CTE the New News Story

What's the story with CTE?

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<p>Parkinson's disease (PD) is a multi-system disease, with clinical features typically described across three domains: motor, non-motor, and neuropsychiatric symptoms. There is no known cause or cure for PD, and diagnosis occurs often through a process of elimination, remaining one of clinical assessment, expert opinion, and observing disease progression over time. In the absence of disease modifying therapy for PD, pharmacological treatments play a role in symptomatic relief and improving quality of life (QoL). A narrowing therapeutic window and motor fluctuations present a challenge to the pharmacological management of PD. Device assisted therapies including Duodopa, Apomorphine and deep brain stimulation are based on the concept of providing stable and continuous stimulation to minimise pulsatile sudden or unexpected fluctuations. Studies continue to demonstrate the benefit of multidisciplinary input and the impact on functional status, mood, motor abilities, cognitive performance, speech skills, independence and QoL of a person with PD. Nurses are well placed to identify complications, escalate concerns, and initiate timely referral to members of a multidisciplinary team. Understanding the clinical features of PD as well as the basic assessment and management of the disease is essential in providing holistic care and supports to maintain QoL for those with PD and their caregivers.</p>
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Neurology & Movement Disorder Nurse Navigator

Parkinson's Nurse Consultant, Lyell McEwin Hospital

Understanding Parkinson's Disease: A Basic Overview

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<sec><h3>Background</h3>
<p>Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative condition that is the most common form of movement disorder. Caring for people with Parkinson's requires the skills and expertise of a Parkinson's disease and movement disorders nurse specialist (PDMDNS) (Bramble, Carroll, &amp; Rossiter, 2018). The World Health Organisation has identified the importance of monitoring health workforce demographics and distribution trends in order to effectively plan for health care needs (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="j_ajon-2023-013_ref_006">WHO 2016</xref>). This is the third publication of an annual series reviewing the longitudinal trends of the PDMDNS workforce in Australia (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="j_ajon-2023-013_ref_005">Williams et al. 2021</xref>, Williams et al. 2023).</p>
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Movement Disorders Clinical Nurse Consultant

Honorary Research Fellow, Department Biological Sciences

2022 Annual Demographic Survey of Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorder Nurse Specialists

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<p>Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) programs – also referred to as fast-track programs - are multidisciplinary, evidence-based perioperative pathways, designed to achieve early recovery for patients undergoing major surgery (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="j_ajon-2023-014_ref_002">Ali et al., 2018</xref>). ERAS utilises strategies to optimise the patient's condition for surgery and recovery. In particular, the aim is to achieve an earlier discharge from hospital for the patient and a more rapid resumption of normal activities after surgery, without an increase in complications or readmissions (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="j_ajon-2023-014_ref_005">Dietz et al., 2019</xref>). An essential element of ERAS programs is multidisciplinary collaboration between surgical, anaesthetic, nursing and allied health teams. While elements of ERAS may vary between surgical units and hospitals, there are many common features in the preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative phases.</p>
<p>Minimally invasive spine surgery techniques and instrumentation have evolved rapidly over the past decade, and there is now a worldwide interest in ERAS programs for spine surgeries, including lumbar and cervical decompression and fusion procedures (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="j_ajon-2023-014_ref_011">Li et al., 2021</xref>). Nurses have a pivotal role in the successful implementation and sustainability of ERAS protocols because of their specialised knowledge and skill, and their constant presence throughout the patient care pathway (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="j_ajon-2023-014_ref_019">Wainwright et al., 2022</xref>). This publication presents learnings from the implementation of an ERAS program for minimally invasive spine surgery at Westmead Hospital, NSW.</p>
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Spine Surgery and Home Again: The Nurse's Role in the Patient Journey

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<sec><h3>Aim</h3>
<p>To synthesise the literature pertaining to surgical site infections (SSIs) in neurosurgical patients following cranial surgery.</p>
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<sec><h3>Background</h3>
<p>SSIs in neurosurgical patients following cranial surgery present a major healthcare problem for healthcare providers worldwide. The most widely reported outcomes following SSIs include increased length of inpatient stay, morbidity, mortality, higher treatment costs and increased care burden for families and caregivers.</p>
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<sec><h3>Design</h3>
<p>Integrative review.</p>
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<sec><h3>Methods</h3>
<p>Using an integrative review framework, electronic database searches were conducted in CINAHL, Embase, Medline and ProQuest from 2012 – 2022. The search was limited to peer reviewed full text publications. Reference lists of identified studies were reviewed, and additional articles were accessed. Methodological rigour for included studies was evaluated using Critical Appraisal Skills Program tools.</p>
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<sec><h3>Results</h3>
<p>Twenty articles were reviewed, and four themes emerged relating to: preoperative patient preparatory practices and SSIs; risk factors for developing SSIs post cranial surgery; patient-reported outcomes and healthcare implications; and strategies for preventing SSIs within hospital settings.</p>
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<sec><h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>Surgical site infections post cranial surgery among neurosurgical patients can be contained through administration of pre-surgical prophylactic antibiotics, adhering to aseptic hand hygiene, utilising evidence based infection control protocols, educating neurosurgical nurse clinicians in post cranial surgical wound care, and providing tailored education for patients and families in postoperative cranial surgical wound care.</p>
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The University of Sydney, Sydney Nursing school

Surgical site infections in neurosurgical patients following cranial surgery: An integrative review

Book Review: The Trembling Mountain: A Personal Account of Kuru, Cannibals and Mad Cow Disease.

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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. 