Ara Institute of Canterbury - research week #2 presentations

 This week, the presentations are held at Manawa Campus – at the Christchurch Health Precinct.

Staff presentations today include:

 Dr. Peta Taylor and Heather Josland present on their work on ‘the case for appointing Parkinson’s nurse specialist’.  Work arose from student work, which identified a gap in Parkinson’s care. An article was written and submitted. Now updated for another publication. In the new work, Parkinson’s nurse and clinical director of Parkinson’s NZ interviewed. Defined Parkinson symptoms and medications required to help ease symptoms. NO cure, so specialist nursing required to ensure medication needs are assessed and adjusted frequently. Significant gap in NZ as there are only 25 Parkinson’s nurses for over 6000 patients. There is a shortage of neurologists and there is no formal education for Parkinson’s nurses. Therefore, important to provide inter-professional specialist education – GPs, specialist, nurses, dieticians, physios etc. Recommended to establish a formal, nationally recognised education programme, in partnership with Ministry of Health/ District Health Boards. Prevention much more cost effective to prevent falls etc. which lead to higher costs.

Heather Josland and Dr. Kaye Milligan, share work on ‘inter-professional education – understanding roles and teamwork’. This project started in 2012 and continues as a collaborations between Ara, University of Otago and Christchurch Hospital. Several offshoots now including the simulation projects presented last week by Julie Whitington-Bowen. Told the story of how the topic of inter-professional education came about through an experience encountered whilst in a session back on the wards. Data collected (4 -5 years) on simulation learning sessions where 3^rd year student nurses and 5^th year medical students work together. Both sets of students had different perspectives. Pre-conceived ideas were prevalent on each of side! Therefore, effective teamwork needs clear role understanding and awareness of own role and that of others. Collaboration requires both groups to work together.

Libby Gawith then presents on her project ‘enhancing wellbeing and building resilience with ‘Foundation’ learners. Introduced the NZ2896 level 3 programme, student wellbeing initiatives and academic resilience. Programme is open entry, designed for learners who wish to pursue a chosen career pathway, many have negative school experiences, prepares students for science programmes – nursing, vet nursing, sports and nutrition, engineering etc. 30% Maori learners, detailed support for Maori and Pacific students. Defined wellbeing – a psychological state, complex, about flourishing and related to relationships. Summarised some perspectives on understanding wellbeing for Maori and connections between various frameworks and the Ara framework – Te ara Houra. Detailed a few studies on wellbeing and classroom learning. Academic resilience refers to how learners have or develop strategies and mindsets to cope with the stresses of study – academic deadlines, time management, balancing workload and getting lower than expected marks! Often learners do not continue due to external factors and detailed reasons Maori learners leave Ara programmes. Presented on her proposed study to better understanding wellbeing and academic resilience of foundation students at Ara.

Dr. Kesava Kovanur Sampath on ‘I know but don’t know – how osteopaths utilise the bio-psycho-social model in clinical practice’. Project going for 18 months. Used personal narrative to introduce the work of the osteopath. Introduced the concept of the biopsychosocial (BPS) relations of pain. There are myths about how back pain is caused (i.e. tissue damage, back is vulnerable to injury and needs protection and directing treatment to specific tissues will result in symptom resolution). How can BPS be implemented to help manage muscoskeletal pain. 4 quantitative and 4 qualitative studies. A major theme from osteopaths was – they knew about the model but did not know how to apply it to clinical practice! There are barriers to the application of BPS as clients and osteopaths have certain perceptions and expectations of osteopathic treatment. Important for osteopaths to listen to their patient’s story an important aspect of practice.

There is a repeat in last week’s panel session on – Research culture – what is it and how doe we get there? Tomorrow.

On Thursday, another series of staff presentations which I will summarise when  they have been completed.