List of Titles

Assessing preregistration nursing students' clinical competence : A systematic review of objective measures

- Cant, Robyn, McKenna, Lisa, Cooper, Simon J.

Authors: Cant, Robyn , McKenna, Lisa , Cooper, Simon J.
Date: 2013
Type: Text , Journal article
Relation: International Journal of Nursing Practice Vol. 19, no. 2 (2013), p. 163-176
Full Text: false
Reviewed:
Description: Nursing students are required to develop clinical knowledge, skills and attitudes for professional practice. However, objectivity and parity of students' clinical assessments has been questioned. In the last decade, more objective techniques have been developed, with increased use of Objective Structured Clinical Examinations. We reviewed objective clinical assessment measures used in preregistration nursing courses to determine utilization and the validity and reliability of assessment techniques. A systematic search was made of quantitative research publications between 2000 and May 2011, identifying 16 studies that were subsequently reviewed. The validity and reliability of studies varied, with six studies judged as high quality, using various methodologies. This paper describes methods of instrument development and reports on their application in preregistration nursing programs. © 2013 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Factors affecting evidence translation for general practice nurses

- Mills, Jane, Field, John, Cant, Robyn

Authors: Mills, Jane , Field, John , Cant, Robyn
Date: 2011
Type: Text , Journal article
Relation: International Journal of Nursing Practice Vol. 17, no. 5 (2011), p. 455-463
Full Text: false
Reviewed:
Description: This paper explores the domains of influence affecting practice nurses' ability to find, evaluate and use clinical evidence. A cross-sectional survey of general practice nurses (n=590) in Victoria, Australia in 2008 provided data for a principal components analysis. The research replicates a study undertaken in the UK using the Developing Evidence-Based Practice Questionnaire. Five domains of influence on nurses' translation of evidence were identified: skills in finding/reviewing evidence; barriers to finding/reviewing evidence; knowledge from published sources; knowledge from other sources; and barriers or facilitators to change. Each domain was interpreted as underlying the relationship of nurses with evidence-based practice and was comparable to the original study's findings when subjected to factor analysis. Findings from this study show that the Developing Evidence-Based Practice Questionnaire-Au is a valid and useful instrument in determining the influences on practice nurses' ability to effect knowledge translation and conduct practice based on evidence. Given these findings, a new model is proposed that explains the influence of a number of domains on Australian general practice nurses' translation of knowledge into practice. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Family needs and involvement in the intensive care unit : A literature review

- Al Mutair, Abbas, Plummer, Virginia, O'Brien, Anthony, Clerehan, Rosemary

Authors: Al Mutair, Abbas , Plummer, Virginia , O'Brien, Anthony , Clerehan, Rosemary
Date: 2013
Type: Text , Journal article , Review
Relation: Journal of Clinical Nursing Vol. 22, no. 13-14 (2013), p. 1805-1817
Full Text: false
Reviewed:
Description: Aims and objectives: To understand the needs of critically ill patient families', seeking to meet those needs and explore the process and patterns of involving family members during routine care and resuscitation and other invasive procedures. Methods: A structured literature review using Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Pubmed, Proquest, Google scholar, Meditext database and a hand search of critical care journals via identified search terms for relevant articles published between 2000 and 2010. Results: Thirty studies were included in the review either undertaken in the Intensive Care Unit or conducted with critical care staff using different methods of inquiry. The studies were related to family needs; family involvement in routine care; and family involvement during resuscitation and other invasive procedures. The studies revealed that family members ranked both the need for assurance and the need for information as the most important. They also perceived their important needs as being unmet, and identified the nurses as the best staff to meet these needs, followed by the doctors. The studies demonstrate that both family members and healthcare providers have positive attitudes towards family involvement in routine care. However, family members and healthcare providers had significantly different views of family involvement during resuscitation and other invasive procedures. Conclusion: Meeting Intensive Care Unit family needs can be achieved by supporting and involving families in the care of the critically ill family member. More emphasis should be placed on identifying the family needs in relation to the influence of cultural values and religion held by the family members and the organisational climate and culture of the working area in the Intensive Care Unit. © 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Family presence during resuscitation : A descriptive study of nurses' attitudes from two Saudi hospitals

- Al Mutair, Abbas, Plummer, Virginia, Copnell, Beverley

Authors: Al Mutair, Abbas , Plummer, Virginia , Copnell, Beverley
Date: 2012
Type: Text , Journal article
Relation: Nursing in Critical Care Vol. 17, no. 2 (2012), p. 90-98
Full Text: false
Reviewed:
Description: Background: The presence of family in the patient care area during resuscitation events is a matter of current debate among health care professionals in many communities. Family presence is highly recommended by many health organizations worldwide for several reasons including patient and family rights. There are no policies or guidelines in Saudi Arabia to guide health professionals in their practice regarding the option of family being present during resuscitations. The purpose of this study was to identify the attitudes of nurses towards family presence during resuscitation in the Muslim community of Saudi Arabia. Design: This is a descriptive survey using data from a convenience sample of 132 nurses using a self-administered questionnaire. The study took place in two major trauma centres in the eastern region of Saudi Arabia. Results: The analysis of the data revealed that nurses (n = 132) had negative attitudes towards family presence during resuscitation. A high percentage (77·2%) agreed that witnessing resuscitation is a traumatic experience for the family members. Almost all participants (92·3%) disagreed with the statement that the practice of allowing family members to be present during the resuscitation of a loved one would benefit the patient and 78% disagreed with the statement that it would benefit families. The majority of the participants (65%) revealed that the presence of family would negatively affect the performance of the resuscitation team. However, almost half of the sample (43·8%) would prefer a written policy allowing the option of family presence during resuscitation in Saudi Arabia. Conclusion: The findings of the study strongly suggest the need for the development of written policies offering families the option to remain with patients during resuscitation in Saudi Arabia. The study further recommends the development of education programs for staff and public for the safe implementation of the practice. © 2012 The Authors. Nursing in Critical Care © 2012 British Association of Critical Care Nurses.

An institutional theory perspective on corruption : The case of a developing democracy

- Pillay, Soma, Kluvers, Ron

Authors: Pillay, Soma , Kluvers, Ron
Date: 2014
Type: Text , Journal article
Relation: Financial Accountability & Management Vol. 30, no. 1 (2014), p. 95-119
Full Text: false
Reviewed:
Description: The purpose of this paper is to use quantitative data to describe corruption in the SANPS, and use Luo's ([Luo, Y., 2005]) institutional theory to gain insights into how corruption develops and remains entrenched despite the introduction of anti‐corruption legislation. A total of 1,500 questionnaires were distributed to public servants in nine provinces, but predominantly in Kwa Zulu Natal and Gauteng. There were 702 returned giving a response rate of 47%. We conclude that the findings discussed in this paper lend support for Luo's theoretical model being able to provide insight into the development of corruption, its consequences and possible remedies.

Climate change and the future of Australia's country towns

- Beer, Andrew, Tually, Selina, Kroehn, Michael, Martin, John, Gerritsen, Rolf, Taylor, Mike, Graymore, Michelle, Law, Julia

Authors: Beer, Andrew , Tually, Selina , Kroehn, Michael , Martin, John , Gerritsen, Rolf , Taylor, Mike , Graymore, Michelle , Law, Julia
Date: 2014
Type: Text , Book chapter
Relation: Applied Studies in Climate Adaptation p. 332-341
Full Text: false
Reviewed:
Description: This chapter presents the future of Australia's country towns in the context of anticipated climate change, where it is assumed Australia faces moderate climate change as predicted by the CSIRO's MK3.5 model. It argues that the future of Australia's country towns is not simply a product of climate change and its manifestation in terms of altered rainfall patterns, increased average temperatures and more frequent extreme events. The chapter discusses Australia's country towns within the context of contemporary and anticipated social, economic and climatic trends, before moving on to discuss the estimation of vulnerability within these communities. It describes both the implications for rural communities and the paths potentially available to governments across Australia. The adaptation and future of Australia's country towns is not simply a story of a changing climate and its impacts. © 2015 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fundamentals of Reliability Engineering : Applications in Multistage Interconnection Networks

- Gunawan, Indra

Authors: Gunawan, Indra
Date: 2014
Type: Text , Book
Relation: Performability Engineering Series
Full Text: false
Reviewed:
Description: This book presents fundamentals of reliability engineering with its applications in evaluating reliability of multistage interconnection networks. In the first part of the book, it introduces the concept of reliability engineering, elements of probability theory, probability distributions, availability and data analysis. The second part of the book provides an overview of parallel/distributed computing, network design considerations, and more. The book covers a comprehensive reliability engineering methods and its practical aspects in the interconnection network systems. Students, engineers, researchers, managers will find this book as a valuable reference source. © 2014 Scrivener Publishing LLC. All rights reserved.

FT-Raman studies of a range of polyimides subjected to high-energy Radiations at room and elevated temperatures

- Devasahayam, Sheila, Hill, David, Connell, John

Authors: Devasahayam, Sheila , Hill, David , Connell, John
Date: 2006
Type: Text , Journal article
Relation: Journal of Applied Polymer Science Vol. 101, no. 3 (2006), p. 1575-1582
Full Text: false
Reviewed:
Description: A range of polyimides have been subjected to electron beam radiolysis at different temperatures. These polyimides were chemically designed to suit space applications, being either transparent or having groups which provide oxidation resistance. The structural changes that occur in the polyimides, when subjected to electron beam irradiation doses up to 18.5 MGy and up to temperatures close to their glass transition temperatures, were studied using FT-Raman spectroscopy. The range of polyimides studied included a series of perfluoropolyimides, a silicon-modified polyimide, and Ultem. The changes in the Raman peak intensities of the different groups indicated scission reactions involving the imide rings and ether linkages. (c) 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Showing items 1 - 8 of 8