J. Morphet | Monash University (original) (raw)

Papers by J. Morphet

Research paper thumbnail of Donation after Cardiac Death; Australian Emergency Nurse Knowledge and Attitudes

Transplantation Journal, 2012

Research paper thumbnail of Managing people with mental health presentations in emergency departments—A service exploration of the issues surrounding responsiveness from a mental health care consumer and carer perspective

Australasian Emergency Nursing Journal, 2012

Research paper thumbnail of Transition to specialty practice programs in emergency nursing

Nursing shortages across many clinical areas have been well documented both in Australia and inte... more Nursing shortages across many clinical areas have been well documented both in Australia and internationally. It has been argued that this shortage is further exacerbated in critical care areas such as Emergency Departments (EDs). Transition to specialty practice programs (TSPPs), which offer elements of extended orientation, education and preceptorship, have been reported as offering potential for addressing workforce shortages, both as recruitment and as retention strategies. This paper presents an overview and analysis of the literature related to recruitment and retention issues in specialist nursing, followed by an examination of the effect of TSPPs in emergency nursing. In addition, an evaluation of recruitment and retention outcome measures used to evaluate each TSPP, and the professional development of participants is presented. The findings of the literature review indicate that TSPPs have been successful in recruiting and retaining nursing staff, however professional development outcomes have been inconsistently reported, and warrant further investigation.

Research paper thumbnail of The environment of inpatient healthcare delivery and its influence on the outcome of care

HERD, 2012

This paper addresses issues arising in the literature regarding the environmental design of inpat... more This paper addresses issues arising in the literature regarding the environmental design of inpatient healthcare settings and their impact on care. Environmental design in healthcare settings is an important feature of the holistic delivery of healthcare. The environmental influence of the delivery of care is manifested by such things as lighting, proximity to bedside, technology, family involvement, and space. The need to respond rapidly in places such as emergency and intensive care can override space needs for family support. In some settings with aging buildings, the available space is no longer appropriate to the needs-for example, the need for privacy in emergency departments. Many aspects of care have changed over the last three decades and the environment of care appears not to have been adapted to contemporary healthcare requirements nor involved consumers in ascertaining environmental requirements. The issues found in the literature are addressed under five themes: the des...

Research paper thumbnail of How Death Anxiety Impacts Nurses’ Caring for Patients at the End of Life: A Review of Literature

The Open Nursing Journal, 2013

Nurses are frequently exposed to dying patients and death in the course of their work. This exper... more Nurses are frequently exposed to dying patients and death in the course of their work. This experience makes individuals conscious of their own mortality, often giving rise to anxiety and unease. Nurses who have a strong anxiety about death may be less comfortable providing nursing care for patients at the end of their life. This paper explores the literature on death anxiety and nurses' attitudes to determine whether fear of death impacts on nurses' caring for dying patients. Fifteen quantitative studies published between 1990 and 2012 exploring nurses' own attitudes towards death were critically reviewed. Three key themes identified were: i). nurses' level of death anxiety; ii). death anxiety and attitudes towards caring for the dying, and iii). death education was necessary for such emotional work. Based on quantitative surveys using valid instruments, results suggested that the level of death anxiety of nurses working in hospitals in general, oncology, renal, hospice care or in community services was not high. Some studies showed an inverse association between nurses' attitude towards death and their attitude towards caring for dying patients. Younger nurses consistently reported stronger fear of death and more negative attitudes towards end-of-life patient care. Nurses need to be aware of their own beliefs. Studies from several countries showed that a worksite death education program could reduce death anxiety. This offers potential for improving nurses' caring for patients at the end of their life.

Research paper thumbnail of Emergency and palliative care nurses’ levels of anxiety about death and coping with death: A questionnaire survey

Australasian Emergency Nursing Journal, 2013

Caring for dying patients and their families presents many challenges, and may be negatively affe... more Caring for dying patients and their families presents many challenges, and may be negatively affected by nurses' Fear of Death. This study investigates attitudes of emergency and palliative care nurses towards death and dying. A mixed methods design including questionnaire and interview, was utilised. This paper reports questionnaire results from the Death Attitude Profile-Revised Scale and coping skills. Twenty-eight emergency nurses and 28 palliative care nurses from two health services participated. Nurses held low to moderate Fear of Death (44%), Death Avoidance (34%), Escape Acceptance (47%) and Approach Acceptance (59%). Emergency nurses reported higher death avoidance and, significantly lower coping skills than palliative care nurses. Both reported high acceptance of the reality of death (Neutral Acceptance 82%), and indicated they coped better with a patient who was dying than with, the patient's family. Nurses generally held positive attitudes towards death and dying. Participants could cope with caring for dying patients, but were significantly less comfortable coping with patients' family members. Nurses should be aware of the impact their attitude towards death may have on providing supportive nursing care for the dying.

Research paper thumbnail of Nursing care of the family before and after a death in the ICU—An exploratory pilot study

Australian Critical Care, 2013

This qualitative descriptive study was undertaken in two metropolitan ICUs utilising focus groups... more This qualitative descriptive study was undertaken in two metropolitan ICUs utilising focus groups to describe the ways in which ICU nurses care for the families of dying patients during and after the death. Participants shared their perspectives on how they care for families, their concerns about care, and detailed the strategies they use to provide timely and person-centred family care. Participants identified that their ICU training was inadequate in equipping them to address the complex care needs of families leading up to and following patient deaths, and they relied on peer mentoring and role-modelling to improve their care. Organisational constraints, practices and pressures impacting on the nurse made 'ideal' family care difficult. They also identified that a lack of access to pastoral care and social work after hours contributed to their concerns about family care. Participants reported that they valued the time nurses spent with families, and the importance of ensuring families spent time with the patient, before and after death. b Tel.: +61 3 9904 4053; fax: +61 3 9904 4402. c Tel.: +61 3 9904 4204; fax: +61 3 9904 4402. d Tel.: +61 3 9904 4640; fax: +61 3 9904 4655.

Research paper thumbnail of Focus on family care: An exploration of nursing care for families during and after a death in the intensive care unit (ICU)

Research paper thumbnail of Managing people with mental health presentations in emergency departments—A service exploration of the issues surrounding responsiveness from a mental health care consumer and carer perspective

Australasian Emergency Nursing Journal, 2012

Research paper thumbnail of Donation after Cardiac Death; Australian Emergency Nurse Knowledge and Attitudes

Transplantation Journal, 2012

Research paper thumbnail of Managing people with mental health presentations in emergency departments—A service exploration of the issues surrounding responsiveness from a mental health care consumer and carer perspective

Australasian Emergency Nursing Journal, 2012

Research paper thumbnail of Transition to specialty practice programs in emergency nursing

Nursing shortages across many clinical areas have been well documented both in Australia and inte... more Nursing shortages across many clinical areas have been well documented both in Australia and internationally. It has been argued that this shortage is further exacerbated in critical care areas such as Emergency Departments (EDs). Transition to specialty practice programs (TSPPs), which offer elements of extended orientation, education and preceptorship, have been reported as offering potential for addressing workforce shortages, both as recruitment and as retention strategies. This paper presents an overview and analysis of the literature related to recruitment and retention issues in specialist nursing, followed by an examination of the effect of TSPPs in emergency nursing. In addition, an evaluation of recruitment and retention outcome measures used to evaluate each TSPP, and the professional development of participants is presented. The findings of the literature review indicate that TSPPs have been successful in recruiting and retaining nursing staff, however professional development outcomes have been inconsistently reported, and warrant further investigation.

Research paper thumbnail of The environment of inpatient healthcare delivery and its influence on the outcome of care

HERD, 2012

This paper addresses issues arising in the literature regarding the environmental design of inpat... more This paper addresses issues arising in the literature regarding the environmental design of inpatient healthcare settings and their impact on care. Environmental design in healthcare settings is an important feature of the holistic delivery of healthcare. The environmental influence of the delivery of care is manifested by such things as lighting, proximity to bedside, technology, family involvement, and space. The need to respond rapidly in places such as emergency and intensive care can override space needs for family support. In some settings with aging buildings, the available space is no longer appropriate to the needs-for example, the need for privacy in emergency departments. Many aspects of care have changed over the last three decades and the environment of care appears not to have been adapted to contemporary healthcare requirements nor involved consumers in ascertaining environmental requirements. The issues found in the literature are addressed under five themes: the des...

Research paper thumbnail of How Death Anxiety Impacts Nurses’ Caring for Patients at the End of Life: A Review of Literature

The Open Nursing Journal, 2013

Nurses are frequently exposed to dying patients and death in the course of their work. This exper... more Nurses are frequently exposed to dying patients and death in the course of their work. This experience makes individuals conscious of their own mortality, often giving rise to anxiety and unease. Nurses who have a strong anxiety about death may be less comfortable providing nursing care for patients at the end of their life. This paper explores the literature on death anxiety and nurses' attitudes to determine whether fear of death impacts on nurses' caring for dying patients. Fifteen quantitative studies published between 1990 and 2012 exploring nurses' own attitudes towards death were critically reviewed. Three key themes identified were: i). nurses' level of death anxiety; ii). death anxiety and attitudes towards caring for the dying, and iii). death education was necessary for such emotional work. Based on quantitative surveys using valid instruments, results suggested that the level of death anxiety of nurses working in hospitals in general, oncology, renal, hospice care or in community services was not high. Some studies showed an inverse association between nurses' attitude towards death and their attitude towards caring for dying patients. Younger nurses consistently reported stronger fear of death and more negative attitudes towards end-of-life patient care. Nurses need to be aware of their own beliefs. Studies from several countries showed that a worksite death education program could reduce death anxiety. This offers potential for improving nurses' caring for patients at the end of their life.

Research paper thumbnail of Emergency and palliative care nurses’ levels of anxiety about death and coping with death: A questionnaire survey

Australasian Emergency Nursing Journal, 2013

Caring for dying patients and their families presents many challenges, and may be negatively affe... more Caring for dying patients and their families presents many challenges, and may be negatively affected by nurses' Fear of Death. This study investigates attitudes of emergency and palliative care nurses towards death and dying. A mixed methods design including questionnaire and interview, was utilised. This paper reports questionnaire results from the Death Attitude Profile-Revised Scale and coping skills. Twenty-eight emergency nurses and 28 palliative care nurses from two health services participated. Nurses held low to moderate Fear of Death (44%), Death Avoidance (34%), Escape Acceptance (47%) and Approach Acceptance (59%). Emergency nurses reported higher death avoidance and, significantly lower coping skills than palliative care nurses. Both reported high acceptance of the reality of death (Neutral Acceptance 82%), and indicated they coped better with a patient who was dying than with, the patient's family. Nurses generally held positive attitudes towards death and dying. Participants could cope with caring for dying patients, but were significantly less comfortable coping with patients' family members. Nurses should be aware of the impact their attitude towards death may have on providing supportive nursing care for the dying.

Research paper thumbnail of Nursing care of the family before and after a death in the ICU—An exploratory pilot study

Australian Critical Care, 2013

This qualitative descriptive study was undertaken in two metropolitan ICUs utilising focus groups... more This qualitative descriptive study was undertaken in two metropolitan ICUs utilising focus groups to describe the ways in which ICU nurses care for the families of dying patients during and after the death. Participants shared their perspectives on how they care for families, their concerns about care, and detailed the strategies they use to provide timely and person-centred family care. Participants identified that their ICU training was inadequate in equipping them to address the complex care needs of families leading up to and following patient deaths, and they relied on peer mentoring and role-modelling to improve their care. Organisational constraints, practices and pressures impacting on the nurse made 'ideal' family care difficult. They also identified that a lack of access to pastoral care and social work after hours contributed to their concerns about family care. Participants reported that they valued the time nurses spent with families, and the importance of ensuring families spent time with the patient, before and after death. b Tel.: +61 3 9904 4053; fax: +61 3 9904 4402. c Tel.: +61 3 9904 4204; fax: +61 3 9904 4402. d Tel.: +61 3 9904 4640; fax: +61 3 9904 4655.

Research paper thumbnail of Focus on family care: An exploration of nursing care for families during and after a death in the intensive care unit (ICU)

Research paper thumbnail of Managing people with mental health presentations in emergency departments—A service exploration of the issues surrounding responsiveness from a mental health care consumer and carer perspective

Australasian Emergency Nursing Journal, 2012