Background: Virtual health care, originally as telephone-based telehealth, has been used for more than 45 years; however, the literature shows limited understanding of the competencies required for safe virtual care practice in nursing and other health-related fields. This has led to a widening education-practice gap. Objective: The aim of this study is to identify (1) clinical guidelines for nurses and other health professionals undertaking routine virtual health (telehealth) assessment, triage, and follow-up care; and (2) curricula for preparing health professionals for virtual care. Subsequently, data will be collected within a major cancer treatment service to codetermine core competencies and curricula for nurses engaged in telehealth clinics. Methods: This was a phased multimethod study including reviews of existing literature, followed by qualitative (in-depth interviews, n=20) and quantitative (online survey, n=200) data collection and co-design workshops (n=5) to achieve project aims. Implementation will involve a pilot and an evaluation before full rollout of the developed guidelines and syllabus. Results: Literature reviews completed in the initial phase of this project confirm a paucity of existing guidelines for virtual health assessment and an urgent need to develop telehealth or virtual care competency frameworks and curricula for health professionals in training or practice. We propose an approach to develop and test these materials in practice. A total of US $52.6 was provided by a philanthropic alumni for support over the full duration of the project. Recruitment and collection from human participants will commence on February 1, 2026, following procurement of ethics clearance. Phase 2 data collection and analysis will occur from February to December 2026. Results will be presented to the ethics committee and clearance gained to implement and evaluate the program in 2027. Conclusions: Working with health providers, consumers, and academics toward standards of practice and curricula is clearly needed to ensure that the current and future nursing workforce is prepared for the continuing rise in virtual care. Completion of this project will fill an existing gap in the provision of guidelines and education for nurses providing virtual care.

New Zealand persistently underperforms in productivity compared with many comparator nations. Solutions require active upskillingof the nation’s domestic population. Piecemeal funding across competing vocational education providers, and over-reliance on internationally qualified migrants, are contributors to fundamental failures in domestic skills development and employment. Informing this analysis are notable failures in governance and delivery in three high population-growth regions. A cohesive vocational educational system with intentional investment in domestic skills development is critical. Clear, multilevelgovernance, attention to the place of learning, strong regional voice, iwi/Mäori partnership, and industry alignment are requiredif New Zealand is to achieve the productivity gains needed to lift overall economic performance.

Introduction Falls among community-dwelling older adults represent a significant public health concern. A student-led falls prevention initiative was piloted with a group of at-risk clients in Hamilton/Waikato, New Zealand.Aim The aim of this study was to evaluate a student-led falls prevention programme from the perspective of a group of initial clients. The programme comprises two key components: strength and balance exercises, and sessions providing falls prevention education (FPE) from the perspective of a group of initial clients.Methods Data on perceived effectiveness and overall impact were collected via a post-programme survey.Results Participants reported positive perceptions of the programme's effectiveness in enhancing knowledge and preventing falls. Qualitative data revealed multifaceted benefits experienced by participants, indicating the potential efficacy of student-led initiatives in reducing falls among older adults.Discussion These initial findings underscore the potential of student-led initiatives in addressing falls prevention and enhancing the wellbeing and safety of aging populations. Further research is warranted to explore the scalability and sustainability of such programmes in broader community settings.

In a 2023 article in this journal, Esther and Michael Fitzpatrick wrote that "complicated are those diaspora people who yearn to claim 'Irishness' in their places as something distinct from colonial settlers". An Irish identity seems to offer something unique in these contexts, having been embraced by Joe Biden, for example, as a keystone of his political identity. In this article, I utilise census data from the four primary Anglo-settler polities of Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States to demonstrate the comparatively greater extent that Irish ethnic antecedents are remembered by local-born Whites. While acknowledging that drivers of ethnic affiliation are personal and multifaceted, and not directly discernible from answers on a questionnaire, I consider the nature of Irishness as a political identity in settler-colonial contexts.

New Zealand has been undertaking major reform of its vocational education sector since 2019. Changes have been extensive, including the establishment of a national delivery body (Te Pūkenga), and the formation of workforce development councils, regional skills leadership groups, centres of vocational excellence, and a coalition of expert Māori advisors (Te Taumata Aronui). While a new government is reconsidering these structures, including stating a commitment to disestablish Te Pūkenga, it is timely to explore the key policy issues facing the vocational education sector. Accordingly, this case study considers how best to balance local and national interests. We suggest changes to ensure that the sector is well structured, governed and funded, and meets the needs of the communities it serves.

In a 2023 article in this journal, Esther and Michael Fitzpatrick wrote that “complicated are those diaspora people who yearn to claim ‘Irishness’ in their places as something distinct from colonial settlers”. An Irish identity seems to offer something unique in these contexts, having been embraced by Joe Biden, for example, as a keystone of his political identity. In this article, I utilise census data from the four primary Anglo-settler polities of Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States to demonstrate the comparatively greater extent that Irish ethnic antecedents are remembered by local-born Whites. While acknowledging that drivers of ethnic affiliation are personal and multifaceted, and not directly discernible from answers on a questionnaire, I consider the nature of Irishness as a political identity in settler-colonial contexts.

Purpose: Organizational and university staff buy-in and advocacy are critical considerations in planning successful interprofessional education (IPE) initiatives in healthcare, such as interprofessional student-led clinics (SLCs). This study was designed with the purpose of gaining deeper insight into current views and perspectives of academic and professional staff at an Australian university, as a precursor to planning IPE and SLC activities. Methods: All academic and professional staff from within the School of Health Sciences were invited to participate in the study. Indepth-qualitative interviews were conducted with 16 staff to explore academic and professional staff perspectives on IPE and SLCs. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. Results: Findings are grouped within five themes that incorporate broad perspectives on the tensions and possibilities of IPE and establishment of SLCs: Academic and professional staff commitment; Better/smarter IPE; Student-led clinic potential; Vision and innovation; and Strategy and resourcing. The themes reflect the high value placed on IPE by academic and professional staff and incorporate innovative ideas on how to prepare students for a rapidly changing and evolving healthcare environment. A reticence towards standard models of university based SLCs was expressed. Conclusion: Academic and professional staff insights suggest university leaders need to develop a greater strategic focus on improving IPE. Effective engagement with staff is required to support IPE planning and implementation. If considering implementation of SLCs, contemporary fit-for-purpose models should be explored such as partnerships with primary healthcare providers, community wellness facilities, and hospital clinics rather than traditional university-based clinics.

Purpose The need for healthcare students to develop collaborative practice competencies is well established, but organizational and faculty buy-in are essential precursors to successful IPE initiatives such as student-led clinics (SLCs). Potential for failure is high if staff support is not present. Method To understand perspectives on IPE and SLCs, an online survey was undertaken of faculty and staff of a school of health sciences at an Australian university. The survey included Likert-scale (quantitative) and open-ended questions. Results Results showed variable understanding, buy-in and support for IPE delivery and SLC options. Where support was present for SLC developments, an offsite industry partnership arrangement was the preferred model for consideration. Conclusion. Findings are instrumental in informing requirements for the next phase in planning effective school-wide IPE experiences and beginning exploration of SLC options. The method and findings may be useful to other universities in the early stages of IPE planning activities.

In a 2023 article in this journal, Esther and Michael Fitzpatrick wrote that “complicated are those diaspora people who yearn to claim ‘Irishness’ in their places as something distinct from colonial settlers”. An Irish identity seems to offer something unique in these contexts, having been embraced by Joe Biden, for example, as a keystone of his political identity. In this article, I utilise census data from the four primary Anglo-settler polities of Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States to demonstrate the comparatively greater extent that Irish ethnic antecedents are remembered by local-born Whites. While acknowledging that drivers of ethnic affiliation are personal and multifaceted, and not directly discernible from answers on a questionnaire, I consider the nature of Irishness as a political identity in settler-colonial contexts.

In a 2023 article in this journal, Esther and Michael Fitzpatrick wrote that “complicated are those diaspora people who yearn to claim ‘Irishness’ in their places as something distinct from colonial settlers”. An Irish identity seems to offer something unique in these contexts, having been embraced by Joe Biden, for example, as a keystone of his political identity. In this article, I utilise census data from the four primary Anglo-settler polities of Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States to demonstrate the comparatively greater extent that Irish ethnic antecedents are remembered by local-born Whites. While acknowledging that drivers of ethnic affiliation are personal and multifaceted, and not directly discernible from answers on a questionnaire, I consider the nature of Irishness as a political identity in settler-colonial contexts.

In a 2023 article in this journal, Esther and Michael Fitzpatrick wrote that “complicated are those diaspora people who yearn to claim ‘Irishness’ in their places as something distinct from colonial settlers”. An Irish identity seems to offer something unique in these contexts, having been embraced by Joe Biden, for example, as a keystone of his political identity. In this article, I utilise census data from the four primary Anglo-settler polities of Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States to demonstrate the comparatively greater extent that Irish ethnic antecedents are remembered by local-born Whites. While acknowledging that drivers of ethnic affiliation are personal and multifaceted, and not directly discernible from answers on a questionnaire, I consider the nature of Irishness as a political identity in settler-colonial contexts.

'Access for all' is a recurring theme in tertiary education. In Aotearoa New Zealand improving access for underserved groups, including Indigenous Māori, is a priority to educational reforms. We undertook a realist evaluation of tertiary education sector participation rates across three regions formerly served by three separate industry training providers. Analysis of enrolment data across the regions reveals 'educational deserts' with limited access and low participation in several areas, despite longstanding policy rhetoric regarding equity of access for rural and Māori communities. Patterns are also observed between regions in the level of enrolments outside main population centers, which we argue relate to strategic decisions taken by providers influenced by funding settings. Five considerations arise for policy and leadership practice: (1) the impact of centralisation in creating 'educational deserts'; (2) the relationship between funding models and an entity's ability to deliver regionally; (3) the possible impact of international students on domestic students and host organisations; (4) the relationship between 'belonging' and tertiary education participation; and (5) an entity's role in closing equity gaps. Current reforms must move beyond rhetoric and avoid overly centralised education and training provision. Effective policy and resourcing solutions are critical to address current inequities.

IntroductionHealthcare professionals are expected to demonstrate competence in the effective management of chronic disease and long-term health and rehabilitation needs. Care provided by groups of collaborating professionals is currently well recognized as a more effective way to support people living with these conditions than routine, single-profession clinical encounters. Clinical learning contexts provide hands-on opportunities to develop the interprofessional competencies essential for health professional students in training; however, suitable assessment tools are needed to support student attainment of interprofessional competencies with self-assessment espoused as an important component of learning.MethodA structured approach was taken to locate and review existing tools used for the self-assessment and peer assessment of students’ competencies relevant to interprofessional practice.ResultsA range of self- and/or peer assessment approaches are available, including formally structured tools and less structured processes inclusive of focus groups and reflection.DiscussionThe identified tools will usefully inform discussion regarding interprofessional competency self- and peer assessment options by healthcare students participating in a broad range of clinical learning contexts.ConclusionSelf- and/or peer assessment is a useful approach for those seeking to effectively enhance interprofessional learning and measure the attainment of related competencies.

Increasingly, interprofessional teamwork is required for the effective delivery of public health services in primary healthcare settings. Interprofessional competencies should therefore be incorporated within all health and social service education programs. Educational innovation in the development of student-led clinics (SLC) provides a unique opportunity to assess and develop such competencies. However, a suitable assessment tool is needed to appropriately assess student progression and the successful acquisition of competencies. This study adopts an integrative review methodology to locate and review existing tools utilized by teaching faculty in the assessment of interprofessional competencies in pre-licensure healthcare students. A limited number of suitable assessment tools have been reported in the literature, as highlighted by the small number of studies included. Findings identify use of existing scales such as the Interprofessional Socialization and Valuing Scale (ISVS) and the McMaster Ottawa Scale with Team Observed Structured Clinical Encounter (TOSCE) tools plus a range of other approaches, including qualitative interviews and escape rooms. Further research and consensus are needed for the development of teaching and assessment tools appropriate for healthcare students. This is particularly important in the context of interprofessional, community-partnered public health and primary healthcare SLC learning but will be of relevance to health students in a broad range of clinical learning contexts.

There is growing awareness that factors such as the growing incidence of co-morbidity and increasing complexity of patient health needs cannot be addressed by health professionals practicing in isolation. Given this, there is an increasing emphasis on preparing students in health-related programs for effective interprofessional practice. Less clear, however, are the specific skills and clinical or learning opportunities necessary for students to develop effectiveness in interprofessional practice. These factors drove a team associated with a tertiary health education provider in Hamilton, New Zealand to transform traditional clinical student experiences in the form of an interprofessional student-assisted clinic. The clinic was intended, in part, to provide students with opportunities to learn and experience interprofessionalism in practice but was hampered by limited information available regarding the specific skill requirements necessary for students in New Zealand to learn in this context. In this Delphi study, we synthesize national expert opinion on student competency indicators necessary for effective interprofessional practice. The resultant set of indicators is presented and opportunities for application and further research discussed. The paper offers guidance to others seeking to innovate health curricula, develop novel service-oriented learning experiences for students, and foster interprofessional practice competence in the future health workforce.

Background:While interprofessional (IP) competency and Interprofessional Education (IPE) has received increasing attention in health, agreement on specific competencies and teaching approaches is frequently limited by profession-specific understandings. As part of a quality improvement initiative focused on improving delivery of IPE offerings, this enquiry maps current regulatory and curricula requirements for IP practice to health professional students from 12 professions trained across Aotearoa New Zealand's national vocational education provider.Methods:Requirements for IP competency in national accreditation documents and in an operative teaching curricula were mapped for 12 professions, namely, clinical exercise physiology, counselling, massage, medical radiology, midwifery, nursing, occupational therapy, osteopathy, paramedicine, physiotherapy, social work, and sport and exercise science. A desk audit was conducted to identify the presence of core IP competencies for each profession. This involved a four-step process 1) Examination of regulatory standards for each profession to confirm IP requirements for each profession; 2) Examination of an operative curricula from each profession to identify the presence and translation of IP regulatory requirements to each of the profession-specific programs of study; 3) Mapping to identify within domains the core (common) IP competencies across the professions, and 4) Consideration of the similarities and differences between accreditation documents and curricula.Results:Of 12 professions, 10 clearly identified IP competency as an expectation. Clinical Exercise Physiology and Counselling were exceptions with explicit requirement for IP competency not evident. Coordination and collaboration were the most identified competency domains in accreditation documents and curricula. In descending order of prevalence, communication, shared values, reflexivity, role-understanding, and teamwork were also identified requirements amongst the 10 professions with IP competency requirements.Conclusion:The IP competencies identified as common across professions can be used to inform development of teaching and assessment. Greater alignment between teaching curricula and required competency standards in this area is recommended.

Student-run clinics (SRCs) offer unique opportunities for students to engage in healthcare delivery, but the student learning outcomes of such clinics have not yet been systematically examined in a comprehensive manner. The purpose of this review was to appraise and synthesize existing literature pertaining to student learning outcomes associated with participation in SRCs. A systematic review was undertaken using PubMed, CINAHL, and Web of Science databases. The quality of articles that met inclusion criteria articles was appraised using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT). Study details, such as learning outcomes, were also extracted. Ninety-two studies met inclusion criteria. Most studies were conducted in North America (n = 73, 79.3%), and related to clinics involving solely medical students (n = 35, 38.0%) or multi-professional clinics (n = 34, 37.0%). Demonstrated learning outcomes of SRC participation include clinical skills, interprofessional skills, empathy/compassion for underserved patients, and leadership. SRC participation had little apparent impact on students' future career directions. Quality appraisal via the MMAT found mixed levels of research quality amongst reviewed studies. In summary, while SRC participation appears to offer benefits for student learning, improved study design and research outside of North American contexts would further advance knowledge.

Higher education provision is a critical enabler of local, regional, and national social and economic development. Benefits of participation are well understood, but less is known about the relationship between the geographic location of students (relative to higher education institutions), their study choices, and subsequent outcomes. This scoping review explored existing evidence about the impact of geographical location (place) on course choices, completion rates, and achievement. Findings suggest that greater distance of students from institutions negatively impacts achievement and program/course completions. Distance to study institutions may also influence study choices, including level and field of study. Higher education providers must consider how best to spread resources regionally and better enable access for those from regional, remote, and/or rural backgrounds. Policymakers should consider location as a key factor in improving access and addressing inequalities in higher education.

This report presents an evaluation of students’ experiences in a student-run clinic project in Aotearoa New Zealand, aiming to provide interprofessional learning opportunities and accessible health services to the community. Qualitative focus group interviews were conducted with students post-clinical placement. A six-step thematic data analytic approach guided identification of three key themes: placement preparation and understanding expectations, interprofessional relationships and collaboration, and learning experience and value. Students reported positive experiences in this student-run clinic placement, including in respect to collaborative experiences, the development of interprofessional relationships, and value of the learning experience. This report highlights the need for enhanced pre-placement preparation and clarification of expectations regarding a community-based interprofessional placement experience, particularly for first year students. The student-run clinic model has potential to address healthcare disparities and enhance learning through community-engaged experiences. Results provide insights for educational institutions and healthcare providers looking to implement similar initiatives, emphasising collaborative partnerships and student-centred interprofessional education.

Background Student-run clinics (SRCs) offer an innovative approach to expand healthcare access and equity and increase clinical placement opportunities for students. However, research on the health benefits and/or outcomes of such clinics is currently fragmented. Methods An integrative review was conducted to capture and synthesize findings across a range of study types involving varied student disciplines, student delivered intervention types, and health conditions addressed or care areas of focus. Only published and peer reviewed studies were included. Studies needed to report outcomes in a defined study group measured over time, or report SRC data with explicit comparisons to non-SRC settings. Data were analyzed using inductive content analysis to identify major themes and natural clustering of health outcomes measured. Results Fifty-one articles were selected for review based on the eligibility criteria. Studies were predominantly from the United States, and most (n = 34, 67%) adopted a case review methodology for measuring outcomes. Health outcomes were evaluated in relation to a range of health conditions that, for the purposes of this review, were considered to naturally cluster into eight categories: diabetes, hypertension, functional health/quality of life, depression, hospital utilization, substance use, weight, health screening/vaccinations, and others. Conclusion This integrative review sought to evaluate the health outcomes accrued by patients in student-run health clinics. Taken as a whole, the literature suggests positive health outcomes resulting from student-run clinics across a range of health conditions. Greater confidence in care-related findings would be achieved from future research utilizing more robust and prospective study designs.