News stories
News stories
From The University of Melbourne Voice Vol. 5, No. 8 9 November - 14 December 2009
Isolating extremely unwell psychiatric patients remains a common practice despite being seen as a measure of last resort. Genevieve Costigan reports on a Nursing project that has seen it significantly reduced.
(9 November 2009)If you're thinking about applying for the Master of Nursing Science, or want to learn more about the degree, register for one of our upcoming course information sessions. With direct access to School staff, these sessions are one of the best ways to find out more.
Sessions will be held on the following dates in 2009:
All sessions will be held from 5.30pm - 6.30pm in Rm 521, level 5, 234 Queensberry St, Carlton. Register via nursing-enquiries@unimelb.edu.au, stating the date you wish to attend.
(17 August 2009)
Sunday 16 August 2009
Visit the campus, tour the facilities and learn more about Nursing at Melbourne on the University's Open Day.
Our information stall will be located in the tents in front of the Medical Building on Grattan St.
In addition, Nursing will be holding dedicated course information sessions at the following times:
This will be a great opportunity to find out more about our courses and the benefits they provide, as well as a chance to ask questions and speak directly to staff.
To register for a session, please send an email to nursing-enquiries@unimelb.edu.au.
Find out more on the Open Day website...
Can't make it to Open Day? We are holding further information sessions on the following dates in 2009:
All sessions will be held from 5.30pm - 6.30pm in Rm 521, level 5, 234 Queensberry St, Carlton. Register via nursing-enquiries@unimelb.edu.au, stating the date you wish to attend.
(6 August 2009)
The School of Nursing and Social Work is holding an information session for prospective students who want to find out more about the Master of Nursing Science.
Date: Thursday 16 July
Time: 5:30pm - 6:30pm
Venue: Room 521, Level 5, 234 Queensberry St, Carlton
The session will outline the course structure, the advantages of graduate nursing, how to apply, the selection process and career outcomes. This will be a great opportunity to ask questions and speak to staff from the School, and attendees are welcome to bring their academic transcripts to discuss their applications after the session.
Light refreshments will also be provided.
Please register your attendance by emailing nursing-enquiries@unimelb.edu.au.
(9 July 2009)
The early identification and prevention of violence at triage has been given a boost by a Clinical Practice Guideline developed by researchers at the School of Nursing and Social Work.
Tailored to health care clinicians performing violence risk assessment at triage, the Guideline maximises the potential for safer outcomes for service users, health care workers and the general public. Chief investigators Dr Natisha Sands, Dr Marie Gerdtz and Associate Professor Stephen Elsom have provided an evidence-based decision-making framework that emphasises the prevention of violence at triage through early identification of risk factors for violence and appropriate intervention.
The incidence of violence in Australian health care settings has increased considerably in the past decade, and the new Guideline addresses issues with consistency in violence risk assessment, potentially contributing to the reduction of adverse outcomes associated with managing violence.
The study was funded by the Mona Menzies Post Doctoral Grant, Nurses Board of Victoria 2007.
(23 June 2009)
The School of Nursing and Social Work presents Research Week 2009 from 2 - 4 June.
In a program spanning three days, the School's staff, PhD students and research masters candidates will showcase their research projects and field questions. Research Week also incorporates the Marian Barrett Lecture 2009.
(26 May 2009)
Dr Stella Aguinaga Bialous, President of Tobacco Policy International, will present the Marian Barrett Lecture 2009 on the topic of 'Promoting the Role of Health Professionals in Smoking Cessation'.
The lecture will be held at 4pm on Tuesday 2 June 2009 in Theatre 1, ICT Building.
(20 May 2009)
The School hosts frequent colloquia with expert speakers presenting on a variety of topics relating to nursing and social work.
Details of upcoming presentations can be found on the schedule for colloquia in 2009.
(30 April 2009)
The growing popularity of our Master of Nursing Science (MNSc) has seen enrolments surge by 40% in 2009.
As one of the School's most sought-after degrees, the MNSc attracted a diverse cohort of students this year, and places filled early. With Semester 1 now underway, these students are learning key foundational skills prior to commencing their first placements in April.
Also in 2009:
(27 March 2009)
Dr Marie Gerdtz has been recognised by the University for her initiative in the conduct of her project The Emergency Triage Education Kit.
(Linda Fitzgerald, 1 September 2008)
Nurses play an integral role in the day to day care of many sick and injured people across Australia and the world. But how do they hone their skills? Visions looks at how a new set of interactive and responsive nursing mannequins at the University of Melbourne's School of Nursing and Social Work are helping improve tomorrow's nurses today.
(Janine Sim-Jones, Visions episode 33 - July 2008)
The lecture was presented on 3 June 2008 by Professor Iedema, University of Technology, Sydney. The topic of the lecture: Engaging with the complexities of clinical work: what role does communication play in patient safety?
(Dr Monica Wehner, June 2008)
Media Release, Friday 16 May 2008
Misel (pronounced Michelle) Trajanovska has found that more than 40 per cent of parents have used cough medicine for children younger than two – even though it is not recommended, nor proven effective for children in this age group, an Australia-first study has found.
From The University of Melbourne Voice Vol. 2, No. 2 18 February - 3 March 2008
Janine Sim-Jones reports on the development of a new training kit for Australia’s hospital emergency departments, led by The University of Melbourne’s School of Nursing.
A former clinical nurse educator and PhD student with the University of Melbourne at the School of Nursing, the Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH) and Murdoch Children's Research Institute (MCRI), Dr Harrison’s study involved assessing the pain levels of 55 babies, each of who stayed at least a month in the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit, during painful procedures. The babies’ pain levels were assessed by measuring their facial expressions, crying time, heart rate and oxygen saturation levels.
Although it was previously known that sucrose worked to relieve babies’ pain in the early stages of treatment, it was thought that the more doses of sucrose the baby had, the less effective it would be. Dr Harrison’s study showed that there was no increase in pain responses from the babies over the duration of their hospital stay indicating sucrose continued to be an effective analgesia.
Dr Harrison’s PhD was undertaken under the supervision of Professor Linda Johnston, Deputy Head, School of Nursing, who leads a program of research at the RCH & MCRI, in collaboration with the Children’s at Westmead and the Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto into the best ways to lessen the impact of hospitalisation on sick babies and their families.
View a short film about Dr Harrison's research...
(June 2008)
Ashley Kline, a student in the Bachelor of Nursing Science, has been chosen to represent the University of Melbourne in a 2007 cultural exchange tour of Japan organised by the Mitsui Educational Foundation. Ashley is one of only 8 students chosen from nominated universities across Australia to participate in the tour.
Mitsui & Co. (Australia) Ltd. provides traditional trading services and is active in financial services, technology transfer, resource development and the organisation of business ventures. Mitsui Australia’s role is to facilitate clients’ international trading activities, create new trade flows through investment in new industries, and financing.
The Mitsui Educational Foundation (MEF) was established in 1971 by the then Chairman and Managing Director of Mitsui & Co. (Australia) Ltd, Mr Ken Ejiri AC. The objectives of the MEF seek to make a meaningful contribution to the betterment of society and to build stronger ties and promote mutual understanding and friendship between Japan and Australia by introducing Australian university students to aspects of Japanese culture, history, business, industry and contemporary lifestyle.
The 21-day tour provides a balanced experience of corporate, traditional and contemporary Japanese culture and includes visits to Tokyo, the ancient capitals Kyoto and Nara and Hakone in the foothills of Mount Fuji. The tour also includes a three-day home stay with a Japanese family.
Candidates were short listed on a number of criteria including their ability to act as outstanding ambassadors for their university, state and Australia while on the tour. Ashley says that ‘The opportunity to engage in Japanese culture, business and lifestyle and to part of the establishment of international ties is something I am truly honoured to be a part of’. James South, Corporate Affairs Coordinator for Mitsui & Co said 'What impressed the interview panel greatly about Ashley was his enthusiasm for the opportunity as well as his desire to take on new challenges and gain new experiences. We are sure he will make an excellent ambassador for the University and Australia on this tour.’
Ashley is a second year nursing student, President of the University of Melbourne Nursing Student Society and University Student Representative for the Australian Nursing Federation.
(Linda Southgate, 13 September 2007)
The Mental Health Traige Education Program is a comprehensive, cross-disciplinary education program designed to provide specific, evidence-based education to support triage clinicians in conducting point of entry mental health assessment.
(Dr Natisha Sands, 2007)
Marian Barrett lecture
The School of Nursing’s 2007 Marian Barrett Lecture was presented on Tuesday, 5 June, by Emeritus Professor Judith M Parker, AM, Head, School of Nursing & Midwifery, Victoria University.
Professor Parker spoke on the topic “Reaching research maturity—has nursing arrived”?
Listen to Professor Parker's paper...
(Dr Monica Wehner, June 2007)