Graduate Nurse Program Coordinators' perspectives on graduate nurse programs in Victoria, Australia: A descriptive qualitative approach

Aims: The purpose of this study was to describe the formal preparation nursing graduates are given throughout their first year of nursing in terms of educational structure and content of work-based year-long graduate nurse programs, from the perspectives of Graduate Nurse Program Coordinators. Background: In Australia, graduate nurse programs aim to provide a supportive learning environment, assisting nursing graduates in applying their theory to practice and supporting them in becoming safe, competent and responsible professionals. Internationally, research has demonstrated an increase in the job satisfaction and more importantly retention rates of newly qualified nurses who are supported in their first year of employment in some type of transition program. Method: Using a descriptive qualitative approach, individual semi-structured interviews were used. These interviews were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed to reveal themes and sub-themes. Results: The interviews provided an insight into the various aspects of preparation that nursing graduates are given in their first year of practice with the main theme to emerge from analysis, nature of transition programs. The three subthemes associated with nature of transition programs consisted of composition of rotations and study days and supernumerary strategies. Findings indicate variation in pedagogical models underpinning graduate nurse programs across Victoria. Clinical rotations varied between three to twelve months, the number of study days offered were between four and thirteen days and there was variation in supernumerary time and strategies within the programs investigated.

Transition to specialty practice programs in Australian emergency nursing

 Transition to Specialty Practice Programs (TSPPs) provide structured support and education to novice nurses. This study examined the prevalence, design, characteristics and functions of emergency nursing TSPPs in Australia, and found that TSPPs served an important function in recruitment, preparation and retention of emergency nurses. A framework for future emergency nursing TSPPs was developed based on study findings.

Designing blended spaces to maximise student learning in work integrated learning programs

This paper describes a case study at a large metropolitan university in Australia where a range of technology-enabled blended spaces are used for interaction, communication and reflection between the work and university environments to enrich students' learning experiences during their work placement year. Blended space design requirements to maximise the learning experience of students undertaking work integrated learning are identified. © 2009 Friederika Kaider, Kathy Henschke, Joan Richardson and Mary Paulette Kelly.

The effect of transition to specialty practice programs on Australian emergency nurses' professional development, recruitment and retention

BACKGROUND: To date, emergency nursing Transition to Specialty Practice Program (TSPP) evaluations have been single-site observational studies. The aim of this paper was to examine the professional development, recruitment and retention outcomes of Australian emergency nursing TSPPs. METHODS: An explanatory sequential design was used. Data were collected via online surveys and interviews of emergency Nurse Unit Managers and Nurse Educators. Survey data from EDs with TSPPs and EDs without TSPPs were compared. Qualitative data were analysed using content analysis. RESULTS: Data were collected from 118 EDs, and 13 interviews. TSPPs were offered in 72.1% of EDs. EDs with TSPPs had higher proportions of nurses with postgraduate qualifications (Mdn 28.3% vs. 22.1%, p=0.45) and Clinical Specialists (Mdn 16.4% vs. 6.3%, p=0.04). The median proportion of currently rostered nurses with TSPP completion was 34.2% in EDs with TSPPs introduced in 2000-2005 indicating ED high levels of retention. CONCLUSION: Emergency nursing TSPPs have had a positive effect on nursing professional development, recruitment and retention. To ensure consistency in outcomes and optimise reliability of emergency nursing skills and knowledge, a national emergency nursing TSPP framework is needed.

The therapeutic alliance and personality dysfunction in offending behaviour programs

 Therapists in offending behaviour programs use a range of strategies to develop the therapeutic alliance to promote treatment collaboration. They described significant difficulties, however, in responding to personality dysfunction. Analysis of treatment sessions revealed therapists often attempted to engage clients but did not often use ruptures in the alliance as therapeutic opportunities or attend to withdrawn clients. Recommendations are made to better support correctional therapists utilise the alliance to maximise treatment

Corporate social responsibility programs of big food in Australia: a content analysis of industry documents

OBJECTIVE: To examine Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) tactics by identifying the key characteristics of CSR strategies as described in the corporate documents of selected 'Big Food' companies. METHODS: A mixed methods content analysis was used to analyse the information contained on Australian Big Food company websites. Data sources included company CSR reports and web-based content that related to CSR initiatives employed in Australia. RESULTS: A total of 256 CSR activities were identified across six organisations. Of these, the majority related to the categories of environment (30.5%), responsibility to consumers (25.0%) or community (19.5%). CONCLUSIONS: Big Food companies appear to be using CSR activities to: 1) build brand image through initiatives associated with the environment and responsibility to consumers; 2) target parents and children through community activities; and 3) align themselves with respected organisations and events in an effort to transfer their positive image attributes to their own brands. IMPLICATIONS: Results highlight the type of CSR strategies Big Food companies are employing. These findings serve as a guide to mapping and monitoring CSR as a specific form of marketing.

Evaluation of AUSDRISK as a screening tool for lifestyle modification programs: international implications for policy and cost-effectiveness

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the current use of Australian Type 2 Diabetes Risk Assessment Tool (AUSDRISK) as a screening tool to identify individuals at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes for entry into lifestyle modification programs.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: AUSDRISK scores were calculated from participants aged 40-74 years in the Greater Green Triangle Risk Factor Study, a cross-sectional population survey in 3 regions of Southwest Victoria, Australia, 2004-2006. Biomedical profiles of AUSDRISK risk categories were determined along with estimates of the Victorian population included at various cut-off scores. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value, and receiver operating characteristics were calculated for AUSDRISK in determining fasting plasma glucose (FPG) ≥6.1 mmol/L.

RESULTS: Increasing AUSDRISK scores were associated with an increase in weight, body mass index, FPG, and metabolic syndrome. Increasing the minimum cut-off score also increased the proportion of individuals who were obese and centrally obese, had impaired fasting glucose (IFG) and metabolic syndrome. An AUSDRISK score of ≥12 was estimated to include 39.5% of the Victorian population aged 40-74 (916 000), while a score of ≥20 would include only 5.2% of the same population (120 000). At AUSDRISK≥20, the PPV for detecting FPG≥6.1 mmol/L was 28.4%.

CONCLUSIONS: AUSDRISK is powered to predict those with IFG and undiagnosed type 2 diabetes, but its effectiveness as the sole determinant for entry into a lifestyle modification program is questionable given the large proportion of the population screened-in using the current minimum cut-off of ≥12. AUSDRISK should be used in conjunction with oral glucose tolerance testing, fasting glucose, or glycated hemoglobin to identify those individuals at highest risk of progression to type 2 diabetes, who should be the primary targets for lifestyle modification.

Programs to improve the social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities

Attending to the social and emotional wellbeing of those from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural backgrounds is widely recognised to play a key role in effective social work practice. However, relatively little is currently known about what effective practice comprises, and significant challenges exist in any effort to demonstrate that programs do achieve significant change both for individual participants and the communities in which they live. This paper considers one program, Seasons for Healing, to illustrate the type of intervention that holds promise when working with adults and discusses the difficulties that arise in both defining and assessing program outcomes.

The moderating effect of individual level collectivist values on brand loyalty

In today's dynamic business environment the success of a firm often depends on its ability to create brand loyalty. While there is a large body of research exploring brand loyalty and its antecedents, little has been done to examine how the relationship between these antecedents and brand loyalty is moderated by consumer differences in individual level collectivist values. This understanding is important however as consumers high in individual level collectivist values have been found to make different brand choices than consumers low in individual level collectivist values. We develop and test theory that suggests consumer differences in individual level collectivist values have a significant moderating effect on the relationship between perceived value, perceived quality, brand trust and brand loyalty. The results show that consumers high in individual level collectivist values are significantly more loyal to a focal brand, especially when brand trust and perceived quality are at relatively low levels. © 2014 Elsevier Inc.