Contemp Nurse
-
Research involving people with dementia has been flagged as a key priority by Alzheimer's International. Dementia has been an Australian National Health Priority since 2005, yet there are no clear guidelines for seeking and obtaining informed consent from people with dementia to participate in observational research. ⋯ Although many people with dementia are able to express a desire to be involved in research, the insidious progression of the disease reduces a person's ability to understand and appreciate the consequences of involvement. This paper explores the author's journey of seeking and obtaining informed consent for a mixed methods study which involved the observation of older people with dementia.
-
Most clinical nurses, particularly those working in mental health areas, have to deal on a regular basis with offensive language including swearing. Despite its prevalence, there has been little academic research concerning the extent of verbal aggression within health care settings, and none about the legal aspects of swearing in a nursing context. This paper is intended to give nurses practising in Australia a better understanding of definitional aspects of swearing and offensive language, the relevant law, and the basis of policy. This will then be followed by a critical examination of the management of offensive language in health care settings.