Mentoring and Mentorship for Nurses

Mentoring Matters

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Using the case of traumatic brain injury, this paper explores 1) challenges to academic and ethical integrity when in the role of clinician-researcher, and 2) potential strategies to enhance ethical qualitative research involving people with possible physical and/or emotional trauma and temporary or permanent cognitive disruption. When undertaking qualitative research with patients, families, and/ or health professionals, a researcher’s clinical background may stimulate insightful and relevant research questions, interviews, and/or field observations of care to inform meaningful and translatable practice improvements. However, there may be tension between clinician versus researcher values, and these priorities affect what the clinician sees and interprets in the field. A clinician’s ingrained values and professional socialisation can make it difficult to hold their professional assumptions about various phenomena at bay. The principles of human research merit and integrity, justice, beneficence, and respect, along with methodological clarity, can provide a rigorous foundation for discussion of ethical research in traumatic brain injury.
This paper discusses challenges and strategies through: 1) examining clinical assumptions; 2) determining capacity for consent; 3) considering dependent or unequal power relationships; 4) determining the scope for field observations; 5) responding to unprofessional practice; 6) discriminating between research interviews and clinical conversations; and 7) critically reflecting on research data. Implications for clinical research are evident: seeing past one’s own construct of understanding is challenging for clinician-researchers aiming to illuminate both patient and family experiences of care, and nuanced clinical skills. Careful ethical and methodological planning can protect participants while illuminating elements of specialist practice.
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Navigating the role of clinician-researcher: Insights from a Constructivist Grounded Theory study in traumatic brain injury

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Dystonia is a neurological movement disorder characterised by abnormal and involuntary twisting movements and postures. It comes in many forms and can affect various parts of the body. Dystonia is seen in children and adults as a standalone condition, or as one part of a complex disease. Dystonia can be caused by genetic mutations, specific medications, environmental and chemical factors, or, as in the majority of cases, the cause is unknown. There is currently no cure or disease modifying agent for dystonia, so treatments are aimed at managing symptoms and maintaining quality of life. The treatment options for dystonia include invasive surgeries, medications, botulinum toxin and non-pharmaceutical therapies. Dystonia is often a misunderstood and misdiagnosed disorder, which makes diagnosis difficult. The diagnosis of dystonia is usually made by a Neurologist who specialises in Movement Disorders. Research is ongoing to better understand the disorder and aims to find more effective and efficient treatments, and ultimately a cure for dystonia.
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Understanding Dystonia: A Summary of the Basics

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. 