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Exploring mental health nurses' perspectives on the Australian stepped care model in primary mental health services
Get PDFPrimary healthcare remains an essential aspect of mental health service delivery in most developed nations worldwide. Mental health nurses (MHNs) play an important role in the delivery of mental health care within primary health care settings. This study, a subset of a broader study, explores MHNs’ experiences of the stepped care model (SCM) in Australian primary mental healthcare. Through semistructured interviews, the exploratory descriptive inquiry study explores the perspectives of eight MHNs on the implementation and effectiveness of the SCM across diverse settings, delving into their roles, motivations, approaches to care, experiences and the challenges encountered. Five themes were identified: the diverse roles of MHNs in the SCM, motivation to work in SCM, a consumer-centred approach, challenges of the SCM and ‘it is great if you can get it’. Findings reveal diverse roles, from delivering psychotherapy to consumers presenting with mild to moderate needs to coordinating care for individuals presenting with severe and complex challenges. MHNs working in the SCM are driven by a desire to provide flexible, recovery-focused care. They prioritise consumer-centred approaches and tailored care to meet individual needs. They experience challenges, including professional isolation in some cases, resource constraints, limited session availability for the consumers they work with and administrative burdens. The study underscores the need for structural enhancements to optimise the SCM's effectiveness and meet diverse consumer needs. These insights from MHNs are relevant to policymakers, Primary Health Networks (PHNs), service providers and clinicians. Future research could expand the scope to include perspectives from various disciplines involved in the model, as well as consumers and carers accessing SCM services. Overall, this paper contributes valuable insights to the discourse on the effectiveness of the SCM through the lens of MHNs delivering care within the model. © 2025 The Author(s). International Journal of Mental Health Nursing published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd
Total electron content at an equatorial station during low solar activity : geomagnetic activity effects emphasis
No full textThe initial results of Total Electron Content (TEC) data from September 2017 to November 2018 recorded over an equatorial station, Tarawa (geographic: 1.33°N, 173.01°E, geomagnetic: 2.68°S, 114.26°W) are presented which showed diurnal TEC maxima between 15:00–14:00 LT. The seasonal and semi-annual variations in the VTEC are clear, along with the less occurring winter anomalies and TEC bite-outs. The VTEC on magnetically disturbed days was higher than on quiet days. VTEC response to seven geomagnetic storms (5 moderate and 2 intense) showed positive ionospheric effect by all storms during their main phase. The VTEC response to two selected geomagnetic storms of 7–8 November 2017 (moderate strength, Dst
Enhancing gas drainage and ventilation efficiency in underground coal mines : a hybrid expert decision approach for booster fan prioritization
Get PDFExpanding mining operations in goaf zones heightens gas production potential, posing challenges in maintaining adequate ventilation within development panels, consequently impacting coal production. Various strategies have been explored to enhance mine ventilation and gas drainage effectiveness. However, deficiencies persist in the proposed ventilation system for the Okaba underground coal mine, prompting this study's necessity. Addressing these concerns, the study evaluates the feasibility of employing booster fans to mitigate the identified drawbacks. Prioritizing booster fans for airflow distribution in underground mines is a complex decision-making process, requiring an advanced expert system approach. To address this, the study proposes an intuitionistic-based fuzzy TOPSIS (IFT) method for booster fan prioritization in the Okaba mine. Results indicate that booster fan 4 (BF4) ranks highest, followed by booster fan 3 (BF3), consistent with fuzzy TOPSIS findings. Sensitivity analysis supports the predicted importance order, affirming the efficacy of the hybrid expert decision method in selecting a booster fan capable of enhancing the overall efficiency of gas drainage and ventilation systems in underground mines. This study introduces a Hybrid Expert Decision Approach that integrates IFT and traditional fuzzy TOPSIS methodologies. This hybrid approach is particularly novel because it combines the strengths of both methods to prioritize booster fans in underground coal mines. © 2024 The Author(s
From successful ageing to ageing well : a narrative review
Get PDFSince the term “successful ageing” was coined, diverse models and theories conceptualizing what it means to age successfully have been proposed. The current article outlines evidence suggesting that the use of “success” in conjunction with “ageing” is contentious, and thus, “ageing well” is recommended as an alternative term. This article also highlights the lack of consistency in approaches to successful ageing and argues for a more inclusive conceptualization of ageing well. To achieve this, the current article summarizes the fundamental characteristics of several popular models of ageing successfully, demonstrating the unique contributions of each and highlighting recurring themes. The most common themes in existing models of successful ageing include the importance of engaging in social relationships, good cognitive and physical functioning, the avoidance of disease and disability, and resilience. Although commonalities exist, a consensus regarding an accepted definition of successful ageing is yet to be reached. To illustrate the need for consensus, policy approaches to support ageing populations by several governments are compared, highlighting the need for researchers to provide clearer guidance to policy-makers. In addition, not all existing models are sensitive to the diversity of the ageing population, further emphasizing the need to reconsider what it means to age well. The development of a consensus understanding of ageing well will improve the ability of researchers, as well as policy-makers and client-facing workers, to effectively target areas that contribute to, and improve, individuals’ ability to age well. © The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America
Numerical modelling of pyrocb lightning :Predicting striking zones and exploring aerosol effects on electrification
No full textPyrocumulonimbus (pyroCb) thunderstorms, formed above intense bushfires, significantly impact the upper troposphere by altering aerosol concentrations and chemical composition. Smoke-produced aerosol particles act as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN), playing a critical role in pyroCb storm dynamics. One of the most significant effects of pyroCb is its ability to spark new fires through cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning. Like conventional cumulus clouds, pyroCb thunderclouds can generate both positive and negative cloud-to-ground (+CG and CG) lightning, with +CG being more prone to igniting secondary spot fires and inflicting considerable damage to the environment. PyroCb lightning triggering secondary fires has become a major global challenge for firefighting management. Despite growing attention in the literature, only a few recent studies have focused on pyroCb events. Previous studies suggest that aerosols affect cumulus clouds, indicating that aerosols generated by bushfires may play a role in the development of pyroCb. For a standard cumulus thundercloud, higher aerosol concentrations can decrease cloud droplet size, resulting in reduced precipitation. Consequently, more cloud liquid becomes available for updrafts to carry to heights above the freezing level. The emission of smoke aerosols from fires is believed to notably raise the levels of small ice particles, which changes the radiative characteristics of thunderclouds and ultimately leads to an increased rate of +CG/-CG lightning events. Still, there remains a significant gap in understanding the charge structures and electrical conditions that favor pyroCb lightning discharges and influence the probable lightning strike locations. Additionally, questions persist about the impact of elevated aerosol concentrations and intense wind shear on charge distribution, electrification processes, and lightning events in pyroCb thunderstorms. To address this, this research investigates the charge structure, electrification processes, and lightning discharge phenomena in pyroCb with the presence of high aerosol concentrations through a combination of 2D and 3D numerical modeling approaches for pyroCb-induced lightning effects. A 2D numerical model is developed based on Poisson’s equation to examine the conceptual charge structures of pyroCb thunderclouds. the extension of wind shear in the upper regions of positive charge decreases electric field strength and effects the probable locations for lightning strikes, supporting the link between charge distribution and lightning polarity. By expanding this model into three-dimensional (3D) space, a more accurate assessment of the lower positive charge layer is achieved, highlighting the impact of intense wind shear on identifying lightning strike areas on the Earth’s surface. Additionally, the 3D model explored how high aerosol concentrations, ranging from 100 to 20,000 cmDoctor of Philosoph
I just want to know if i was safe : views of consumers about sexual safety on acute mental health in-patient units
No full textThe overall aim of this study is to explore the perspectives of consumers receiving care within acute mental health (MH) inpatients about their sexual safety. Admission to an acute MH inpatient unit for consumers can be a challenging experience due to several factors. Several safety concerns about the inpatient units have been previously reported. However, there is a paucity of studies that have specifically sought the views of consumers about their sexual safety. This is an explorative descriptive qualitative study. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews involving n = 12 consumers receiving care on a metropolitan acute mental health inpatient unit who were recruited using purposive convenience sampling. Data was analysed using thematic analysis. The findings of this study highlighted the themes of: “I don't feel safe at times”, “I just want to know if I was safe”, “The Avoidance” and finding a safe space, which has two subthemes of stop gap measures and gender specific wards. Participants in this study were concerned about their sexual safety while on admission to the inpatient units and wanted nursing staff to check in about their sexual safety. They noted that nursing staff would often put measures in place to maintain their sexual safety, but this was not adequate at times, and in other instances, they devised their own strategies to maintain safety. They suggested more gender-specific wards, although some did not fully support this idea. Ensuring that consumers feel sexually safe is important when it comes to the way care is delivered. © 2025 The Author(s). International Journal of Mental Health Nursing published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd
Behavioral analytics for optimized self-scheduling in sustainable local multi-carrier energy systems : a prospect theory approach
No full textThe transition towards sustainable energy systems demands innovative solutions to overcome the challenges of integrating diverse energy carriers, fluctuating market dynamics, and operator decision-making complexities. The active involvement of local multi-carrier energy systems (LMCES) as virtual power plants in upstream energy markets is particularly hindered by the limitations of conventional optimization methods, which fail to capture the nuanced behavioral aspects of decision-making. This paper presents a novel prescriptive behavioral analytics framework for LMCES self-scheduling, integrating insights from prospect theory to address the operator's behavioral tendencies, including loss aversion, subjective risk attitudes, and mental reference points. By embedding these behavioral considerations into a mixed integer linear programming (MILP) model, the proposed approach accounts for real-world decision-making complexities often overlooked in conventional economic theories based on rationality. Comparative analyses demonstrate that the proposed framework not only enhances the modeling of LMCES operators’ decision-making processes but also improves energy scheduling efficiency and supports sustainable energy transitions. The findings provide actionable insights for optimizing LMCES operations, advancing their role in achieving energy sustainability goals. © 2025 The Author
Mapping hospital in the home models of care : a systematic review
No full textAim: This systematic review aims to describe and compare the characteristics of Hospital in the Home (HITH) models of care within Australia. Design: A systematic review of peer-reviewed Australian literature. Data Sources: Seven databases were searched in January 2024, followed by citation searching. Articles were included if they were described the HITH model of care and were published between 1994 and 2024. Review Methods: Covidence was used to facilitate the removal of duplicates, independent total and abstract screening and full text review. The Critical Appraisal Skills Program (CASP) was used to assess the quality of evidence, and title and abstract screening and full text review were completed by multiple authors. This ensured that all articles met the inclusion criteria and were then assessed, and the final articles were assessed using matrix analysis, and results were presented using narrative synthesis. Results: Ten articles met the inclusion criteria, highlighting three models care; the medical model, the nursing model and the brokerage model. Conclusions: There is limited research available that includes the model of care and patient outcomes. Future research needs to consider the differences between HITH programs, such as the model of care, admission pathway, utilisation of telehealth and geography of the population. Implications for the Profession: This review may assist Australian HITH health professionals to improve the efficacy of the HITH model of care delivered within their health service and increase translatability of future HITH research. Impact: This study highlighted for the first time the models of HITH care utilised within Australia. Three models of care are currently utilised within Australia, this knowledge may assist health services seeking to enhance their HITH model of care and policy writers. Reporting Method: This review adhered to the EQUATOR guidelines, Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis. Patient or Public Contribution: No patient or public contribution. Trial Registration: Registered with the international prospective register for protocols of systematic reviews in health social care CRD42024500950. © 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd
Application of machine learning models for predicting methane concentrations in pig barns using biophysical data
No full textThe prediction of methane (CH4) concentration is important for pig farming due to its environmental impact on pigs and farm workers. This study examined the utilization of machine learning algorithms, specifically multiple linear regression (MLR), XGBoost regression (XGB), and random forest regression (RFR), to predict CH4 concentrations in pig barns during the growing-finishing stage of pigs. The dataset included five key input biophysical variables: feed intake (FI), pig mass (MP), carbon dioxide (CO2) levels, temperature (T), and relative humidity (RH). Data was collected from three experimental pig barns during 2022 and 2023 to train and test the machine learning models. Among the three machine learning models, the RFR consistently outperformed both MLR and XGB in predicting CH4 concentrations. The results demonstrated better performance by the RFR model in testing (R2 > 0.81), with improvements in R2 of up to 1.92% and 10.46%, as well as decreases in RMSE of up to 5.74% and 20.51%, compared to the XGB and MLR across the three input datasets. In terms of stability, MLR exhibited the maximum stability, followed by RFR and XGB. Sensitivity analysis found FI to be the most influential input variable for CH4 concentration prediction, with the impact ranking being FI > MP > CO2 > T > RH. This study emphasized the potential of machine learning models, particularly RFR, in predicting CH4 concentrations using relevant input variables. These findings enhance understanding of CH4 concentration, providing useful insights into pig production and environmental management. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2025
Benchmark25 : undergraduate visual arts
No full textBronte BALLANTINE Illyana BARACI Annelise Belladonna Maggie BROWN Chloe BURROWS Michael CREANEY Lil DE GRAAUW Vanessa DICKSON Jennifer HART Fardeen KAHN Yasmin Kottek KEAN Peter LAQUA Nasci LETHLEAN. Dakota RADAKOVIC Taylah RICHARDS. Kiara RYAN Lauren SALTER Susan STANLEY Naomi SWIFT Bennett TOY Scarlett VANDENBERG Selby WALKER Phoebe YANDELL Federation University’s Arts Academy is excited to present its important annual exhibition, BENCHMARK, with new work created by undergraduate Visual Arts students currently enrolled in the Bachelor of Visual Arts and Bachelor of Secondary Education. Showcasing a broad range of ideas, approaches, themes, styles, concepts and media, BENCHMARK provides the unique opportunity for students to exhibit their work alongside their peers in a formally curated exhibition and professional university gallery space. Here, students can view their work in a new and exciting environment beyond their private studios and working spaces, and experience the challenge of preparing their work for a formal exhibition as well as the vulnerability of presenting their work within the public realm. Opened by Assoc. Prof Angela Campbell on Fri 27 June. Exhibition open: Thu/Fri 12.30 to 5pm. Tue/Wed by appointment. Image: Nasci Lethlean Altered Self-Portrait, 2025 charcoal on Fabriano Paper H100 x W70 cm Courtesy the artis