Advanced Diploma Research Articles

The ethical basis of teaching spirituality and spiritual care: A survey of student nurses perceptions

There is a professional requirement for student nurses to achieve competence in the delivery of spiritual care. However, there is no research exploring students nurses perceptions of being educated in these matters. This paper explores the ethical basis of teaching student nurses about the concepts of spirituality and spiritual care by reporting the findings from the first year of a 3 year investigation. An exploratory longitudinal design was used to obtain student nurses perceptions of spirituality and spiritual care as they progressed through a 3 year programme. A questionnaire incorporating the Spirituality and Spiritual Care Rating Scale was distributed to 176 pre-registration nursing students undertaking either the Advanced Diploma or Bachelor of Science degree programmes. A response rate of 76.7% was obtained. Findings reveal that the majority of student nurses perceived spirituality to be a universal phenomenon of a type that can be associated with existentialism. Some students were very uncertain and apprehensive about being instructed in spiritual matters. A cohort of student nurses held similar understandings of spirituality to those presented in the nursing literature. However the results also suggest an overwhelming majority felt it was wrong for spirituality to imply that some people are better than others and most were uncertain whether spirituality was related to good and evil. RELEVANCE TO NURSE EDUCATION: The investigation reveals that there are a number of ethical concerns surrounding the teaching of spirituality to student nurses that need to be resolved.

Widening participation on early years degrees: ‘I realised I could, and would, do this—and I have!’

This article reviews the outcomes to date of a collaborative project at Sheffield Hallam University to develop clear progression routes into higher education (HE) for further education (FE) students studying on Advanced Diploma, Higher National Certificate (HNC) and Higher National Diploma (HND) courses in childcare and education. Since 2002, students from partnership colleges have been eligible for enrolment on the BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies degree at Sheffield Hallam, starting at Level 5 or Level 6, depending on previous attainment and performance at interview. While the numbers involved during the past four years have been small, student retention has been high and attainment has equalled that of their traditional‐entry colleagues. The results support the notion that it is possible to widen participation without lowering standards or suffering high rates of attrition, but there are implications for students and staff alike.

Integrating Psychotherapy and Breathwork: Awakening the transpersonal through the use of the Breath:

I work in private practice as a transpersonal psychotherapist, having studied in London, UK at the CCPE on the advanced transpersonal Psychotherapy diploma course.Prior to this I had trained as a Humanistic counsellor, at Roehampton Institute, and have seen a variety of clients since 1987. I began by working voluntarily for a Bereavement project as well as counselling foreign students in the College where I was teaching English. Later I taught Counselling at the same college, for five years, continuing to see clients at home in private practice. Nowadays, I see clients who self refer for Breathwork, and receive referrals from Employee assistance providers, of business employees for short term crisis counselling. Other clients take therapy as part of their counselling courses. My website and my membership of professional organisations brings me referrals.

In‐company education: an example of best practice?

PurposeNottingham Business School recently validated a suite of generic qualifications based round the theme of leisure retailing. The purpose of this paper is to describe the Advanced Diploma, where one of the first cohorts on the programme was pub managers and area managers from J.D. Wetherspoon.Design/methodology/approachThis paper presents the findings of a telephone survey of 17 pub managers and three area managers who had successfully completed the Advanced Diploma in 2005.FindingsAround eight out of ten pub managers interviewed reported positive impressions of the course and went on to state that their property had increased sales, profits, customer and staff satisfaction. Results from company sales and performance data support the impressions created by these qualitative interviews. Sales, gross profit and unit profit performance all show overall improvements in performance compared to company averages.Practical implicationsApart from students obtaining a university qualification it would appear that in every case individual pubs reported a substantial improvement in their business. The other implication is that the way in which these students are able to obtain a degree might well become the accepted alternative to full time education and all the financial implications that go with it.Originality/valueThe paper provides a model for evaluating the impacts of education and training interventions that could be employed by both university teams and professional in‐company trainers.

Effects of Blended Online Learning on Students Performance in Vocational Mathematics

This presentation reports on a study conducted at the Victoria University TAFE where a mathematics module was offered to students in an on campus delivery setting. The use of online learning to support campus-based instruction was modelled on Coomey and Stephenson’s (2001) paradigm grid for online learning. The aims of the study were to assess the effectiveness of online facilitated instruction on students’ attitud and achievement in mathematics, explore factors affecting participation of students in online learning and how teachers’ roles and responsibilities are affected by online facilitation. The study was conducted using a mixed method approach with experimental techniques applied to gather quantitative data about attitudes and achievement scores, and a case study approach for which qualitative data were collected on factors affecting students’ motivation, participation and approach to blended online learning. The study comprised two on-campus TAFE classes from a first year advanced diploma course. The treatment class was offered online facilitated teaching using WebCT as a delivery platform. The control class was taught using traditional methods only. The same teacher taught both classes during the semester and on the same campus. Students from both groups were interviewed to gather information about issues affecting them as learners. Results from this study will be presented about students’ attitude, achievement scores and participation in blended online learning.

Neither one thing nor the other

Dear Editor, Up until June this year Alex McClimens was my personal tutor at Sheffield University while studying for the advanced diploma in nursing studies. I accept some of what Dr McClimens says in his article ‘Up-front and personal’ in the September issue of LDP (9, 7, 31) about social conditions affecting the health of people with learning disabilities and the line between health and social care often being blurred. However, I take exception to the idea that as a learning disability nurse I will not have the wherewith-all to work in an holistic manner for the greater good of the people in my care. This new ‘hybrid’ will be neither ‘fish nor foul’.

I am a newly qualified nurse and have just finished the advanced diploma in nursing. I would like to know if I could apply for medicine for 2007-8, which means I will be working for 18 months as a nurse. I have 16 credits in a health and science access course to higher education, and a certificate in counselling skills

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Extension and the VET sector: Time for closer alignment?

Extension (industry training) and VET (the formal Vocational Education and Training system), each vital to Australia’s education and training for agriculture, have developed as separate domains. Recent research suggests that the potential of closer alignment should be further explored. Extension provides usually non-certified courses to primary producers. The VET sector involves accredited training in a quality-assured national framework. Despite subsidy incentives for producers to access VET, they are increasingly interested in the short courses and flexible delivery offered by extension. This paper explores implications for improving outcomes from investment in training and for rural capacity building from a project in which a sample of management level extension courses across Australia was analysed for the extent of alignment with VET. Eighty-four per cent of these extension courses are mapped to training package competencies. The potential is there for VET to capture new enrolees for its diploma and advanced diploma courses. Closer alignment between sectors would facilitate this process.

A way of complementing your nursing practice

I enjoyed the article by Jean Faugier (art&science April 6) on developing a new generation of nurse entrepreneurs. I am a nurse who qualified in 1992, becoming a manager in 1998. I studied in my free time, gaining a diploma in health and social welfare with the Open University, a BA(Hons) degree in nursing practice, and advanced diploma in management practice and an NVQ 4 in management.

A Way of complementing your nursing practice

I enjoyed the article by Jean Faugier (art&science April 6) on developing a new generation of nurse entrepreneurs. I am a nurse who qualified in 1992, becoming a manager in 1998. I studied in my free time, gaining a diploma in health and social welfare with the Open University, a BA(Hons) degree in nursing practice, and advanced diploma in management practice and an NVQ 4 in management.

Nurses&amp;rsquo; Attitudes Toward People with Mental Illnesses in a Psychiatric Hospital in Singapore

&lt;p&gt;A positive attitude toward people with mental illnesses is a necessary dimension of psychiatric nursing practice. Although studies have been conducted in Israel and Australia to examine the attitudes of nurses toward people with mental illnesses, no such study had been conducted in Singapore. This study explored the factors influencing nurses’ attitudes toward and their involvement in caring for people with mental illnesses, and sought to establish the relevance and effects of mental health training on enhancing the nurses’ positive attitudes.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The study used a descriptive, self-administered questionnaire, which contained 24 statements scored on a Likert scale. Factors related to attitudes toward people with mental illnesses included age, professional qualification, years of psychiatric nursing experience, type of ward, and designation (i.e., position within the institution). The questionnaires were given to all of the local nurses working in a psychiatric hospital in Singapore, and 96% returned the questionnaires.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Results showed that nurses with any of the following characteristics had a more positive attitude: age group of 31 to 50; professional qualification of advanced diploma in mental health nursing, nursing degree, or post-basic certificate; or more than 10 years of psychiatric nursing experience. In addition, nursing officers had a more positive attitude than staff nurses or assistant nurses, and nurses working in the short-stay wards had more positive attitudes than those working in the long-stay wards.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="ftAuthorNotes"&gt;&lt;p&gt;Ms. Tay is Nurse Clinician, Ms. Pariyasami is Nurse Educator, Ms. Ravindran is Nursing Officer, and Ms. Ali and Ms. Rowsudeen were members of the Nursing Department, Institute of Mental Health, Woodbridge Hospital, Singapore.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The authors wish to acknowledge the following professionals for their support and guidance: Ms. Mary Yeo Kim Luang, Ms. Yeo Soo Gim, Associate Professor Chong Siow Ann, Ms. Mythily Subramaniam, Mr. Michael Wee, Ms. Tan Lay Wu, and Ms. Thavamani Ammavasi. They also thank all of the nursing staff of Woodbridge Hospital for completing the survey forms.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Address correspondence to Sim-Eng Clara Tay, RN, RMN, BHSc, Grad. Dip. Psychotherapy, Nurse Clinician, Nursing Department (Ward 33A), Institute of Mental Health, Woodbridge Hospital, 10 Buangkok View, Singapore 539747; e-mail: sim_eng_tay@imh.com.sg.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;

Key skills for newly qualified dentists: an evaluation of a West Midlands initiative.

This paper reports an evaluation of the West Midlands Key Skills initiative that provides a framework for learning during vocational training (VT). The 48 vocational dental practitioners (VDPs) who began their VT in August 2001 in the West Midlands were surveyed at the start and end of training (45 completed both surveys). They rated their confidence and experience in the 31 components of the Six Key Skills on visual analogue scales. Views were elicited in a survey of both VDPs (47 returns) and their general practice trainers (44 returns). Semi-structured interviews were also held with a stratified sample of 9 trainers and all four VT advisors. In terms of VDP progress, a statistically significant increase in confidence and experience was found in each of the 31 components. Six themes were identified in the views data. (i) Supporting the development of Key Skills; (ii) workload implications; (iii) the "right" six? (iv) links with the advanced diploma (MFGDP(UK)); (v) assessment of VT; and, (vi) consistency and quality assurance. VT successfully develops the confidence and experience of newly qualified dentists in the Six Key Skills and has been well received by the majority of VDPs, trainers and advisors in the West Midlands.

Participatory Action Research: Community Diagnosis and Intervention in Controlling Urinary Schistosomiasis in An Urban Community in Ibadan, Nigeria

Schistosomiasis is second only to malaria and is endemic in Nigeria. It has been reported that the infection is more prevalent, irrespective of gender, in the age group 5 to 14 years. It is least among the age group 26 and 55 and occurs mostly in the rural areas in the country. The infection is spreading from the rural areas to various urban communities, particularly the agricultural and fishing populations. In Ibadan, capital of Oyo State in southwestern Nigeria where the focus of this study is made, the infection has been reported among children and adolescents in six Local Government Areas. Students of Advanced Diploma in Health Education (ADHE) of the Department of Health Promotion and Education, during a community diagnosis exercise among primary schools in two communities in Ibadan, met with this problem. The purpose of this study is to mobilize the affected communities, with both internal and external resources through a participatory-action process, to combat the infection which is one of their major problems. Since the providence of schistosomiasis in target communities is age related, investigations were concentrated in 17 Primary Schools in the two communities. The investigation involved laboratory confirmation by collecting 147 urine samples from a total population of 676 children and examining them microscopically for the schistosoma ova. In addition, the quality of stream water and their vector presence were assessed. The key intervention strategy used was community mobilization of both internal and external resources of targeted communities. The striking outcome of the intervention study is that the outbreak of schistosomiasis in the communities was formally reported to the Federal Ministry of Health and the Oyo State Ministry of Health. All infected pupils were treated, the long awaited water scheme to replace the broken pipes was completed, and two new water supply schemes were implemented by the communities. Further, the communities displayed sign boards prohibiting community members from fetching water from "Dandaru" river for daily domestic needs. It is concluded that the combined efforts of all the actors helped the community to enjoy improved water supply and reduced their exposure to infection from the stream, which was the source of the infection.

Widening participation on early childhood studies and early years education degrees

This paper describes an evaluation of a joint project in 2001 between Sheffield Hallam University, regional further education (FE) colleges and the Building Pathways team. The project's purpose was to develop clear progression routes into higher education (HE) for FE students studying on Advanced Diploma, Higher National Certificate and Higher National Diploma courses in childcare and education. The work reported here represents the first part of the evaluation and seeks to illuminate some of the key factors involved in translating principles and objectives associated with widening participation into reality. The main aims of this evaluation were to review the process by which a set of widening participation agreements were reached, to identify key factors for success and to ascertain any issues arising from and during the process itself. The evaluation also sought to elicit information from respondents concerning possible future strategies to further develop the agreed progression routes. The second phase of the evaluation (2002–2003) will focus on the student experience and seek to understand factors that enable or hinder the success of those students who take advantage of these routes. The paper is set in the context of national widening participation policy developments since 1997, with FE and university responses to these developments relating to early childhood studies and early years education degrees. The paper discusses factors, identified by participants in the project, that facilitated or hindered attempts to widen and improve access for regional FE students onto the HE early years provision at Sheffield Hallam University.

News

A positive attitude toward people with mental illnesses is a necessary dimension of psychiatric nursing practice. Although studies have been conducted in Israel and Australia to examine the attitudes of nurses toward people with mental illnesses, no such study had been conducted in Singapore. This study explored the factors influencing nurses' attitudes toward and their involvement in caring for people with mental illnesses, and sought to establish the relevance and effects of mental health training on enhancing the nurses' positive attitudes. The study used a descriptive, self-administered questionnaire, which contained 24 statements scored on a Likert scale. Factors related to attitudes toward people with mental illnesses included age, professional qualification, years of psychiatric nursing experience, type of ward, and designation (i.e., position within the institution). The questionnaires were given to all of the local nurses working in a psychiatric hospital in Singapore, and 96% returned the questionnaires. Results showed that nurses with any of the following characteristics had a more positive attitude: age group of 31 to 50; professional qualification of advanced diploma in mental health nursing, nursing degree, or post-basic certificate; or more than 10 years of psychiatric nursing experience. In addition, nursing officers had a more positive attitude than staff nurses or assistant nurses, and nurses working in the short-stay wards had more positive attitudes than those working in the long-stay wards.

Hispanic Academic Advancement Theory: An Ethnographic Study of Urban Students Participating In A High School Advanced Diploma Program

This emergent theory describes the relationships and factors within the context of home, school, and community that enabled six Hispanic students to participate in an advanced diploma program. The research is in keeping with the mandates from several federal initiatives to develop "asset-based" paradigms for educating Hispanic youth. Grounded theory and ethnographic methodologies were used in collecting the data from the purposive sample. Several sub-factors emerged, that served to describe, explain, and predict the development of the Hispanic Academic Advancement Theory. Those sub-factors will be explained and implications of the findings on the education of Hispanic students will be discussed.

Interview with Bozena Merrick

Terapia, a new training course in integrative child psychotherapy, is the brain child of Bozena Merrick, who shared with Vivienne Silver-Leigh why she set it up, how it is progressing and her vision of its future development.Bozena, like others fleeing from the Communist regime of the 80's, came to the UK from Poland, in 1985; Her qualifications as a trained psychologist were not recognized, so she spent eight years at the Centre for Counselling and Psychotherapy Education, gaining UKCP and BACP qualifications and advanced diplomas, with a transpersonal and humanistic orientation.

The impact of a professional development program: a study from pakistan

In the context of a developing country with enormous problems in the quality of school education for the majority of children, this article seeks to reveal some insights into the impact of one teacher development program in two schools. The Advanced Diploma in School Management (ADISM) program was conducted by the Aga Khan University, Institute for Educational Development in Karachi, Pakistan, where there is increasing interest in studying the impact of all programs. An action research method was employed to develop case studies of two program graduates as they sought to bring change to their schools based on strategies of reflective practice and mentoring learnt during the ADISM program.

Interview with John Elliot, 6 December 2002

We were all sitting there waiting quietly for the introductory session of a two-year, part-time advanced diploma course at Luton Teachers' Centre. In rushed a guy in baggy corduroys, blue fisherman's smock, long hair streaming behind. He was carrying large brown boxes, full, I discovered later, of weighty volumes we were to grow to love much later: Stenhouse, Humanities Curriculum Project, R.S. Peters, Michael Oakeshott, Beyond the Numbers Game, and so on. One kindly student took pity, and went out to a tatty car to help with bundles of photocopied papers: ‘the ethics of what copyright law?’. These were to become our weekly struggle of bedtime reading, a basis for discussion in future seminars. I can still remember the titles. So this is what they meant by the ‘process model’, ‘teaching for understanding’, ‘philosophical analysis of classroom practice’ in the course brochure. And struggle was the right word. A discontinuity, a challenge to what we thought we knew, there was a stretching of constructs, an expansion of ideas, and application to our classrooms. Investigations illuminated our own theories of learning, and we related apparently jargonistic, irrelevant, academic concepts to urban school life.

The missing link in Australian tertiary education: short-cycle higher education

The blurring of the boundary between Australian vocational education and training and higher education is leading to a reconsideration of the current structure of Australian tertiary education. This paper starts with the main overlap of the Australian tertiary education sectors, diplomas and advanced diplomas. The ambiguous treatment of these programs and Australia’s unusually deep organisational separation of vocational education and training and higher education has made it difficult for governments to have an integrated tertiary education policy, and it has restricted vocational education and training’s role. By comparing arrangements for the highest sub baccalaureate qualifications in Aotearoa New Zealand, North America and the UK, known generically as short-cycle higher education, the paper develops some new options for Australia. The paper concludes by arguing that Australia should follow North American and UK examples and decouple the institutional and programmatic designations of the sectors to allow vocational education and training institutes to offer unambiguously higher education programs.