Papers by Marion Mitchell
The Journal of nursing education, 2007
Little is known about nursing students' information literacy skills and perceptions of Web-en... more Little is known about nursing students' information literacy skills and perceptions of Web-enhanced educational approaches. This study examined graduating Bachelor of Nursing (BN) students' perceptions of a Web-enhanced learning environment, their computer literacy skills, and use of technology, and how these influenced their satisfaction. This Australian survey produced a 64% (n = 170) response rate. The 3-year BN program provides Web-enhanced learning opportunities by incorporating online activities and content such as quizzes, videos, and virtual laboratories that augment on-campus and off-campus learning approaches. Upon graduation, 61.4% of the students reported having competent information literacy skills. The quality and usefulness of the Web-enhanced material was rated fair to above average. The students' perception of technical and faculty support for Web-enhanced learning was low. Overall satisfaction with the Web-enhanced program was associated with level of i...
Background: The increasing and widespread use of complementary and alternative medicine in the ge... more Background: The increasing and widespread use of complementary and alternative medicine in the general population requires health-care professionals to have a knowledge and appreciation of their use to ensure that decisions about care are appropriate, safe and meet patients' needs. This is also the case for critical care nurses. Presently, healthcare professionals including nurses have limited formal education on complementary and alternative medicine. Critical care nurses' role in relation to complementary and alternative medicine is important for two patient care reasons: some can adversely interact with conventional medicines and others can potentially improve patient's well-being. Australian critical care nurses' knowledge of complementary and alternative medicine is unknown. Purpose: To identify Australian critial care nurses' assessment practices, attitudes, knowledge, and use of complementary and alternative medicine in practice. Methods: A descriptive, exploratory online survey of Australian critical care nurses through a national critical care nursing database was undertaken during early 2011 Findings: Five of twenty-eight therapies were endorsed by the respondents (n = 379) most positively regarding legitmacy, knowledge, benefit and use in practice: exercise; diet; counselling/psychology; relaxation techniques; and massage. The findings also suggest that a specific area within patient files promotes the practice of identifying and recording current complementary and alternative medicine use and that the majority of respondents supported further education.
Culture, Health & Sexuality, 2012
Inter-professional education (IPE) is recognised as a major way of introducing students in the he... more Inter-professional education (IPE) is recognised as a major way of introducing students in the health professions to the importance of teamwork and communication in the delivery of excellent health care. This pilot project evaluated mixed versus single discipline group tutorials of nursing and medical students as a way to promote IPE and understanding of communication. Four tutorial sessions were video-recorded and analysed using a video analysis coding grid. Additional data were drawn from student evaluations and assessment of group participation and were subjected to quantitative and qualitative analysis. The case study as portrayed in the DVD was thought to provide an effective learning tool by both sets of students. Medical students rated the need for mixed group tutorials significantly lower than the nursing students who thought the tutorial activity helped with an appreciation of the importance of communication to effective teamwork. However, medical students in the single discipline group did not understand the nursing role. The resources fostered reflection on student's own professional role as well as others; however, the importance of communication within the nursing role needs to be recognised by nursing students and curriculum designers.
Clinical practicums are often limited by a lack of meaningful communication between nursing stude... more Clinical practicums are often limited by a lack of meaningful communication between nursing students and registered nurses (RNs). This pilot study evaluated the utility of the Clinical Progression Portfolio (CPP) to enable students to learn how to initiate engagement with their RNs and to develop their capacity as students to learn. The study employed a descriptive survey design, with a convenience sample of second-year Bachelor of Nursing (BN) students in Brisbane, Australia. Questionnaires were completed by 129 students from 20 clinical practicum groups. Students who used the CPP were more favourable in their usefulness ratings (-rpb = 0.531, p < 0.001) and, furthermore, those that used the CPP most frequently were also more favourable (r = 0.555, p < 0.001). Students thought the CPP helped clarify learning and target appropriate practicum opportunities. When used, the CPP was an important part of practicum, used frequently and considered useful.
JONA: The Journal of Nursing Administration, 2013
Recruitment processes need to discriminate among candidates to ensure that the right person with ... more Recruitment processes need to discriminate among candidates to ensure that the right person with the right skills is selected for advancement opportunities. An innovative recruitment process using an objective structured clinical examination grounded in best practice guidelines resulted in improved recruitment practices for senior nursing clinical expert roles. Candidates&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39; skills, knowledge, and attitudes in the areas of patient focus, clinical expertise, teamwork, and leadership were assessed using a clinical simulation. Candidates achieving advancement were assessed at 6 months to validate the efficacy of the process.
Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nursing, 2012
In Japan, preregistration education is not sufficient to prepare nurses to work as child adolesce... more In Japan, preregistration education is not sufficient to prepare nurses to work as child adolescent mental health nurses. Nominal group technique (NGT) using focus group discussions, and Knowles&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39; Adult Learning Theory, were used to examine the continuing educational needs of nurses in a Japanese adolescent mental health unit. Nurses caring for adolescent patients with mental health issues need continuing education. This research demonstrates the utility of nominal group technique in needs analysis in this context. Educational priorities include instruction on patients&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39; developmental stage, promoting patient self-sufficiency, and strategies for meeting the needs of families. A family-centered care approach is recommended.
Culture, Health & Sexuality, 2012
Nurse Education in …, 2010
Clinical practicums are often limited by a lack of meaningful communication between nursing stude... more Clinical practicums are often limited by a lack of meaningful communication between nursing students and registered nurses (RNs). This pilot study evaluated the utility of the Clinical Progression Portfolio (CPP) to enable students to learn how to initiate engagement with their RNs and to develop their capacity as students to learn. The study employed a descriptive survey design, with a convenience sample of second-year Bachelor of Nursing (BN) students in Brisbane, Australia. Questionnaires were completed by 129 students from 20 clinical practicum groups. Students who used the CPP were more favourable in their usefulness ratings (-rpb = 0.531, p < 0.001) and, furthermore, those that used the CPP most frequently were also more favourable (r = 0.555, p < 0.001). Students thought the CPP helped clarify learning and target appropriate practicum opportunities. When used, the CPP was an important part of practicum, used frequently and considered useful.
Australian Critical Care, 2011
This paper is the sixth in a series of statistics articles recently published by Australian Criti... more This paper is the sixth in a series of statistics articles recently published by Australian Critical Care. In this paper we explore the most commonly used statistical tests to compare groups of data at the nominal level of measurement. The chosen statistical tests are the chisquare test, chi-square test for goodness of fit, chi-square test for independence, Fisher's exact test, McNemar's test and the use of confidence intervals for proportions. Examples of how to use and interpret the tests are provided.
Australasian Emergency Nursing Journal, 2014
Patients who do not wait in Emergency Departments (ED) are a key concern for healthcare consumers... more Patients who do not wait in Emergency Departments (ED) are a key concern for healthcare consumers, providers and policymakers. A six month descriptive retrospective cross-sectional designed study was undertaken at a public, metropolitan, adult tertiary referral ED in South East Queensland (SEQ). Using hospital administrative data, all patient presentations were examined over the timeframe with the aim of identifying and describing patient, institution and economic factors for individuals who attend the ED with the focus on patients who did not wait for medical treatment. A total of 1088 (4.2%) of 25,580 ED patient presentations did not wait (DNW). When compared to patients who waited those who DNW differed significantly regarding age (p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;0.001), triage category (p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;0.001), mode (p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;0.001) and shift of arrival (p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;0.001). Patients who DNW were younger, assigned less urgent triage categories and presented in higher proportions by private transport, during evenings and overnight. Some (n=550) were incorrectly coded as DNW when they actually waited, but left after treatment commenced. The crude cost of incorrectly coding these patients amounted to &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;$160,000. Understanding the characteristics of patients who DNW enables strategies to be considered and implemented to manage and mitigate both the potential clinical risk to patients and the financial implications for health care institutions.
Nursing & Health Sciences, 2003
When general ward registered nurses (RN) receive patients from an intensive care unit (ICU) they ... more When general ward registered nurses (RN) receive patients from an intensive care unit (ICU) they report that much of their time in the initial phases revolves around meeting family needs (Farvis, 2002). Families experience anxiety when leaving the security of the close monitoring seen in ICU (Leith, 1999) and their anxiety reduces their ability to play a key role in the patient&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s recovery (McShane, 1991; Leske, 1992) as it can impair their decision-making (Cagan, 1988; Halm et al., 1993). By reducing a family&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s anxiety, they may be more able to cope with the necessary transition to a general ward and support the patient&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s recovery. A literature search from 1990 onwards was performed within the CINAHL, Medline and Cochrane databases using the key words: intensive care, family, General System Theory, uncertainty, anxiety and transfer. Further articles were retrieved from citation references from the Web of Science or through the reference lists of retrieved literature. Library catalogues were searched using the same key words for books and book chapters. von Bertalanffy&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s General System Theory provides a framework for understanding the importance of family in a critical illness situation. Critical illness permits little or no time to adapt, thus reducing the family&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s ability to cope with the situation. Transfer out of ICU is a significant anxiety-producing event for families. Uncertainty in illness is reported in other illness situations to reduce family&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s adaptation to illness events, but has not been researched with an ICU cohort of families. Seven out of the top 10 needs of ICU families are information needs, highlighting the importance of communication regarding progress and future plans. Nurses require an increased awareness that transfer anxiety exists for families and to be knowledgeable about ways to reduce its occurrence. Research is required to evaluate the efficacy of interventions to reduce anxiety for families and examine the level of uncertainty in illness in this cohort.
Nurse Education Today, 2009
This article explores the use of the objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) in undergra... more This article explores the use of the objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) in undergraduate nursing education. The advantages and limitations of this assessment approach are discussed and various applications of the OSCE are described. Attention is given to the complexities of evaluating some psychosocial competency components. The issues are considered in an endeavour to delineate the competency components, or skill sets, that best lend themselves to assessment by the OSCE. We conclude that OSCEs can be used most effectively in nurse undergraduate curricula to assess safe practice in terms of performance of psychomotor skills, as well as the declarative and schematic knowledge associated with their 0260-6917/$ -see front matter c
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Papers by Marion Mitchell