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The article presents a study that deals with the expectations, support and workloads wanted by new graduate registered nurses from jobs in remote communities in Australia. The 2008/2009 study was conducted by the University of Sydney Broken Hill Department of Rural Health and the Broken Hill Health Service covering newly graduate registered nurses with six participants being former enrolled nurses. For new graduates, they expect being provided with a supportive learning environment. They claim that they need support to transition from theory practice.

Aim The aim of this study was to assess student nurses’ knowledge of and attitudes towards pressure injury prevention evidence-based guidelines. Background Pressure injuries are a substantial problem in many healthcare settings causing major harm to patients, and generating major economic costs for health service providers. Nurses have a crucial role in the prevention of pressure injuries across all health care settings. Design A multi-centered, cross-sectional study was conducted using a paper-based questionnaire with undergraduate nursing students enrolled in seven universities with campuses across five Australian states (Queensland, New South Wales, Western Australia, Victoria and Tasmania). Methods Data were collected from nursing students using two validated instruments (Pressure Ulcer Knowledge Assessment Instrument and Attitude Toward Pressure Ulcer Prevention Instrument), to measure students’ pressure injury prevention knowledge and attitudes. Results Students reported relatively low pressure injury prevention knowledge scores (51%), and high attitude scores (78%). Critical issues in this study were nursing students’ lack of knowledge about preventative strategies to reduce the amount and duration of pressure/shear, and lower confidence in their capability to prevent pressure injury. Level of education and exposure to working in a greater number of different clinical units were significantly related to pressure injury prevention knowledge and attitude scores. Conclusion The study findings highlight the need to implement a comprehensive approach to increasing Australian nursing students’ pressure injury prevention and management knowledge, as well as ensuring that these students have adequate experiences in clinical units, with a high focus on pressure injury prevention to raise their personal capability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on the analysis of data from undergraduate nursing students who participated in the Primary Health Care Intensive Programme (PHCIP) in far west New South Wales between 2006 and 2008. This analysis looks specifically at pre/post confidence levels of participants in relation to their grasp of underlying principles associated with primary health care practice and Indigenous health care delivery. Bachelor of nursing curricula remains heavily weighted towards acute care in large metropolitan facilities however; universities actively seek clinical fieldwork experiences in rural/remote and Indigenous communities for their students. The PHCIP was developed and delivered through the Broken Hill University Department of Rural Health, University of Sydney, and sought to address the disparity in student preparedness for practice in these settings through the provision of a structured and educational rural and remote clinical placement experience. Pre/post questionnaires, focus groups and three month post-placement phone interviews provided data on levels of participant confidence in the areas of primary health care delivery and culturally knowledgeable practice. This study indicates that structured preparation for practice, underpinned by authentic learning experiences and aligned with comprehensive education programmes can have a positive impact in the areas of skills, knowledge and attitudes and enhance the confidence of undergraduate nurses undertaking clinical placements in these settings. These findings are relevant to contemporary nursing education and evolving models of health care delivery for rural and remote communities., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)