VOLUME 20 NUMBER 1

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Guest Editorial
Developing practice: individual and organisational responsibilities

Brendan McCormack

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BEHAVIOUR OF OLDER PEOPLE ADMITTED FOR RESIDENTIAL RESPITE CARE
The aim of this pilot study was to determine whether residential respite care is used because of disruptive behaviour displayed by older people.

Key Words: aged, behaviour, dementia behaviour disturbance scale, dementia, nursing research, respite care

Christine C. Neville, RN, RPN, MHSc, FANZCMHN, is Lecturer, University of Southern Queensland, Queensland, Australia. Dr Gerard J.A. Byrne, BSc(Med), MBBS, PhD, FRANZCP, is Associate Professor, University of Queensland and Director of Geriatric Psychiatry, Royal Brisbane Hospital, Queensland, Australia

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HEALTH CARE WORKERS' KNOWLEDGE OF HEPATITIS C AND ATTITUDES TOWARDS PATIENTS WITH HEPATITIS C: A PILOT STUDY
A questionnaire was developed to determine health care workers' (HCWs) knowledge of, and attitudes towards, hepatitis C in order to inform an education strategy to prevent discrimination towards hepatitis C-positive patients. The study's aim was to determine the questionnaire's reliability and validity.

Key Words: hepatitis C, health care workers, knowledge, attitudes, practices, discrimination

Thea F. van de Mortel, RN, BSc(Hons), MHlthSc, ICCert, FCN(NSW), MRCNA, is Lecturer, School of Nursing and Health Care Practices, Southern Cross University, Australia

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NURSING AND HEALTH CARE IN SWEDEN
The aim of this paper is to describe Sweden's health system and nursing within it, thereby giving Australian nurses information which may generate an interest in, and provide background for, collaborative work.

Key Words: nursing, primary health care, Sweden

Linda Shields PhD, FRCNA, NH&MRC, is a Public Health Research Fellow, Mater Children's Hospital, an Adjunct Senior Lecturer, University of Queensland, a Visiting Fellow, Queensland University of Technology, a Visiting Fellow, Örebro University, Sweden and University of Northumbria, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England. Inger Kristensson-Hallström, Dr Med Sci, is a Clinical Lecturer, Children's Hospital/Department of Caring Sciences, University Hospital, Lund, Sweden. Birgitta Andershed, RNT, Dr Med Sci, is a Senior Lecturer, Department of Caring Sciences, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden. Karin Jackson, RNT, MScN, is a Postgraduate Student, Department of Caring Sciences, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden. Mats Eriksson, RN, BScN, is a Postgraduate Student, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden

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MENTORING: IMPROVING TRANSITION TO PRACTICE
Nurse graduates indicate the transition from student of nursing to registered nurse (RN) is a difficult conversion. This impending change of role and accompanying higher expectations placed upon newly graduating RNs causes concern for students as their bachelor of nursing program nears completion.

Key Words: mentoring, clinical practice, nursing students, graduate transition

Karen Theobald, RN, BAppSC, GCertHigherEd, SEDA, MHScNurs, MRCNA, is a Lecturer in Nursing, Queensland University of Technology, Australia. Marion Mitchell, RN, RM, CHN, BN(Hons), GCertHigherEd, MRCNA, is a Associate Lecturer in Nursing, Griffith University, Australia

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THE CLINICAL ENVIRONMENT: A SOURCE OF STRESS FOR UNDERGRADUATE NURSES
This paper explores the literature to ascertain the common sources of stress for undergraduate students in the clinical area. It also reviews strategies for improving the quality of the learning experience.

Key Words: clinical environment, education, undergraduate, stress

Malcolm Elliot, DipHSci(Nurs), BN, MN, IC Cert, Cardiac Cert, is a Lecturer in the Department of Nursing, University of Wollongong, Australia

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THE ROLE OF A PSYCHIATRIC CONSULTATION LIAISON NURSE IN A GENERAL HOSPITAL: A CASE STUDY APPROACH
This paper seeks to contribute to the literature in articulating the role of the psychiatric consultation-liaison nurse using a case study approach to describe the role of the nurse in assessing the needs of, and, planning and providing care to two general hospital patients experiencing mental health problems, and the general nurses caring for them.

Key Words: case study, consultation-liaison, general hospital, mental health problems, mental health nurses, psychiatric nurses

Julie Sharrock, RN, PsychCert, CritCare Cert, BEd, MHSc(PsychNurs), is Psychiatric Consultation-Liaison Nurse and Honorary Research Fellow, The Centre for Psychiatric Nursing Research and Practice, The University of Melbourne, Australia. Associate Professor Brenda Happell, RN, BA(Hons), DipEd, PhD, is Director, Centre for Psychiatric Nursing Research and Practice, School of Postgraduate Nursing, University of Melbourne, Australia

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