Masters Practice Projects

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https://hdl.handle.net/10292/10895
The Masters Practice Projects collection contains digital copies of AUT masters practice projects deposited with the Library since 2017 and made available open access.

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Browsing Masters Practice Projects by Supervisor "Blamires, Julie"

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
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    Early Discharge for Preterm Infants Partially Tube Feeding
    (Auckland University of Technology, 2023) King, Andrea
    Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU) and Special Care Baby Units (SCBU) around the world have adopted the practice of discharging late preterm infants home partially tube feeding, enabling infants to complete the transition to full oral feeds at home. The detrimental effects separation has on mental health and the parent-infant attachment when infants remain in neonatal units is well researched, thus getting infants home to their natural environment as soon as possible is crucial to reduce long term implications of prolonged NICU stays. The aim of this project was to develop a pathway for earlier discharge for pre-term infants partially tube feeding. Early discharge support packages implemented within New Zealand and internationally were reviewed and used as a guide to tailor a package for a Special Care Baby Unit in Hawkes Bay hospital. The potential financial gains of discharging infants’ home two weeks earlier was illustrated by comparing home visits to hospital stays. The support networks within Hawke Bay Special Care Baby unit were discussed, outlining what each service can provide with the aim of creating a collaborative and supportive pathway for infants and their families in the community. To guide this project, Rosswurm and Larrabee’s (1999) model for change to evidence-based practice was utilised. Moving through the steps of this model, an early discharge pilot proposal was developed along with key stakeholders to explore what input and timeframes each service can provide necessary to assess the feasibility of implementing this proposed practice change in our unit.
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    Improving the Time to Antibiotic Administration in Paediatric Febrile Neutropenia: Implementation of a Clinical Care Pathway in Saudi Arabia
    (Auckland University of Technology, 2021) Pole, Maddi
    Febrile neutropenia is a commonly experienced condition in patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment or immunosuppressive therapies. Most chemotherapy patients will experience febrile neutropenia at least once in their treatment course. Febrile neutropenic infections develop and spread faster in those with inadequate immunity. In the paediatric population, timeliness and effective antibiotic treatment is paramount to avoiding long term organ damage, and septic related deaths. Best evidence suggests that antibiotic treatment, intravenous fluid resuscitation and blood test investigations should be completed within an hour of arrival to an emergency department for febrile neutropenic patients. This time frame is crucial in the prevention of potential organ damage, which can occur with as little as 3 hours of uncontrolled and untreated febrile neutropenia. Saudi Arabia had an average time to antibiotic administration of 3 hours and 48 minutes. The aim of this project was to develop and implement a clinical care pathway to guide health care professionals to adequately treat febrile neutropenia in the paediatric population in Saudi Arabia. Through a synthesis of current evidence, international best care practice and local guidelines, a pathway was developed. This pathway was implemented and reviewed in accordance with Rosswurm and Larrabee’s (1999) 6-step model for change to evidence practice, and the success and results of this project initiative are described in full below.
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    Supporting Chronic Cardiac Illness Self-Management in Young People: How Can We Optimise Health Information Delivery in the Paediatric Cardiology Outpatient Department
    (Auckland University of Technology, 2022) Anderson, Nicola Mary
    Congenital heart disease is estimated to be the second most common chronic illness globally. In New Zealand it affects almost 500 babies every year. In addition, rates of acquired heart disease such as rheumatic heart disease are also high, predominately affecting Māori and Pacific Island populations, and those living in low socioeconomic areas of the North Island. Advances in surgical intervention and wrap around care has meant there is a growing population of young people and adults living with congenital and acquired heart disease. To ensure these individuals develop the ability to self-manage their chronic illness as they move through their cardiac journey, they must be provided with the knowledge and skills to do so. The aim of this project was to explore how healthcare providers from a paediatric cardiology outpatient department, prepare children and young people for self-management of their chronic illness. Rosswurm and Larrabee’s (2009) model of evidence-based practice change provided the framework for this project. Through observing healthcare professionals in the clinical setting and reviewing best evidence literature there were six key areas of cardiac health information that were identified and should be discussed at an outpatient clinic. They were recognised as being important in maximising health and well-being and supporting self-management in paediatric cardiology. The delivery of these should be multimodal, delivered in a developmentally appropriate manner and time, ensuring that the child, young person, and their family have understood and can build on the information delivered to them. The project allowed the opportunity to reflect on our current practice of delivering health information to support self-management. Key recommendations were identified which included having a nurse specialist present in the outpatient clinic, consistent use of multimodal cardiac and health information strategies and the development of an interactive app or passport for cardiac children and families that incorporates the many facets of their cardiac journey. It also highlighted potential research for the future that would explore the experiences of health education among children, young people with congenital and acquired heart disease and their families, as well as their perceptions of preparedness for self-management.
Practice projects are protected by the Copyright Act 1994 (New Zealand). The research projects may be consulted by you, provided you comply with the provisions of the Act and the following conditions of use:
  • Any use you make of these documents or images must be for research or private study purposes only, and you may not make them available to any other person.
  • Authors control the copyright of their research projects. You will recognise the author’s right to be identified as the author of the research project, and due acknowledgement will be made to the author where appropriate.
  • You will obtain the author’s permission before publishing any material from the research project.