Sing & Grow : the co-existence of evaluation research and clinical practice in an early intervention music therapy project

Sing & Grow is a short term early intervention music therapy program for at risk families. Sing & Grow uses music to strengthen parent-child relationships by increasing positive parent-child interactions, assisting parents to bond with their children, and extending the repertoire of parents’ skills in relating to their child through interactive . Both the Australian and New Zealand governments are looking for evidence based research to highlight the effectiveness of funded programs in early childhood. As a government funded program, independent evaluation is a requirement of the delivery of the service. This paper explains the process involved in setting up and managing this large scale evaluation from engaging the evaluators and designing the project, to the data gathering stage. It describes the various challenges encountered and concludes that a highly collaborative and communicative partnership bet en researchers and clinicians is essential to ensure data can be gathered with minimal disturbance to clinical music therapy practice.

Clinical factors and technological barriers as determinants for the intention to use wireless handheld technology in healthcare environment: an Indian case study

Abstract]: Traditional technology adoption models identified ‘ease of use’ and ‘usefulness’ as the dominating factors for technology adoption. However, recent studies in healthcare have established that these two factors are not always reliable on their own and other factors may influence technology adoption. To establish the identity of these additional factors, a mixed method approach was used and data were collected through interviews and a survey. The survey instrument was specifically developed for this study so that it is relevant to the Indian healthcare setting. We identified clinical management and technological barriers as the dominant factors influencing the wireless handheld technology adoption in the Indian healthcare environment. The results of this study showed that new technology models will benefit by considering the clinical influences of wireless handheld technology, in addition to known factors. The scope of this study is restricted to wireless handheld devices such as PDAs, smart phones, and handheld PCs Gururajan, Raj and Hafeez-Baig, Abdul and Gururajan, Vijaya

Integrating treatment for mental and physical disorders and substance misuse in Indigenous primary care settings

Objective: Australian Indigenous peoples in remote and rural settings continue to have limited access to treatment for mental illness. Comorbid disorders complicate presentations in primary care where Indigenous youths and perinatal women are at particular risk. Despite this high comorbidity there are few examples of successful models of integrated treatment. This paper outlines these challenges and provides recommendations for practice that derive from recent developments in the Northern Territory. Conclusions: There is a strong need to develop evidence for the effectiveness of integrated and culturally informed individual and service level interventions. We describe the Best practice in Early intervention Assessment and Treatment of depression and substance misuse study which seeks to address this need.

Occupational Therapy and Clinical Research in Mental Health Rehabilitation

Practitioners working in Australian mental health services are faced with the challenge of providing appropriate evidence-based interventions that lead to measurable improvement and good outcomes. Current government policy is committed to the development of strategic mental health research. One focus has been on under-researched practice areas, which include the development of psychosocial rehabilitation systems and models that facilitate recovery. To meet this challenge, an Australian rehabilitation service formed a collaborative partnership with a university. The purposes of the collaboration were to implement new forms of service delivery based on consumer need and evidence and to design research projects to evaluate components of the rehabilitation programme. This article examines the process of developing the collaboration and provides examples of how research projects have been used to inform practice and improve the effectiveness of service delivery. Challenges to the sustainability of this kind of collaboration are considered.

Using ‘think aloud’ as a strategy for learning clinical reasoning in high fidelity case-based simulation for undergraduate nursing students

AIMS This paper reports on the implementation of a research project that trials an educational strategy implemented over six months of an undergraduate third year nursing curriculum. This project aims to explore the effectiveness of ‘think aloud’ as a strategy for learning clinical reasoning for students in simulated clinical settings. BACKGROUND Nurses are required to apply and utilise critical thinking skills to enable clinical reasoning and problem solving in the clinical setting [1]. Nursing students are expected to develop and display clinical reasoning skills in practice, but may struggle articulating reasons behind decisions about patient care. For students learning to manage complex clinical situations, teaching approaches are required that make these instinctive cognitive processes explicit and clear [2-5]. In line with professional expectations, nursing students in third year at Queensland University of Technology (QUT) are expected to display clinical reasoning skills in practice. This can be a complex proposition for students in practice situations, particularly as the degree of uncertainty or decision complexity increases [6-7]. The ‘think aloud’ approach is an innovative learning/teaching method which can create an environment suitable for developing clinical reasoning skills in students [4, 8]. This project aims to use the ‘think aloud’ strategy within a simulation context to provide a safe learning environment in which third year students are assisted to uncover cognitive approaches that best assist them to make effective patient care decisions, and improve their confidence, clinical reasoning and active critical reflection on their practice. MEHODS In semester 2 2011 at QUT, third year nursing students will undertake high fidelity simulation, some for the first time commencing in September of 2011. There will be two cohorts for strategy implementation (group 1= use think aloud as a strategy within the simulation, group 2= not given a specific strategy outside of nursing assessment frameworks) in relation to problem solving patient needs. Students will be briefed about the scenario, given a nursing handover, placed into a simulation group and an observer group, and the facilitator/teacher will run the simulation from a control room, and not have contact (as a ‘teacher’) with students during the simulation. Then debriefing will occur as a whole group outside of the simulation room where the session can be reviewed on screen. The think aloud strategy will be described to students in their pre-simulation briefing and allow for clarification of this strategy at this time. All other aspects of the simulations remain the same, (resources, suggested nursing assessment frameworks, simulation session duration, size of simulation teams, preparatory materials). RESULTS Methodology of the project and the challenges of implementation will be the focus of this presentation. This will include ethical considerations in designing the project, recruitment of students and implementation of a voluntary research project within a busy educational curriculum which in third year targets 669 students over two campuses. CONCLUSIONS In an environment of increasingly constrained clinical placement opportunities, exploration of alternate strategies to improve critical thinking skills and develop clinical reasoning and problem solving for nursing students is imperative in preparing nurses to respond to changing patient needs. References 1. Lasater, K., High-fidelity simulation and the development of clinical judgement: students' experiences. Journal of Nursing Education, 2007. 46(6): p. 269-276. 2. Lapkin, S., et al., Effectiveness of patient simulation manikins in teaching clinical reasoning skills to undergraduate nursing students: a systematic review. Clinical Simulation in Nursing, 2010. 6(6): p. e207-22. 3. Kaddoura, M.P.C.M.S.N.R.N., New Graduate Nurses' Perceptions of the Effects of Clinical Simulation on Their Critical Thinking, Learning, and Confidence. The Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, 2010. 41(11): p. 506. 4. Banning, M., The think aloud approach as an educational tool to develop and assess clinical reasoning in undergraduate students. Nurse Education Today, 2008. 28: p. 8-14. 5. Porter-O'Grady, T., Profound change:21st century nursing. Nursing Outlook, 2001. 49(4): p. 182-186. 6. Andersson, A.K., M. Omberg, and M. Svedlund, Triage in the emergency department-a qualitative study of the factors which nurses consider when making decisions. Nursing in Critical Care, 2006. 11(3): p. 136-145. 7. O'Neill, E.S., N.M. Dluhy, and C. Chin, Modelling novice clinical reasoning for a computerized decision support system. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 2005. 49(1): p. 68-77. 8. Lee, J.E. and N. Ryan-Wenger, The "Think Aloud" seminar for teaching clinical reasoning: a case study of a child with pharyngitis. J Pediatr Health Care, 1997. 11(3): p. 101-10.

The development of a program to assist international nursing students to be prepared for clinical practice in the Australian health care context

Health education in Western Countries has grown considerably in the last decade and this has occurred for a number of reasons. Specifically Universities actively recruit International students as the health workforce becomes global; also it is much easier for students to move and study globally. Internationally there is a health workforce shortage and if students gain a degree in a reputable university their ability to work globally is improved significantly. However, when studying to practice in the health care field the student must undertake clinical practice in an acute or aged care setting. This can be a significant problem for students who are culturally and linguistically diverse in an English speaking country such as Australia. The issues that can arise stem from the language differences where communication, interpretation understanding and reading the cultural norms of the health care setting are major challenges for International students. To assist international students to be successful in their clinical education, an extra curriculum workshop program was developed to provide additional support. The program which runs twice each year includes on-campus interactive workshops that are complemented by targeted support provided for students and clinical staff who are supervising students’ practice experience in the workplace. As this is an English speaking country the workshop is based on practicing reading, writing, listening and speaking, as well as exploring basic health care concepts and cultural differences. This enables students to gain knowledge of and practice interpretation of cultural norms and expectations in a safe environment. This innovative series of interactive workshops in a highly student-centred learning environment combine education with role play and discussion with peers who are supported by culturally aware and competent Educators. Over the years it has been running, the program has been undertaken by an increasing number of students. In 2011, more than 100 students are expected to participate. Student evaluation of the program has confirmed that it has assisted the majority of them to be successful in their clinical studies. Effectiveness of the project is measured throughout the program and in follow up sessions. This ongoing information allows for continuous development of the program that serves to meet individual needs of the International student, the University and Service providers such as the hospitals. This feedback from students regarding their increased comprehension of the Australian colloquial Language, healthcare terminology, critical thinking and clinical skill development and a cultural awareness also enables them to maintain their feelings of self confidence and self esteem.

Training clinical psychologists : The current situation and a way forward [Guest Editorial]

In the past, training in clinical psychology in Australia and overseas has been dominated by definitions of input— hours of classes or supervision and of specific components. While prospective practitioners have been required to demonstrate the acquisition of generic competencies, satisfaction of these input driven criteria has been required for both accreditation and registration. Ironically, for a discipline that prides itself on requiring empirical bases for practice and communicating those to students (Calhoun, Moras, Pilkonis, & Rehm, 1998), training criteria have been primarily derived from accepted wisdom, rather than from a sound body of data. The situation has been remarkably like that of a treatment establishing standards of fidelity before its effective components are known—an action our profession has correctly criticised in the past (Herbert & Mueser, 1992).

Comparative study of coagulase negative Staphylococci (CoNS) from clinical isolates, skin and nasal sources

Staphylococci are important pathogenic bacteria responsible for a range of diseases in humans. The most frequently isolated microorganisms in a hospital microbiology laboratory are staphylococci. The general classification of staphylococci divides them into two major groups; Coagulase-positive staphylococci (e.g. Staphylococcus aureus) and Coagulase-negative staphylococci (e.g. Staphylococcus epidermidis). Coagulase-negative staphylococcal (CoNS) isolates include a variety of species and many different strains but are often dominated by the most important organism of this group, S. epidermidis. Currently, these organisms are regarded as important pathogenic organisms causing infections related to prosthetic materials and surgical wounds. A significant number of S. epidermidis isolates are also resistant to different antimicrobial agents. Virulence factors in CoNS are not very clearly established and not well documented. S. epidermidis is evolving as a resistant and powerful microbe related to nosocomial infections because it has different properties which independently, and in combination, make it a successful infectious agent, especially in the hospital environment. Such characteristics include biofilm formation, drug resistance and the evolution of genetic variables. The purpose of this project was to develop a novel SNP genotyping method to genotype S. epidermidis strains originating from hospital patients and healthy individuals. High-Resolution Melt Analysis was used to assign binary typing profiles to both clinical and commensal strains using a new bioinformatics approach. The presence of antibiotic resistance genes and biofilm coding genes were also interrogated in these isolates.