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Melanie Birks

Bio: Melanie Birks is an academic researcher from James Cook University. The author has contributed to research in topics: Nurse education & Grounded theory. The author has an hindex of 25, co-authored 123 publications receiving 4916 citations. Previous affiliations of Melanie Birks include Monash University, Gippsland campus & Monash University.


Papers
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01 Mar 2011
TL;DR: The ability to help others, training being provided and job security were rated highly by respondents as factors attracting them to their profession, along with the ability that to combine work and family commitments.
Abstract: A shortage of health care professionals, particularly nurses, has led to the development of strategies to increase recruitment to these disciplines. This paper describes the findings of a study of factors that attract nurses and related health care professionals to their chosen discipline. A survey design was employed, in which a questionnaire was administered at a research seminar with the intent of demonstrating the conduct of research in real time. Seventy-six health care professionals participated in this survey. Most respondents were female and employed as nurses. The mean age of participants was 39 years. The ability to help others, training being provided and job security were rated highly by respondents as factors attracting them to their profession, along with the ability that to combine work and family commitments. While the findings reported here reflect some similarities with those of earlier studies, the demographically different sample may account for many of the differences.

2 citations

Book Chapter
01 Jan 2014
TL;DR: A project was conducted at a multi-campus university within a School of Nursing and Midwifery dispersed across four diverse sites to provide the support necessary in the transition to tertiary study.
Abstract: This paper discusses issues around the transition of beginning nursing students into higher education. The authors report on a project conducted at a multi-campus university within a School of Nursing and Midwifery dispersed across four diverse sites. First-year students encounter specific issues of adjustment in this environment, particularly when studying by distance mode. To provide the support necessary in the transition to tertiary study, First Year Experience Coordinator (Nursing) (FYEC) positions were established on each of the four campuses. This role was intended to offer personal, educational and professional support to beginning nursing students; establish a specific educational program for diploma qualified nurses to transit to the Bachelor of Nursing (BN) program; reduce the attrition rate from the BN program across all campuses; develop expertise in student engagement and support roles among staff; and establish a research agenda in respect of the first-year experience of nursing students.

2 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The recent participation in a round table on doctoral education in Hong Kong prompted us to explore the issue further and, by implication, to invite further comment.
Abstract: [Extract] Doctoral snobbery exists. It is a thing (Parnell, 2016). It is an extension of “academic snobbery” (Martin & Sorensen, 2014) more generally, and probably originates from “title snobbery” (Valverde, Mueller, Paciotti, & Conway 2016). Successfully completing a doctoral qualification is no small achievement and so some degree of elitism is probably reasonable. But is it reasonable for there to be an elitist division between the traditional PhD and the relative newcomer, the professional doctorate? And what about the doctorate in nursing practice (DNP) now apparently overtaking the PhD in the USA? Our recent participation in a round table on doctoral education in Hong Kong prompted us to explore the issue further and, by implication, to invite further comment.

2 citations

Journal Article
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examine the concept of learning communities as defined in the literature and present strategies to address threats to the ongoing viability and usefulness of a learning community to support research training.
Abstract: [Extract] This paper examines the concept of learning communities as defined in the literature. An existing case study is described, and the issues that facilitated and constrained the development of this learning community are considered and discussed. Strategies to address threats to the ongoing viability and usefulness of a learning community to support research training are offered. The influence of leadership styles and their interaction with the theoretical underpinnings of the concept of learning communities is used to support the argument.

2 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is revealed that few demographic characteristics predicted the way nurses determined their own scope of practice, and nurses commonly relied upon three professional publications, peers and line managers, to establish their individual scope ofpractice.
Abstract: In respect of professional nursing, the term scope of practice is regularly used, yet is often poorly defined both in Australia and internationally This study explores the determinants of scope of practice from a national sample of Australian registered nurses using an online survey (Scope-QAu) This paper reports on two parts of a large cross-sectional survey wherein 1231 registered nurses in Australia provided data on how they determined their scope of practice Scope of practice in the Australian nursing context is influenced by a range of professional publications, guidelines and standards, as well as professional peers and one's own judgement Findings reveal that few demographic characteristics predicted the way nurses determined their own scope of practice Nurses commonly relied upon three professional publications, peers and line managers, to establish their individual scope of practice Impact statement: Registered nurses do not rely solely on professional guidelines or regulatory frameworks when determining their scope of practice

2 citations


Cited by
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Book
05 Mar 2009
TL;DR: This chapter discusses writing Analytic Memos About Narrative and Visual Data and exercises for Coding and Qualitative Data Analytic Skill Development.
Abstract: An Introduction to Codes and Coding Chapter Summary Purposes of the Manual What Is a Code? Codifying and Categorizing What Gets Coded? The Mechanics of Coding The Numbers of Codes Manual and CAQDAS Coding Solo and Team Coding Necessary Personal Attributes for Coding On Method Writing Analytic Memos Chapter Summary The Purposes of Analytic Memo-Writing What Is an Analytic Memo? Examples of Analytic Memos Coding and Categorizing Analytic Memos Grounded Theory and Its Coding Canon Analytic Memos on Visual Data First-Cycle Coding Methods Chapter Summary The Coding Cycles Selecting the Appropriate Coding Method(s) Overview of First-Cycle Coding Methods The Coding Methods Profiles Grammatical Methods Elemental Methods Affective Methods Literary and Language Methods Exploratory Methods Forms for Additional First-Cycle Coding Methods Theming the Data Procedural Methods After First-Cycle Coding Chapter Summary Post-Coding Transitions Eclectic Coding Code Mapping and Landscaping Operational Model Diagramming Additional Transition Methods Transitioning to Second-Cycle Coding Methods Second-Cycle Coding Methods Chapter Summary The Goals of Second-Cycle Methods Overview of Second-Cycle Coding Methods Second-Cycle Coding Methods Forms for Additional Second-Cycle Coding Methods After Second-Cycle Coding Chapter Summary Post-Coding and Pre-Writing Transitions Focusing Strategies From Coding to Theorizing Formatting Matters Writing about Coding Ordering and Re-Ordering Assistance from Others Closure Appendix A: A Glossary of Coding Methods Appendix B: A Glossary of Analytic Recommendations Appendix C: Field Note, Interview Transcript and Document Samples for Coding Appendix D: Exercises and Activities for Coding and Qualitative Data Analytic Skill Development References Index

22,890 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Reading a book as this basics of qualitative research grounded theory procedures and techniques and other references can enrich your life quality.

13,415 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is concluded that saturation should be operationalized in a way that is consistent with the research question(s), and the theoretical position and analytic framework adopted, but also that there should be some limit to its scope, so as to risk saturation losing its coherence and potency if its conceptualization and uses are stretched too widely.
Abstract: Saturation has attained widespread acceptance as a methodological principle in qualitative research. It is commonly taken to indicate that, on the basis of the data that have been collected or analysed hitherto, further data collection and/or analysis are unnecessary. However, there appears to be uncertainty as to how saturation should be conceptualized, and inconsistencies in its use. In this paper, we look to clarify the nature, purposes and uses of saturation, and in doing so add to theoretical debate on the role of saturation across different methodologies. We identify four distinct approaches to saturation, which differ in terms of the extent to which an inductive or a deductive logic is adopted, and the relative emphasis on data collection, data analysis, and theorizing. We explore the purposes saturation might serve in relation to these different approaches, and the implications for how and when saturation will be sought. In examining these issues, we highlight the uncertain logic underlying saturation—as essentially a predictive statement about the unobserved based on the observed, a judgement that, we argue, results in equivocation, and may in part explain the confusion surrounding its use. We conclude that saturation should be operationalized in a way that is consistent with the research question(s), and the theoretical position and analytic framework adopted, but also that there should be some limit to its scope, so as not to risk saturation losing its coherence and potency if its conceptualization and uses are stretched too widely.

4,750 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors describe the meaning of theme and offer a method on theme construction that can be used by qualitative content analysis and thematic analysis researchers in line with the underpinning specific approach to data analysis.
Abstract: Sufficient knowledge is available about the definition, details and differences of qualitative content and thematic analysis as two approaches of qualitative descriptive research. However, identifying the main features of theme as the data analysis product and the method of its development remain unclear. The purpose of this study was to describe the meaning of theme and offer a method on theme construction that can be used by qualitative content analysis and thematic analysis researchers in line with the underpinning specific approach to data analysis. This methodological paper comprises an analytical overview of qualitative descriptive research products and the meaning of theme. Also, our practical experiences of qualitative analysis supported by relevant published literature informed the generation of a stage like model of theme construction for qualitative content analysis and thematic analysis. This paper comprises: (i) analytical importance of theme, (ii) meaning of theme, (iii) meaning of category, (iv) theme and category in terms of level of content, and (v) theme development. This paper offers a conceptual clarification and a pragmatic step by step method of theme development that has the capacity of assisting nurse researchers understand how theme is developed. As nursing is a pragmatic discipline, nurse researchers have tried to develop practical findings and devise some way to “do something” with findings to enhance the action and impact of nursing. The application of a precise method of theme development for qualitative descriptive data analysis suggested in this paper helps yield meaningful, credible and practical results for nursing.

1,164 citations