School of Nursing

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https://hdl.handle.net/2440/84545
This collection contains Honours, Masters and Ph.D by coursework theses from University of Adelaide postgraduate students within the School of Nursing. The material has been approved as making a significant contribution to knowledge.

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Browsing School of Nursing by Advisors "Foley, David C."

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    Exploring the meaning of low self-esteem that is inherent in depression, an interpretive phenomenological study.
    (2014) Fisher, Katie Louise; Wilson, Anne; Crouch, Rosanne; Foley, David C.; Green, Cheryl; School of Nursing
    The purpose of this research was to explore the lived experience of low self esteem inherent in depression for participants who directly accessed mental health care in a rural mental health service in the South East Region of South Australia. Five participants were interviewed. Data was collected from interviews in which participants reflected on the connection of low self esteem often inherent in depression in nine domains of life and how this had impacted on the participant’s day to day life. Data was collected using a phenomenological methodology, and the data was analysed using Colaizzi’s7 step method. Meaning was aggregated into themes using the structure of cognitive behavioural therapy to explore the interaction of cognition, behaviour, physiology and affect. Results illustrated a significant negative experience of low self esteem in depression with associated thoughts and behaviours. These thoughts and behaviours maintained suffering and distress in all domains of life except spirituality and to a lesser degree citizenship. Participant’s experience of the mental health service was generally viewed as worthwhile. This research confirms the value of psychological interventions by skilled health professionals. The subjective experience of low self esteem appeared to have become a part of life, not dissimilar to an addiction whereby people do not know how to live without it. The experience of low self esteem in depression for the participants was a long battle and gaining new insights through contact with mental health services may be viewed as too little too late. The research demonstrated the long term benefits of a co-ordinated approach to early interventions within the primary and secondary education system. With the estimated rates of depression on the rise there is a challenge for mental health professionals at the grass roots level to disseminate vital information to young people about the complexity of the mind. Understanding the experience of low self esteem in depression during our formative years may abort these negative experiences before they become entrenched and gain a psychological hold, which may develop into the formation of unhelpful habitual thoughts and unhelpful habitual behaviours, and loss of life through suicide.
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    A randomised controlled trial pilot study assessing use of clinical digital photography for specialist referral process: can its use reduce length of stay of patients with minor burns within an Emergency Department
    (2013) McLeay, Kate Jane; Foley, David C.; School of Nursing
    Emergency departments around Australia are facing increasing demands. Significant contributing factors for growing emergency department (ED) attendances are an aging population, increased occurrence of chronic disease and insufficient hospital, aged care and rehabilitation beds. Other factors include a lack of access to community services and low socio-economic conditions. The increasing demand on ED resources primarily because of increasing presentations increases patient length of stay and leads to overcrowding, this has a negative effect on patient outcomes and decrease in the quality of care. Despite a national focus on improving all Australian EDs, there continues to be limited interventional research that highlights successful strategies to reduce length of stay and thereby reduce overcrowding. There is a wealth of literature on the positive outcomes resulting from clinical photography being utilised within healthcare settings and in remote specialist referrals. Limited research exists on referral practices of ED practitioners and the use of clinical photography within an ED setting. By identifying the research gaps, reviewing findings and analysing current health care demands, the aim of this study was to trial an alternative referral method - clinical photography. The study was conducted by an emergency nurse practitioner candidate, who used clinical photographs of bum injuries as part of the referral process to the bums specialist. This study hoped to assist with decreasing length of stay in ED and therefore adds a plausible way to reduce overcrowding. Additionally, it piloted a study in preparation for a randomised control trial. To the researcher's knowledge, there has been no study to date trialling the effectiveness of this intervention.
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    Workplace violence against nurses working in emergency departments in Saudi Arabia: a cross-sectional study
    (2017) Alshehri, Fuaad Ali; Schultz, Timothy John; Foley, David C.; School of Nursing
    Aim: the aim of this study was to assess the prevalence, types and contributing factors of violence against nurses in emergency departments. Background: Violence against health care workers, especially nurses is a significant concern for healthcare internationally. Emergency departments are considered high-risk areas in hospitals. Violence against nurses in EDs is a serious issue that cannot be ignored. Method: A cross-sectional study design was conducted from June to August 2016 using convenience sample of emergency nurses in four major hospitals in Riyadh City in Saudi Arabia. The questionnaire was adapted from Kitaneh and Hamdan (2012). Chi-Square test was used to analyse the data. Results: Four hundred and thirty-six emergency nurses responded to the questionnaire (a response rate of 71.2 %). The results showed 41.7% of respondents were exposed to both physical and non-physical violence in the workplace during the previous 12 months. The results showed that 44.7% of respondents were exposed to physical assault, 29.5% of respondents were exposed to threat, 88.1% of respondents were exposed to verbal abuse and 4.4% of respondents were exposed to sexual harassment in the last 12 months. Patients (67.7%) were identified as the most common perpetrators of physical violence, and visitors and patients’ relatives (67.1%) were identified as the most common perpetrators of non-physical violence. The treatment room was the most common place where the physical and non-physical violence happened. The most common factors contributing to physical violence were mental health or psychiatric patient (38.5%) while waiting to receive service (58.9 %) contributed most to nonphysical violence. Conclusion: Understanding workplace violence is the first phase to develop or improve appropriate strategies to handle this problem. Establishing and enacting suitable laws could enhance workplace safety violence for nurses. Further research on the topic is needed.