Editorial

Guest Editorial

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">250,000 people in Australia live with Epilepsy and more than 40% of those are children. Medication is a first line, effective treatment. However, not all patients have the desired outcome of seizure reduction or cessation. In fact, 1 in 3 do not gain full seizure control with medication alone.Epilepsy surgery, while not a new concept of treatment for seizure management, has gained significant traction in the past decade and has become a particular focus of the Neurology Department at The Children’s Hospital, Westmead. This is evident by the expansion of the Neuroscience ward for the precise purpose of surgical intervention for the treatment of Epilepsy and other seizure conditions.The paediatric patient journey to surgery is a complex and intricate one. It involves a collaborative approach of the multidisciplinary teams from diagnosis and beyond, whilst maintaining a high standard of holistic, family centred care. This paper aims to discuss this journey and the impact it has on the patients, families and the nurses involved.</abstract>

Epilepsy Surgery: A Paediatric Perspective

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Nasogastric tube feeding is common amongst neuroscience patients and they are typically placed blindly at the bedside. However, the procedure for inserting feeding tubes has remained time consuming with misplacement into the lungs still occurring. Methods for checking nasogastric tube placement have evolved over time but complications remain.The Cortrak® 2 enteral access system (EAS) uses a computer screen for real-time placement viewing using an electromagnetic stylet to avoid the complications of blind tube insertion. A trial was commenced to determine whether the Cortrak® 2 is accurate for nasogastric tube placement and whether this eliminates the use of x-ray.The trial also examined whether the Corgrip® NG/NJ feeding tube retention system would prevent the need for reinsertion of nasogastric tubes and reduce the need for a one on one health care assistant watch to prevent removal. Super users were trained to insert the Cortrak® nasogastric tubes and the Corgrip® feeding tube retention system. The trial demonstrated favourable results and these will be presented.</abstract>

On track to the stomach! ! Cortrak® for the insertion of nasogastric tubes amongst neuroscience patients – how effective is it?

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">On behalf of the Executive of the Australasian Neuroscience Nurses’ Association (ANNA) it our pleasure to welcome our delegates and presenters to our first online conference. 2020 has brought with it many challenges and the ANNA conference has been just one of many that has had to move to an online platform. We would like to take this opportunity to thank the sponsors (CORTRAK* 2 and Oral 7) for their help in making the 2020 conference happen. We would also like to take a moment to thank and appreciate all of our nursing colleagues in this 2020 ‘The International Year of the Nurses’ we have faced the biggest challenge to face modern health care in our lifetime.This years conference will be like no other, as a committee we made the decision early to move to a full online platform, and as the Covid-19 pandemic has evolved, this has turned out to be the right decision. We hope that we have been able to maintain the spirit of the conference and we look forward to meeting everyone in person in 2021 and beyond.With kind regardsLinda Nichols and Caroline WoonAustralasian Neuroscience Nurses’ Association</abstract>

2020 Australasian Neuroscience Nurses’ Association (ANNA) Annual Conference Abstracts

AHEAD OF PRINT

Volume 34 (2024): Issue 1 (May 2024)

Volume 33 (2023): Issue 2 (October 2023)

Volume 33 (2023): Issue 1 (May 2023)

Volume 32 (2022): Issue 2 (October 2022)

Volume 32 (2022): Issue 1 (May 2022)

Volume 31 (2021): Issue 2 (October 2021)

Volume 31 (2021): Issue 1 (May 2021)

Volume 30 (2020): Issue 2 (October 2020)

Volume 30 (2020): Issue 1 (May 2020)

Volume 29 (2019): Issue 2 (May 2019)

Volume 29 (2019): Issue 1 (May 2019)

Volume 28 (2018): Issue 2 (November 2018)

Volume 28 (2018): Issue 1 (June 2018)

Volume 27 (2017): Issue 2 (November 2017)

Volume 27 (2017): Issue 1 (November 2017)

Volume 26 (2016): Issue 2 (May 2016)

Volume 26 (2016): Issue 1 (May 2016)

Volume 25 (2015): Issue 2 (October 2015)

Volume 25 (2015): Issue 1 (May 2015)

Australasian Journal of Neuroscience

Australasian Journal of Neuroscience (AJoN) Journal Scope and Aims  Published bi-annually (May and October), the Australasian Journal of Neuroscience (AJoN), the official journal of the Australasian Neuroscience Nurses Association (ANNA), has published original peer reviewed articles since 1988 making it one of the longest standing neuroscience nursing journals.  The AJoN is an international peer reviewed open access journal that aims to promote the development and exchange of knowledge that reflects the broad and emerging interests of neuroscience nursing and the neuroscience nursing profession. The AJoN is at the forefront of disseminating and communicating knowledge and through the promotion of clinically related scholarship, the AJoN supports and advances the practice and discipline of neuroscience nursing.  The mission of the AJoN is to further the neuroscience nursing profession through representation and the provision of works that best represent neuroscience nursing expertise and experience. Through this provision evidence is translated into neuroscience nursing practice to improve health outcomes for individuals, families, and populations.  Fields of nursing represented in the AJoN include, but are not limited to, neurology, movement disorders, neurosurgical, neuro-intensive, neuro-rehabilitative, neuropsychiatry, neuro-gerontology, neuro-paediatric, neuro-emergency and neuro-trauma. Contributions are also welcome from other healthcare fields on issues and developments that have a direct impact on neuroscience nursing practice.  The AJoN welcomes manuscripts from both new and experienced authors wishing to contribute neuroscience knowledge to nursing practice and research. Both National and International submissions are welcome, with the AJoN supporting the exchange of ideas and experience that represents different practices and cultures.  Submitted original articles should make a novel contribution to neuroscience nursing with examples including advances in neurosurgical and neurological nursing, patient care, complex care interventions, research, policy, professional issues, and theory. Submissions must be of a high quality and the journal accepts various article types including (but not limited to) review articles, systematic reports, case series, case studies, quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods research articles, practice updates, guest editorials, clinical trials, quality improvement articles, letters to the editor, commentaries, and the development of new guidelines that provide a unique insight into the field of neuroscience nursing. The journal’s purpose is to advance the field of neuroscience nursing by presenting published works with an emphasis on knowledge that will influence the way neuroscience nursing is practiced, taught, researched, and administrated. This information is applicable to nurses working in clinical, administrative, educational,  leadership and research settings. Each issues contains a variety of papers, commentaries and published works resulting from the National ANNA conference. The target audience of the AJoN includes nurses, student nurses, nurse practitioners, managers, executives, administrators, educators, and higher research degree students as well as allied health professionals.  Topics relevant to the AJoN include the development of clinical research and knowledge, evidenced based practice, leadership, and scientific enquiry. Works that explore the patient and family experience, illness, and recovery within the neuroscience field. Organisational factors including governance, patient safety, role development and models of service delivery. As well as cultural comparisons and evaluations of neuroscience nursing practice across different healthcare sectors, social and geographical settings.  The AJoN offers authors the benefits of a highly respected journal in the field of neuroscience nursing, indexed in a wide range of databases including (EBSCO, Elsevier, MIAR, MtScienceWork, ReadCube, SCILIT and Semantic Scholar). The journal has a truly global readership, rapid manuscript screening and efficient editorial processes. The journal also offers a highly visual format, with full colour figures, images, and tables.  The AJoN Editor is advised and supported by a Board of Reviewers that represent all facets of neuroscience nursing. Submitted papers are reviewed by Reviewers who meet a high standard of academic and clinical expertise. The AJoN will ensure that practice and policy development is evidenced based, research is informed at an advanced level and that readers are challenged to engage in critical debate and critically reflect on the interface between practice, policy, and research. The AJoN team believes that every neuroscience nurse should have the opportunity to grow and develop their practice and career through quality education and professional development. The AJoN is essential reading for anyone with an interest in neuroscience nursing.   Archiving  Sciendo archives the contents of this journal in Portico - digital long-term preservation service of scholarly books, journals and collections.  Plagiarism Policy  The editorial board is participating in a growing community of Similarity Check System's users in order to ensure that the content published is original and trustworthy. Similarity Check is a medium that allows for comprehensive manuscripts screening, aimed to eliminate plagiarism and provide a high standard and quality peer-review process. 