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Second career preservice teachers’ perceptions about the out-of-field teaching phenomenon might influence career decisions, such as retention and attrition. A target group of 133 second career graduating Master of Teaching students voluntarily participated in this mixed method study which offered findings through analysed open and Likert-scale questions and semi-structured interview data. The pilot offers new information about second career preservice teachers’ perceptions about their possible involvement in out-of-field teaching practices and the phenomenon’s implications for capabilities, skills knowledge, self-efficacy, support needs and professional identity. A critical reflection on quality teaching and teacher training programs, and preparation for the teaching profession form the foundation for further research in this field. The analyses further stimulate a deeper understanding of the future second career teaching workforce and perceptions of support resources. Practitioner Notes 1. What is the focus of development (capabilities, skills, knowledge)? 2. What is the role of reflective practice (in situ, post) for individual staff (reflecting on personal development, reflecting on the field of academic / faculty development)? 3. How do we resource the development of teaching practice? 4. How understanding teaching practice and the out-of-field teaching phenomenon will contribute to improving academics’ views regarding the preparation of preservice teachers for workplace challenges and practice teaching 5. How can the information from this investigation develop teaching practice linked to possible out-of-field teaching positions to improve preparedness and support? 6. The pilot unveils information to support academics’ critical reflection on the alignment of current workplace concerns to the reality of preservice teacher preparation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intravenous thrombolysis with tissue plasminogen activator (IV-tPA) is standard treatment for acute ischaemic stroke in Australia for those who meet the criteria. Its benefit, in terms of favourable outcome, is restricted to approximately 50% of patients with the remainder left severely disabled or dead. In 2012 the DRAGON score was developed and based on pre-treatment clinical parameters to predict the functional outcome post-thrombolysis in acute stroke. We aim to validate the DRAGON score in an Australian Safe Implementation of Treatment in Stroke (SITS) cohort and further refine parameters to enhance its prognostic power. We performed a retrospect review of 1561 thrombolysis patients (853 male, 708 female) from 15 Australian hospitals registered in the SITS registry between 2004 and June 2013. Relevant pre-treatment DRAGON score variables and 3 month outcome data were available for 1172 patients (649 male, 523 female). Further refinement of the score was achieved via analysis to estimate effect of independent variables on good versus miserable outcome. Logistic regression with clustering (with respect to different participating hospitals and their location) was used to derive the improved DRAGON score. Further comparison of the DRAGON scores was conducted by means of the receiver operating characteristic curve approach. As a result of the conducted logistic regression analysis, the original DRAGON score has been validated and refined (including the new weights for the considered risk factors) in the Australian context of a SITS cohort. Complete results will be presented at ANZAN Annual Scientific meeting 2014. The DRAGON score is an important pre-treatment prognostic tool to predict the functional outcome of patients undergoing thrombolysis for acute stroke and is validated in an Australian SITS cohort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]