Staff In Australia Research Articles

Playing in the “Third Place”: How Games and Play Are Transforming Public Libraries

Games and play are a growing presence in public libraries, part of a suite of new spaces and services that respond to digitization and new urban policy imperatives. Drawing on observation of library spaces and interviews with library staff in Australia, Finland, and Singapore ( n = 27), we examine the myriad ways games and play are transforming the library: from its architectural design and furnishings to its daily rhythms, atmosphere, and acoustics. Games and play, we argue, are more than adjuncts to traditional library services. Often spilling out of designated zones and beyond the library’s walls, they mirror the wider integration of libraries into urban policy agendas and the city’s economic and cultural life. This trend underscores the growing tensions libraries face in balancing their conscription into instrumental objectives with their traditional role as “third places” bounded by the utilitarian demands of work and home.

Spread of Q fever in Bulgaria and risk assessment for animal health and public health in 2023

Q fever, first described among slaughterhouse staff in Australia in 1937, is now recognized as an endemic disease throughout the world, except New Zealand. Since this first description, knowledge of this pathogen and its associated infections has increased dramatically. From the public health point of view and economic consequences, Q fever is a zoonotic disease of high public importance, the etiological agent of which, Coxiella burnetii, is included in group B of the list of potential biological weapons of the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH, founded as OIE). The 14 positive cases of Q fever in humans in the Gabrovo Region (including 4 veterinarians and staff working on the farms) and the positive herds found in three cow farms and one sheep farm also raised concern. For this reason, it is important to recall the importance of this disease and the risks it poses to human and animal health, as well as to outline the necessary measures for surveillance and prevention of new cases. In relation with the detected positive cases of Q fever in humans (among them, farm owners and staff, veterinarians) and positive herds of large and small ruminants in the last five years in a number of regions of Bulgaria, we tracked and analyzed the spread of Coxiella burnetii and the possibilities for the control and eradication of the Q fever disease, as well as with the aim of establishing the trends in the prevalence of the disease and especially the relationship between the morbidity in humans and animals.

FC41: Music-assisted reminiscence therapy: Feasibility and use in practice

Objective:Reminiscence therapy is the examination of past memories to improve current mood and psychological functioning and is an evidence-based treatment for symptoms of late life psychological distress. Music is sometimes used in such therapy to prompt or enhance the recollection of memories; however, there is limited empirical research on the use and value of using music in reminiscence therapy. This presentation will discuss the findings of two studies exploring the feasibility and use of verbal reminiscence therapy (VRT) and music-assisted reminiscence therapy (MRT) from the perspectives of the older adult and the staff who care for them.Method:Study one surveyed 110 Australian workers in aged care to explore the extent to which VRT and MRT were used, how such interventions were delivered and viewed, and the benefits. Study two randomly assigned 8 older adults experiencing psychological distress to a single session of VRT or MRT. Pre and post measures of affect, memory experience, and a brief satisfaction interview were collected, along with measures of treatment fidelity.Results:For staff, simple reminiscence was the most frequently used approach across both VRT and MRT. Staff reported that both VRT and MRT are viewed as successful and regularly used interventions, that occur in spontaneous and creative ways in response to older clients’ needs. Staff reported outcomes such as enhanced social connections, improved affect and mood, and better care practices. Older adults reported that that VRT and MRT were equally acceptable and well tolerated. A pre-post pattern of improvement was observed for affect following VRT, and particularly MRT, suggesting both as promising interventions. MRT resulted in higher scores on memory experience characteristics such as vividness, coherence, and accessibility. The high treatment fidelity achieved in this study indicates that the interventions can be successfully implemented with this population.Conclusion:VRT and particularly MRT were viewed as successful, feasibility and acceptable interventions by older adults experiencing psychological distress, and direct care staff in Australia. These preliminary findings indicated MRT may provide therapeutic changes above and beyond VRT for older adults, and therefore large-scale clinical trials are warranted.

The Impact and Management of Mis/Disinformation at University Libraries in Australia

ABSTRACT Mis/disinformation has in recent political and health climates become increasingly spread through social media and the internet, drawing increased discussion on the role libraries play in countering and combating the spread of mis/disinformation. This study investigated the impact and management of mis/disinformation at university libraries in Australia through a survey of 88 library staff and interviews with 17 managers. Library staff believe they have a role in teaching skills such as critical thinking and evaluation, advocating in this space and maintaining credible, balanced and inclusive collections. Although combating mis/disinformation is a strategic priority for libraries, it is often not a priority for the institutions themselves, leading to barriers for staff who would like to devote more time and resources to teaching information literacy skills and assessing the credibility and accuracy of collections. While complaints about collection content are low and library managers’ view is that libraries should not censor materials, there is an increasing priority in Australia to address historical inaccuracies in content and build and maintain collections that are inclusive and culturally safe. Library staff in Australia would like support from national library bodies through training and resources and playing an advocacy role in national discussions around mis/disinformation.

Comparing Formal Public Sector Policy Staff: Organizing Principles, Composition, and Distribution in Anglophone Countries

This exploratory article examines the contemporary state of formal government policy staff in Australia, Britain, Canada, and New Zealand, contributing to the ongoing research seeking to understand the policy capacity of governments. It analyzes the size, composition, and distribution of the countries’ formal policy staff across government units. Comparative analysis reveals significant differences in the basic organizing approaches used to categorize policy staff as well as important differences in their numbers, composition, and distribution across government units. While uneven distributions characterize all four cases, there is significant variance in where staff work, their seniority, and functional classifications as “analysts” or “managers”. The analysis provides fresh insights into the nature and availability of policy analytical capacity within these governments. It also underscores major gaps in how governments collect and make available basic data on their policy staff, which raises questions about their ability to effectively manage and deploy those staff.

Psychological wellbeing of Australian community health service staff during the COVID-19 pandemic: a longitudinal cohort study

BackgroundHospital clinical staff have reported poor psychosocial wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Little is known about community health service staff who undertake various roles including education, advocacy and clinical services, and work with a range of clients. Few studies have collected longitudinal data. The aim of this study was to assess the psychological wellbeing of community health service staff in Australia during the COVID-19 pandemic at two time points in 2021.MethodsA prospective cohort design with an anonymous cross-sectional online survey administered at two time points (March/April 2021; n = 681 and September/October 2021; n = 479). Staff (clinical and non-clinical roles) were recruited from eight community health services in Victoria, Australia. Psychological wellbeing was assessed using the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21) and resilience using the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS). General linear models were used to measure the effects of survey time point, professional role and geographic location on DASS-21 subscale scores, adjusting for selected sociodemographic and health characteristics.ResultsThere were no significant differences in respondent sociodemographic characteristics between the two surveys. Staff’s mental health declined as the pandemic continued. Adjusting for dependent children, professional role, general health status, geographic location, COVID-19 contact status and country of birth; depression, anxiety and stress scores were significantly higher for respondents in the second survey than the first (all p < 0.001). Professional role and geographic location were not statistically significantly associated with scores on any of the DASS-21 subscales. Higher levels of depression, anxiety and stress were reported among respondents who were younger, and had less resilience or poorer general health.ConclusionsThe psychological wellbeing of community health staff was significantly worse at the time of the second survey than the first. The findings indicate that the COVID-19 pandemic has had an ongoing and cumulative negative impact on staff wellbeing. Staff would benefit from continued wellbeing support.

Staff perspectives on end-of-life care for people living with dementia in residential aged care homes: qualitative study.

People living with dementia in care homes can benefit from palliative approaches to care; however, not all will require specialist palliative care. The generalist aged care workforce is well placed to provide most of this care with adequate training and support systems in place, but little is known about their experiences. To describe staff perspectives on providing quality end-of-life care for people living with dementia in residential care and their families. Focus groups and semi-structured interviews were conducted with residential aged care managerial and frontline staff in Australia who were caring for residents living with dementia and end-of life needs. A comprehensive, then snowballing sampling strategy was used in participating care homes. Transcripts were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Fifteen semi-structured interviews and six focus groups were undertaken with 56 participants across 14 sites across two Australian states. Five themes were identified: putting the resident at the center (creating homes not hospitals, knowing the individual, a case management approach); articulating goals to grant wishes (initiating the conversation, broadening death literacy, avoiding hospitalization); a collective call to action (staffing the home, recognizing deterioration and escalating issues, communication channels and engaging GPs, managing medications, psychosocial supports); educating to empower staff (governance and guidance, mentoring juniors, self-care); and facilitating family acceptance (setting expectations, partnering in care, access at all hours). Aged care staff are committed to providing person-centered palliative and end-of-life care for people living with dementia, recognizing the intrinsic value of each resident, regardless of their declining state. Frontline and managerial staff consider advance care planning, collectively working as part of a multidisciplinary team, access to targeted palliative and end-of-life education and training, and engaging families as key priorities to providing high quality care in care homes.

Recognition and responses to intimate partner violence (IPV) in gambler's help services: A qualitative study

AbstractAccumulating evidence shows a strong association between gambling problems and reports of intimate partner violence (IPV) but provides limited guidance about how to respond to these issues in specialised gambling services. The aim of this study was thus to improve understanding of the potential role of gambling help providers in identifying and responding to IPV. This was addressed via 20 semistructured interviews with gambling help service staff in Australia (15 female and 5 male). Data were analysed in the context of a social constructivist approach to thematic analysis, which produced four themes: (1) “It's loaded with complexity,” which highlights the clinical complexity of clients who disclosed both gambling problems and IPV; (2) “The hidden nature of gambling and IPV,” describing stigma, shame and secrecy attached to both gambling and IPV; (3) “The big thing is putting it on the radar,” which outlined factors in the service context that either enabled client disclosures of IPV or kept it hidden; and (4) “It's everyone's business,” which described current approaches to interagency collaboration, with reference to factors that either limited or facilitated such responses to addressing IPV.

Worsening psychological wellbeing of Australian hospital clinical staff during three waves of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Objective This study aimed to assess and compare the psychological wellbeing of Australian hospital clinical staff at three timepoints during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Methods An anonymous, online, cross-sectional survey was conducted at three timepoints during the COVID-19 pandemic (T1: May-June 2020; T2: October-December 2020; T3: November 2021-January 2022). The surveys were completed by nurses, midwives, doctors and allied health staff employed at a large metropolitan tertiary health service located in Melbourne, Australia. The Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21) assessed respondents' psychological wellbeing in the past week. General linear models were used to measure the effects of survey timepoint on DASS-21 subscale scores, adjusting for selected sociodemographic and health characteristics. Results A total of 1470 hospital clinical staff completed at least one survey (T1: 668 (14.7%), T2: 358 (7.9%) and T3: 444 (9.8%)). Respondents' sociodemographic characteristics were similar across the three timepoints and within professional discipline groups. Respondents' psychological wellbeing was worse at T3 compared to the earlier survey timepoints. Adjusting for respondent characteristics, depression, anxiety and stress scores were significantly higher for respondents of the third survey compared to the first (P < 0.001). Conclusions There was a significant and persistent negative impact on the psychological wellbeing of hospital clinical staff in Australia across waves of the COVID-19 pandemic. Hospital clinical staff would benefit from ongoing and continued wellbeing support during and after pandemic waves.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Australian community health service staff's occupational and personal lives: a longitudinal study.

Little is known about the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on community health service staff. The aim of this study was to assess the immediate and longer-term psychosocial impacts of COVID-19 on community health service staff in Australia. A prospective cohort design with an anonymous cross-sectional online survey that was administered at two time points (March-April 2021; n =681 and September-October 2021; n =479). Staff (clinical and non-clinical) were recruited from eight community health services in Victoria, Australia. Study-specific questions evaluated the impact of COVID-19 on respondents' work and personal lives. Space was provided at the end of the surveys for free-text comments. There were no significant differences in respondent characteristics between the two surveys. At both survey time points, respondents were mostly concerned about their family's health. Compared to the first survey, survey two respondents were significantly more likely to report concerns about infecting family members (48.8% vs 41.6%, P =0.029), clients having COVID-19 (43.2% vs 36.2%, P =0.035), getting COVID-19 at work (53.7% vs 45.6%, P =0.014), not being prepared to care for clients with COVID-19 (27.5% vs 18.8%, P =0.006) and feeling more stress at work (63.7% vs 50.8%, P P =0.026). The COVID-19 pandemic has had a considerable impact on the work and personal lives of community health service staff. Staff would benefit from continued and targeted initiatives that address their wellbeing and concerns.

Exploring the relationship between co-worker and supervisor support, self- confidence, coping skills and burnout in residential aged care staff

BackgroundStaff working in residential aged care facilities face unique challenges and stressors in their workplaces which increase their risk for occupational burnout. Burnout in this workforce results in low job satisfaction, increased levels of absenteeism and poor retention rates. Given Australia’s ageing population and the demand for residential aged care staff, it is imperative to explore predictors of burnout in this cohort in order to help staff prevent and manage burnout.MethodsThis study examined the extent to which co-worker and supervisor support, self-confidence and adaptive coping skills predicted burnout among residential aged care staff, after controlling for staff demographics, organisational climate and work patterns. One hundred and thirty three residential aged care staff across Australia were surveyed using online questionnaires measuring levels of co-worker and supervisor support, self- confidence, adaptive coping skills and burnout.ResultsRegression analyses indicated that, overall, co-worker and supervisor support, self-confidence, and adaptive coping predicted each dimension of burnout (emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and personal accomplishment). After controlling for covariates and other predictors: confidence significantly predicted all three dimensions; support significantly predicted emotional exhaustion and depersonalization, and adaptive coping significantly predicted emotional exhaustion.ConclusionThese findings suggest that co-worker and supervisor support, self- confidence and adaptive coping skills need to be addressed to prevent and manage occupational burnout for residential aged care staff in Australia.

Beyond ‘what works’: implementing sex offender treatment programs in the ‘real world’

Extending the ‘what works’ tradition in correctional research, realist evaluation approaches champion the need to understand the nuances of program implementation and effectiveness, asking “what works, for whom, in what circumstances, in what respects, and how?”. This highlights the importance of understanding how programs work in ‘real world’ settings, and not simply whether or not they produce a positive outcome overall. Informed by this approach, the current study employed focus groups and interviews with corrective services programs staff in Australia, to explore factors that impact program success and key program implementation considerations. Findings reveal system-, program-, and individual- level factors that appear to impact program success, largely by constraining program delivery. Identified implementation considerations included program design and delivery, and staffing and resources. By examining the nuances of program delivery, this study provides a better understanding of the ‘real-world’ operation of custodial sex offender treatment programs, and adds important context to reported outcome studies.

Academic developers’ perceptions of support for sessional staff in Australia

ABSTRACT There is a need to understand sessional staff experiences of professional development in universities, and as academic developers play a key part in university teaching and learning, they are well placed to provide this insight. The aim of this phenomenological study was to explore academic developers’ perceptions of support and development for sessional staff in universities. A national multi-institutional qualitative study was conducted with seven academic developers in five Australian universities. Findings highlight sessional staff development is not prioritised in universities, but there may be opportunities to enhance support for sessional staff at the department level.

Building Public Confidence in Parole Boards: Findings From a Four-Country Study

Abstract Parole and parole boards play critical roles in criminal justice systems. With parolee numbers and imprisonment rates increasing in many countries, parole decision-making is a crucial contributor to prison population sizes and, more broadly, public confidence in the operation of correctional systems. This article examines the public understanding of and confidence in parole, from the perspectives of parole board members and other parole authority staff. It aims to determine whether and, if so, how, public opinion influences parole decision-making and how parole boards feel they can or should respond to this. It draws on interviews with 80 parole board members and other relevant staff in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Scotland.

The Taint of The Other: Prison Work as ‘Dirty Work’ In Australia

This article explores how prison staff in Australia view their work and how their work is viewed by others, by applying a theoretical framework of ‘dirty work’. ‘Dirty work’ is a social construction that refers to tasks that are ‘physically, socially or morally tainted’ ( Ashforth and Kreiner, 1999 ; Hughes, 1958 ) and this article will apply this concept to prison staff in Australia for the first time. The discussion is based on qualitative research in seven different Australian prisons, ranging from high to low security. The article illustrates how staff responds to working in a ‘dirty’ profession by reframing, refocusing, and recalibrating their daily work tasks; how the staff uniform can be utilised as a status shield and protector from taint; and how the stigma of ‘dirtiness’ tends to foster strong occupational and workgroup cultures which in turn makes cultural change of a profession difficult. The consequences of the dirty work stigma for staff and prisoners are discussed, with a focus on informal interactions, case work and dynamic security.

Building a Vibrant Future for School Librarians through Online Conversations for Professional Development

Technology and social media platforms are driving an unprecedented reorganization of the learning environment in and beyond schools around the world. Technology provides us leadership challenges, and at the same time offers opportunities for communication and learning through technology channels to support professional development. School librarians and teacher librarians are often working as the sole information practitioner in their school, and need to stay in touch with others beyond their own school to develop their personal professional capacity to lead within their school. The Australian Teacher Librarian Network aims to make a difference, and supports school library staff in Australia and around the world to build professional networks and personal learning connections, offering an open and free exchange of ideas, strategies and resources to build collegiality. This ongoing professional conversation through online and social media channels is an important way to connect, communicate and collaborate in building a vibrant future for school librarians.

Breaking the COVID-19 Barriers to Health Professional Team Training With Online Simulation.

Summary StatementThe COVID-19 pandemic led to disruption of most interprofessional simulation workshops in our center, including the obstetric and neonatal emergency simulation or ONE-Sim workshops for medical, nursing, midwifery students, and health professional staff in Australia and overseas.We devised online versions of the workshop for students and staff. In this report, we describe the details of these innovative online workshops. This has enabled us to continue this vital simulation-based education during the pandemic, when strict lockdowns, physical distance requirements, and travel restrictions precluded the usual conduct of these workshops.The online workshops were well received by students and staff in Australia and overseas. Some important lessons that were learned from the preliminary experience of these workshops are detailed in this report.

Scientists in pyjamas: characterising the working arrangements and productivity of Australian medical researchers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

To characterise the working arrangements of medical research scientists and support staff in Australia during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to evaluate factors (in particular: wearing pyjamas) that influence the self-assessed productivity and mental health of medical institute staff working from home. Prospective cohort survey study, 30 April - 18 May 2020. Staff (scientists and non-scientists) and students at five medical research institutes in Sydney, New South Wales. Self-assessed overall and task-specific productivity, and mental health. The proportions of non-scientists and scientists who wore pyjamas during the day were similar (3% v 11%; P=0.31). Wearing pyjamas was not associated with differences in self-evaluated productivity, but was significantly associated with more frequent reporting of poorer mental health than non-pyjama wearers while working from home (59% v 26%; P<0.001). Having children in the home were significantly associated with changes in productivity. Larger proportions of people with toddlers reported reduced overall productivity (63% v 32%; P=0.008), and reduced productivity in writing manuscripts (50% v 17%; P=0.023) and data analysis (63% v 23%; P=0.002). People with primary school children more frequently reported reduced productivity in writing manuscripts (42% v 16%; P=0.026) and generating new ideas (43% v 19%; P=0.030). On a positive note, the presence of children in the home was not associated with changes in mental health during the pandemic. In contrast to established researchers, early career researchers frequently reported reduced productivity while working at home. Our findings are probably applicable to scientists in other countries. They may help improve work-from-home policies by removing the stigma associated with pyjama wearing during work and by providing support for working parents and early career researchers.

In Australasia, gender is still on the agenda in geosciences

Abstract. Diversity and inclusion in the workplace optimise performance through the input of a range of perspectives and approaches that drive innovation and invention. However, gender inequity is prevalent throughout society and females remain underrepresented in geoscience careers. This study provides the current status of gender equity in geosciences throughout Australasia within the context of broader gender equity policy, frameworks and initiatives and suggests additional solutions and opportunities to improve gender equity and the retention of women in the geoscience workforce. At an individual institutional level in academia, females make up between 23 %–52 % of the total geoscience departmental or school staff in Australia, 26 %–39 % of the total staff in New Zealand, 29 % of total staff at the University of Papua New Guinea and 18 % at the University of the South Pacific. Significant gender imbalance exists at more senior levels, with disproportionately more males than females, a pattern typical of many Science Technology Engineering and Maths (STEM) disciplines. Gender inequity is prevalent within the general membership, committee roles and in award recipients of Australasian geoscience professional associations. Within the Geological Society of Australia and Geoscience Society of New Zealand, only 4 % (n=47) and 18 % (n=161), respectively of past award recipients for national and general awards were female. All past awards considered in this study that are named in honour of a person were named in honour of a man (n=9). In recent years, women-focused networks have begun to play an invaluable role to support the retention and promotion of women in geosciences and provide a supportive mentoring environment to discuss challenges and share advice. The improved visibility of women in the geoscientific community is an ongoing issue that can in part be addressed through the development of public databases of women geoscientists. These provide a list of women geoscientists that encourages and supports the achievement of gender balance of invited talks, job shortlisting and on panels, as well as in the media. This work highlights that more must be done to actively reduce and eliminate sexual harassment and assault in university and field environments. We emphasise that particular efforts are required to make geoscience careers more inclusive and safer, through the establishment of specific codes of conduct for field trips. Shared learning of best practices from evidence-based approaches and innovative solutions will also be of value in creating positive change. Greater engagement from the wider geoscientific community, and society in general, is required for the success of gender equity initiatives. Identified solutions and opportunities must target all levels of education and career development. Additional data in future should be collected to look beyond gender to monitor and assess intersectionality. Improved efforts to understand why women leave STEM careers will help to address the “leaky pipeline” and determine the initiatives that will be most effective in creating long term sustainable change.

Managing healthcare worker well‐being in an Australian emergency department during the COVID‐19 pandemic

Emergency Medicine staff in Australia and New Zealand are at the forefront of the healthcare response to COVID‐19. This article describes a well‐being plan for ED staff that has been devised to mitigate against the negative psychological impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic.