Utilization of the STOP-Bang Questionnaire as a Standardized Screening Tool for Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Veteran Administration Surgical Patients.

PURPOSE: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) affects an estimated 20% of the adult surgical population. Veteran patients have many characteristics consistent with OSA, but lack of standardized screening results in decreased detection of patients at risk for OSA. DESIGN: Pre-post implementation design. METHODS: Preanesthesia clinic providers were educated about OSA and the STOP-Bang questionnaire. Chart reviews evaluating screening and patient demographics were conducted before and after intervention. FINDINGS: Thirty-one percent of patients had an established diagnosis of OSA. Compliance rates with preoperative STOP-Bang screening were 91.3%. Of patients screened preoperatively, 44% were at risk for OSA with a STOP-Bang score of 4 or greater. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of patients among the Veteran population with and at risk for OSA is higher than the general population. Utilization of the STOP-Bang questionnaire as a standardized preoperative screening tool in preanesthesia clinics can increase the identification of patients at risk for OSA.

Developing nurses' intercultural/intraprofessional communication skills using the EXCELLence in Cultural Experiential Learning and Leadership Social Interaction Maps.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To examine how the use of Social Interaction Maps, a tool in the EXCELLence in Cultural Experiential Learning and Leadership Program, can enhance the development of nurses' intercultural/intraprofessional communication skills. BACKGROUND: Nurses face communication challenges when interacting with others from similar background as well as those from a culturally and linguistically diverse background. We used the EXCELLence in Cultural Experiential Learning and Leadership Program's Social Interaction Maps tool to foster intercultural/intraprofessional communication skills in nurses. Social Interaction Maps describe verbal and nonverbal communication behaviours that model ways of communicating in a culturally appropriate manner. The maps include four stages of an interaction, namely Approach, Bridging, Communicating and Departing using the acronym ABCD. DESIGN: Qualitative approach was used with a purposeful sample of nurses enrolled in a postgraduate course. METHODS: Fifteen participants were recruited. The Social Interaction Map tool was taught to participants in a workshop where they engaged in sociocultural communication activities using scenarios. Participants were asked to apply Social Interaction Maps in their workplaces. Six weeks later, participants completed a semistructured open-ended questionnaire and participated in a discussion forum on their experience of using Social Interaction Maps. Data were content-analysed. RESULTS: Four themes identified in the use of the Social Interaction Maps were (i) enhancing self-awareness of communication skills; (ii) promoting skills in being nonconfrontational during difficult interactions; (iii) highlighting the importance of A (Approach) and B (Bridging) in interaction with others; and (iv) awareness of how others interpret what is said C (Communicating) and discussing to resolve issues before closure D (Departing). CONCLUSIONS: Application of the EXCELLence in Cultural Experiential Learning and Leadership Social Interaction Mapping tool was shown to be useful in developing intercultural/intraprofessional communication skills in nurses. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Professional development programmes that incorporate EXCELLence in Cultural Experiential Learning and Leadership Social Interaction Maps can enhance nurses' intercultural/intraprofessional communication competencies when engaging with others from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and improve the way nurses communicate with each other.

Introducing the FAIR Principles for research software.

Research software is a fundamental and vital part of research, yet significant challenges to discoverability, productivity, quality, reproducibility, and sustainability exist. Improving the practice of scholarship is a common goal of the open science, open source, and FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable) communities and research software is now being understood as a type of digital object to which FAIR should be applied. This emergence reflects a maturation of the research community to better understand the crucial role of FAIR research software in maximising research value. The FAIR for Research Software (FAIR4RS) Working Group has adapted the FAIR Guiding Principles to create the FAIR Principles for Research Software (FAIR4RS Principles). The contents and context of the FAIR4RS Principles are summarised here to provide the basis for discussion of their adoption. Examples of implementation by organisations are provided to share information on how to maximise the value of research outputs, and to encourage others to amplify the importance and impact of this work.

Pharmacy practitioners' lived experiences of culture in multicultural Australia: From perceptions to skilled practice.

OBJECTIVES: The Code of Ethics of pharmacy practitioners in Australia recognises the obligation to provide care to patients in a culturally safe and responsive manner. The aim of this exploratory study was to examine how Australian community pharmacists understand and experience the concept of 'culture' in their everyday practice environment. METHODS: Voluntary, semi-structured interviews were conducted at community pharmacy placement sites in South-East Queensland, Australia. Pharmacists were asked to recall an incident that evoked their cultural awareness during the course of their practice. The question stated, verbatim: "We are preparing our students to be pharmacists in a highly multicultural community. Can you think of an incident where you learnt something about another person's culture or it made you more aware of your own culture? Please briefly describe the incident." Reportable responses were collected from 59 of the 92 visited pharmacists. These responses were audio-recorded and transcribed. The data were collated and analysed through iterative, reflexive, thematic analysis using constant comparison. RESULTS AND SIGNIFICANCE: The responses provided a rich selection of lived experiences within Australian multicultural pharmacy practice, describing professional dilemmas, fears and the strategies employed to overcome practice challenges. Six main response categories were identified: (i) Language/communication challenges, (ii) Cultural attitudes and behaviours, (iii) Exposure to culture due to pharmacy location, (iv) Religion, gender, and age, (v) Prejudiced/perceived racist attitudes and discrimination towards 'other' cultures, (vi) Perceived 'sameness' of different cultures. The study has provided valuable insights into community pharmacists' experiences of culture in their day-to-day professional practice, also highlighting the associated strategies used to maintain a high standard of practice. There is merit in ensuring that the pharmacy curriculum and professional development programs are designed to respond to the ethical obligation of pharmacists to practise in a culturally safe, responsive manner that acknowledges and incorporates the importance of culture, cultural differences and intercultural relations, while addressing culturally unique needs in a skilled and professional manner.

Four simple recommendations to encourage best practices in research software.

Scientific research relies on computer software, yet software is not always developed following practices that ensure its quality and sustainability. This manuscript does not aim to propose new software development best practices, but rather to provide simple recommendations that encourage the adoption of existing best practices. Software development best practices promote better quality software, and better quality software improves the reproducibility and reusability of research. These recommendations are designed around Open Source values, and provide practical suggestions that contribute to making research software and its source code more discoverable, reusable and transparent. This manuscript is aimed at developers, but also at organisations, projects, journals and funders that can increase the quality and sustainability of research software by encouraging the adoption of these recommendations.

Strategies used by nurses, academics and students to overcome intercultural communication challenges.

Nurse clinicians and academics need to understand intercultural communication challenges to improve their communication skills and better support students' learning. Gaps exist in the literature regarding intercultural communication resources for students, academics and clinicians. The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of clinical nurses, nurse academics, and student nurses regarding intercultural communication challenges. Data were collected using focus group interviews with nineteen clinical facilitators (nurses who supervise nursing students in clinical practice), five clinical nurses, and ten nursing students. Seven nurse academics were interviewed via telephone. The purposive sample was drawn from a tertiary hospital and a university in Australia. Participants were invited to discuss challenging intercultural scenarios they had experienced including strategies they used to overcome such challenges. Using qualitative content analysis data were analysed resulting in four categories which were: 1) prejudice based on cultural diversity; 2) unfamiliarity with cultural boundaries; 3) stereotyping cultural behaviours; and 4) difficulty understanding English. Strategies participants used to mitigate challenges included resorting to cultural validation through alliance building, proactively seeking clarification, and acquiring cultural awareness knowledge. This study highlights intercultural challenges students, clinicians and academics face and signpost the way forward with useful strategies to better inform nurse education.

Communication Capacity Building through Pharmacy Practice Simulation.

Objective. To examine the effectiveness of simulated learning modules (SLMs) encompassing EXcellence in Cultural Experiential Learning and Leadership (EXCELL) core competencies in enhancing pharmacy students' professional communication skills. Methods. Students completed three hours of preparatory lectures and eight hours of workshops comprising six SLMs themed around pharmacy practice and pharmacy placements. Each SLM comprised role-plays with actors, facilitation using EXCELL Social Interaction Maps (SIMs), and debriefing. Evaluations of SLMs included quantitative and qualitative survey responses collected before, during and after workshops, and after placements. Facilitators reflected on SLMs as a pedagogic modality. Results. Student feedback was positive about SLMs as an effective learning tool. The majority indicated areas of new learning and found SLMs enhanced their professional skills and confidence. Facilitator feedback was positive, and suggested SLM optimization strategies. Conclusion. Student and teaching team recommendations will inform future curriculum development including the optimization of SLMs in pharmacy education.

Implementing simulated learning modules to improve students' pharmacy practice skills and professionalism.

BACKGROUND: Effective communication enables healthcare professionals and students to practise their disciplines in a professional and competent manner. Simulated-based education (SBE) has been increasingly used to improve students' communication and practice skills in Health Education. OBJECTIVE: Simulated learning modules (SLMs) were developed using practice-based scenarios grounded in effective communication competencies. The effect of the SLMs on Pharmacy students' (i) Practice skills and (ii) Professionalism were evaluated. METHODS: SLMs integrating EXCELL competencies were applied in the classroom to study their effect on a number of learning outcomes. EXcellence in Cultural Experiential Learning and Leadership (EXCELL) Program is a schematic, evidence-based professional development resource centred around developing participants' self-efficacy and generic communication competencies. Students (N=95) completed three hours of preliminary lectures and eight hours of SLM workshops including six scenarios focused on Pharmacy Practice and Experiential Placements. Each SLM included briefing, role-plays with actors, facilitation, and debriefing on EXCELL social interaction maps (SIMs). Evaluations comprised quantitative and qualitative survey responsed by students before and post-workshops, and post-placements, and teachers' reflections. Surveys examine specific learning outcomes by using pharmacy professionalism and pharmacy practice effectiveness scales. Responses were measured prior to the commencement of SLMs, after completion of the two workshops and after students completed their block placement. Self-report measures enabled students to self-assess whether any improvements occurred. RESULTS: Student responses were overwhelmingly positive and indicated significant improvements in their Pharmacy practice and professionalism skills, and commitment to professional ethics. Qualitative feedback strongly supported students' improved communication skills and confidence. Teacher reflections observed ecological validity of SLMs as a method to enhance professionalism and communication skills, and suggested ways to improve this teaching modality. CONCLUSION: Inclusion of SLMs centred on practice and professionalism was evaluated as an effective, teaching strategy by students and staff. The integration of SIMs in SLMs has potential for wider application in clinical teaching.

Fostering cultural inclusiveness and learning in culturally mixed business classes.

BACKGROUND: Business educators have advocated that in order to build faculty's intercultural capability, it is vital to provide them with professional development in using intercultural training resources and with "community of practice" support in adapting such resources for enhancing their students' intercultural learning. This approach has been adopted in an Australian action research project titled "Internationalisation at Home" (IaH), which involved providing faculty with professional development adapted from an established intercultural training resource - the EXCELL (Excellence in Cultural Experiential Learning and Leadership) Program. CASE DESCRIPTION: In this paper, we present two case studies of the implementation of the IaH Project in business schools at the University of Canberra and at Griffith University. Lessons learned from the first study were incorporated in the design and evaluation of the second one. Faculty leaders will describe how they engage and support colleagues in adapting components of EXCELL to foster cultural inclusiveness and facilitate students' intercultural competence development. As part of project evaluation, we hypothesised that students who participated in IaH courses would report greater levels of (1) cultural inclusiveness in their educational environment, and (2) cultural learning development, compared with students who were not enrolled in IaH courses. Research participants in the Canberra case study comprised an intervention group of 140 business undergraduates enrolled in an IaH course, and a control group of 59 non-IaH undergraduates. At Griffith, participants were 211 first year management students in the intervention group and 84 students enrolled in a non-IaH first year course. DISCUSSION AND EVALUATION: In each case study, an end-of-semester survey showed that students who had completed courses with the IaH project intervention reported significantly greater levels of perceived cultural inclusiveness in multicultural classes, and of cultural learning development, than students in the control group. Faculty's reflections on project processes and outcomes further suggest that implementing strategic, structured active learning interventions such as in the IaH Project, could bring about more productive social interactions in multicultural classes and benefit domestic and especially international students. We will discuss implications of the findings for students' intercultural learning, faculty's needs for continual professional development, and the role of institutional support in intercultural competence development.