Perceptions Of School By Two Teenage Boys With Asperger Syndrome And Their Mothers: A Qualitative Study

This qualitative study aimed to develop an understanding of the challenges faced by teenage boys with Asperger syndrome and their mothers. A case study approach was used to collect data from two 13-year-old boys who have Asperger syndrome and their mothers in Queensland, Australia. Data were collected through the use of semi¬structured interviews. The words of the boys and their mothers provide a valuable insight into the personal experiences and feelings of the par¬ticipants. An inductive approach to data analysis identified four themes: (1) developmental differences; (2) problems associated with the general characteristics of Asperger syndrome (i.e. communication and social difficulties, restricted range of interests, a need for routine); (3) stress; and (4) 'masquerading'. The first three themes relate strongly to the current literature, but the emergence of masquerading is of particular interest in developing a fuller understanding of the experiences of individuals with Asperger syndrome at school

Tenure, mobility and retention of nurses in Queensland, Australia: 2001 and 2004

[Abstract]: Aim: Data were collected on tenure, mobility and retention of the nursing workforce in Queensland to aid strategic planning by the Queensland Nurses’ Union. Background: Shortages of nurses negatively affect the health outcomes of patients. Population rise is increasing the demand for nurses in Queensland. The supply of nurses is affected by recruitment of new and returning nurses, retention of the existing workforce and mobility within institutions. Methods: A self-reporting, postal survey was undertaken of Queensland Nurses Union members from the major employment sectors of aged care, public acute and community health and private acute and community health. Results: Only 60% of nurses had been with their current employer more than five years. In contrast 90% had been nursing for five years or more and most (80%) expected to remain in nursing for at least another five years. Breaks from nursing were common and part-time positions in the private and aged care sectors offered flexibility. Conclusion: The study demonstrated a mobile nursing workforce in Queensland although data on tenure and future time in nursing suggested that retention in the industry was high. Concern is expressed for replacement of an aging nursing population

Productivity at the post : its drivers and its distribution

We study the economic, financial and distributional performance of the United States Postal Service subsequent to its 1971 reorganization. We investigate the economic drivers of productivity change (technical change, change in cost efficiency, and scale economies), and the distribution of the financial benefits of productivity change (consumers of postal services, postal employees and other resource suppliers, and residual claimants). We find improvements in technology to have been the main driver of, and diseconomies of scale to have been the main drag on, productivity change. We find labor to have been the main beneficiary, and consumers of postal services the main losers, from postal reorganization. JE

The relative risk of second primary cancers in Queensland, Australia: a retrospective cohort study

Background Cancer survivors face an increased likelihood of being subsequently diagnosed with another cancer. The aim of this study was to quantify the relative risk of survivors developing a second primary cancer in Queensland, Australia. Methods Standardised incidence rates stratified by type of first primary cancer, type of second primary cancer, sex, age at first diagnosis, period of first diagnosis and follow-up interval were calculated for residents of Queensland, Australia, who were diagnosed with a first primary invasive cancer between 1982 and 2001 and survived for a minimum of 2 months. Results A total of 23,580 second invasive primary cancers were observed over 1,370,247 years of follow-up among 204,962 cancer patients. Both males (SIR = 1.22; 95% CI = 1.20-1.24) and females (SIR = 1.36; 95% CI = 1.33-1.39) within the study cohort were found to have a significant excess risk of developing a second cancer relative to the incidence of cancer in the general population. The observed number of second primary cancers was also higher than expected within each age group, across all time periods and during each follow-up interval. Conclusions The excess risk of developing a second malignancy among cancer survivors can likely be attributed to factors including similar aetiologies, genetics and the effects of treatment, underlining the need for ongoing monitoring of cancer patients to detect subsequent tumours at an early stage. Education campaigns developed specifically for survivors may be required to lessen the prevalence of known cancer risk factors

Potential economic implications for regional tourism of a Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak in North Queensland

International and domestic tourism are sensitive to disastrous events which make areas inaccessible to visitors, less attractive or more dangerous. One form of tourism disaster is the outbreak of an exotic disease, of which Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) is a prime case. It is now well documented that the 2001 FMD outbreak in the UK had a greater impact on tourism than on agriculture. It has been estimated than an FMD outbreak in Australia would impose a cost of about $13 million. The impact on tourism would be highly dependent on the extent and duration of an FMD outbreak, as well as on any management and containment restrictions imposed by the authorities in their attempt to control and eventually eradicate the disease. Public perception and thus the provision of accurate information and the way in which the media report disasters will also play an important role in determining the impact on the tourism industry. The economy of Tropical North Queensland relies heavily on international visitors, and an FMD outbreak in the region would impose a large cost to the regional economy, conservatively estimated here to be of the order of$200 million per year

Harnessing ward-level administrative data and expert knowledge to improve staffing decisions: A multi-method case study

© 2019 John Wiley & Sons Ltd Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of changes to bed configuration and patient mix on nurses’ workload in a single ward. Design: Multi-method case study. Method: The study was undertaken in an acute 28-bed ward in a tertiary referral public hospital in Queensland, Australia. Ward-level administrative data were obtained for a 2-year period, 12 months before bed configuration changes in October 2015 and 12 months after. These data included patient activity (bed occupancy, transfers, length of stay and casemix) and nurse staffing (budgeted and actual staffing levels, employment status and skillmix). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with ward nurses (N = 17) to explore the impact of the bed configuration changes on their workload. Results: Administrative data showed that the bed configuration changes resulted in more complex and dependent patients, increased patient transfers and greater variability in casemix. The interview data found these changes to patient complexity and activity intensified workloads, which were further increased by staffing decisions that resulted in greater reliance on temporary staff. Conclusion: Hospitals already possess the data and expert knowledge needed to improve staffing and bed management decisions without the need for additional, costly workload systems. Impact: Determining appropriate nurse staffing in light of the complexities and variation of patient needs at the ward level remains a challenge. This study identified increases in patient complexity, dependency, variability and churn that increased workload. Staffing grew but hidden factors associated with temporary staffing and skillmix further intensified nurses’ workload. Harnessing existing data and the expertise and experience of nursing unit managers (NUMs) would help staff wards more efficiently and effectively, providing reasonable workloads and appropriate skillmix that can enhance the safety and quality of patient care. To facilitate this, NUMs need access to accurate, timely, data and authority in staffing and bed management decisions

School Centres for Teaching Excellence (SCTE): understanding new directions for schools and universities in Health and Physical Education

This paper critically analyzes a community collaborative approach for implementing Health and Physical Education (HPE) lessons within Gippsland primary schools (Victoria, Australia). The rural community collaborations reflected upon are embedded within the Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD) ‘School Centres for Teaching Excellence’ (SCTE) initiative and are timely with the current curriculum reform in Health and Physical Education. The purpose of this paper is to reflect on and share the experiential learning offered where the curriculum is relevant, engaging, contemporary, physically active, enjoyable and developmentally appropriate for all stakeholders; namely university pre-service teachers, primary school children and primary teachers. It is envisaged that through sharing the various dynamics involved in a SCTE program, educators may benefit and subsequently consider the suitability and possibility of establishing similar collaborations within their context

The case for a Torres Strait Islander‐driven, long‐term research agenda for environment, health and wellbeing

[Extract] Researchers and communities are seeking strategies to manage complex challenges regarding positive health for Torres Strait Islanders – a ‘wicked problem’ for which there is no straightforward solution.1 Proposed models for Torres Strait Islander‐driven research and policy analysis are not new.2 Yet a coordinated model for achieving synergy of multidisciplinary teams and stakeholders for environment, health and wellbeing has remained elusive. Partnerships between researchers and communities are typically limited by project scope and funding duration. Research capacity‐building efforts have focused on individual researchers. This has successfully produced a new generation of Torres Strait Islander researchers across disciplines, including Meriba buay‐ngalpan wakaythoemamy (also known as the Torres Strait Islander Researchers’ Community of Practice or CoP). However, support for local community organisations to drive their own long‐term research agenda is found wanting. Given Torres Strait Islanders’ previous and current calls for autonomy, the community itself is best positioned to determine key priorities and to understand the context for decision making.3-5 How can Torres Strait Islander communities leverage research that properly informs decision‐making and action towards positive health and wellbeing

Australia's insurance crisis and the inequitable treatment of self-employed midwives

Based upon a review of articles published in Australia's major newspapers over the period January 2001 to December 2005, a case study approach has been used to investigate why, when compared with other small business operators, including medical specialists, Australian governments have appeared reluctant to protect the economic viability of the businesses of self-employed midwives. Theories of agenda setting and structuralism have been used to explore that inequity. What has emerged is a picture of the complex of factors that may have operated, and may be continuing to operate, to shape the policy agenda and thus prevent solutions to the insurance problems of self-employed midwives being found

Investigating child participation in the everyday talk of a teacher and children in a preparatory year

In early years research, policy and education, a democratic perspective that positions children as participants and citizens is increasingly emphasized. These ideas take seriously listening to children’s opinions and respecting children’s influence over their everyday affairs. While much political and social investment has been paid to the inclusion of participatory approaches little has been reported on the practical achievement of such an approach in the day to day of early childhood education within school settings. This paper investigates talk and interaction in the everyday activities of a teacher and children in an Australian preparatory class (for children age 4-6 years) to see how ideas of child participation are experienced. We use an interactional analytic approach to demonstrate how participatory methods are employed in practical ways to manage routine interactions. Analysis shows that whilst the teacher seeks the children’s opinion and involves them in decision-making, child participation is at times constrained by the context and institutional categories of “teacher” and “student” that are jointly produced in their talk. The paper highlights tensions that arise for teachers as they balance a pedagogical intent of “teaching” and the associated institutional expectations, with efforts to engage children in decision-making. Recommendations include adopting a variety of conversational styles when engaging with children; consideration of temporal concerns and the need to acknowledge the culture of the school