Translation of evidence into pain management practices in acute care environments. This project addresses the urgent need to reduce the substantial pain experienced by patients following surgery by improving the clinical processes associated with the treatment of pain. Each year in Australia, six million people are admitted to hospital for surgery. A recent review of Australian research has shown that up to 40% of hospitalised surgical patients experience significant pain. Despite the availabili ....Translation of evidence into pain management practices in acute care environments. This project addresses the urgent need to reduce the substantial pain experienced by patients following surgery by improving the clinical processes associated with the treatment of pain. Each year in Australia, six million people are admitted to hospital for surgery. A recent review of Australian research has shown that up to 40% of hospitalised surgical patients experience significant pain. Despite the availability of effective treatment, pain after surgery is often under-treated and is one of the main postoperative adverse outcomes. A consequence of poor pain management is that patients experience unnecessary suffering, higher incidence of postoperative complications significant risk of developing chronic post-surgical pain.Read moreRead less
Evaluating the feasibility and effect of using a hospital wide coordinated approach to introduce evidence-based changes for pain management. This project will develop a comprehensive educational program and approach to pain management for public and private hospitals that could be used by other hospitals elsewhere. An educational program for hospitals staff, and specifically for Pain Resource Nurses, will be produced. This project has the potential to minimise the experience of pain and prevent ....Evaluating the feasibility and effect of using a hospital wide coordinated approach to introduce evidence-based changes for pain management. This project will develop a comprehensive educational program and approach to pain management for public and private hospitals that could be used by other hospitals elsewhere. An educational program for hospitals staff, and specifically for Pain Resource Nurses, will be produced. This project has the potential to minimise the experience of pain and prevent widespread complications associated with pain for all hospitalised patients, irrespective of diagnosis or reason for admission. It is also envisaged that this project will establish a model of change that could be used to facilitate evidence-based practice in other aspects of healthcare apart from pain.Read moreRead less
Developing a Model of ICU Transition Care; Enhancing Services, Enabling Nurses, Empowering Patients. The transition from the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) to the ward is traumatic for patients and families and difficult for ward nurses. Using focus groups and an intervention study, this research will develop and evaluate a model of ICU transition care and demonstrate the extent to which appropriate transition care improves a variety of outcomes for patients, families and staff. We anticipate that t ....Developing a Model of ICU Transition Care; Enhancing Services, Enabling Nurses, Empowering Patients. The transition from the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) to the ward is traumatic for patients and families and difficult for ward nurses. Using focus groups and an intervention study, this research will develop and evaluate a model of ICU transition care and demonstrate the extent to which appropriate transition care improves a variety of outcomes for patients, families and staff. We anticipate that this model will influence practice and policy decisions and be useful in other setting and with other groups who face life transitions such as the military, corrective care and rehabilitation.Read moreRead less
Improving patient health outcomes in acute care hospital settings using mobile wireless technology and handheld computers. This project will investigate the use of wireless handheld computers, in three acute care clinical units located at Southern Health and the Royal Women's Hospital, to determine the impact on patient safety and quality of care. There is a need for real time point-of-care access (and input) to patient information, nursing reference information, and drug information for nurses ....Improving patient health outcomes in acute care hospital settings using mobile wireless technology and handheld computers. This project will investigate the use of wireless handheld computers, in three acute care clinical units located at Southern Health and the Royal Women's Hospital, to determine the impact on patient safety and quality of care. There is a need for real time point-of-care access (and input) to patient information, nursing reference information, and drug information for nurses in Australian hospitals. This project aims to address this need by providing nurses with wireless handheld access to such resources. This project is extremely significant, as the outcomes will provide nurses, in Australia and overseas, a set of guidelines for managing wireless handheld computers in clinical units, to enhance patient safety and quality of care.Read moreRead less
Examining the complexity of communication processes across transition points from the emergency department to improve medication safety. Problems in communication contribute significantly to adverse events that lead to serious harm for Australian consumers. Recent data show medication errors account for over 25% of all adverse events, while over 50% of consumers who move across transition points have medication errors relating to their treatment regimen. Financial costs from adverse events are e ....Examining the complexity of communication processes across transition points from the emergency department to improve medication safety. Problems in communication contribute significantly to adverse events that lead to serious harm for Australian consumers. Recent data show medication errors account for over 25% of all adverse events, while over 50% of consumers who move across transition points have medication errors relating to their treatment regimen. Financial costs from adverse events are estimated at around $A2billion/year, which are likely to increase with further complexities involving consumer care. This study will result in new knowledge about communication processes to inform the development of reporting methods and strategies, which positively influence the practices of health professionals in managing medications as consumers move across different environments.Read moreRead less
Patient and nurse outcomes and the cost of nurses' turnover in Australian hospitals. An adequate supply of nurses is fundamental to all of the National Health Priority disease areas where quality care cannot be delivered without an adequate number of motivated nurses. Designing cost-effective methods of retaining nurses requires understanding reasons why they leave the workforce and the impact this has on patient care and system costs. The findings will assist policy makers and workforce planner ....Patient and nurse outcomes and the cost of nurses' turnover in Australian hospitals. An adequate supply of nurses is fundamental to all of the National Health Priority disease areas where quality care cannot be delivered without an adequate number of motivated nurses. Designing cost-effective methods of retaining nurses requires understanding reasons why they leave the workforce and the impact this has on patient care and system costs. The findings will assist policy makers and workforce planners at both local and national levels, to design strategies to effectively recruit and retain nurses as demands for health care and market competition for staff both increase.Read moreRead less
Listen to me, I really am sick! Understanding patient and family perspectives in triggering responses to medical emergencies. This project investigates whether patient and family perspectives are treated as evidence of a deteriorating health state whilst in hospital. Recommendations from this study will inform the development of patient centred strategies to reduce delays in clinician response to physiological deterioration and improve patient safety in hospitals.
The perinatal journey: the process and impact of psychosocial assessment. This study of the process and impact of psychosocial assessment and depression screening during pregnancy and after birth will have immediate national application and benefit as Australian governments prepare policy to implement universal psychosocial assessment. Findings will provide evidence-based approaches to assessment and service delivery impacting positively on large numbers of Australian women who use maternity and ....The perinatal journey: the process and impact of psychosocial assessment. This study of the process and impact of psychosocial assessment and depression screening during pregnancy and after birth will have immediate national application and benefit as Australian governments prepare policy to implement universal psychosocial assessment. Findings will provide evidence-based approaches to assessment and service delivery impacting positively on large numbers of Australian women who use maternity and early childhood nursing services. Most importantly, skillful early identification of women in distress or 'at risk' is the first step in providing appropriate services and support to ensure better child outcomes. The research will be at the cutting edge internationally and directly addresses National Research Priorities.Read moreRead less
Enhancing moral care and quality of life in people with dementia. This research explores largely unknown quality of life experiences of persons living with dementia in residential aged care, and therefore factors that may promote well being, longevity, meaning, family and social coherence. The research will result in new knowledge for a model of care that is truly person-centred and will inform health, ageing and education policy, as well as an enlarged and clearer role function for caregivers. ....Enhancing moral care and quality of life in people with dementia. This research explores largely unknown quality of life experiences of persons living with dementia in residential aged care, and therefore factors that may promote well being, longevity, meaning, family and social coherence. The research will result in new knowledge for a model of care that is truly person-centred and will inform health, ageing and education policy, as well as an enlarged and clearer role function for caregivers. The solution focused model of dementia care is likely to also have positive effects on staff satisfaction and result in improved recruitment and retention. Read moreRead less
A prospective evaluation of the impact of the nurse practitioner role on emergency department service and outcomes. The local hospital emergency department (ED) is a prominent and highly utilised service in Australian communities but demand on EDs is increasing, resulting in significant service delays. This project will study the composition of ED clinical teams around Australia and their impact on improving the timeliness and quality of emergency clinical care.