Australian Catholic University

About: Australian Catholic University is a education organization based out in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Poison control. The organization has 2721 authors who have published 10013 publications receiving 215248 citations. The organization is also known as: ACU & ACU National.

Opportunity to learn

Abstract: Opportunity to learn (OTL) generally refers to inputs and processes within a school context necessary for producing student achievement of intended outcomes. Most theorists and researchers studying OTL have focused on the classroom as their unit of analysis and have privileged the actions of teachers (e.g., Kurz, 2011; Porter, 2002). In doing so, instructional time and content consistently have been characterized as core elements of OTL, along with a number of instructional quality indicators. A few investigators, in particular those using large extant data sets, have focused on schools or programs (e.g., mathematics), as their unit of analysis. With this approach to studying OTL, coarser indicators, such as courses taken, educational program types (e.g., remedial, gifted), and technology use, have been studied as predictors of student achievement (e.g., Muthen, Huang, Jo, Khoo, Goff, Novak, & Shih, 1995). The present examination of OTL is based on the majority approach where the classroom is the unit of analysis. Consequently, we characterize OTL as a multi-dimensional construct central to quality teaching and prerequisite to student achievement. Our examination indicates there is 50+ years of OTL research focusing on instructional time, content, and quality. Collectively, this research has influenced many investigators to think of OTL as a teacher effect, and this has characterized the construct as a fundamental aspect of fairness and test validity and stimulated its better measurement.

Effectiveness of a 'Do not interrupt' bundled intervention to reduce interruptions during medication administration: a cluster randomised controlled feasibility study.

Abstract: Aim To evaluate the effectiveness of a ‘Do not interrupt’ bundled intervention to reduce non-medication-related interruptions to nurses during medication administration. Methods A parallel eight cluster randomised controlled study was conducted in a major teaching hospital in Adelaide, Australia. Four wards were randomised to the intervention which comprised wearing a vest when administering medications; strategies for diverting interruptions; clinician and patient education; and reminders. Control wards were blinded to the intervention. Structured direct observations of medication administration processes were conducted. The primary outcome was non-medication-related interruptions during individual medication dose administrations. The secondary outcomes were total interruption and multitasking rates. A survey of nurses9 experiences was administered. Results Over 8 weeks and 364.7 hours, 227 nurses were observed administering 4781 medications. At baseline, nurses experienced 57 interruptions/100 administrations, 87.9% were unrelated to the medication task being observed. Intervention wards experienced a significant reduction in non-medication-related interruptions from 50/100 administrations (95% CI 45 to 55) to 34/100 (95% CI 30 to 38). Controlling for clustering, ward type and medication route showed a significant reduction of 15 non-medication-related interruptions/100 administrations compared with control wards. A total of 88 nurses (38.8%) completed the poststudy survey. Intervention ward nurses reported that vests were time consuming, cumbersome and hot. Only 48% indicated that they would support the intervention becoming hospital policy. Discussion Nurses experienced a high rate of interruptions. Few were related to the medication task, demonstrating considerable scope to reduce unnecessary interruptions. While the intervention was associated with a statistically significant decline in non-medication-related interruptions, the magnitude of this reduction and its likely impact on error rates should be considered, relative to the effectiveness of alternate interventions, associated costs, likely acceptability and long-term sustainability of such interventions.

Elements virtual rehabilitation improves motor, cognitive, and functional outcomes in adult stroke: evidence from a randomized controlled pilot study.

Abstract: Virtual reality technologies show potential as effective rehabilitation tools following neuro-trauma. In particular, the Elements system, involving customized surface computing and tangible interfaces, produces strong treatment effects for upper-limb and cognitive function following traumatic brain injury. The present study evaluated the efficacy of Elements as a virtual rehabilitation approach for stroke survivors. Twenty-one adults (42–94 years old) with sub-acute stroke were randomized to four weeks of Elements virtual rehabilitation (three weekly 30–40 min sessions) combined with treatment as usual (conventional occupational and physiotherapy) or to treatment as usual alone. Upper-limb skill (Box and Blocks Test), cognition (Montreal Cognitive Assessment and selected CogState subtests), and everyday participation (Neurobehavioral Functioning Inventory) were examined before and after inpatient training, and one-month later. Effect sizes for the experimental group (d = 1.05–2.51) were larger compared with controls (d = 0.11–0.86), with Elements training showing statistically greater improvements in motor function of the most affected hand (p = 0.008), and general intellectual status and executive function (p ≤ 0.001). Proportional recovery was two- to three-fold greater than control participants, with superior transfer to everyday motor, cognitive, and communication behaviors. All gains were maintained at follow-up. A course of Elements virtual rehabilitation using goal-directed and exploratory upper-limb movement tasks facilitates both motor and cognitive recovery after stroke. The magnitude of training effects, maintenance of gains at follow-up, and generalization to daily activities provide compelling preliminary evidence of the power of virtual rehabilitation when applied in a targeted and principled manner. this pilot study was not registered.

Social-cognitive difficulties in former users of methamphetamine

Abstract: Objectives. Methamphetamine (MA) abuse is associated with neurocognitive impairment.We investigated whether important aspects of social-cognitive function are similarly disrupted. Methods. A total of 12 adults with a history of MA dependence (average duration of use, 3.9 years), currently engaged in rehabilitation and abstinent for an average period of 6 months, and 12 MA naive participants completed measures of facial affect recognition, theory of mind, executive function and memory. Results. MA users were impaired on the measures of facial affect recognition and theory of mind (ds = 1.75 and 2.32, respectively), with the magnitude of these deficits comparable or larger to those observed on the cognitive measures. Conclusions. Social-cognitive difficulties are associated with MA use and have potentially important implications for rehabilitative practice.