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CONTENTS
Nursing Praxis in New Zealand
Vol 25 No 1 March 2009
EDITORIAL
ARTICLES
Jeanette Bell
Towards Clarification of the Role of Research Nurses in New Zealand: A Literature Review
Angela Dick, Steve La Grow & Julie Boddy
The Effects of Staff Education on the Practice of ‘Specialling’ by Care Assistants
in an Acute Care Setting
Katherine Nelson, Margaret Connor & Gillian Acorn
Innovative Nursing Leadership in Youth Health
Carol Slight, Janet Marsden &Susanne Raynel
The Impact of a Glaucoma Nurse Specialist Role on Glaucoma Waiting Lists
TOWARDS CLARIFICATION OF THE ROLE OF
RESEARCH NURSES IN NEW ZEALAND:
A LITERATURE REVIEW
Jeanette Bell, RN, MN, Clinical Charge Nurse,
ICU and HDU, North Shore Hospital, Auckland
Abstract
The demand for research nurses has increased markedly in recent years due to a rapidly expanding clinical research environment. Research nursing is becoming increasingly specialised and nurses now hold central positions in the coordination of clinical trials and management of trial related patient care. However, as a role in transition, research nursing is currently under-recognised and has yet to establish a clear identity and position for itself within nursing and within research. Therefore, the aim of this literature review is to describe the current role of research nurses in clinical trials and explore the professional issues surrounding the role. To provide greater clarification of the role in New Zealand, these findings are examined against the Nursing Council of New Zealand competency requirements for registered nurses. In examining the professional issues surrounding the role, current barriers to adequate recognition of the role are identified and potential strategies to clarify the role and the position of research nurses are put forward.
Key Words: Research nursing, research co-ordinator, clinical research, clinical trials.
Article OrderCode: 251 A
THE EFFECTS OF STAFF EDUCATION ON THE
PRACTICE OF ‘SPECIALLING’ BY CARE
ASSISTANTS IN AN ACUTE CARE SETTING
Angela Dick, RN, MN, Director of Nursing (Rural and Remote Relief),
Mount Isa Health District, Mount Isa, Queensland
(Previously Duty Nurse Manager, MidCentral Health, Palmerston North)
Steve La Grow, EdD, Professor, School of Health and Social Services,
Massey University, Palmerston North
Julie Boddy, RN, PhD, FCNA(NZ), Professor, School of Health and
Social Services, Massey University, Palmerston North
ABSTRACT
This paper reports the results of a project aimed at decreasing the use of, and costs associated with, the practice of using care assistants to provide one-toone observation or ‘specialling’ in five acute adult medical and surgical wards at a North Island hospital. Education sessions were provided to staff to prompt better management of patients receiving this level of observation. Using a timeseries design, a retrospective study was completed for the six months pre- and six months post-intervention (staff education). Data were collected and analysed on all patients in the five acute wards who had required ‘specialling’ during the specified twelve-month period. Results showed that following the intervention there had been a reduction in the incidence and duration of ‘specialling,’ and a halving of costs associated with this practice. The findings have implications for patient
management and cost effectiveness. Incident statistics were not retrospectively reviewed in this study.
Key Words: Specialling, care assistants, cost, education.
Article OrderCode: 251 B
INNOVATIVE NURSING LEADERSHIP
IN YOUTH HEALTH
Katherine M. Nelson, RN, PhD, Senior Lecturer, Graduate School of Nursing,
Midwifery and Health, Victoria University of Wellington
Margaret Connor, RN, PhD, Research Fellow, Graduate School of Nursing,
Midwifery and Health, Victoria University of Wellington
Gillian Alcorn, NP, MA (Applied) in Nursing, Youth Health Nurse Specialist,
Vibe Youth Transition Service, Hutt Valley
Abstract
Along with introducing the New Zealand Primary Health Care Strategy the Ministry of Health funded 11 primary health care nursing innovation projects for three years. One of these was sited in the Hutt Valley District Health Board region at what was originally known as the Hutt Valley Youth Service and later named the Vibe service. The funding supported employment of a clinical nurse leader who later, during the course of the project, qualified as a Nurse Practitioner (NP). The dynamic leadership provided by the nurse extended beyond service boundaries benefiting policy decision making throughout the District Health Board region and contributing to youth health and service development nationally. In return for fostering such leadership Vibe gained access to new dimensions of youth health care. It became apparent that high calibre clinical leadership, a major component of the NP scope of practice in primary health care, improves outcomes for the clientele, increases satisfaction for the team members and provides a model for potential NPs wherever they are situated.
Key Words: Clinical leadership, innovation, youth health, nurse practitioner, primary health care.
Article OrderCode: 251 C
THE IMPACT OF A GLAUCOMA NURSE SPECIALIST
ROLE ON GLAUCOMA WAITING LISTS
Carol Slight, NP (Ophthalmology), MN, Opthalmology Department,
Auckland District Health Board
Janet Marsden, RN, MSc, Senior lecturer, Postgraduate Programme Leader, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK
Susanne Raynel, RN, MA (Nsg), Research and Development Manager, Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland.
Abstract
Over the last two decades there has been an increasing demand on health care services. This has led to increased waiting lists and waiting times to access public hospital services. In ophthalmic practice an aging population and technological advances have been major contributors to this situation. The challenge for health care providers is how to manage waiting lists within the resources provided and targets set by Elective Services, a department of the Ministry of Health (MoH). The Ministerial Taskforce on Nursing (1998) highlighted that nurses are an underutilised resource. Subsequent to the Ministerial Taskforce, the availability of interim funding from Elective Services and a skilled speciality nursing workforce the Ophthalmology Department at a large metropolitan hospital was able to implement an advanced nursing role with respect to glaucoma management. Early diagnosis is important in reducing the risk of permanent visual impairment from primary open angle glaucoma; therefore the length of time to diagnosis can have long term implications for the patient. Patients for the ‘nurse-led’ glaucoma clinic were recruited from specific categories of glaucoma patients on the waiting list. An audit of the impact on the waiting list was undertaken periodically over a two year first specialist assessment for glaucoma. The implementation of this role proved to be successful and has subsequently become a permanent nurse specialist position in the ophthalmology department.
Key Words: Glaucoma, nurse specialist, nurse led clinics, chronic care management.
Article OrderCode: 251 D
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