How to use social media to disseminate research findings.

Traditionally, research and theoretical studies have been disseminated through articles published in journals, or via conferences as oral or poster presentations. However, the rise of the internet, particularly social media, has broadened opportunities.

Partnerships between parents and professionals should be developed.

The study by Smith et al (2015) was conducted in only one geographical area and among a single patient group; however, it does have wider resonance. Health care continues to change apace. Conditions that, until recently, would have resulted in severely shortened lifespan are now to a great extent ameliorated. However, this has had consequences, not only for the children, but also their families.

Exploring the compassion deficit debate.

Several recent high profile failures in the UK health care system have promoted strong debate on compassion and care in nursing. A number of papers articulating a range of positions within this debate have been published in this journal over the past two and a half years. These articulate a diverse range of theoretical perspectives and have been drawn together here in an attempt to bring some coherence to the debate and provide an overview of the key arguments and positions taken by those involved. In doing this we invite the reader to consider their own position in relation to the issues raised and to consider the impact of this for their own practice. Finally the paper offers some sense of how individual practitioners might use their understanding of the debates to ensure delivery of good nursing care.

Research essentials.

IT IS ESSENTIAL that all research is carried out in a manner that is transparently in line with ethical thinking. This is even more important when the subjects or participants are children or young people. The Medical Research Council ( 2004 ) identified that children 'require special protection because they are less likely than adults to be able to express their needs or defend their interests - they may not have the capacity to consent'.

Four-year longitudinal impact evaluation of the Action for Children UK Neglect Project: outcomes for the children, families, Action for Children, and the UK.

Neglect has a devastating impact on children and is the most pervasive form of child maltreatment in the United Kingdom. The study purpose was to establish outcomes for neglected children following structured assessment and intervention to ascertain what worked and why it worked. This prospective cohort study included 85 cases of neglected children under 8 years of age from 7 centers across the United Kingdom. Data were collected between 2008 and 2012 through serial quantitative recording of the level of concern about neglect. Serial review of qualitative case-file data was undertaken for detail of assessment, interventions, and evidence of outcomes for the child. Data analysis was undertaken by paired t-test, Chi Square, descriptive statics for categorical data, and, for narrative data, identification of recurring factors and patterns, with correlation of presenting factors, interventions, and outcomes. Paired t-test demonstrated significant decrease in overall Action for Children Assessment Tool scores between assessment (M=43.77, SD=11.09) and closing the case (M=35.47, SD=9.6, t(84)=6.77, p<0.01). Improvement in the level of concern about neglect was shown in 79% of cases, with only 21% showing no improvement. In 59% of cases, concern about neglect was removed completely. Use of the assessment tool fostered engagement by parents. The relationship between lack of parental engagement and children being taken into care was statistically significant, with a large effect size (χ(2) 10.66, df1, p=0.0001, OR=17.24). When parents refused or were unable to respond positively to the intervention, children benefited from an expedited move into care.

Children's misunderstandings of hazard warning signs in the new globally harmonized system for classification and labeling.

Accidental chemical poisoning causes more than 35 000 child deaths every year across the world, and it leads to disease, disability, and suffering for many more children. Children's ignorance of dangers and their failure to interpret hazard warning signs as intended contribute significantly to this problem. A new Globally Harmonized System for Classification and Labeling is being implemented internationally with a view to unifying the current multiple and disparate national systems. This study was designed to establish a productive, effective means of teaching the new GHS warning signs to primary school children (aged 7-11 years). A pre-test, post-test, follow-up test design was employed, with a teaching intervention informed by a Delphi survey of expert opinion. Children from one school formed the experimental group (n = 49) and a second school provided a control group (n = 23). Both groups showed a gain in knowledge from pre-test to post-test, the experimental group with a larger gain but which was not statistically significant. However, longer-term retention of knowledge, as shown by the follow-up test, was statistically significantly greater in the experimental group (p = 0.001). The employment of teaching to match children's preferred learning styles, and the use of active learning were found to be related to improved retention of knowledge. Part of the study involved eliciting children's interpretation of standard hazard warning symbols, and this provoked considerable concern over the potential for dangerous misinterpretation with disastrous consequences. This article focuses on the reasons for such misconception and the action required to address this successfully in testing the intervention.

Ten steps to developing an abstract for conferences.

There is an increasing importance being placed on the dissemination of research and other high quality evidence. This article is the first in a series of three that will assist you in ensuring that your work is presented in the best light at the conference of your choice. In this first article we guide you through the ten steps you need to take to ensure that you submit the best possible abstract to the scientific committee. We also will guide you through the process of selection.

Ten steps to successful poster presentation.

Receiving a letter confirming acceptance for you to present a poster at a conference can evoke mixed emotions. Joy, panic, fear and dread are among the many possible emotions and this is not exclusive to first time presenters. Developing an effective poster presentation is a skill that you can learn and can provide a rewarding way to present your work in a manner less intimidating than oral presentation (Shelledy, 2004). The key to successful poster presentation is meticulous, timely, well informed preparation. This article outlines ten steps to help guide you through the process to maximize your success.

Ten steps to successful conference presentations.

Delivering an oral presentation at a conference can be a demanding yet exhilarating experience. It can create a variety of emotions such as excitement, joy and achievement--but for many the overriding emotions are those of anxiety, fear and dread. A certain amount of nervousness can enhance your performance but how can you avoid pre-presentation nerves developing into full-blown anxiety and fear. The key to successful conference presentation is meticulous preparation and practise. This article guides you through ten steps to help maximize your success and enjoyment.

Ten steps to getting your paper published in a professional journal.

There is an increasing expectation that nurses, whether they work in clinical practice management, education or research, will publish. At the same time there remains a mystique about the best way to go about this. This article provides a simple commentary suggesting ten steps to help you publish in a professional journal.

Ten steps to convert your assignment into a journal article.

Nurses spend a great deal of time and effort in constructing a variety of assignments and dissertations as part of courses, both at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. It is not uncommon to read comments from lecturers such as 'this requires only minimal work to be published'. It might be assumed that many assignments and dissertations would therefore go on to appear in print; however it is questionable just how many of them ever do materialize in journals. The reality is that this transition can be a challenging process. This is highlighted when a search of the literature for use in preparation for this article the authors discovered a dearth of advice to help potential authors make the transition from good quality assignment to published article. With this in mind we will try to guide you through a process that will assist you in converting your academic work into an article fit for publication.

How to search for and use 'grey literature' in research.

An ever-growing amount of grey literature is available to nurses, including oral presentations, personal communication, leaflets, newspapers and magazines, unpublished research, internal reports and minutes of meetings. It can be an invaluable research resource.

Research dissemination: The art of writing an abstract for conferences.

This article aims to assist readers with developing an abstract for a conference in order to have a paper accepted for presentation at a conference, whether it is in poster or an oral format. This is important as the authors argue that use of conferences as a method of disseminating research findings and good practice is expanding each year. Drawing on author experiences, both as members of scientific review panels and as submitters of abstracts, the article includes a practical review about the meaning of an abstract, how to get started and then breaks down in clear sections what reviewers look for in a good abstract. There are also some key points on the actual process of review, which are helpful in understanding of what happens to an abstract following submission.

The role of the lecturer practitioner: An exploration of the stakeholders and practitioners perspective.

Joint appointment roles are pivotal in forging links between service and education and whilst current government and professional strategies recognise the contribution of such roles [DOH, 2001. Working Together - Learning Together: A Framework for Lifelong Learning for the NHS, Department of Health, London], there is still concern about the ambiguity of these roles, specifically the role of the lecturer practitioner [Fairbrother, P., Ford, S. 1998. Lecturer practitioners: a literature review. Journal of Advanced Nursing 27, 274-279]. This paper provides insight in to the experience of being a lecturer practitioner from the perspectives of two lecturer practitioners and from the perspectives of stakeholders from education and practice who had a vested interest in the employment of this role within their organisation. Each lecturer practitioner kept a diary and met on a monthly basis for one hour over a six month period to critically reflect on the experience of being a lecturer practitioner. The significant areas identified in the diaries were then used to develop the schedule for a series of semi-structured interviews with seven stakeholders drawn from clinical practice and higher education environments. The data collected were analysed using [Bernard, P., 1991. A method of analysing interview transcripts in qualitative research. Nurse Education Today 11, 461-466] framework. In total, five themes emerged. Whilst findings highlighted great job satisfaction, they also illustrated the lack of collaboration between organisations especially in terms of the initial development of the role. It is suggested that the initial lack of clarity is a contributory factor causing continuing role ambiguity. A series of recommendations based on the findings have been discussed, some of which are currently being implemented.