Paediatric inter-hospital transportation: a clinical governance project.

This article discusses a quality improvement project in the context of paediatric inter-hospital transportation. The project was set in a large university teaching hospital in Ireland. Risk assessment on the clinical site revealed a gap in the application of best national and international standards in inter-hospital transportation practice. A project was undertaken to explore current paediatric transport services and respond to a clinical service deficit. Consequently, the proposed quality improvement initiative proposes a universal Paediatric Advanced Life Support Programme (PALS) to upskill and enhance the required clinical standards and competencies of neonatal nurses. This intervention was underpinned by attention to change management principles and organisational culture in health care. As a clinical practice development, it demonstrates how benchmarking against best practice can advance the quality and safety agenda in paediatric practice. Education initiatives are recommended to ensure that clinical standards in paediatric transportation are monitored and reviewed with the potential to improve clinical outcomes.

Abortion in modern health care: Considering the issues for health-care professionals.

This paper explores the challenging and contentious issue of abortion and its ethical, legal and political significance regarding public health. It is intended as an educational guide for health-care professionals. A comprehensive search strategy of international health, law and political source materials was undertaken in order to benchmark from international approaches to abortion. Test cases illustrate the application of legislation, ethical, political and cultural issues surrounding abortion. Abortion is a complex contemporary issue where balancing the well-being of both the mother and the unborn has prompted considerable international discourse. The right to life of the woman and the unborn continues to lie in tension. Ambiguity surrounds the concept of personhood, and the inception of human life prevails across many International jurisdictions. Health-care professionals must be well informed in order to respond safely and appropriately to a diverse range of clinical scenarios in which decisions regarding abortion are required. Research and evidence of test cases will better inform how abortion issues evolve and are managed. Ultimately, the abortion debate requires a balance between legislation and clinical governance.

Matching purpose with practice: revolutionising nurse education with mita.

Multiple intelligences have only recently entered the teaching dialogue in nurse education and research. It is argued that despite the rhetoric of a student centred approach nurse education remains wedded to conventional teaching approaches that fail to engage with the individual and unwittingly silence the student's voice. This paper will examine the concept of multiple intelligences (MI) and outline Gardner's contention that the brain functions using eight intelligences which can be employed to improve learning at an individual level. It will then outline the use of MI using a five phase model, developed by Weber, known as a multiple intelligence teaching approach (MITA). It is contended that MITA has great potential in nurse education, particularly in terms of reinforcing learning beyond the educational domain and into the individual's professional development and clinical practice.

The progression of holism into postgraduate curricula in critical care nursing: a discussion paper.

Critical care education is an important part of the professional development of a competent critical care nurse. Interdependence between physiological and psychosocial theories and concepts is a key consideration in the development of critical care educational programs. This multidisciplinary educational framework fosters a deeper understanding of factors contributing to ill health. Establishing a strategic framework where research, education, clinical excellence, and quality assurance are interlinked is central to enhancing the efficacy of patient care outcomes.

The experience of the family caregivers' role: a qualitative study.

In Ireland, there is a dearth of research exploring the perceived health and social care needs and experiences of family caregivers of older people. In response, this research study was conducted to explore the profile, role and needs of family caregivers as a means of understanding their experience of caring. The study also set out to identify coping strategies employed by caregivers and explore positive aspects of the caring relationship in relation to quality of life, information needs, day care and respite care, transport and emotional support. A multimethod approach used interviews, focus groups and postal questionnaires. In the main study a pretested questionnaire, comprising closed and open questions was used with a stratified, systematically randomized sample of caregivers in urban and rural home care settings, of which 52% of respondents to the questionnaire volunteered to partake in in-depth interviews. This article per deals predominantly with the findings arising from 10 in-depth qualitative interviews. The data yielded a rich and meaningful picture of the caregiving experience, profiling the complex nature of this diverse and multifaceted role. Findings showed that three main categories emanated from the data: the caring role-context and attitudes, the impact of caring and the need to support the carers' role. The need to develop continually an understanding of the effectiveness of specific health and social care interventions was also of paramount importance. The anticipated continuing demand for family care means that caregivers' needs and perspectives need to be integrated into future service planning and decision-making processes, in partnership with statutory and voluntary bodies. While this was the first study of its type in Ireland, the issues raised reflect the findings of other published studies and have important lessons for family carers and health care practitioners generally.