University of the Sunshine Coast
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Can LEGO® Serious Play® help teacher educators better understand the notion of professional identity?
No full textNo abstract available
Machine productivity evaluation for harvesters and forwarders in thinning operations in Australia
No full textInvestment in thinning as part of forest management is generally for one of three purposes: improved future stand growth and quality to produce higher value products for later final harvest, removal of fuels to reduce fire risk or to meet ecological goals such as increasing biodiversity. The focus of this paper is on the thinning operations in Australian pine and eucalypt plantations, which are almost exclusively conducted by harvester-processors and forwarders. The Australian Forest Operations Research Alliance (AFORA) has conducted research projects on assessing the productivity of harvester-processors and forwarders in pine and eucalypt plantations in different sates/regions. All-time study data collected in different case studies have been consolidated into a data base called ALPACA (Australian Logging Productivity and Cost Appraisal). The data were used to develop the general productivity predicting models for harvester and forwarder based on multiple regression modelling. Harvester productivity was mainly a function of tree volume. Forwarder productivity was primarily a function of extraction distance. Slope has been included in the models as a weighting factor based on three classes and namely 25%
Using observational simulation teaching methods in professional development to address patient safety
No full textBackground:
Framed within the National Quality Health Service Standards and using immersive simulation approaches, a series of videos responding to accreditation audit findings were created and used as teaching artefacts for mandatory professional development at a regional hospital in Australia. The scenarios captured a patient's hospital journey and targeted quality standards for medication administration, infection control, patient identification, documentation and preventing falls.
Aim:
To improve patient safety and quality health outcomes.
Methods:
Mixed methods comprising of quality audit data, surveys and interviews were used to evaluate the effectiveness of the simulation video artefacts and to measure the impact of the professional development initiative using simulation artefacts on patient outcomes.
Findings:
Findings showed high levels of satisfaction with the new education programme, improved understanding of documentation, improved risk management and a significant reduction in the incidence of falls with injury (73%), medication incidents (34%), and infection (61%).
Conclusion:
This project promoted a culture of safety and learning and demonstrated that using simulation videos in mandatory professional development can positively impact safety and health outcomes
RFID Future of Red-Light Violation Detection System: An analysis on what does it look like and what are the public perceptions
No full textAutomatic traffic light detection plays an important role in the efficient functioning of the intelligent transportation system (ITS). A variety of detection methods have been implemented around the world with the objective to increase the accuracy of red-light violation detection systems (RLVDS). Under the traditional method, a traffic police officer identifies red-light violators and apprehend them on the spot. Not only this is an expensive method of enforcement, but it may breed corruption including other drawbacks. So, to overcome these limitations many countries have shifted to the modern enforcement method, under which a traffic light camera was used to detect red-light violators by capturing the number plate of the offending vehicle. However, it has its own limitations, including the capture of a blurry image of poor resolution, obscuring of numbers and/or letters during hours of darkness and more. Therefore, many red-light transgressions remain undetected, and un-punished. This paper discusses the various limitations of the existing detection systems and proposes a Radio frequency identification (RFID) based solution to overcome these limitations and improve the accuracy of RLVDS. In doing so, various red-light enforcement methods have been studied, and the need for an RFID based RLVDS have been discussed. Furthermore, to understand the public perception, data from the questionnaire survey based on a random sample of 1000 respondents including a wide range of their characteristics from India were analyzed using an econometric technique. Findings from this research provide several important implications that could support the current practices of RLVDS
Medication error in community-dwelling older adults: factors contributing to regional hospital admission, readmission and length of stay: Final results
No full textNo abstract available
Problems with the ‘ask for help’ approach to mental illness and suicide prevention
No full textNo abstract available
Associations of Later-Life Education, the BDNF Val66Met Polymorphism and Cognitive Change in Older Adults
No full textIn 358 participants of the Tasmanian Healthy Brain Project, we quantified the cognitive consequences of engaging in varying loads of university-level education in later life, and investigated whether or not BDNF Val66Met affected outcomes. Assessment of neuropsychological, health, and psychosocial function was undertaken at baseline, 12-month, and 24-month follow-up. Education load was positively associated with change in language processing performance, but this effect did not reach statistical significance (P = 0.064). The BDNF Val66Met polymorphism significantly moderated the extent to which education load was associated with improved language processing (P = 0.026), with education load having a significant positive relationship with cognitive change in BDNF Met carriers but not in BDNF Val homozygotes. In older adults who carry BDNF Met, engaging in university-level education improves language processing performance in a load-dependent manner
Umbilical cord blood banking, donation and cord clamp timing: Exploring health professionals’ knowledge, attitudes and practice
No full textBackground: Parents today have several options available to them for the management of their infant’s umbilical cord blood during the third stage of labour. Parents can choose to have their infant’s cord blood collected for private banking purposes for potential future use, collected for donation to a public cord blood bank or to allow full placental transfusion of cord blood to their baby. The timing of cord clamping after birth is controversial. Historically, at the time of birth usual practice had been early cord clamping (within one minute of birth), with umbilical cord blood discarded as a medical waste. Early cord clamping was recommended as part of a threestep process of active management of third stage labour to prevent postpartum haemorrhage (Hutchon, 2012). International guidelines now recommend deferring the timing of cord clamping after the birth of the infant for a minimum of one minute as a result of research surrounding the benefits to the infant associated with the timing of cord clamping at birth (World Health Organisation, 2014). The options of cord blood banking and cord blood donation require early cord clamping in order to collect a sufficient volume of blood for potential future therapeutic use (Armson, 2005; Downey & Bewley, 2012). Purpose: The purpose of this study was to first identify Australian health professionals’ knowledge and attitudes towards placental transfusion, cord blood stem cell properties, cord clamp timing, cord blood banking and donation. The influence this had on their practice of informing parents of their third stage labour options of cord clamp timing and cord blood collection for private banking or public donation was investigated. Methods: The research design chosen for this study was an explanatory sequential mixed methods design using both quantitative and qualitative research methods to explore obstetricians and midwives’ knowledge, attitudes and practices pertaining to third stage labour care options of cord clamp timing, cord blood banking and cord blood donation. Phase One of the study involved collection of quantitative data using a survey tool. Study participants included 129 midwives and obstetricians. Phase Two of the study involved semi-structured interviews with 14 midwives and obstetricians who participated in Phase One to gather qualitative data that explored and explained the quantitative survey data. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the survey data and draw comparisons between the two professional groups. Thematic analysis was used for the qualitative data. Results: Participants were knowledgeable about the renewed international and national recommendations and guidelines promoting deferred cord clamping; however, the practice of actual deferred cord clamping was inconsistent and varied from two minutes post birth through to after cord pulsations had ceased. Participants were supportive of deferred cord clamping and promoting this aspect of third stage labour care to parents as best practice. Despite support for deferred cord clamping, participants reverted to early clamping in the case of compromised infants who required resuscitation. Participant knowledge of cord blood stem cell science and cord blood banking was low, with midwives reporting lower knowledge levels compared to obstetricians. As a result of low knowledge levels, attitudes towards this option were often conservative. Participants did not openly discuss the third stage labour option of cord blood banking and donation with parents as a result of limited knowledge of the option, instead referring them to do their own research. Despite lack of knowledge and perceived low value of cord blood banking, participants were keen for more evidence-based scientific information on this option. Participants had minimal exposure to cord blood donation, and correspondingly low knowledge levels. Despite minimal exposure and low knowledge levels, participants had more positive attitudes towards donation than private banking. Implications for Practice, Education and Research: Based on the findings presented in this thesis, several recommendations have been made for educators, researchers and clinicians to contribute significantly to the future development of maternity health professionals’ education and practices pertaining to these third stage labour options, and the provision of parent-centred care and information sharing.Submitted in the fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, University of the Sunshine Coast, 2019
Epidemic potential of Zika virus in Australia: implications for blood transfusion safety
No full textBACKGROUND: Zika virus (ZIKV) is transfusiontransmissible. In Australia the primary vector, Aedes aegypti, is established in the north-east, such that local transmission is possible following importation of an index case, which has the potential to impact on blood transfusion safety and public health. We estimated the basic reproduction number (R0) to model the epidemic potential of ZIKV in Australian locations, compared this with the ecologically similar dengue viruses (DENV), and examined possible implications for blood transfusion safety. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Varying estimates of vector control efficiency and extrinsic incubation period, “best-case” and “worst-case” scenarios of monthly R0 for ZIKV and DENV were modeled from 1996 to 2015 in 11 areas. We visualized the geographical distribution of blood donors in relation to areas with epidemic potential for ZIKV. RESULTS: Epidemic potential (R0 > 1) existed for ZIKV and DENV throughout the study period in a number of locations in northern Australia (Cairns, Darwin, Rockhampton, Thursday Island, Townsville, and Brisbane) during the warmer months of the year. R0 for DENV was greater than ZIKV and was broadly consistent with annual estimates in Cairns. Increased vector control efficiency markedly reduced the epidemic potential and shortened the season of local transmission. Australian locations that provide the greatest number of blood donors did not have epidemic potential for ZIKV. CONCLUSION: We estimate that areas of northeastern Australia could sustain local transmission of ZIKV. This early contribution to understanding the epidemic potential of ZIKV may assist in the assessment and management of threats to blood transfusion safety
Regulating safety in adventure activities: Improving the structure of the system with Cognitive Work Analysis
No full textLed outdoor activities (LOA) allow participants to access a wide range of outdoor activities such hiking, canoeing, rock climbing. LOA providers include commercial businesses, community organisations, and schools. In providing outdoor activity leadership, expertise, equipment, logistics, and planning, these organisations assume some responsibility for the safety of participants. External efforts to regulate how those organisations assure safety and other aspects of LOA service provision have taken many forms over time and across jurisdictions. These efforts have included statutory regulations, standards, and guidelines. They have included accreditation and licensing of both provider organisations and individual outdoor activity leaders.
The effectiveness and integrity of regulatory mechanisms has often been called into question in the wake of critical incidents and fatalities that have occurred during LOAs. Resulting reviews and reforms of these regulatory mechanisms have consequently occurred around the world. Notwithstanding these developments, there is little evidence to gauge which of these mechanisms, if any, is more or less effective than others. It is therefore perhaps unsurprising to find that some jurisdictions have multiple, sometimes overlapping mechanisms in place to regulate LOA. This proliferation, along with the lack of evidence to gauge the effectiveness of regulatory mechanisms or combinations of them, leaves both providers and community stakeholders uncertain about how best to regulate LOA.Submitted in the fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, University of the Sunshine Coast, 2019