbaum, Mark, Obamiro, Kehinde, Phan, Hoang, Baker, Ed, Schmitz, David
- Authors: Terry, Daniel , Peck, Blake , Hills, Danny , Bishop, Jaclyn , Kirschbaum, Mark , Obamiro, Kehinde , Phan, Hoang , Baker, Ed , Schmitz, David
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Australian Journal of Rural Health Vol. 31, no. 2 (2023), p. 218-229
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Objective: To pilot the Pharmacist Community Apgar Questionnaire (PharmCAQ) and evaluate its usability and capacity to develop a greater understanding of the unique factors that impact the rural recruitment and retention of pharmacists. Design: Cross-sectional design involving face-to-face, telephone or video conferencing interviews. Setting: Twelve rural communities across Tasmania and Western Victoria, Australia. Participants: Participants (n = 24) included pharmacists, a Director of Clinical Services, pharmacy practice managers and senior pharmacy assistants. Main Outcome Measures: Interviews enabled the completion of the PharmCAQ, which assigns quantitative values to 50 key factors to ascertain a community's strengths and challenges associated with recruitment and retention and their relative importance to the pharmacist workforce. Results: The cumulative PharmCAQ scores indicated the tool was sensitive enough to differentiate high- and low-performing communities. Overall, the highest-rated factors considered most vital to pharmacist recruitment and retention were the reputation of the pharmacy, the ability of the pharmacist to be independent and autonomous, the loyalty of the community to the pharmacy, the level and stability of monetary compensation and the breadth of tasks available to a pharmacist. Conclusions: This study identified the strengths and challenges of participating communities and provided an insight into the shared factors to consider in recruiting and retaining pharmacists. Further, each community has unique strengths that can further be promoted in recruitment, flagging where limited resources are best used to address site specific challenges. This is more likely to ensure the matching of the right candidate with the right community. © 2022 The Authors. Australian Journal of Rural Health published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of National Rural Health Alliance Ltd.
- Authors: Terry, Daniel , Peck, Blake , Hills, Danny , Bishop, Jaclyn , Kirschbaum, Mark , Obamiro, Kehinde , Phan, Hoang , Baker, Ed , Schmitz, David
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Australian Journal of Rural Health Vol. 31, no. 2 (2023), p. 218-229
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Objective: To pilot the Pharmacist Community Apgar Questionnaire (PharmCAQ) and evaluate its usability and capacity to develop a greater understanding of the unique factors that impact the rural recruitment and retention of pharmacists. Design: Cross-sectional design involving face-to-face, telephone or video conferencing interviews. Setting: Twelve rural communities across Tasmania and Western Victoria, Australia. Participants: Participants (n = 24) included pharmacists, a Director of Clinical Services, pharmacy practice managers and senior pharmacy assistants. Main Outcome Measures: Interviews enabled the completion of the PharmCAQ, which assigns quantitative values to 50 key factors to ascertain a community's strengths and challenges associated with recruitment and retention and their relative importance to the pharmacist workforce. Results: The cumulative PharmCAQ scores indicated the tool was sensitive enough to differentiate high- and low-performing communities. Overall, the highest-rated factors considered most vital to pharmacist recruitment and retention were the reputation of the pharmacy, the ability of the pharmacist to be independent and autonomous, the loyalty of the community to the pharmacy, the level and stability of monetary compensation and the breadth of tasks available to a pharmacist. Conclusions: This study identified the strengths and challenges of participating communities and provided an insight into the shared factors to consider in recruiting and retaining pharmacists. Further, each community has unique strengths that can further be promoted in recruitment, flagging where limited resources are best used to address site specific challenges. This is more likely to ensure the matching of the right candidate with the right community. © 2022 The Authors. Australian Journal of Rural Health published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of National Rural Health Alliance Ltd.
The use of an interactive social simulation tool for adults who stutter : a pilot study
- Meredith, Grant, Achterbosch, Leigh, Peck, Blake, Terry, Daniel, Dekker, Evan, Packman, Ann
- Authors: Meredith, Grant , Achterbosch, Leigh , Peck, Blake , Terry, Daniel , Dekker, Evan , Packman, Ann
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education Vol. 13, no. 1 (2023), p. 187-198
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: This study reports a user evaluation of a DVD-based social simulator, developed for people who stutter to potentially gain confidence in using a learned fluency technique. The aim was to examine and evaluate the pilot of the DVD-based social simulator, Scenari-Aid, to inform the development of an online version of the program. Thirty-seven adults who were stuttering were recruited to the study from non-professional groups in Australia. The DVD comprised scenarios with actors in real-life settings that were designed to elicit verbal responses. Participants worked through the scenarios at their own rate and then completed an online survey. The survey comprised 29 statements requiring responses on a 5-point Likert scale and provided information about users’ perceptions of participating in the social simulations. There was high positive agreement among the participants on all statements, the most important being that they perceived the scenarios represented in everyday speaking situations and that they felt immersed in them. Participants also agreed that both their fluency and confidence increased in everyday speaking situations as a result of working through the DVD scenarios. The developers were satisfied that, despite the subjective nature of the findings, the study provided sufficient support for constructing the online version, which is now available to the public free of charge. Further research is needed to provide empirical evidence of the contribution it can make to the efficacy of speech programs for adults who stutter. © 2023 by the authors.
- Authors: Meredith, Grant , Achterbosch, Leigh , Peck, Blake , Terry, Daniel , Dekker, Evan , Packman, Ann
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education Vol. 13, no. 1 (2023), p. 187-198
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: This study reports a user evaluation of a DVD-based social simulator, developed for people who stutter to potentially gain confidence in using a learned fluency technique. The aim was to examine and evaluate the pilot of the DVD-based social simulator, Scenari-Aid, to inform the development of an online version of the program. Thirty-seven adults who were stuttering were recruited to the study from non-professional groups in Australia. The DVD comprised scenarios with actors in real-life settings that were designed to elicit verbal responses. Participants worked through the scenarios at their own rate and then completed an online survey. The survey comprised 29 statements requiring responses on a 5-point Likert scale and provided information about users’ perceptions of participating in the social simulations. There was high positive agreement among the participants on all statements, the most important being that they perceived the scenarios represented in everyday speaking situations and that they felt immersed in them. Participants also agreed that both their fluency and confidence increased in everyday speaking situations as a result of working through the DVD scenarios. The developers were satisfied that, despite the subjective nature of the findings, the study provided sufficient support for constructing the online version, which is now available to the public free of charge. Further research is needed to provide empirical evidence of the contribution it can make to the efficacy of speech programs for adults who stutter. © 2023 by the authors.
Totally devoted to you : a qualitative study examining the experiences of sacrifice among pharmacists in rural and regional areas
- Terry, Daniel, Peck, Blake, Phan, Hoang
- Authors: Terry, Daniel , Peck, Blake , Phan, Hoang
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy Vol. 19, no. 5 (2023), p. 793-799
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Background: The health of rural and regional communities is routinely identified as poor and access to healthcare services is often limited. Rural and regional pharmacists are well placed to deliver a variety of high-quality services to their community, however there is a limited examination of the complexities of their role in rural contexts. This study seeks to examine the types of personal sacrifices and what impact these may have among pharmacists working in rural and regional communities of Australia. Method: A qualitative approach was adopted to examine the experiences of pharmacists working in public health service and private community pharmacies across 13 rural communities in Australia. Purposive sampling was used to recruit pharmacists as part of a larger study examining the efficacy of a workforce recruitment tool (PharmCAQ). As part of the development of the tool, a one-on-one interview were conducted. Results: A total of 20 participants were recruited. Two major themes emerged: Above all the community and More than just a script monkey that embodies the experiences of pharmacists. Centred around self-sacrifice, the first theme captures the tension that is experienced by these professionals as they tread an unsustainable path for the benefit of the community. The second theme provides some insights into the complex nature of the rural and regional context that is juxtaposed with that of their urban counterparts. Conclusion: Pharmacist in rural and regional areas offer a highly skilled and accessible resource to better address the growing needs of those living in rural and regional areas. Despite the opportunities that exist to expand the role of pharmacists in these areas and to capitalise on their expertise, there is a growing need to find ever better ways to support those who support others. © 2023
- Authors: Terry, Daniel , Peck, Blake , Phan, Hoang
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy Vol. 19, no. 5 (2023), p. 793-799
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Background: The health of rural and regional communities is routinely identified as poor and access to healthcare services is often limited. Rural and regional pharmacists are well placed to deliver a variety of high-quality services to their community, however there is a limited examination of the complexities of their role in rural contexts. This study seeks to examine the types of personal sacrifices and what impact these may have among pharmacists working in rural and regional communities of Australia. Method: A qualitative approach was adopted to examine the experiences of pharmacists working in public health service and private community pharmacies across 13 rural communities in Australia. Purposive sampling was used to recruit pharmacists as part of a larger study examining the efficacy of a workforce recruitment tool (PharmCAQ). As part of the development of the tool, a one-on-one interview were conducted. Results: A total of 20 participants were recruited. Two major themes emerged: Above all the community and More than just a script monkey that embodies the experiences of pharmacists. Centred around self-sacrifice, the first theme captures the tension that is experienced by these professionals as they tread an unsustainable path for the benefit of the community. The second theme provides some insights into the complex nature of the rural and regional context that is juxtaposed with that of their urban counterparts. Conclusion: Pharmacist in rural and regional areas offer a highly skilled and accessible resource to better address the growing needs of those living in rural and regional areas. Despite the opportunities that exist to expand the role of pharmacists in these areas and to capitalise on their expertise, there is a growing need to find ever better ways to support those who support others. © 2023
Young children’s experiences with yoga after school
- Martin, Beverly, Peck, Blake, Terry, Daniel
- Authors: Martin, Beverly , Peck, Blake , Terry, Daniel
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Occupational Therapy, Schools, and Early Intervention Vol. 16, no. 2 (2023), p. 194-211
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: Currently, little is known about the lived experiences of children who participate in yoga, particularly using their own words. This study provides insights into how young children aged 6 to 10 years old were able to understand their bodies within a yoga space. The purpose of this study was to investigate young children’s lived experiences of yoga through qualitative interviews. Parents of children engaged in yoga were also interviewed to gain a sense of their point of view about the experiences of yoga for their children. Results indicated yoga had assisted children to find, and express joy, and fun by moving their bodies into different shapes. The physical and psychological difficulty of some of the yoga shapes assisted children to develop a persistent mind-set which enabled them to transfer knowledge to different contexts, such as difficulties at school, and finding ways to relax, and be with themselves. Yoga as an activity after-school develops strategies such as resilience, and assists in other contexts such as school, and family. The parents’ described how they were looking for techniques to help calm their children, and how challenging this was with the constant stimulation of everyday activities. The findings suggest that yoga may have a place in the school curriculum for the purpose of teaching students’ simple coping skills when experiencing feelings of stress, and anxiety, and assist with controlling their behavior. © 2022 Taylor & Francis.
- Jackson, Megan, Porter, Joanne, Peck, Blake, Mesagno, Christopher
- Authors: Jackson, Megan , Porter, Joanne , Peck, Blake , Mesagno, Christopher
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Emergency Nursing Vol. 49, no. 5 (2023), p. 733-743
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: Introduction: The World Health Organization estimates that approximately 180,000 health care workers have died in the fight against COVID-19. Emergency nurses have experienced relentless pressure in maintaining the health and well-being of their patients, often to their detriment. Methods: This research aimed to gain an understanding of lived experiences of Australian emergency nurses working on the frontline during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. A qualitative research design was used, guided by an interpretive hermeneutic phenomenological approach. A total of 10 Victorian emergency nurses from both regional and metropolitan hospitals were interviewed between September and November 2020. Analysis was undertaken using a thematic analysis method. Results: A total of 4 major themes were produced from the data. The 4 overarching themes included mixed messages, changes to practice, living through a pandemic, and 2021: here we come. Discussion: Emergency nurses have been exposed to extreme physical, mental, and emotional conditions as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. A greater emphasis on the mental and emotional well-being of frontline workers is paramount to the success of maintaining a strong and resilient health care workforce. © 2023 Emergency Nurses Association
Empowerment as an alternative to traditional patient advocacy roles
- Cole, Clare, Mummery, Jane, Peck, Blake
- Authors: Cole, Clare , Mummery, Jane , Peck, Blake
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Nursing Ethics Vol. 29, no. 7-8 (2022), p. 1553-1561
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: There has long been acceptance within healthcare that one of the roles that nurses fulfil is to do with patient advocacy. This has historically been positioned as part of the philosophical and inherent requirements of the nursing profession at large and is supported through shared conceptualisations of the nursing profession. Such conceptualisations are communicated to nursing professionals by way of first their education, and second their professional codes, guidelines and standards for practice. The focus on advocacy is further embedded within patient-centred care frameworks and concepts of the nurse–patient therapeutic relationship. Nurses have also been considered ideally placed to undertake the work of patient advocacy due to the 24/7 nature and intimacy of the care provided. What this means is that nurses are under the impression that that they must be an advocate for their patients through their nursing practice. However, for a fundamental concept of nursing, advocacy is poorly defined, and practices commonly associated with advocacy are undercut by the professionalisation of nursing and other constraints. In addition, nursing standards and frameworks of care are being actively reframed around ideas of empowerment which do not necessarily fit well with those of advocacy. This article thus suggests that it is time to recognise that the work of advocacy is no longer representative of what nurses (can) do in practice, and to explicitly reorient conceptualisations of nurse practice around empowerment. This article will further analyse what this may look like in practice. © The Author(s) 2022.
Group-urotherapy for children with complex elimination disorder : an Australian study
- Peck, Blake, Terry, Daniel, Martin, Benita, Matthews, Belinda, Green, Andrea
- Authors: Peck, Blake , Terry, Daniel , Martin, Benita , Matthews, Belinda , Green, Andrea
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Urological Nursing Vol. 16, no. 3 (2022), p. 211-217
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Elimination disorders are common in children and are associated with increased levels of psychological distress for both the child and their family. Despite successful treatments for elimination disorders, 30% of children do not respond to standard treatments to achieve continence. In these cases, a Urinary and Faecal Incontinence Training Program for Children and Adolescents (UFITPCA) has been established as an adjunct to existing therapy. The aim of the study is to explore the experiences of children who participated in the program. A qualitative design was employed with female children, aged 7–8 years, (n = 4) who participated in the UFITPCA program participated in a 60-min focus group interview. The parents of the children (n = 4) were also interviewed. Data was collected at the end of the 9-week program and analysed to identify themes that encompassed the experiences of the UFITPCA program and associated outcomes amongst both the children and their parents. Three central themes were emerged from the data, which included: Make it Stop, I'm not Alone, and Look at what I can do now. These findings were encapsulated by the desperation and frustration of children and parents prior to commencing the program; the widespread positive implications for the children's wellbeing from having engaged in a program with others just like them, and their sense of satisfaction of putting their newfound knowledge into practice. Both children and parents recognized a change in their child's overall sense of wellbeing and parents identified that their children felt more in control of symptoms and how they responded when symptoms arose. The children experienced an increase in their acceptance and self-efficacy of their symptoms. © 2022 The Authors. International Journal of Urological Nursing published by British Association of Urological Nurses and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
- Authors: Peck, Blake , Terry, Daniel , Martin, Benita , Matthews, Belinda , Green, Andrea
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Urological Nursing Vol. 16, no. 3 (2022), p. 211-217
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Elimination disorders are common in children and are associated with increased levels of psychological distress for both the child and their family. Despite successful treatments for elimination disorders, 30% of children do not respond to standard treatments to achieve continence. In these cases, a Urinary and Faecal Incontinence Training Program for Children and Adolescents (UFITPCA) has been established as an adjunct to existing therapy. The aim of the study is to explore the experiences of children who participated in the program. A qualitative design was employed with female children, aged 7–8 years, (n = 4) who participated in the UFITPCA program participated in a 60-min focus group interview. The parents of the children (n = 4) were also interviewed. Data was collected at the end of the 9-week program and analysed to identify themes that encompassed the experiences of the UFITPCA program and associated outcomes amongst both the children and their parents. Three central themes were emerged from the data, which included: Make it Stop, I'm not Alone, and Look at what I can do now. These findings were encapsulated by the desperation and frustration of children and parents prior to commencing the program; the widespread positive implications for the children's wellbeing from having engaged in a program with others just like them, and their sense of satisfaction of putting their newfound knowledge into practice. Both children and parents recognized a change in their child's overall sense of wellbeing and parents identified that their children felt more in control of symptoms and how they responded when symptoms arose. The children experienced an increase in their acceptance and self-efficacy of their symptoms. © 2022 The Authors. International Journal of Urological Nursing published by British Association of Urological Nurses and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Learning on the periphery : a modified Delphi study of a nursing student communities of practice model
- Terry, Daniel, Peck, Blake, Perkins, Alicia, Burgener, Wendy
- Authors: Terry, Daniel , Peck, Blake , Perkins, Alicia , Burgener, Wendy
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Nursing Education Scholarship Vol. 19, no. 1 (2022), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Objectives: To develop a contemporary student placement model to address current placement challenges, impact student learning, and alleviate supervisor burden. Methods: A modified Delphi technique was used to seek opinions, insights, and creative solutions. Results: A draft Communities of Practice placement model, based on a systematic literature review, was introduced to a heterogenous expert panel (n=12). A contemporary placement model was developed and refined via video conference and email over three rounds. Conclusions: Despite initial reluctance concerning a new model, participants became conversant with the concept of peer-to-peer learning, where incidental, albeit essential, learning and support occurs between students, which also supports supervising staff. Greater flexibly and student screening were also incorporated to enable greater learning, confidence building, and reflection. The model's success is contingent upon students working within their scope of practice and provides a contemporary approach to best responds to student, education provider, and health service needs. © 2022 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston.
- Authors: Terry, Daniel , Peck, Blake , Perkins, Alicia , Burgener, Wendy
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Nursing Education Scholarship Vol. 19, no. 1 (2022), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Objectives: To develop a contemporary student placement model to address current placement challenges, impact student learning, and alleviate supervisor burden. Methods: A modified Delphi technique was used to seek opinions, insights, and creative solutions. Results: A draft Communities of Practice placement model, based on a systematic literature review, was introduced to a heterogenous expert panel (n=12). A contemporary placement model was developed and refined via video conference and email over three rounds. Conclusions: Despite initial reluctance concerning a new model, participants became conversant with the concept of peer-to-peer learning, where incidental, albeit essential, learning and support occurs between students, which also supports supervising staff. Greater flexibly and student screening were also incorporated to enable greater learning, confidence building, and reflection. The model's success is contingent upon students working within their scope of practice and provides a contemporary approach to best responds to student, education provider, and health service needs. © 2022 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston.
- Peck, Blake, Terry, Daniel, Martin, Benita, Matthews, Belinda, Green, Andrea
- Authors: Peck, Blake , Terry, Daniel , Martin, Benita , Matthews, Belinda , Green, Andrea
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Child Health Care Vol. 26, no. 3 (2022), p. 438-447
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: Evidence-based interventions have continued to show positive effects on both reducing symptoms and helping children with elimination disorders achieve continence and manage troubling psychological distress. Despite this, there is a group of children who do not respond to standard treatments and are classified as having a complex elimination disorder. As a means of addressing the broader clinical challenge and implications of complex elimination disorders, a team of clinicians in Germany developed the Urinary and Faecal Incontinence Training Program for Children and Adolescents. A pilot investigation was undertaken to apply the Urinary and Faecal Incontinence Training Program for Children and Adolescents programme to children aged 6–12 years in an Australian context who met the complex elimination disorder diagnostic criteria, to determine if any subsequent change in the measures of life quality and general well-being was achieved. Findings suggest a reduction in the frequency of the child’s symptoms and improvements in family quality of life measures. Qualitatively, children and parents perceived that their child’s ability to now respond to stimuli and in so doing avert severe accidents was a major outcome of the programme and was able to increase a child’s sense of acceptance of incontinence, improve levels of self-efficacy and increase self-awareness. © The Author(s) 2021.
- Terry, Daniel, Peck, Blake, Kloot, Kloot, Hutchins, Toinette
- Authors: Terry, Daniel , Peck, Blake , Kloot, Kloot , Hutchins, Toinette
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Asthma Vol. 59, no. 2 (2022), p. 264-272
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: Objectives: Australia has one of the highest prevalence of asthma globally, and accessible emergency asthma presentation data remains vital, however, is currently underreported in regional and rural areas. Utilizing the Rural Acute Hospital Data Register (RAHDaR) which includes previously non-reported data, the aim of the study is to provide a more accurate understanding of asthma emergency presentation events, while investigating the factors associated with these presentations. Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study collected de-identified emergency asthma presentation data from nine health services in regional Victoria for children aged 0 to 14 years between 2017 and 2020. Demographic and presentation data were collated along with government datasets. Asthma emergency presentations incidence rates and predictor variables were analyzed using hierarchical multiple regression after adjusting for smoking and sex. Significance was determined at p < 0.05. Results: Of the 1090 emergency asthma presentations, n = 369 occurred at health services who did not previously report data. This represents a 33.86% increase in our understanding of emergency asthma presentations and demonstrating a rate of 16.06 presentations per 1000 children per year. Key factors such as age, population density, and private health insurance were associated with asthma emergency presentation events among both sexes, while socioeconomic status and rurality were not predictive. Conclusions: Although some findings are consistent with current research, the study highlights previously unrecognized specific factors that are predictive of asthma among 0–14-year-old children. These findings provide more accurate insights for healthcare workers and policymakers as they seek to support people with asthma and accurately address health inequities. © 2020 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
The influence of probiotics on gastrointestinal tract infections among children attending childcare : a systematic review and meta-analysis
- Ahmad, Hafiz, Peck, Blake, Terry, Daniel
- Authors: Ahmad, Hafiz , Peck, Blake , Terry, Daniel
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: Journal of Applied Microbiology Vol. 132, no. 3 (2022), p. 1636-1651
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Current literature related to the impact of probiotics on the incidence of gastrointestinal tract infections (GITIs) has shown mixed results and no systematic review available with pooled analysis exists. Thus, the aim of this systematic review was to provide contemporary evidence regarding the overall and strain-specific influence of probiotics in preventing GITIs among infants and children attending childcare centres. The review shortlisted 18 RCTs after screening through the initial search results of 779 articles. However, only 15 trials were deemed eligible, addressing at least one outcome in the pooled analysis. It is concluded that the supplementation of probiotics (overall effect) may reduce the risk of GITI episode by 26%, with Lacticaseibacillus paracasei, Limosilactobacillus reuteri and Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG being specifically potent probiotic strains in reducing GITI episode, duration of infection and absence from childcare respectively. There is insufficient evidence to determine the effect of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BB-12 based on the findings of the trials included in this review. © 2021 The Society for Applied Microbiology
- Authors: Ahmad, Hafiz , Peck, Blake , Terry, Daniel
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: Journal of Applied Microbiology Vol. 132, no. 3 (2022), p. 1636-1651
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Current literature related to the impact of probiotics on the incidence of gastrointestinal tract infections (GITIs) has shown mixed results and no systematic review available with pooled analysis exists. Thus, the aim of this systematic review was to provide contemporary evidence regarding the overall and strain-specific influence of probiotics in preventing GITIs among infants and children attending childcare centres. The review shortlisted 18 RCTs after screening through the initial search results of 779 articles. However, only 15 trials were deemed eligible, addressing at least one outcome in the pooled analysis. It is concluded that the supplementation of probiotics (overall effect) may reduce the risk of GITI episode by 26%, with Lacticaseibacillus paracasei, Limosilactobacillus reuteri and Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG being specifically potent probiotic strains in reducing GITI episode, duration of infection and absence from childcare respectively. There is insufficient evidence to determine the effect of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BB-12 based on the findings of the trials included in this review. © 2021 The Society for Applied Microbiology
The pharmacy community apgar questionnaire : a modified Delphi technique to develop a rural pharmacist recruitment and retention tool
- Terry, Daniel, Peck, Blake, Hills, Danny, Bishop, Jaclyn, Kirschbaum, Mark, Obamiro, Kehinde, Phan, Hoang, Baker, Ed, Schmitz, David
- Authors: Terry, Daniel , Peck, Blake , Hills, Danny , Bishop, Jaclyn , Kirschbaum, Mark , Obamiro, Kehinde , Phan, Hoang , Baker, Ed , Schmitz, David
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Rural and remote health Vol. 22, no. 4 (2022), p. 7347
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: INTRODUCTION: An adequate healthcare workforce remains essential for the health of rural communities. Strategies to address rural health workforce challenges have often centred on the medical and nursing workforce; however, addressing the rural pharmacist workforce also remains critical as they are often the first point of contact for health advice. Initiatives have increased pharmacist supply; however, key issues such as poor attraction, recruitment, and retention to rural areas remain. The aim of this study was to support the recruitment and retention of pharmacists in rural areas of Australia through the development of the Pharmacy Community Apgar Questionnaire (PharmCAQ). METHODS: A modified Delphi technique was employed to develop the PharmCAQ. A panel of experts were purposively selected. Eight representatives were from organisations with rural experience relevant to the study including the Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia, the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia, the Pharmacy Guild of Australia, the Pharmacy Board of Australia, and a representative of a government health agency, who also leads a hospital pharmacy. Three additional participants included local and international academics with health policy and rural health workforce expertise. All participants participated in three separate focus groups of 45-60 minutes duration, where the review and refinement of factors that drive recruitment and retention of pharmacist were discussed. Face and content validity was achieved through the representatives, while internal consistency was achieved when the tool was piloted among 10 rural pharmacists in rural Victoria. RESULTS: Fifty key factors that impact the recruitment and retention of pharmacists were identified, developed and succinctly described. All factors were grouped into five classifications: (1) geographic, (2) economic and resources, (3) practice and scope of practice, (4) practice environment and (5) community practice support. After final consensus, the factors and their definitions formed the final questionnaire. Lastly, the reliability of PharmCAQ was determined, with a Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.852. CONCLUSION: While the development and use of the Apgar questionnaire for the recruitment and retention of health professionals is not a novel idea, seeking to specifically focus on pharmacists is unique. However, 10 factors were similar to factors associated with rural recruitment and retention of both physicians and nurses; they encompassed geographic, community support, and economic and resource factors. Regardless of similarities or differences between health professions in terms of recruitment and retention, as a mechanism for addressing the worsening health professional shortage currently experienced in rural areas, the PharmCAQ was developed to support the recruitment and retention of the pharmacist workforce in rural areas.
- Authors: Terry, Daniel , Peck, Blake , Hills, Danny , Bishop, Jaclyn , Kirschbaum, Mark , Obamiro, Kehinde , Phan, Hoang , Baker, Ed , Schmitz, David
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Rural and remote health Vol. 22, no. 4 (2022), p. 7347
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: INTRODUCTION: An adequate healthcare workforce remains essential for the health of rural communities. Strategies to address rural health workforce challenges have often centred on the medical and nursing workforce; however, addressing the rural pharmacist workforce also remains critical as they are often the first point of contact for health advice. Initiatives have increased pharmacist supply; however, key issues such as poor attraction, recruitment, and retention to rural areas remain. The aim of this study was to support the recruitment and retention of pharmacists in rural areas of Australia through the development of the Pharmacy Community Apgar Questionnaire (PharmCAQ). METHODS: A modified Delphi technique was employed to develop the PharmCAQ. A panel of experts were purposively selected. Eight representatives were from organisations with rural experience relevant to the study including the Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia, the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia, the Pharmacy Guild of Australia, the Pharmacy Board of Australia, and a representative of a government health agency, who also leads a hospital pharmacy. Three additional participants included local and international academics with health policy and rural health workforce expertise. All participants participated in three separate focus groups of 45-60 minutes duration, where the review and refinement of factors that drive recruitment and retention of pharmacist were discussed. Face and content validity was achieved through the representatives, while internal consistency was achieved when the tool was piloted among 10 rural pharmacists in rural Victoria. RESULTS: Fifty key factors that impact the recruitment and retention of pharmacists were identified, developed and succinctly described. All factors were grouped into five classifications: (1) geographic, (2) economic and resources, (3) practice and scope of practice, (4) practice environment and (5) community practice support. After final consensus, the factors and their definitions formed the final questionnaire. Lastly, the reliability of PharmCAQ was determined, with a Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.852. CONCLUSION: While the development and use of the Apgar questionnaire for the recruitment and retention of health professionals is not a novel idea, seeking to specifically focus on pharmacists is unique. However, 10 factors were similar to factors associated with rural recruitment and retention of both physicians and nurses; they encompassed geographic, community support, and economic and resource factors. Regardless of similarities or differences between health professions in terms of recruitment and retention, as a mechanism for addressing the worsening health professional shortage currently experienced in rural areas, the PharmCAQ was developed to support the recruitment and retention of the pharmacist workforce in rural areas.