Nursing in Australia : Contemporary Professional and Practice Insights

Graduate nurses are expected to 'hit the ground running', taking on complex care challenges in a stressful and fast-paced environment. This comprehensive yet accessible textbook provides expert guidance for students and commencing nurses on the contexts for their practice. Part 1 presents a pragmatic insight into the intersection, tensions and complexities of practice and professional issues for Australian nurses. It outlines the nature of nursing roles and professional codes of conduct, national health priority areas and legal and ethical issues including the growing use of health informatics. There is an examination of the diverse career paths available in nursing, a focus on nurses' mental health and well-being and a special examination of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health issues. Part 2 unpacks key issues across a range of clinical contexts that will be a key resource for clinical practicums. Contexts covered include acute care, community nursing, paediatric nursing, mental health nursing and aged care. Part 3 examines the professional and practice issues of nursing in diverse, distinctive and emergent practice areas including aesthetic nursing, military nursing and international nursing with case studies and vignettes highlighting common issues and challenges. Drawing on the expertise of a wide range of Australian clinical and academic nursing professionals, this text is a key reference for all nursing undergraduates seeking to enter successfully into the profession.

Nathan J. Wilson is an Associate Professor in the School of Nursing and Midwifery at Western Sydney University. Nathan is a registered nurse with over 30 years’ experience in working with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families as a nurse, manager, clinical specialist, clinical educator, applied researcher and independent consultant. Nathan’s applied research is focussed on enhancing the health, wellbeing and social participation of people with intellectual and developmental disability, with an underlying emphasis on chronic illness, men’s health, masculinity, participation and social inclusion. He has published over 90 scientific papers about disability and regularly presents his findings at national and international conferences.

Peter Lewis is a Senior Lecturer and Director of Academic Workforce at the School of Nursing and Midwifery at the Western Sydney University. Peter has more than 20 years' experience as a registered nurse in paediatrics with a focus on chronic illness and disability. His current research interest is in the nursing care of people with intellectual disability.

Leanne Hunt is a Senior Lecturer in Nursing and Deputy Director, Clinical Education (Nursing), in the School of Nursing and Midwifery at the Western Sydney University and Registered Nurse at Liverpool Hospital Intensive Care Unit. Leanne began nursing in 1992 as an RN progressing to CNC (trauma) and NUM 1. Leanne worked in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in paediatric cardiothoracic intensive care for 2 years. She has 10 years of education and research experience and is the current chair of the Critical Care Research in Collaboration & Evidence Translation (CCRICET) research group. Leanne is also an affiliate member of the Centre for Applied Nursing Research (CANR), Centre for Oral Health Outcomes & Research Translation (COHORT) and the Ingham Institute of Applied Medical Research. Leanne’s research interests include clinical practice experience, critical care and nursing education.

Lisa Whitehead is a Professor of Nursing Research and Associate Dean Research, School of Nursing and Midwifery at Edith Cowan University. Lisa’s research centres on improving health outcomes for people living with chronic conditions, self-management interventions and working with families to support the management of chronic conditions. Engagement with clinicians and conducting research in real world settings underpin all of her research activities with the goal of implementing evidence-based change into practice.