An education–service partnership: analysis of the development of a satellite baccalaureate nursing programme

An education service partnership: analysis of the development of a satellite baccalaureate nursing programme ¶The development of a satellite education partnership between the School of Nursing at the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire and St Joseph's Hospital in Marshfield, Wisconsin, is reported. The factors which were identified as key to this successful partnership are compared to the antecedent conditions and defining attributes of the concept of collaboration as described by Henneman, Lee and Cohen. These factors include: (a) enlisting organizational support; (b)␣identifying anticipated benefits to all parties; (c) scrutiny regarding the necessity of the project; (d) communication skills and trust among partners; (e)␣a␣contract including not only how to proceed but how to disband; and (f)␣assessment of the risks of failure and whether they can be endured. The defining attributes of collaboration were met in this satellite baccalaureate programme partnership. The consequences of this collaboration are discussed and support the conceptual literature. The success of this collaboration is evidence that partnerships between nursing service, education and research are not only worth the risks but necessary for our full participation in the health care system.     

Starting from the child: A partnership approach to delivering the National Curriculum

The National Curriculum and government announcements on delivery have led classroom teachers away from child-centred approaches toward greater teacher-centred curricular management. This study explores the potential of one child-centred approach, namely, teacher-child partnership in negotiation of the curriculum and looks at outcomes in relation to the expectations of National Curriculum attainment targets and levels, as well as time allocation, learning pace and curricular balance. The results directly question assumptions about the limitations of child-centred methods in delivering the National Curriculum.     

Aspirational targets for occupational health

The new Occupational Health Strategy for Great Britain will have national aspirational targets. These will be common goals that all partners can work to, and should help to inspire local and specific targets for action. More attention needs to be paid to looking at outcomes, so that we can reduce the number of people suffering from work-related ill-health, as well as improving the health of the workforce. Both local and national targets will need evaluating, so that progress can be seen. Organisations who share their success, as well as challenges in making progress will help to spread improving practice.     

Preparing for the future: a review of tools and strategies to support autonomous goal setting for children and youth with autism spectrum disorders

Purpose: Despite recognized benefits, current clinical practice rarely includes direct input from children and youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in setting rehabilitation goals. This study reviews tools and evidence-based strategies to assist with autonomous goal settings for children and youth with ASD. Method: This study included two components: (1) A scoping review of existing tools and strategies to assist with autonomous goal setting in individuals with ASD and (2) a chart review of inter-disciplinary service plan goals for children and youth with ASD. Results: Eleven data sources, evaluating five different tools to assist with autonomous goal setting for children and youth with ASD, were found. Three themes emerged from the integration of the scoping review and chart review, which are discussed in the paper: (1) generalizability of findings, (2) adaptations to support participation and (3) practice implications. Conclusions: Children and youth with ASD can participate in setting rehabilitation goals, but few tools to support their participation have been evaluated, and those tools that do exist do not align well with current services foci. Visual aids appear to be one effective support, but further research on effective strategies for meaningful engagement in autonomous goal setting for children and youth with ASD is warranted.

• Implications for rehabilitation

• Persons with ASD are less self-determined than their peers.

• Input into one’s own rehabilitation goals and priorities is an important component of self-determination.

• Few tools exist to help engage children and youth with ASD in setting their own rehabilitation goals.

• An increased focus on identifying, developing and evaluating effective tools and strategies to facilitate engagement of children and youth with ASD in setting their own rehabilitation goals is warranted.

     

An academic practice partnership: Building capacity to meet sexual health education policy requirements of a public school system

The purpose of this clinical concepts paper is to describe the development, implementation, and evaluation of a formal academic‐practice partnership between a large, urban, public school system and a college of nursing, based on the American Association of Colleges of Nursing's Guiding Principles to Academic‐Practice Partnerships. The overarching goal of the partnership was to increase the school district's capacity to meet sexual health education policy requirements while providing graduate nursing students with an opportunity to work with a diverse population of youth during a public health nursing practicum course. As a result of the partnership, over 2,000 public school students (grades 5–12) have received comprehensive sexual health education and increased their knowledge by an average of 19.7–32.7%. In addition, 79 prelicensure, graduate nursing students have been placed at the public school system for public health nursing practicum and 100% have met all clinical objectives. As with any partnership, successes and lessons learned were identified. Discussion of both is included in this paper and may benefit other organizations considering entering into similar partnerships. Ultimately, academic‐practice partnerships are an important mechanism to simultaneously meet the growing needs of community practice partners and nursing education programs, while strengthening public health nursing practice.     

A survey on client-centered practice among danish occupational therapists

Background: In Denmark, the cost of healthcare services comprise 12% of the gross domestic product. A recommended method for optimizing effectiveness of and enhance client satisfaction with healthcare is client-centred practice (CCP), a central component of occupational therapy ideology. However, Danish occupational therapists’ perceptions of CCP, including the facilitators and barriers that may contribute to CCP, have never been examined.

Aim: To examine Danish occupational therapists’ perceptions of CCP.

Methods: A survey was conducted using an electronic questionnaire in a small, but representative sample of Danish occupational therapists from all regions and practices.

Results: Three hundred and forty-six occupational therapists (5%) responded. Of these, 98% rated CCP as important, 97% considered their work client-centred, and 92% were satisfied with their level of CCP. Having time to conduct self-directed work, using assessments to identify clients’ priorities, and CCP education, but not fixed regimes, were positively correlated with CCP.

Conclusion: Danish occupational therapists perceive to practice CCP and appear to have adopted the beliefs, theory and ideals of CCP, perhaps influenced by the egalitarian Danish culture. Self-directed work, means to identify and evaluate their clients’ wishes, and education facilitated CCP. Possible absence of occupational therapists not compliant with CCP makes further research warranted.