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FREE Publication AdelaideanNEWS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF ADELAIDE Volume 12 • Number 1 • February 2003 Inside this issue PAGE 4 Concern over nursing Acupuncture trial points to period pain relief homes: study PAGE 5 Exiled professor receives award from Poland Researchers find that nursing home staff’s PAGE 6 Human lymph disease could perception is not tail off thanks to gecko meeting reality. PAGE 7 Grand graduate with strong convictions Nursing staff in aged care hostels have inaccurate views of residents’ satisfaction levels, a new University PAGE 8 Graduations photo of Adelaide study has found. spread The study, by Dr Neil Kirby and Ms PAGE 10 400 classic books - free! Leah Wilson from the University’s Department of Psychology, appears PAGE 11 Researchers win medals in the most recent edition of the Australasian Journal on Ageing. PAGE 12 Terrorism course grabs spotlight They found that even when staff thought they knew residents very PAGE 13 WTO boss heads well, their assessment of a resident’s think-tank satisfaction differed markedly from PAGE 14 Hands-on human rights that of the residents themselves. “This is very important because, PAGE 15 Pianist wins alumni despite similar findings to ours in satisfaction of residents they felt of the characteristics of the hostel,” award previous studies, some research and they knew well, and also completed Dr Kirby said. PAGE 16 Amber's golden quest government evaluations continue to the questionnaires on the actual and “For the staff, however, there was no no holiday rely on staff assessments of aged care ideal characteristics of the hostel significant difference between actual residents’ views,” Ms Wilson said. they worked in. and ideal—indicating they believed “This could obviously impact on Ms Wilson and Dr Kirby not only actual conditions were already close decision-making by aged care found that staff were inaccurate to ideal.” authorities, who may not be getting in their estimation of individual Comfort was the only characteristic an accurate picture as to what residents’ life satisfaction, but where there was no marked residents want and need.” that they also had different views disagreement between staff and For the study, male and female to residents regarding the actual residents, with comfort achieving a residents from three South Australian and ideal characteristics of the score much higher than any other The University of Adelaide appropriate hostel environment. hostel characteristic from both staff is Australia’s third oldest aged care hostels completed university and is known questionnaires concerning their life “The residents indicated that, and residents. internationally for excellence in research and teaching. satisfaction and their views on the for them, there was a significant The study also revealed differences actual and ideal characteristics of discrepancy between the actual and in male and female residents’ ideal their hostel environment. Hostel ideal hostel environment—suggesting hostel characteristics: men wanted www.adelaide.edu.au staff were asked to assess the life that they would like changes to some Continued on page 2 Adelaidean News from the University of Adelaide Volume 12 Number 1 February 2003 Adelaidean News from the University of Adelaide Volume 12 Number 1 February 2003 McWha’s Words Future Directions If there is one thing I would like to see achieved What are our expectations and hopes for the Staff forums, focus groups, and other avenues at the University of Adelaide this year, above all university? What changes in emphasis are of discussion will follow, helping us to find the others, it would be the development by required, if any? How do we build on the answers we need and to plan for the future. the university and the wider community of a quality and excellence of our university in Our future directions will enable the university clearer, shared sense of who it is we are, what meeting expectations? How do we engage and the community to share in social, cultural, we are trying to achieve, and how we will with and meet the needs of the community in scientific and economic growth. So while the achieve it. achieving our aims? These issues and more are year has only just begun, already I am looking The university is now undertaking a planning critical to our success and our future. towards what we can achieve before the end of process that aims to foster discussion on and By the time this column goes to print, university 2003, and in the many years ahead as we serve engagement with a range of issues, and it is staff will have filled out the values survey our community, our students, our academic critical that staff, students and the community questionnaire, and we will have undertaken disciplines and our university. all take a part in this. an environmental scanning workshop with A key to the process is identifying the values the involvement of both external and internal that underpin our university. We will also stakeholders. These two stages will be a recognise and value the heritage of our starting point in defining our sense of purpose university and use that as a guide to what we by taking into consideration our key roles do. We should be proud of our heritage and (research, education, contribution to business, use it as a foundation to build for the future, contribution to community) as well as issues although we must not let it control and limit our and trends that will impact on the university in JAMES A. McWHA opportunities. the foreseeable future. Vice-Chancellor Adelaidean Concern over nursing homes: study Welcome to the Editor: David Ellis Adelaidean! Writers: For 11 years the Adelaidean Howard Salkow, Ben Osborne, David Ellis has been bringing news and Design and Layout: events about the University Chris Tonkin of Adelaide to readers. That Contributors: readership is now bigger Joan Soon, Kim McBride, Rob Morrison Printed by: than ever, with 13,000 copies Lane Print Group of our paper available to Distribution: members of the community, Lane Print Group graduates, staff and students. Passing Out Distribution Co. Advertising: This year we have a new KRL Media Tel: +61 8 8231 5433 Ms Leah Wilson and look, which we hope will lift Fax: +61 8 8212 1238 Dr Neil Kirby the quality and style of our Email: [email protected] Photo Ben Osborne publication while providing Coming Events: a similar feel in content. We Please send all coming events to the editor continue to present stories at the address below. There is no charge Story from page 1 for coming events, but they must be about the achievements and university related. more cohesion and comfort, and less avoid problems associated with some research of our university, conflict, while women wanted more residents being either unwilling or its students, staff and Deadline for next issue: February 21. independence and resident influence, unable to express their views. alumni… and all printed on Room G07 Mitchell Building, and less organisation. South Australia, 5005. “More research needs to be done environmentally friendly “Finding that men and women Tel: +61 8 8303 5174 before we can understand how recyclable paper! Fax: +61 8 8303 4838 had different responses was also Email: [email protected] staff can become better informed We hope you find the important, because these differences www.adelaide.edu.au/pr/publications/ about the needs of residents, but are not often taken into account Adelaidean relevant and Adelaidean/ our study does show that evaluators enjoyable; there are many Material may be reproduced without by research and government permission but acknowledgement must be evaluations,” Ms Wilson said. need to utilise both male and female more stories yet to tell. Let us given to the Adelaidean. residents’ self-evaluations and not know what you think! Registered by Australia Post “One reason for the continued use rely solely on staff perceptions.” David Ellis No 565001/00046 of staff assessments may be that Editor they are more easily obtained, and Story by Ben Osborne 2 3 Adelaidean News from the University of Adelaide Volume 12 Number 1 February 2003 Adelaidean News from the University of Adelaide Volume 12 Number 1 February 2003 Here they come! Around 3000 new students have enrolled at the University of Adelaide for studies in 2003. On hand to help out enrolling students were 18 current students acting as “Enrolment Buddies”. Operating out of a welcome tent on Goodman Crescent, the Buddies assisted in welcoming new students, directing them to enrolment venues and answering any questions. Around 1000 new international students will also begin studies at the University of Adelaide this year. Pictured (from left) are John Kearie, Anna Giulinn, Rose Njuguna and James Geddes Photo Ben Osborne George follows in Andy’s footsteps At the University of Adelaide George will George Young is the latest undertake a double-degree in Mechatronic student to receive the Engineering and Maths and Computer Science. “I’ve always liked building things,” he said. prestigious Andy Thomas “Mechatronics interested me because it’s a more scholarship from the modern concept of engineering, combining elements of Mechanical Engineering and University of Adelaide. Electrical & Electronic Engineering. “I also love maths, which is why I’m doing the The scholarship, named after one of the double-degree,” he said. university’s most distinguished graduates, NASA George was offered places at Melbourne astronaut Dr Andrew Thomas, is awarded for University and ANU, but decided to attend academic excellence to a new student undertaking Andy Thomas scholar George Young with an Adelaide thanks primarily to the scholarship and Mechanical Engineering or Mechatronic image of the scholarship’s namesake because of the proximity to home. Engineering. Photo David Ellis “I was very happy to get the scholarship.