Advancing understanding of health professionals’ work and communication patterns and the effectiveness of work reform initiatives

ARC Discovery ($512,051 2011-2013) Investigators Westbrook J Dunsmuir W Duffield C.

This cross university research partnership looks at the health systems internationally need to improve productivity and the way in which hospital staff work together. These three researchers will focus on delivering new methods, information and theoretical advances to support the design and evaluation of future health care workforce reform initiatives.

Effective clinical handover communication: improving patient safety, experiences and outcomes

ARC Linkage ($718,245 2011-2013) Investigators Slade, D.M., Manias, E., Battersby, M., Scheeres, H.B., Della, P.R., Jureidini, J.N., Jones, D.A., Sorensen, R., Farrell, L.E., Watson, B.M.

This project aims to contribute new knowledge for improvements in handover communication which will be shared across hospitals and health departments nationally to improve patient safety and reduce healthcare costs. This project brings together the collaborative work of a large number of leading researchers both nationally and internationally.

Observation and Response Charts: Usability Testing and Piloting

Tender awards by the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care ($167,486 2010-2011) Investigators Elliott D, McKinley S, Perry L, Duffield C, Roche M, Sorensen R, Iedema R, Gallagher R, Fry M.

This study will assess the performance of four types of Observation and Response Charts (ORC) in a clinical environment. The focus is on usability testing to examine whether the ORCs are appropriate tools for managing patients in a clinical environment. This study is a component of a larger program of work being conducted by the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (ACSQHC) that focuses on ensuring that hospital patients whose clinical condition deteriorates receive appropriate and timely care and treatment.

Economic Modelling of the Nurses' Labour Market in Australia

ARC Linkage ($410,239 for 2007-2010) with Department of Human Services Victoria. Chief Investigator Professor A Scott (University of Melbourne) with Shields M, Creedy J, Kalb G, Duffield C and McCarty M.

Being able to devise policies that aid recruitment and retention is a key issue for government and other nurse employers. Given the moderate role played by wages shown in overseas literature, this research will focus on the non-wage aspects of nurses' jobs that influence nurse turnover. A survey of nurses will be conducted, and an already established economic model of factors influencing labour supply will be extended. The results will be used to influence pay and non-pay policies to reduce nurse shortages in Australia.

Patient and nurse outcomes and the cost of nurses' turnover in Australian hospitals

ARC Linkage ($350,000 for 2007-2010) with Northern Sydney Central Coast Health, ACT Health and WA Health. Chief Investigator Professor C Duffield with Roche M, Homer C, O'Brien-Pallas L, Buchan J and Shamian J.

This research focuses on the costs and outcomes of nursing turnover for patients and staff. The overall aim of this study is to determine how the rate and intensity of nursing turnover (the loss of human capital as providers leave and the lost productivity as new hires are oriented) impact patient health and safety outcomes, nurse satisfaction, health and safety, and system outcomes (turnover costs). It is anticipated that the project will provide a turnover costing methodology for use with other health disciplines.