Evaluation of a Culturally Adapted Online Basic Psychosocial Skills Training Program for International Frontline Workers in Under-Resourced Contexts During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

OBJECTIVE: Frontline workers report negative mental health impacts of being exposed to the risk of COVID-19, and of supporting people struggling with the effects of the virus. Uptake of psychological first-aid resources is inconsistent, and they may not meet the needs of frontline workers in under-resourced contexts. This study evaluates a culturally adapted basic psychosocial skills (BPS) training program that aimed to meet the needs of frontline workers in under-resourced settings. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey administered to frontline workers who completed the program between 2020 and 2022, investigated their perceived confidence, satisfaction, and skill development, as well as their views on relevance to context and accessibility of the program. RESULTS: Out of the 1000 people who had undertaken the BPS program, 118 (11.8%) completed the survey. Participants reported high levels of satisfaction and improved confidence in, and knowledge of, psychosocial skills. Participants reported that the BPS program was culturally and contextually relevant, and some requested expansion of the program, including more interactivity, opportunities for anonymous participation, and adaption to other cultural contexts, including translation into languages other than English. CONCLUSION: Findings indicate a need for free, online, and culturally adapted psychosocial skills training program that is designed with key stakeholders to ensure relevance to social and cultural contexts.

Development Practices in Senior Nursing and Midwifery Leadership: Pathways to Improvement in South Pacific Health Policy.

The Pacific Islands countries consist of thousands of isolated islands with a combined population of over 10 million people. It is a heterogeneous and diverse region culturally, linguistically economically and politically. Health challenges are considerable and healthcare systems are often overstretched. Framed in the context of the World Health Organisation's strategic directions and policy priorities, this paper describes an account of collaboration across these countries to develop leadership skills in the nursing and midwifery professions. It outlines lessons for nursing leadership, healthcare policy development and the valuable role of Government Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officers. The South Pacific Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officers Alliance (SPCNMOA) is a cooperative partnership, which was formed to improve the quality of healthcare in the region. It acts as an enabler to promote leadership skills and provide a safe space for learning, developing policy and the sharing of good practice. Through mentorship programs, international meetings and strong relationship-building, the SPCNMOA has strengthened partnerships within the region and improved community health services in even the most remote areas. By strengthening leadership and collaboration, these health professionals are now recognised by key policy makers as knowledgeable experts who have a legitimate role in guiding policy development, changing practice and delivering health policy improvements at local, country and international levels.

Achieving Universal Health Care in the Pacific: The need for nursing and midwifery leadership. Review Paper.

The quality of healthcare services and outcomes in the Pacific vary widely, with some countries enjoying some of the world's longest life expectancies, others have high rates of maternal and child mortality and relatively low life expectancy. Nurses and midwives make up more than two thirds of the regional regulated healthcare workforce. This paper argues that if countries are to meet Universal Health Coverage  nursing and midwifery leaders need to be explicitly involved in shaping policy  at the highest levels of government to optimise individual and community health both now and in the future. Using United Nations 2019  declaration towards building a healthier world, this paper provides a rationale for inclusion of these leaders  into national and regional decisionmaking forums related to health policy to provide an informed voice in ministerial deliberations on health policy. We suggest that following several comprehensive regional and global studies, South Pacific Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer Alliance  and the newly developed Pacific Heads of Nurses and Midwifery provide a vehicle for this to occur. As outlined in the WHO Strategic Directions, it is now time to embed Chief Nurses in national and regional health policy development.

'You find yourself.' Perceptions of nursing students from non-English speaking backgrounds of the effect of an intensive language support program on their oral clinical communication skills.

Nurses of ethnically diverse backgrounds are essential in providing multicultural populations in western societies with culturally and linguistically competent health care. However, many nurses from non-English speaking backgrounds (NESB) are at high risk of failure in university programs particularly during clinical placements. Few studies investigate the clinical experiences of students from NESB and strategies to support their learning. This study describes perceptions of fifteen undergraduate nursing students from NESB about their first clinical placement in an Australian university program and the effect of a language support program on their oral clinical communication skills. Three categories arose: *Wanting to belong but feeling excluded; *Wanting to learn how to...; and *You find yourself. While many students find clinical placement challenging, it appeared difficult for students in this study as language and cultural adjustments required some modification of their usual ways of thinking and communicating, often without coping strategies available to other students.

Clinically speaking: A communication skills program for students from non-English speaking backgrounds.

This paper reports on the design, delivery and evaluation of an innovative oral communication skills program for first year students in a Bachelor of Nursing degree at an Australian university. This program was introduced in 2004 to meet the needs of first year undergraduate students from non-English speaking backgrounds who had experienced difficulties with spoken English while on clinical placement. The program consisted of early identification of students in need of communication development, a series of classes incorporated into the degree program to address students' needs, followed by a clinical placement block. This paper describes the structure of the program, discusses some of the major problems encountered by students in the clinical setting and presents some of the teaching strategies used to address these problems. Evaluations of the program suggest that students' communication skills and confidence improved, resulting in a more positive clinical experience for the majority of students.