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Biomedical subjects

Mary FitzGerald

Publications and source records attributed to Mary FitzGerald.

11 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Nursing in a technological environment: nursing care in the operating room.

Operating room nurses continue to draw criticism regarding the appropriateness of a nursing presence in the operating room. The technological focus of the theatre and the ways in which nurses in the theatre have shaped and reshaped their practice in response to technological change have caused people within and outside the nursing profession to question whether operating room nursing is a technological rather than nursing undertaking. This paper reports findings from an ethnographic study that was conducted in an Australian operating department. The study examined the contribution of nurses to the work of the operating room through intensive observation and ethnographic interviews. This paper uses selected findings from the study to explore the ways in which nurses in theatre interpret their role in terms of caring in a technological environment.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed2005

Childhood obesity in Taiwan: review of the Taiwanese literature.

In a number of countries, including Taiwan, the prevalence of childhood obesity has been steadily increasing. A study to assess school nurses' perspective on their role in supporting children and preventing childhood obesity in Taiwan is currently being undertaken. A search of the literature reveals that most research publications come from the West and these studies have been useful. However, it is important to isolate the research and policy materials that take into account the contextually and culturally relevant factors in Taiwan and neighboring countries. Findings from a review of the Taiwanese literature are presented in this paper. The literature reveals the factors associated with the prevalence of childhood obesity and prevention strategies. A significant proportion of the research is medical and focuses on cardiovascular disease rather than health promotion and education. However, there are findings in this review that generally support health promotion activities and programs that are school based. There appears to be an urgent need for investment in research that assesses the long-term effectiveness of interventions designed to promote the maintenance of healthy weight during childhood in the Taiwanese society. Western literature is referred to occasionally in this paper in order to introduce an issue or to compare with a Taiwanese paper.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed2004

Nurses' advocacy in an Australian operating department.

Acting as a patient advocate in the OR is challenging for many nurses. Personal, professional, and organizational barriers to effective advocacy exist, and the term advocacy is not clearly defined in the context of nursing practice. Findings from an ethnographic study conducted in an Australian operating department shed light on the way in which nurses experience the role of patient advocate in the OR. This article explores nurses' perceptions of the barriers they face as patient advocates and the strategies used to address these barriers.

Australia↗
PubMed2004

Processes, outcomes and evaluation: challenges to practice development in gerontological nursing.

When aligned to participants' needs, evaluation may be used to enhance practice developers' work. Process evaluation enables practice developers to evaluate as they develop; making evaluation an integral part of practice development rather than an 'add on task'. It is contended that beginning practice developers can discharge their need to evaluate their work through the practice development techniques of critical reflection, dialogue and action learning. These form the basis of iterative and formative evaluation activity. However other types of evaluation are important for different audiences in practice development. Consideration of the purpose and utility of evaluation in a range of contexts in which gerontological nursing occurs, brings some clarity regarding the scope of the evaluation required to sustain practice development initiatives. In addition, it helps to clarify the nature of the evaluation required to provide evidence of patient-centred outcomes from developments in the practice of gerontological nursing.

Aged↗
PubMed2003

Clinical practice development in Central Coast Health.

Engagement in clinical practice development may be achieved in a range of ways. In this paper we describe the formation of a strategic plan for clinical practice development for Central Coast Health. The plan specifically builds on the work that has already been achieved by clinicians and is inclusive of the multi-disciplinary team. In order to clarify the strategic direction, three levels of clinical practice development are offered as examples of increasingly intensive clinical practice development. In the strategic plan senior personnel are recruited to support area-wide developments. At the same time clinicians are supported to work on specific local projects creating a simultaneous top-down and bottom-up approach. Preparation of clinicians for the challenges of team building and change in practice ensures that people choosing to engage in clinical practice have realistic expectations of the commitment and rewards that may be expected.

Australia↗
PubMed2003

The impact of regular hospitalization of children living with thalassaemia on their parents in Sri Lanka: a phenomenological study.

This paper reports on a small phenomenological study that set out to describe what it means to have a child with thalassaemia regularly attending hospital for blood transfusion. Ten parents were invited to participate from the thalassaemia unit of a large hospital in a north-west province of Sri Lanka. Data were collected by in-depth interviews with parents. The participants' experiences are described as they reveal, in their own words, what it means to support children with this disease. With startling reality, this research portrays the problems associated with caring for these children and their regular admission to hospital. Three themes are used to present the participant's experience: worries, medical services, and helping and being helped. The findings of the study show that there have been improvements in the service and treatment of these children in Sri Lanka. However, the lives of the parents are still dire. This research should be useful locally in terms of increasing awareness of thalassaemia and raising the consciousness of Sri Lankan nurses and other health care workers, so that they are more aware of the parents' needs. Although phenomenological research is not generalizable, it is likely that the experience of the parents in this study has similarities throughout the developing world.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed2002

Reasons for physically restraining patients and residents: a systematic review and content analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this systematic review was to determine why people are physically restrained in the acute and residential care settings. METHOD: A comprehensive search was undertaken of electronic databases to identify studies addressing the reasons for using physical restraint. Findings were synthesised using content analysis. RESULTS: Twenty-three studies were identified. The most common reason for using restraints related to patient-oriented issues such as ensuring the safety of people. However, they are also commonly used to facilitate treatment, maintain the social environment and because of issues such as understaffing.

Behavior Control↗
PubMed2002

Nurses' views on competency indicators for Australian nursing.

This paper reports on a project commissioned by the Australian Nursing Council Inc that sought to develop an approach to the maintenance of continuing competence in nursing broadly acceptable to nurses in all states and territories. This project involved extensive consultation with nurses, consumers and key stakeholders on appropriate competence indicators. Findings suggest that a majority of nurses support the development of competence indicators but most are confused about the nature of competence.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A review of graduate nurse transition programs in Australia.

BACKGROUND: Despite nearly two decades of experience with graduate transition programs in Australia little evidence exists regarding the effectiveness of these programs as interventions that enhance the transition from nursing student to professional practitioner. There is general acknowledgement that this is a crucial time for people entering the profession and yet there is little agreement on what constitutes best practice for nurses' transition to the workforce. AIM: This paper challenges the status quo through a review of current programs and questions whether primacy should be given to formal transition programs or to the development of educationally supportive clinical learning environments. CONCLUSION: There is sufficient doubt in the efficacy of formal transition programs to at least investigate potential alternatives such as concentration on the development of a supportive practice culture conducive to learning. Indeed, the type of learning environment suitable for graduate nurses is likely to be one that will also facilitate the continued development and enhanced job satisfaction of the rest of the nursing team.

Australasia↗