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GENDER, NURSING AND THE PBRF
Suzanne Phibbs, PhD
School of Health Sciences, Massey University
Bruce Curtis, PhD
Department of Sociology, Auckland University
Abstract
Significant disparities between male and female academics exist with respect to remuneration, academic grading and PBRF scores – with women doing less well than men in each of these areas. There exists a range of gender-based distribution and outcome gaps within the university, and between universities and non-university tertiary education organisations. This situation, combined with a devaluing of academic subjects that have feminised knowledge bases, is suggestive of wider structural discrimination against women. In this article individualised explanations for the failure of women to progress are set in the context of a critical exploration of the PBRF evaluation methodology. It is argued that both academia and the PBRF research assessment exercise embody a form of academic masculinity that systematically disadvantages women in general and nursing in particular.
Key Words:
Gender discrimination, nursing, PBRF.
Order Code 222A
ARTICLES
Primary health care for youth in New Zealand. Are
current health strategies working?
Jane Dutton, RN, Grad. Dip. (Mid),
Health Nurse, Student Health Centre, UCOL, Wanganui
Abstract
This article presents a critique of New Zealand health strategies in terms of how well they are serving youth. It is argued that over the last two decades successive changes in government policy, while aimed at improving people’s health, have either not worked or had negative effects for specific population groups. There is now clear evidence that lower socio-economic status has an adverse affect on health, particularly among disadvantaged groups such as Maori and Pacific Islanders. In discussions about disadvantage and health inequalities youth as an age group is often ignored. Yet young people have special needs in relation to their developmental stage, the transition between child and adult. They have high potential for behaviours identified as placing them ‘at risk’; and that may impact on their future health. The New Zealand Health Strategy released by the Government in 2000, and the Primary Health Strategy (King, 2001) were intended, through additional funding and emphasis on primary health care, to lead to better health for all New Zealanders. For some groups, such as youth, these gains have not been achieved, and in many instanced the situation has worsened.
Key Words:
New Zealand health policy, youth health, socio-economic disadvantage, primary health care.
Order Code 222B
FAT SIMPLE – A NURSING TOOL FOR CLIENT
EDUCATION
Jo Janssen, RN, BHSc (Nursing), Grad.Dip.Nursing,
Nursing Tutor, Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology, Nelson and
Staff Nurse, Coronary Care Unit, Nelson Marlborough District Health Board
Abstract
Recent debate about “good fats” and “bad fats” has created uncertainty for nurses and clients as they struggle to make sense of the often contradictory statements in the media. This article summarises the current level of knowledge regarding dietary effects on serum cholesterol and presents the information in an eye catching table that can be used as an educational resource in heart disease prevention education.
Information from a literature review was used to design a table that identifies how changes in diet and activity can alter components of a person’s lipid profile. Nurses can use the resulting table as a simple tool to give clients targeted education based on their individual cholesterol results. This tool illustrates that not all dietary recommendations to the public are beneficial to serum cholesterol levels and it also explains why popular diets such as the Atkins, Mediterranean, and glycaemic index / load can produce more cardio-protective profiles than the traditional low fat diet. It should provide a way forward in an increasingly contentious area of practice.
Key Words:
Cholesterol, coronary heart disease, diet – fat restricted, dietary education.
Order Code 222C
HISTORICAL INVESTIGATIONS: RISK MANAGEMENT
IN A NEW ZEALAND HOSPITAL 1888 – 1904
Anne Smillie, RN, MA (Applied) Nursing, Clinical Nurse Leader,
Emergency Department, Taranaki Base Hospital, New Plymouth
Abstract
This article reports an historical research project in which four events within one hospital are examined from the point of view of what, today, would be termed ‘risk management’. The examples involve a nurse sustaining injury in the course of her work, a fire in the hospital and two instances of patient complaints – one concerning nursing care and the other relating to a time lag between admission to hospital and receiving medical attention. All would have their counterparts in situations dealt with by today’s Risk Management Departments. Analysis of the processes followed in investigating these occurrences reveals what seem to be two major differences when compared to present day practices. As well as being smaller in scale and less bureaucratic the earlier investigations were based on a culture of blame. It is argued that modern risk management approaches rather than being
geared toward apportioning blame are more focused on understanding what can be learned from the incident with respect to preventing recurrence.
Key Words:
Nursing history, risk management.
Order Code 222D
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