Disaster content in Australian tertiary postgraduate emergency nursing courses: A survey

Free full-text article is available here (PDF)

ABSTRACT
Background: Emergency nurses play a pivotal role in disaster relief during the response to, and recovery of both in-hospital and out-of-hospital disasters. Postgraduate education is important in preparing and enhancing emergency nurses’ preparation for disaster nursing practice. The disaster nursing content of Australian tertiary postgraduate emergency nursing courses has not been compared across courses and the level of agreement about suitable content is not known.

Aim: To explore and describe the disaster content in Australian tertiary postgraduate emergency nursing courses.

Method: A retrospective, exploratory and descriptive study of the disaster content of Australian tertiary postgraduate emergency nursing courses conducted in 2009. Course convenors from 12 universities were invited to participate in a single structured telephone survey. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics. 

Results: Ten of the twelve course convenors from Australian tertiary postgraduate emergency nursing courses participated in this study. The content related to disasters was varied, both in terms of the topics covered and duration of disaster content. Seven of these courses included some content relating to disaster health, including types of disasters, hospital response, nurses’ roles in disasters and triage. The management of the dead and dying, and practical application of disaster response skills featured in only one course. Three courses had learning objectives specific to disasters.

Conclusion: The majority of courses had some disaster content but there were considerable differences in the content chosen for inclusion across courses. The incorporation of core competencies such as those from the International Council of Nurses and the World Health Organisation, may enhance content consistency in curriculum. Additionally, this content could be embedded within a proposed national education framework for disaster health.



Ranse J, Shaban R, Considine J, Hammad K, Arbon P, Mitchell B, Lenson S. (2013). Disaster content in Australian tertiary postgraduate emergency nursing courses: A survey. Australasian Emergency Nursing Journal. 16(2):58-63. doi:10.1016/j.aenj.2013.04.002

Read More

Australasian emergency nurses’ willingness to attend work in a disaster: A survey

Free full-text article is available here (PDF)

ABSTRACT
Background: The type of disaster, individual demographic factors, family factors and workplace factors, have been identified in the international, multidisciplinary literature as factors that influence a person’s willingness to attend and assist in their workplace during a disaster. However, it is unknown if these factors are applicable to Australasian emergency nurses.

Aim: The research aims to determine the extent to which Australasian emergency nurses are willing to attend their workplace in a disaster.

Method: This research was exploratory and descriptive study design, using online and paper based surveys as a means of data collection. Australasian emergency nurses from two Australasian emergency nursing colleges and four Australian hospitals were recruited to participate. Data analysis was conducted using both descriptive and inferential statistics.

Results: In total, 451 Australasian emergency nurses participated in this research. Participants were more willing to attend their workplace during a conventional disaster (p≤0.001), if they worked full-time (p = 0.01), had received formal education pertaining to disasters (p≤0.001), had a family disaster plan (p = 0.008), did not have children (p = 0.001) and worked in an environment in which they perceived their colleagues, managers and organisation to be prepared.

Conclusions: The factors that influenced Australasian emergency nurses to attend their workplace in a disaster were similar to that described in the international multidisciplinary literature. Of particular note, improving disaster knowledge and skills, having a family disaster plan and improving the perceptions of the nurses’ workplace preparedness can enhance the nurses’ willingness to assist in a disaster.


Arbon P, Ranse J, Cusack L, Considine J, Shaban R, Woodman R, Bahnisch L, Kako M, Hammad K, Mitchell B. (2013). Australasian emergency nurses’ willingness to attend work in a disaster: A survey. Australasian Emergency Nursing Journal. 16(2):52-57. doi:10.1016/j.aenj.2013.05.004 

Read More

Open access to Nursing journals: An audit of the 2010 ERA journal list

Free full-text article is available here (PDF)

ABSTRACT
Objective: To determine the proportion of nursing journals that are fully open access or have some elements of openness, and hence are readily accessible by nurses in clinical settings.

Design: A descriptive study, with interpretive analysis of existing data sources. Setting Access to online journals from the perspective of a nurse as a consumer.

Subjects: Nursing specific journals from the 2010 Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA) list of publications. Main outcome measure The proportion of nursing journals with unrestricted online open access as of October 2011.

Results: Of the 224 journals included in this research, 12% (27/224) had unrestricted open access to all published manuscripts, 39% (88/224) had partial or conditional access and 49% (109/224) had no elements of open access, and required the consumer to have access to a paid subscription.

Conclusion: Approximately half (51%) of nursing journals surveyed have all or some articles that are open access. This is higher than other studies of open access research articles globally. However, barriers at an institutional level may need to be addressed to ensure nurses can be informed in their care of patients.

Bail K, Ranse J, Clarke R, Rattray B. (2013) Open access to nursing journals: an audit of the 2010 ERA journal list. Australian Journal of Advanced Nursing. 30(4):5-11

Read More

Disaster health: an Australian perspective

I was invited by the Faculty of Public Health and the Faculty of Nursing at Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand to present on the topic of disaster health from an Australian perspective. This presentation focused on the following topics:
- Willingness
- Education
- Role
- Triage

A number of clinicians and academics shared their experience of disaster assistance within the Phisanulok Province. Additionally, during this visit I had the privilege to meet with a number of public health official regarding their experience of assisting in floods and landslides that have affected their Districts.


Ranse J. (2013). Disaster health: an Australian perspective. Department of Nursing, Naresuan University, Thailand, 3rd June.

Read More