Re-entry to nursing : student focus in the competence assessment service program

A positive student learning experience is ‘by any other name’ effective human resource development. It can be defined further as contextualised adult education. This paper reports on an educational program that is returning previously registered and enrolled nurses back to the health care workforce by successfully utilising key human resource development strategies that focus on communication, appropriate physical resources, leadership, shared responsibility, conflict management and pre-emptive problem solving. Students are the focus of the initiative that, owing to high industry demand for professional staff, aims to reduce the time and cost associated with the return-to-work experience of the individual. At the same time, it provides a valid and reliable return-to-work pathway. The program is based on the achievement of beginning-level competencies in relation to the Australian Nursing Council National Competency Standards for Registered Nurses of 2000. The project appears to provide students with an emancipatory experience by recognising and valuing their prior learning and experience as the basis for the development of a deep level of insight into the contemporary professional role and responsibilities. The new learning experience empowers students to re-enter practice with confidence and to embrace ongoing change

The precarious position of nursing education in the knowledge economy: A literature review and commentary

Nursing is a practice-based discipline, a recent profession to transfer its workforce preparation to the higher education sector. This discussion paper explores the perceptions of key stakeholders as to what nursing is and what nurses do, and how nurses are best educated to meet all stakeholders’ unique needs

Legal aspects of nursing

For years Kozier and Erb's Fundamentals of Nursing has been the gold standard in helping students embarking on their nursing careers. This second Australian edition retains many of the features that have made this textbook the number-one choice of nursing students and lecturers. To further enhance this popular fundamentals textbook and ensure its appropriate application for Australian students, nursing academics from across Australia were invited to review and comment on each of the 52 chapters. Based on their feedback the new edition is even better than the first. The new edition presents the fundamentals of nursing care within the framework of the nursing process. To ensure that Australian nursing academics and their students have the most current learning tool, the new edition now incorporates the ANMAC competency standards. The text is built around three pivotal philosophies: Person-centred care - Cultural safety - Critical thinking. This text offers an accessible writing style and focuses on practical applications with real-world Australian examples and case studies. The text is supported by a state-of-the art technology package to enhance the learning process and course delivery

Are they too old to learn? : exploring the barriers to using weblogs in demystifying the information literacy experience for mature age undergraduate students

Active engagement with Weblogs by students presents an enticing new dimension in e.learning. Much of the current literature would suggest that embracing blogs appears, primarily, to be an activity of the young. This paper reports on findings from a survey that explored the blogging behaviours of mature age (23+ years), undergraduate students undertaking first year courses across a number of disciplines at an Australian regional University as part of a broader study. The researchers were keen to develop an understanding of Weblog usage from the learner’s perspective. The study was able to identify some of the barriers that prevented this cohort of students from actively engaging in Weblog interaction. The findings from this study will inform the development of programs aimed at facilitating information literacy skills in students new to study at the university

An assessment process with a difference : an avenue for nurses to regain their registration

This paper presents an overview of the conception, the development, and the initiation of the Competence Assessment Sevice. This service is an innovative program aimed at assessing competence of nurses in Queensland who are seeking restoration of to the register or seeking registration in Queensland from places overseas where English is not the first language.The service providers of the Competence Assessment Service are the School of Nursing at Central Queensland University and Central Queensland Institute of TAFE

Understanding quality of life and quality of care in residential care

There is often confusion between quality of life and quality of care in residential care facilities. This study sought to explain the differences between these two inter-related phenomenon

Taking action : organisational change within a small regional based private hospital - an interdisciplinary approach

In late 2002, researchers in the Schools of Nursing and Health Studies and the School of Management at Central Queensland University met with the Director of Nursing at a small regional ‘for profit’ private hospital. The purpose of the meeting was to explore ways in which the researchers and the hospital could work more closely together. The findings to date of the resulting action research study investigating organisational factors affecting performance and outcomes in a small regional private hospital are discussed in this paper. The researchers and management were interested in understanding the interplay between these organisational factors and performance with a view to organisational change, and consequently have explored issues and aspects of working practices that may be in need of change to improve both organisational performance and employee satisfaction. The research also identified management and employee perceptions of the organisational culture and structure, and sought to identify those aspects that may be in need of redesign

An exploratory study of the concerns of mature access to nursing students and the coping strategies used to manage these adverse experiences

The inter-connections between educational, family and social spheres of life are integral to the experiences and outcomes of mature student participation in education. This relationship highlights the need to understand the educational experience in the context of the life of the mature student. Mature nursing students have been shown to experience many difficulties during their course. These problems include childcare, relationship and financial difficulties. What is not well documented are the problems and coping strategies of future nursing students who are undertaking Access to Nursing courses and whether these mirror those found in mature nursing students. This small scale exploratory study investigated the course-related problems and coping strategies of mature students undertaking an access to nursing in a Further Education College. This study is one part of a larger programme of research investigating mature students in nursing. In-depth interviews were conducted on mature students and data were analysed using content analysis methods. Content analysis revealed particular concerns regarding the obstacles faced by mature nursing students. In particular the findings suggested that financial difficulties and re-entry into tertiary education were the prominent concerns for these individuals. The coping mechanisms identified to overcome these problems included; support networks, prioritising and organising, and positive expectations and attitudes for the future. Understanding how students cope with their difficulties will provide the building block for future intervention strategies designed to minimise problems and increase retention rates. Further longitudinal research is required on the long term and cumulative nature of stress and coping in this group from access to post-qualification

Collaborative voices : ongoing reflections on nursing competencies

In a rapidly changing Australian health care environment, providers of undergraduate nursing programs are continually upgrading their assessment methods to ensure that graduates are competent and safe to practice. Competence assessment is based on the existing Australian Nursing & Midwifery Council (ANMC) Competency Standards for Registered Nurses. It is acknowledged that there are issues surrounding the validity and reliability of current assessment methods, primarily due to organizational constraints both at the University and the service provider level. There are a number of highly reliable tools available that enable assessment of nursing students in the psychomotor domain. Assessment in other domains is less precise. This paper explores some of the issues relating to competence assessment processes in order to promote discussion and discourse between educators, facilities and policy makers. It is envisaged that increased debate will result in an enhanced level of academic and clinical preparation for the upcoming nursing workforce in this country

The future nursing workforce in Australia : baseline data for a prospective study of the profile, attrition rates and graduate outcomes in a contemporary cohort of undergraduates.

To gather data from ten universities across two Australia states in order to: provide a descriptive demographic profile of undergraduate Australian nursing students; provide baseline data for a prospective analysis of attrition within undergraduate nursing programs; and to facilitate student recruitment into a prospective cohort study to examine graduate outcomes