News for the Faculty of Health and Applied Social Sciences community

The Vine

Get to know your Faculty Academic Director

Student midwife Tabitha Gould tells us what it is really like to be a student midwife

Social Work students let us in on their ERASMUS exchange programme experience

Find out how to build a successful portfolio

Issue 01 Autumn 2011

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Welcome

Cont

2

Five minutes with your Academic Director 04

LiverpoolSU 05

Exchanged 06

Graduate Development Centre news and tips. 08

What WoW means to me 09

A Day in the life of a student midwife 10

Alumni profile- Changing lives in Malawi 12

Your work 14

Study support 15

How to build a portfolio 16

Learning Resource Centre 17

News 18

Have your say 23

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and applied social sciences fi eld. You will also be able to read about the experiences of your fellow students and fi nd out more about the Faculty community. A big thank you has to go out to those of you who have helped to produce this edition. If you have a story to share or would like to feature in the next edition then please get in touch by emailing health-marketing@ljmu.ac.uk.

I hope you enjoy reading your fi rst edition of The Vine.

Professor Godfrey MazhinduDean

Welcome to the fi rst edition of The Vine, your biannual Faculty e-magazine, for the Faculty of Health and Applied Social Sciences community at Liverpool John Moores University

To those of you who have recently joined us, we hope you are settling in well. We are delighted to have you here with us and I hope that you are enjoying the challenges that your course has to offer. Remember that there is lots of support available if you need some tips on essay writing, referencing or revising. See our article on page 13 for more information.

Regular features you can look forward to include an update from the Liverpool Students Union, careers advice, a Faculty news round-up and a “have your say” section where we put you under the spotlight to hear your thoughts on a current hot topic in the health

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tents

Changing lives in Malawi Page 11

ExchangedThe ERASMUS experience Page 06

A day in the life of...a student midwifePage 09

Five minutes with your Academic Director Trish Livsey

Page 04

How to...build a portfolioPage 15

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You’ve been a part of the Faculty for almost two years now but can you tell us a bit about your background in the Health and Applied Social Sciences fi eld before you came to LJMU?I started out as a child and adult nurse before becoming a health visitor. Whilst working as a health visitor I developed educational programmes and obtained my fi rst teaching qualifi cation which was when my hunger for teaching began. I then went on to teach in child, health and social work programmes at Kendal College. After getting my degree I moved into Higher Education in Cumbria, teaching qualifi ed nurses who were gaining their degrees. I led on the development of a community specialist practitioner programme and went on to manage health and social care at St Martin’s College, Cumbria. My career then took me to London where I headed up Child Health at City University before becoming the Associate Dean of the Faculty of Community and Health Sciences.

What attracted you to the role of Academic Director in the Faculty?Whilst working in London I also had a national role as a NMC and QAA visitor, monitoring standards and attending validation events. As part of this role I often came to the Faculty and I was always really impressed by the standard of work here. When the job of Academic Director came up there was no question about whether I would apply or not because I had seen such a high standard of education here.

What made you decide to work in Higher Education?When I started teaching at college I became really excited by watching

people learn and grow. I get a real buzz from seeing people develop personally and professionally through education. It’s great to have that moment when you see the light go on in someone and know how that can then go on to infl uence and improve practice and healthcare. To be a part of that is very rewarding.

What makes you proud to work in the Faculty?I’m incredibly proud of the students and regularly get letters commending students that have been on placement. I also feel very lucky to work with such skilled, knowledgeable and motivated staff. They really have a true commitment to improving the student experience. The staff and students have such a passion for improving the care and lives or patients and clients.

What words of wisdom can you share to those starting out in their career?It’s such a privilege to be able to work with patients and clients and to be let into their lives. It’s important that students never forget that privilege and the associated responsibility.

The things that you will experience during your time here will impact on you personally and will change you as a person. Be aware that sometimes your emotions might take you by surprise, we don’t really know how we will cope with situations until we face them so be prepared for that.

The courses in this Faculty are incredibly challenging because they are linked with practice and aren’t just academic based. Students need to be open to the challenges as they come, because they will come, but students should enjoy and rise to these challenges.

Five minutes

I get a real buzz from seeing people develop personally and professionally through education.

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with your Academic Director Trish Livsey

Issue 01 The Vine 5

love student lifeLiverpoolSU is your Students Union and we are here to make sure you get the most of your time in Liverpool.

We plan to do this through focussing on your

• Social life through our sports clubs, societies and events. • Academic life by making sure you get the most from your learning experience. • Work life by focussing on preparing you for your future career. • Support life through our advice centre, course, hall and community reps. • Campaign life by working with you on the issues that is important to you both within the University and beyond.

LiverpoolSU is led by four student-elected offi cers who work in key areas to ensure that you love very aspect of student life. There are also around 100 staff members at LiverpoolSU, mostly made up by full time and part time student staff.

The elected offi cers are; Darren McCabe- the president of Liverpool Students Union, Paul Abernethy - Vice President of Academic Quality, Tom Aldus - Vice President of Activities and James McGarvey, Vice President of Community Engagement.

Over the course of this year James will be working closely with the Faculty of Health and Applied Social Sciences, focussing on placement students, and the kind of support they receive from the University.

Each faculty also has a Student Voice Coordinator who is responsible for supporting Course Reps and working

with students to make positive changes within the Faculty. For the Faculty of Health and Applied Social Sciences, this is Jade O’Dell. Please feel free to contact her on j.l.o’dell@ljmu.ac.uk.

LiverpoolSU have recently introduced pods which act as a fi rst point of contact with the Students Union. The Faculty pod is based in “The Space” in Tithebarn Street, where student union staff will be on hand every day 10.00am-4.00pm for all your queries. James will be available in the pod every Wednesday and Thursday and Jade every Friday.

However you spend your time as a student in Liverpool, your Students’ Union is on hand to make sure you love it. LiverpoolSU love to hear from you about all aspects of the student life, so we can work together and move forward in making positive change.

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Erasmus is the European Union’s fl agship educational exchange programme for Higher Education students, teachers and institutions and aims to increase student mobility within Europe.

Second year Social Work students Laura Elliott and Rachel Kelly are two of the two and a half million students who have benefi tted from the exchange since it launched in 1987.

Here, Laura and Rachel share their experience on the scheme and what it has meant for them.

Why did you decide to go on the exchange?

Laura: I thought it would be a good opportunity to gain an international perspective on Social Work.

Rachel: We’re only able to have a placement abroad in the fi rst year so it was now or never and I decided it was something I wanted to experience.

Where did you go on your exchange?

Laura: We were based in Linz, Austria on a 3 month exchange with The University of Applied Sciences, upper Austria.

What was the University like and did they give you much support?

Laura: it was tiny compared to LJMU!Rachel: We got to sit in on a lecture whilst a student kindly translated it all for us.

Laura: They also gave us a buddy who met us when we arrived, answered questions and showed us around. Martin Sheedy, our social work lecturer who helps coordinate the scheme, also came out to visits us and see how we were getting on so we felt like we had lots of support.

Can you tell us a bit about your placements?

Rachel: I was based at Frida, a homeless womens’ drop-in centre where we provided breakfast, music, activities and a safe place for homeless women to have a shower or sleep during the day.

ExchangedThe ERASMUS experience

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Laura Elliott far left,Rachel Kelly far right

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Laura: I was based in SOS Menschenrecht (human rights), a group which supported underage asylum seeking girls.

One girl had come from China because her Mum was dying from cancer and desperately wanted her daughter to have a better life. She was really missing her Mum and spoke very little English or German and she wasn’t really enjoying any of the activities we planned for her so I thought it might be good to take her to a Chinese food store. She loved seeing all the food from her country and really started to open up.

What have you learnt from the placements?

Rachel: It was good to learn about different tax, benefi t and insurance systems and how this impacted on people.

Laura: It was great to get a perspective

on Austrian Social Work and the various laws that infl uence it. It’s interesting to fi nd out how things might be handled differently in Austria.

Aside from the placement experience, what were some of the highlights from your trip:

Rachel: I really enjoyed meeting other students who were also on various other exchange programmes. We met students from Sweden, America, Spain, Mexico and Bulgaria and would hold ‘Country nights’ at the student union. A different country was designated for each night with the students from that country acting as hosts and providing authentic food. We all dressed up for the night – it was really good fun and I got to learn about so many different cultures.

Laura: We also took advantage of our base in Europe to do lots of travelling. We went to Czech Republic, Budapest, Venice, Munich, Vienna and Prague.

What advice would you give to someone considering taking part in ERASMUS?

Laura: Go for it! It’s a great opportunity that you may never get again.

Rachel: Just make sure you save up enough money if you want to go travelling too as the ERASMUS grant won’t cover that!

What will you take away from the experience?

Rachel: A better knowledge of the social work fi eld and memories that will last a lifetime.

Laura: I learnt a lot about myself and what I was capable of. You really have to come out of your shell to meet all the new people and navigate your way around unfamiliar places. I’ve come out of the experience with a lot more confi dence.

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Each edition, the Graduate Development Centre (GDC) will provide careers advice on a specifi c subject area. This edition provides advice to our nursing students. The best things in life are rarely easy to obtain, but they’re usually well worth the effort. A nursing post is no different! Writing a convincing CV or application and giving a persuasive interview are tough tasks but they are both required to get the nursing job you really want. If the idea of looking and applying for jobs brings you out in a cold sweat then don’t worry – the Graduate Development Centre (GDC) and your Faculty Careers adviser are always here to help.For the vast majority of nurses the NHS is the most obvious contender as your future employer, although there are alternative employers out there – and this maybe a worthwhile consideration in the current economic climate. To ensure you make the right choice for you, not just for your fi rst job but also for future roles you may move into, be sure to research all your options. One of the fi rst things you need to do is understand what you have to offer an employer, what skills and qualities do you possess and how you have demonstrated these? The fi rst stage of LJMU’s WoW certifi cate is exactly designed to help you do this… employers expect you to be self-aware! If you haven’t attended a self-awareness workshop as part of your course so far then you can attend one of the sessions at the GDC held fortnightly during the semester.

Focussing in on... Nursing Careers Advice

Your nursing personal statement could be the difference between getting your fi rst nurse job and just missing out, so make sure yours is as good as it can be. The personal statement in an application form should be tailored to the person specifi cation and particularly provide evidence for the essential criteria. Below are some of the main factors to consider:

• Structure: Is the statement well structured and does it fl ow in a logical sequence?

• Focus: Does it clarify why you are interested in your chosen clinical area and indicate how this interest has been developed?

• Evidence Contained: Do you provide specifi c examples of relevant clinical experience, theoretical knowledge and projects undertaken to demonstrate your suitability for the post?

• Employer Knowledge: Is there evidence that you have researched the employer, have an awareness of the ethos of the trust and any planned new developments in service delivery?

• Spark: Have you managed to convey your enthusiasm, motivation and commitment to the

Here are some Tops Tips for writing effective nursing personal statements for your fi rst nurse job application:

nursing profession and patient care?

• Skills: Does the statement highlight the range of transferable skills which, you possess e.g. communication, teamwork, problem solving? Do you provide examples of occasions when you have taken the initiative, worked in a team, made something happen, acted independently, organised people?

• Professional Practice: Have you demonstrated your awareness of professional codes of conduct, research lead practice and the importance of clinical governance?

• Previous Work Experience: Have you included details of previous work experience and highlighted the relevance of the skills gained from this, to the post applied for?

• Application: Does the statement demonstrate the ability to apply what has been learnt to the care of patients?

• Career Plans: Does the statement indicate how the post applied for links in with your longer-term career plans?

Issue 01 The Vine 9

This edition, we fi nd out how Joanne Clements, a Faculty nursing student, has benefi tted from working with the GDC and engaging with the WoW skills certifi cate.

Tell me a little bit about you course – have you enjoyed it?It’s been hard work; I’m never going to deny that, but I love it, especially when you’re out on placement. You get a real sense of what it is you’re going to be and the goals you need to achieve to be able to do it. You think “am I going to be ready?”, but I’m on my last placement now and I know I’m ready.

Talk to me about your placements – where did they take place and what world of work experience have they given you?I’m on coronary care at the moment and I’ve gained a lot of confi dence because they’re pushing me quite a bit. Within University I’m a student mentor and I do see students when I’m on placement, it builds my confi dence when they come and ask me things. When I’m a qualifi ed nurse, I’m going to want to undertake my mentorship programme so I know I’m ready for that and I’m feeling more confi dent now.

In terms of the jobs market for nurses at the moment, things aren’t great, what can you do to be on top of your placements; to help build your CV?Although we do placements as part of the course there are other things you

What WoW means to me...

can do, I work with somebody who has learning diffi culties, it’s not appreciated as much as it probably should be within nursing because you don’t see it a lot. I wanted to get something extra to add to my nursing, so if somebody comes in who has learning diffi culties I’m going to know how to cope. If you’re feeling less confi dent you can also join the nurse bank or do things like volunteering.

So why did you engage with the GDC and the WoW Skills Certifi cate?Hayley Fallon, from the Graduate Development Centre, came in within the fi rst couple of weeks of the second year to talk to us more about what WoW was and how it could help us. We were also encouraged to do it by our cohort leader and other staff.

WoW gives us the best opportunity, especially with the job situation at the minute, to do everything we can to put ourselves forward and make ourselves stand out. I just thought it was a good thing and I started at the end of my fi rst year working through the stages slowly so that I didn’t feel the pressure of trying to get it all done before I qualify.

Do you think it’s important to engage with the GDC early in your course?From developing my bronze and silver statements, I’ve gone onto placement feeling better, understanding my strengths and weaknesses, and I’ve been able to say to them “I want help with this…”. This shows them that you’re thinking about your development and it builds your confi dence.

Is there any part of the WoW Skills Certifi cate process that you found particularly useful?Both writing the statement and doing the interview, I had no idea where I was coming from on both of those things really. Writing my statement has helped me because I’ve been able to pick some things out of the statements that I wrote for the WoW process to put into my personal statements for job applications.

The interview as well was really useful because it is so nerve racking to go and sit in front of people and think “do I know what I’m going to say?” and “will I be able to answer the questions?”. But now I’m going to feel a lot more confi dent going for an interview. Going through the WoW Certifi cate Process helps you break it all down. I was given guidance on the questions they will most likely ask and sitting and going through them and having that practice interview helps you feel a bit more confi dent, shows you that you do know what you’re going to say and not to worry so much about it.

What do you think the WoW Skills Certifi cate on your CV represents to a potential employer?Anything you can get extra helps. It shows that you’re open to development and in nursing that’s important; you’re always going to develop, you’re always going to have to research and change your practice constantly. You’re always going to have to learn and showing that you’re open to developing new skills and putting yourself into different situations that you’re not always comfortable with is just going to make you stand out. That’s what they need within nursing, someone who they can rely on and who’s going to carry on their development throughout their career.

Contact Hayley Fallon from the Graduate Development Centre on 0151 231 8682 or H.L.Fallon@ljmu.ac.uk to fi nd out more.

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This feature takes a look at a typical day for one of our students. Tabitha Gould, a second year midwifery student takes the time to share her experience as a student midwife.

On a normal placement day my alarm usually goes off at 6am, I have one of those old-fashioned twin bell things to make very sure I wake up! The day shift starts at 07.15am and is twelve and a half hours long, but the day tends to speed along as we are always kept busy doing a variety of things. Meeting up with your mentor in the morning is like coming in to work with your friend, catching up with what happened yesterday and what you are doing at the weekend. Once I have said hello to everyone on the ward and got settled we take a handover of the women that are on the wards that day, and introduce ourselves to the women we have been allocated to look after. At the Liverpool Women’s Hospital we have the chance to look after women and families from all walks of life, and no two days are the same. On the labour ward, most rooms are fi lled and we are looking after a couple having their fi rst baby. I had been looking after

Claire*, at her antenatal clinic so it was wonderful to see a familiar face and care for somebody I had built a positive relationship with. I have every faith that she will be strong during labour and have a wonderful birth. We do what we can to make the room comfortable and we listen in to the baby’s heart beat to make sure that labour is progressing normally and both mum and baby are coping well. Making a safe and calm environment for the woman is paramount for a successful labour and birth experience, it is extremely rewarding for me as a student midwife to see that a woman is satisfi ed with her care, and that I have contributed to her having an amazing birth she is able to remember for the rest of her life.

We monitor observations for example blood pressure, ensure that contractions are regular, and take blood tests. The fi rst time I took blood I was so nervous, but the woman was very supportive, and I was surprised I actually managed to get it! Now though, I am confi dent that I can take blood even from diffi cult veins, and do so with ease. When I think back to the start of fi rst year, I feel so proud of all my achievements. It is not just

A day in the life of...a student midwife

Issue 01 The Vine 11

clinical tasks that fi ll up the day though, forging relationships with the women is rewarding in itself. We have a good chat about all sorts of things throughout labour, and I’m always happy to keep the conversation fl owing by supplying the tea and biscuits! Claire’s partner is fascinated by all the equipment we use so I explain to him what they do and how they help us to do our job. Fetching hot compresses for the woman’s back pain or giving her a massage is all part of the package.

By lunchtime we knew that Claire’s labour was progressing more quickly, so we handed over her care to another midwife while we grabbed something to eat, to resume afterwards. When I sit down, I realise how sore my feet are from all the running around. I wonder how many steps I would have if I had been wearing a pedometer? I always enjoy our lunch break, though it is not always ‘lunch’ and sometimes more like dinner by the time we get there. I try and

have something healthy and fi lling to keep me going for the rest of the shift, as we might not get another break at all. When we get back Claire is feeling more agitated, we suspect this means the birth is getting nearer. Dad is worried about her being in pain, but she is coping well with his support and of course, ours. Claire goes in to a more concentrated state before the birth, making sure she is in a comfortable position, making herself ready to do this – she has been waiting 39 weeks and is fi nally at the last hurdle. By 3pm I was the fi rst person to welcome baby Robin into the outside world before passing her straight up to her ecstatic mum. It was a beautiful moment. I cut and clamped the umbilical cord and gave the baby a good rub to get her dry, warm and stimulate her during her fi rst moments in the world. Sometimes babies are very calm when they are born and some don’t breathe instantly. This was the case with Robin now, so we whisked her over to the resuscitaire to give her a whiff of oxygen, making sure her oxygen supplies were ok. We kept Robin wrapped up and warm for a couple of minutes while she took her fi rst regular breaths, before taking her back to Claire. It’s a normal process for a midwife, but for Claire it was a scary time, so having two of us in the room was important to be able to let Claire know what was going on.

When we had made sure that mum and baby were safe and sound together, I could support Claire to breastfeed for

the fi rst time. With a positive attitude, a little hard work, and a bit of time, breastfeeding is one of the most satisfying things a woman can do, and one of the most satisfying things for a midwife too; assisting a woman to success. Back at the Staff Base we can’t forget to write up all of our notes, enter the birth on the register and put everything on the computer. There’s a lot of paperwork, but it’s a good chance to have a seat and think about all the things that were done well, or if we would have changed anything that we did to make the birth better. Soon it was time to transfer Claire to the postnatal ward and wave goodbye for now.

Back on the labour ward we check all of the emergency equipment is working and in order while we wait for another woman to look after. Sometimes we need to stock up supplies in the cupboards, or telephone the labs for blood results. We always check to see if any of the other midwives need our help. This evening, we help to bring a woman back to the ward from Theatre after having a Caesarean Section, and make sure that she is recovering well. There are so many different ways that a birth can happen, and it is important to give every woman the best experience that we can, no matter if it is at home, in a birthing pool, in hospital or in a theatre room.

Finally we see the night shift staff coming in to the ward and we know it’s nearly time to go home. The night staff look as though they have had a wonderful sleep. The rest of us are starting to look a bit more dishevelled. We give them a grin and go to collect our coats for home after a long, exciting, tiring day. I get back to my house at about 8pm and dart straight up to the shower. Sometimes I even treat myself to watching a bit of television before fl opping into bed! I’ve worked a long day however, I know that in University tomorrow I will learn something new, and can share all of my experiences with my friends.

*All names have been changed to ensure confi dentiality in accordance with the NMC Code

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When I sit down, I realise how sore my feet are from all the running around. I wonder how many steps I would have if I had been wearing a pedometer?

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The Vine Issue 0112

When Faculty graduate Alice Pulford set off to Malawi on a gap year placement, she had no idea that just one year later she would end up setting up, funding and managing an orphanage and transform the path of not only her own life, but the lives of many Malawi orphans.

Alice’s drive to undertake a gap year in Malawi was inspired by her grandfather who had carried out aid work in India. When he died shortly before Alice fi nished school, she was determined to follow in his footsteps and help make a difference to peoples’ lives.

Alice initially went to Malawi on a teaching placement but it was whilst undertaking other volunteer work in Area 49 in Lilongwe Sector 4, Malawi, that Alice realised this wasn’t going to be a typical gap year experience; she was in this for life. In Area 49, Alice witnessed the support and kindness that local families had shown towards the hundreds in the area. Orphans who, without the kindness of these families, would not even have a roof over their head. Yet most of these families struggled to feed, clothe and care for themselves. Like much of sub-Saharan Africa, the HIV/AIDs epidemic has left many Malawi children without one or both parents. High death rates from pregnancy and birth complications, combined with poverty and poor health

have added to this number, leaving somewhere between one to two million children orphaned, dependant on begging for food or money or the kindness of a family in order to survive. One in fi ve of these children will not even live to see their fi fth birthday.

When Alice fi rst met the children of Area 49 they were gathered on a wide dirt track where they would meet every afternoon to have supervised porridge, education and games. Darkness arrives quickly in Malawi and as the night drew in Alice noticed that the children were not going home. When Alice asked the local families where the children went, Alice learnt that they had nowhere to go. The dirt track was their home. Alice knew then that she was going to raise funds and return to the area to help support local community projects to help care for the orphaned children.

It was on Alice’s second trip over that she came across the opportunity she had been waiting for.

“I’d raised funds and gone over to build a toilet block for one of the schools when I came across a derelict, unfi nished building consisting of just three walls and foundations,” Alice explained.

“The building had not been completed because of political unrest in the area but the family who owned the land had always hoped it could be transformed into a safe haven for the orphaned children to sleep, rest and play, but had never had the funds to see the project through. I saw an opportunity to give something back to the incredible people I had met and started investigating how much it would cost to convert the structure into an orphanage by getting quotes from local builders.”

Alice set up a registered charity and website to inform people about the project and used social networking sites, along with the support of family and friends, to spread the word about her aim to raise the £6,500 needed to transform the derelict building into a safe and secure home for the orphans. Using the quote, Alice was able to break the building renovations down into smaller components and created a wish list, on her Facebook page

“People could buy a door, a bed or some cement and feel that they had contributed something tangible to the project,” says Alice. She also put her organisational skills to great use, setting up various fundraising initiatives to support her vision.

As the funds came in Alice got renovations underway and in August 2009 she achieved her goal and watched

An opportunity thatcouldn’t be missed

Changing lives in Malawi

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20 orphaned girls, aged between six and sixteen, settle into their new home, Tilinanu. These children now had a roof over their head and a place that they could rest, play and receive healthcare and education.

Alice then returned to her second year at university where she carried on her studies alongside running the orphanage from afar and raising funds to take the project further.

The orphanage has since gone from strength to strength, trebling in size and expanding to provide a safe haven for a total of 34 girls, each of whom has had the course of their life changed forever. Two of the girls have just completed secondary school and will go on to

become secretaries, a job they would not have been able to achieve without the education provided by the orphanage.

Thanks to the generous donations since opening, Alice has been able to build a community centre, medical clinic and additional shower blocks. She organised construction of ‘the great wall of Tilinanu’, the name fondly given to the 8 ft wall surrounding the orphanage and keeping the girls safe. Alice also bought and planted fruit trees and vegetables to help the community to become more self suffi cient.

The Tilinanu charity fi nances its own porridge fund which feeds an additional 175 children. The government provides the oats but Alice and her team raise the funds to provide the staff and utensils to cook and serve it and ensure the children’s weight, height and health are regularly monitored. The orphanage’s large communal space is also used by

local children and their carers as a place to receive education, guidance and support.

Clearly Tilinanu has made a huge impact to the lives of these 34 girls and to the other hundreds of children who receive food and support from the project but there is still so much more that Alice is determined to achieve for the orphans of Tilinanu, all set out in her seven year plan to achieve sustainability. Alice is clear that her long term goal is for a self suffi cient community without reliance on these funds. Alice wants to buy a maize mill to allow the community to provide for themselves and trade with other communities, sewing machines to allow for the production of clothing and chickens and more fruit trees to provide a sustainable source of food.

With this achievement under her belt at the tender age of 22, it’s easy to see why Alice won runner up of the 2010 Britain’s Most Dynamisante Woman of the Year ran by YOU and Clarins and also gained the award for ‘outstanding student volunteer’ at the Liverpool Students’ Union ‘LSU loves you awards’.

“I am so thankful to my tutors for all the support they gave and continue to give me and to the course for helping to clarify that this is what I want to be doing with my life,” says Alice.

Alice has certainly put her Working with Children and Young People degree to great use and here in the Faculty we think Alice is a real inspiration. We bet there are 34 girls in Africa who’d agree.

Building a brighter future

I saw an opportunity to give something back to the incredible people I had met

To support Alice’s work or fi nd out more about the project, visit lovetilinanu.org.uk

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The Vine Issue 0114

When we spoke to students about what they would like to see in this magazine, they were keen to see examples of other student’s work. Lynne Furlong, a fi rst year midwifery student, has kindly volunteered an extract from the start of her essay, Informed Consent and Informed Choice in Maternity Services, for this fi rst edition.

Stemming from the Nuremberg Trials (1947), the concept of informed consent establishes the legal right of client autonomy and an individual’s entitlement to make informed decisions regarding medical treatment or intervention (Harrison 1997). While there is no English statute setting out the general principles of consent, common law states that touching a patient without valid consent may constitute the civil or criminal offence of assault, battery or trespass and may result in healthcare professionals being held accountable for their actions (DH 2009a). While the act of gaining consent is now mandatory within maternity services, in recent years it has become entwined with the more complex philosophy of informed choice, which when provided by healthcare professionals can increase levels of satisfaction and childbirth experiences (Kirkham 2004).

Consent can be defi ned as the “written, verbal or implied permission for proposed investigation, care or treatment” (Jones & Jenkins 2004 p114). While the notion of gaining consent aims to protect the public, it also provides healthcare professionals with a defence against litigation (Henderson & Macdonald 2004). Within the midwifery profession these principals underpin the standards set by the Nursing and Midwifery Council

(NMC) and form an integral part of a midwife’s code of conduct (NMC 2008).

However, the act of simply gaining an individual’s agreement to treatment or care cannot necessarily be deemed as suffi cient in modern day health care. As stated by the Department of Health (DH), for consent to be valid it has to be given ‘voluntarily by an appropriately informed person’ (DH 2009a, p9). Put simply by Faulder (1985), informed consent is the ‘the right to know and the right to say no’. Failure to properly inform an individual regarding care or proposed treatments, can therefore result in a claim of negligence on the part of a healthcare professional (Jones & Jenkins 2004).

Under this premise it is therefore pertinent that not only is information given, but that it is given in a manner which is understood and retained by the individual. This concept forms part of the Re C Test (Thorpe J: Re C (Adult refusal of medical treatment (1994)), which assesses an individual’s ability to understand and balance information before making an informed decision (Dimond 2006). This notion is also upheld by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence Guidelines (NICE) for maternity services, which state that all information provided by midwives should be understandable and appropriate to a woman’s needs (NICE 2008).

While the provision of comprehensible information forms a vital component of a midwife’s duty of care, the degree of detail disclosed to individuals can often vary, as within the UK it is not deemed necessary to disclose all risks of providing certain treatments (Dimond 2009). As stated by Judge Bristow in the case of Chatterton v. Gerson (1981)

and upheld by the case of Sidaway v. Bethlem Royal Hospital (1985), information, particularly in relation to potential risk factors, should be relayed to individuals in ‘broad terms’ (Jones & Jenkins 2004). This can result in varying degrees of subjectivity when providing information and is also argued to have paternalistic connotations, which contradict the patient-centred approach of modern-day health care (ibid).

With regards to midwifery practice, the amount and depth of information given to pregnant women is often reviewed and updated depending upon current research. For instance, NICE guidelines regarding the consumption of alcohol during pregnancy were updated in 2008 following new research. Guidance now stipulates midwives should discuss the risks of alcohol consumption to a fetus at the earliest opportunity, advising that while alcohol should be avoided in the fi rst 12 weeks of pregnancy, it is acceptable to consume up to two units once or twice a week following this period (NICE 2008). However, it is suggested this guidance requires further examination as it does not fully highlight all associated risks of alcohol consumption to a fetus and also contradicts advice given by the Department of Health, which recommends that alcohol should be avoided during all stages of pregnancy (DH 2009b). Fleisher (2010) further argues the lack of detail regarding the dangers of consuming alcohol while pregnant and the opposing views regarding this issue only assist in creating confusion and can result in detrimental consequences for women and babies.

To request a copy of the full essay, please email :health-marketing@ljmu.ac.uk

Your WorkInformed Consent and Informed Choice in Maternity Services

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Contact Andrew Fox on 0151 904 6066 to arrange an appointment for additional support or visit http://www.ljmu.ac.uk/studysupport/ to fi nd out more and view the workshop timetables.

You can also follow the team on twitter at: http://twitter.co/#!/JMU_SS

Below is a selection of the skills and topics we offer support in:

• Critical Analysis and Thinking • Dissertations - both Undergraduate and Masters • Essay Writing - Planning and Structure • Exam and Revision Skills • Harvard Referencing • Maths and Numeracy Support, including SPSS • Effective Reading and Note taking • Refl ective Learning and Writing • Report Writing • Writing for Academic Purposes • I.T. Skills - including presentations using PowePoint, data analysis with Excel, getting the most out of Word, using EndNote to organise your references, and web design skills using Dreamweaver.

Supportingyou in your studies

Looking for support with essay writing? Wondering what Harvard Referencing is? Need some revision tips for your next exam? We have just the team to help you out.....

LJMU is committed to helping you gain the skills you need to succeed academically and in your future career and has a team dedicated to doing just this!

The Student Support Team run free workshops and offer appointments for additional study support. The team provide guidance and advice in a range of essential academic and personal skills, and aim to help you become a more confi dent and effective learner. All sessions are informal, and give you the opportunity to ask questions relevant to your own needs and concerns.

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In this edition Alex Stewart, the Faculty Skills Support Offi cer, shares her tips on how to build a successful portfolio of personal and professional development.

Having a portfolio which charts your development and evidences your skills and achievements is good practice no matter what course you are studying on, but for some vocational programmes maintaining a portfolio can also be a professional requirement.

You may be required to present your portfolio as part of an interview or it may be linked to your accreditation with a professional body.

How to...build a portfolio

Regardless of why you choose to build a portfolio, it’s important to remember that it is a very individual process. Your experiences: people you’ve worked with, situations you have been part of and the activities that you undertake outside of your university studies will all add up to a different learning journey than that of your peers.

As everyone’s portfolio will look slightly different, it can be diffi cult to provide a defi nitive guide for building the perfect one. With that in mind, we’ve put together some hints and tips to help you, but if you have any additional questions you can always talk to your personal tutor or your Faculty Skills Support Offi cer.

Do…Try to evidence professional standards relating to any professional body or register you will be associated with.

Investigate whether the organisation you want to work for has any skills framework it applies to its employees. Try to match your evidence to the level of skill that they may expect to see from a new member of staff.

Give your portfolio a clear contents page and a structure. A basic structure would be to divide into the following sections; personal information, academic experience, practice experience, extracurricular activities/transferable skills. Make sure your evidence is the most relevant and current that you have.

Present it professionally and neatly, make it easy to navigate (you may not always be there to explain or locate your evidence); your portfolio should tell the story of you and your professional development.

Consider refl ecting on ‘unique’ experiences (situations, placements/teams, observations, projects, etc) – you need to stand out from the crowd.

Don’t…Don’t include full essays or presentations that you may have done, people rarely have time to read these.

Don’t ever breach patient or client confi dentiality or data protection in

the contents of your portfolio.

Don’t just focus on areas you consider strengths. The ability to recognise areas that need further development and being able to plan for achieving that is valued by employers.

Don’t forget that generic transferable skills are important too; so evidence things like team working, personal organisation, communication, IT skills and problem solving within your portfolio.

The Vine Issue 01

Contact Alex on 0151 231 5885 or A.Stewart @ljmu.ac.uk to fi nd out more about how your Skills Support Offi cer can help you.

16

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Refurbishing the Avril Robarts LRC

Carolyn Benny and Rob Caley are the two Research and Learner Support Offi cers who support the Faculty of Health and Applied Social Sciences. You’ll have met them during your induction and are welcome to contact them via email or phone.

Carolyn Supports:

mental health counselling social work public health youth and community work.

c.m.benny@ljmu.ac.uk Tel: 0151 231 4256

Rob Supports:

adult and child nursing midwifery paramedic studies working with children and young people health and social care.

r.j.caley@ljmu.ac.uk Tel: 0151 231 4025

Issue 01 The Vine

The LRC has had a lick of paint all round and a new fl oor covering has been laid on the ground fl oor. The toilets have had a much needed refurbishment and former staff offi ces have been revamped and reopened as student spaces.

In a direct response to student requests for more silent study spaces, a silent study room, equipped with 4 PCs has been opened on the 3rd fl oor. PCs in this room can be pre-booked, see the website (http://www.ljmu.ac.uk/lea/77327.htm) or ask at the hub for more details.

The third fl oor has been rearranged. Grouping all the journals together on one side of the fl oor allowed us to extend silent study provision by relocating a total of 24 PCs to larger study desks in the silent zone.

The wall of the silent study room on the fi rst fl oor has been replaced with a glass partition. This has opened up the area and usage of the 15 seater space has increased.

Bookable group study rooms, one on the fi rst fl oor and one on the second fl oor,

are now available for student use. The fi rst fl oor room comes equipped with a fl at screen television linked to a PC to enable group viewing of visual material. A smaller bookable study room is also available on the fi rst fl oor.

As part of the rolling PC upgrade programme all of the PCs on the ground fl oor have been replaced and we are happy to announce the arrival of a new, high speed, high quality large format printer which will speed up poster printing. Also this summer, all student PCs have had a systems upgrade and are now running Windows 7 and Microsoft Offi ce 2010.

Behind the scenes we have been busy working on a self-service group study room and laptop booking system which allows you to book these facilities from either on or off-campus via the Library and Student Support section of LJMUWeb (http://www.ljmu.ac.uk/lea/). For further details of this and our other self-service facilities pick up a copy of our new “Guide to self-service in the Learning Resource Centres”.

Over the last 6 months the Avril Robarts LRC has been a hive of activity with work taking place on all fl oors.

17

The Vine Issue 0118

Nursing Times has launched studentnursingtimes.net, a website for student nurses. The site provides student nurses access to Nursing Times’ comprehensive archive of over 4,000 double-blind peer-reviewed clinical articles, as well as all the news, opinion pieces, forums and webchats about nursing practice. In addition, the website includes student-specifi c information, such as revision tips, guides to getting the most out of work placement, advice on fi nance and additional help for nurses new to the profession, such as how to best work the nightshift to understanding how to break bad news. There is also a forum where student nurses can share

information or stories and blogs about their experiences as a student and during their placements. A subscription to the product also gives students access to fi ve free Nursing Times Learning units, the virtual online learning service. Studentnursingtimes.net issues weekly newsletters by email, which can be signed up to via the website. The website has its own nursing student Editor Adam Roxby who can be found tweeting at www.twitter.com/adamroxby or www.twitter.com/studentnt. Editor Jenni Middleton can be reached on +44 (0)207 728 3757 and jenni.middleton@emap.com

Nursing times launches new website for student nurses

Ghana’s Minister of Health, Dr Joseph Mettle-Nunoo, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Professor Godfrey Mazhindu, Dean of the Faculty of Health and Applied Social Sciences, to work collaboratively to provide training for the country’s nurses and midwives.

The nursing and midwifery profession constitutes three quarters of the health

work force in Ghana. The MoU, which aims to support the government agenda of making healthcare accessible to all, will provide an opportunity for clinical specialisation for nurses and midwives that would enable them to respond to their local care needs. It also provides a package which includes short courses, as well as Masters degrees and PhD programmes and is expected to facilitate educational and exchange programmes.

Faculty signs Memorandum of Understanding with Ghana’s Ministry of Health

FacultyachievementsAutumn 2011

In response to increasing concerns about the health and social cost of events targeted at students, Drinkaware commissioned the Faculty’s Centre for Public Health to conduct a study on levels of alcohol consumption on student pub crawls in the UK by measuring and monitoring alcohol consumption, blood alcohol levels and drunkenness amongst students on pub crawls across three English cities.

It found young adults consumed, on average, more than four times the government recommended daily unit guidelines for alcohol during the night – women typically drank around 13 units and men consumed 18 units. A follow-up survey found that 14% of participants reported hurting themselves, for example falling over, on the night. The fi ndings revealed that, despite attempts, organisers of commercial events can do more to suffi ciently supervise the participants and limit the event’s impact on public services. The report provides support for further action by event organisers and local health and community safety partners to prevent excessive alcohol consumption and associated harms.

Student pub crawl research calls for event organisers to do more

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Students from India’s INSCOL Academy form social network

A new social support group for the Faculty’s Indian students from INSCOL Academy has now launched. The group, which was set up by INSCOL, provides a network of students who are either studying or have studied in the Faculty.

INSCOL Academy, based in Chandigarh, India, is the only nursing educational provider in India and offers exclusive opportunities for Indian nurses to gain experience across the globe. These opportunities enhance knowledge, skills

and professional conduct and provide the students with exposure to best international nursing practice.

The Faculty has been collaborating with INSCOL Academy since 2008 and is about to welcome its ninth cohort of students on the BSc Nursing Studies course. Through studying at LJMU, 234 INSCOL students have already benefi tted their careers by adding an international perspective to their nursing experience.

As many of the students reap the benefi ts of UK study they often extend

Faculty Senior Lecturer, Collette Bennion, recently had her research, Embedding the assistant practitioner role within the clinical department: A qualitative study, published in Radiography, the International Journal of diagnostic imaging and radiation therapy works.

The research, which was produced by Collette and Professor Fiona Irvine, aimed to evaluate the Assistant Practitioner role in terms of service delivery and gain insight into the improvements that could be made in embedding this role effectively. This evaluation was timely as the role had been established in radiography for

Lean on me

their stay by obtaining a 2 year post-study working visa and gain further international experience working as a healthcare assistant. Others choose to continue their studies at the Faculty and undertake the Masters in Nursing Studies. INSCOL realised that this growing network of students and alumni could help welcome new starters and also provide a social support network for each other.

“The group offers new students a chance to meet with people who have been in the same position as them and have experienced what it feels like to arrive in a new country,” explains group secretary and fi nal year BSC Nursing Studies student Vidhya Vijaya. “Students can often feel isolated and overwhelmed when they fi rst arrive in the country and struggle to understand some of the cultural differences. The network helps to provide advice and friendship to these new students and offers an opportunity to celebrate festivals, exchange experiences and help prepare students for what they might expect during their stay”.

The group, which meet up twice a month, use Facebook to set up social events and contact each other. The network also helps alumni fi nd jobs and accommodation and provides links to other INSCOL students across the UK, offering a wider network of support if students choose to travel.

Faculty contributes to Radiography journalseveral years and there was limited research which explored its success in practice.

A qualitative approach was used to examine the perceptions of radiology managers using a regional focus group and follow up interviews.

Three main themes representing the perceptions of the role were uncovered and these related to organisational issues, the educational perspective and the individual perspective.

Findings suggest that there is potential for the AP role to support the work of radiographers and more importantly enhance the care of patients. However, certain individual

views should be addressed and the identifi ed changes in departmental organisation attended to, if the role is to develop successfully and become fi rmly embedded in the radiography service structure.

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The Learn Together partnership has recently awarded the Faculty with a contract to run the ‘Step up to Social Work’ programme, funded by the Children’s workforce development council.

The course, which will commence with a cohort of approximately 20 students in February next year, provides trainees with a Masters in social work, alongside intensive hands on experience and enables coursework and practical experience to happen simultaneously. It has been specifi cally designed as a new way for career changers to train to become qualifi ed social workers.

The challenging course is designed to be completed within an 18 month period as opposed to the usual 24 months so the level of commitment expected is high.

A lot will be expected of candidates but they will be fully supported throughout with one-to-one support within the workplace as well as having access to tutors in the Faculty. In addition, trainees receive at least £15,000 a year to support them through their training.

The programme does not follow a traditional route into the social work profession in that students are work-based rather than campus based throughout the period of their training. On successful completion of the programme trainees qualify as a social worker and are awarded a masters degree.Dave Hicks, Professional Lead for Social Work, said:” We’re delighted to be selected to deliver this programme and we’re particularly looking forward to working in partnership with Local Authorities.”

Faculty Paramedic Student Alice Walls recently carried out two weeks of voluntary work in Cambodia where Alice visited various hospitals. Alice also worked in villages that don’t have access to hospitals and conducted observations on individuals whilst based in the chief of the village’s house. She also had the opportunity to watch theatre - an eye opening experience without keyhole surgery and when patients have to hold

their own drips.

“Dehydration and malnutrition were the main conditions I came across, along with rashes that I had not seen before because they are only found in tropical climates,” explained Alice “One 7 year old I conducted observations on weighed only 15kg and had a high temperature, she was taken to hospital on a motorbike only to fi nd out she was 477th in a queue

Volunteer work in Cambodia

The Royal College of Nursing’s student and acting education advisor Gill Robertson said universities had signifi cantly improved their support of students.

“There will and always should be a bit of attrition in nursing courses. There will be some people who get out there and realise it’s not for them,” she said.“But in many universities there has been an emphasis on how to lessen attrition, whether it’s more academic support and tutorials or pastoral care of students.”Students have sometimes found it diffi cult to contact their tutors when out

Nursing Times praises LJMU for our Pastoral Careon placements - but universities have started to address this issue.

Ms Robertson pointed out that a rule change allowing students to continue their studies after returning from maternity leave might have helped improve the attrition rate.

She cited Glamorgan, Huddersfi eld and Liverpool John Moores as universities with particularly good pastoral care.To read the full article visit www.nursingtimes.net/whats-new-in-nursing/news-topics/nursing-education/huge-fall-in-nurses-dropping-out-of-nursing-courses/5035504.article .

of other needy patients.” Fortunately she was treated at one of the Children’s hospitals which functions thanks to aid received after many of the country’s hospitals had been destroyed during the Khmer Rouge period. “It’s strange to think that the job I am training for doesn’t even exist in Cambodia. The ambulance is essentially a bus with limited medicine on it.”

Student ConferenceThe fourth Annual Student Nursing conference took place on Thursday 22nd September at the LJMU Art and Design Academy. The conference was as always organised by Senior Lecturer Frances Colbron with a group of our Faculty student mentors and was attended by around 250 LJMU Student Nurses.

This year, for the fi rst time, speakers participated in a ‘Question Time’ session where panel members consisted of representatives from the RCN, General Practitioners, Parliamentary members and the Strategic Health Authority. The event was a great success and was found to be thoroughly enjoyable and informative by all who attended.

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Step up to Social Work

20

Kerry Leigh, Laughology

Issue 01 The Vine 21

Support for Addictions Prevention and Treatment in Africa (SAPTA) is the only organisation in sub-Saharan Africa to offer Professional Development Courses, whose main objective is to enhance capacity amongst professionals working in clinical settings as well as to expand awareness amongst individuals and organisations, on the prevention and treatment of risks associated with substance use disorders/HIV/AIDS/TB/mental illnesses. SAPTA is developing a number of Diploma courses and is linking with the Faculty’s Centre for Public Health on distance learning.

The Centre has initiated collaborative ties with SAPTA, to develop joint research activities and share knowledge on alcohol and drug related issues in Kenya and other countries in SSA. A small capital investment grant was provided by the Centre to enable SAPTA to renovate an old building into a Learning Centre. The Learning Centre is now completed, with a library, classroom, and seminar room. Representatives from the Centre

Centre launches new learningfacility in Nairobi

were invited to attend the opening and launch of the Learning Centre on 5th July 2011, together with ministry offi cials, Nairobi university colleagues and board members, counsellors utilising the services.

The Executive Director of SAPTA commented: “We really have appreciated support from the Centre for Public Health for the Learning Centre and the presence of Dr Penelope Phillips-Howard and Dr Caryl Beynon for the opening ceremony. The Leaning Centre has really transformed our mini-campus in a real sense of being a learning institute. The students and trainers are really appreciative of the two new classrooms and especially the expanded library. We had a visit from the person responsible within the Ministry of Higher Education for our approval as a tertiary training institute a month ago, as we presently have temporary approval. He was so impressed with the Learning Centre that he said we can apply for permanent registration in November at the end of our one year temporary approval.”

From left to right - Dr. JK Mutiso (chairman, SAPTA), Dr’s Penelope Phillips Howard and Caryl Beynon, (representatives from the Centre for Public Health, Liverpool John Moores University), Dr William Sinkele (Director, SAPTA), Dr. Sobbie Mulindi, (Deputy Director, National AIDS Control Council (NACC).

And the award goes to......Congrats goes to.....

Julie Connolly, Senior Lecturer for the Health and Social Care for Families, Individuals and Communities course, received the ‘Amazing Personal Tutor Award’ at this year’s Liverpool Students’ Union Teaching Excellence Awards.

Over 200 members of staff were nominated for this year’s Liverpool Students’ Union Teaching Excellence Awards and the nominations prove that inspiring teaching and learner support is crucial to delivering an outstanding student experience.

All of the judges were impressed by the students’ thoughtful, refl ective accounts on why staff make such an impact on the student experience. “Students want to say thank you to the people who have changed their lives,” says LSU Vice President Jemma Blease-Dudley.

“Everyone goes to Julie for advice. She is the fi rst point of call in any emergency. Julie’s help and presence on our course is priceless.” Student on Julie Connolly.

Faculty Senior Lecturer Angela Pike has recently had a piece of research published in the Journal of Further and Higher Education. The research, ‘Crossing the FE/HE divide: the transition experiences of direct entrants at level 6’, studies the

Transitioning to

Higher Education transition experiences of a group of students entering the fi nal years of honours degree programmes at a post 1992 HEI. The expected expansion of foundation degrees increases the potential growth of direct entrants crossing the divide between the FE and HE sectors.

The research makes suggestions for

improving transitions between the two sectors, and calls for HEIs with a commitment to widening participation through partnerships with FECs to regularly review the infrastructure in place to ensure that students wanting to make the transition from one institution to the other are supported to do so as painlessly as possible.

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Faculty staff were invited to attend The Health Service Journal Effi ciency Awards Ceremony which took place in The Hilton Hotel on Park Lane, London on the 14th September. The invite came after LJMU participated in the development of an Interprofessional Learning Pilot in conjunction with 5 Borough’s Partnership and Knowsley Borough Council, which was a fi nalist in the category, ‘Effi ciency

in Training and Evaluation’.The entry outlined an original approach based on helping students in Nursing and social work placements to experience the entire journey of individual patients, carers or service users, following a pathway through integrated health and social care services.

The pilot encourages a person-centred approach, identifi es commonalities in the work of various professionals and encourages an integrated, holistic approach to needs and services.

Paul A. Jones is selected as domain expert in a new project on mutualism, cooperatives and social democracy in Europe

The Foundation for European Progressive Studies (FEPS), Gauche Réformiste Européenne (GRE), Policy Network and Solidar have invited Paul A Jones to participate as domain expert in a new project on mutualism, cooperatives and social democracy in Europe. Paul participated in the fi rst seminar in Brussels last week. This was devoted to a review of the state of play of the mutual and co-operative sector in key sectors: fi nancial services, health care, agriculture and housing. As part of his contribution, Paul presented his recent research fi ndings on the development of co-operative credit unions in London. Paul will also attend as domain expert at the next seminar to be held in Brussels on the 26th November. The second seminar is entitled “Is there an option for mutualism and the left?.The series of seminars will result in a publication on the role of the progressive left in Europe in promoting mutualism, cooperatives and social democracy

Faculty domain expert

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Students were placed in one setting and spent time in various other settings, consistent with a ‘hub and spoke’ model. A knowledge and skills framework was available to record learning and promote refl ection on that, and the work is being evaluated by Practice Education Facilitators.

The pilot has been implemented on an on-going basis now, and it will be extended to students from various professional areas as well as to several other universities.

Persons involved from LJMU included Barry Hurst, Menna Harland and David Hicks; and Sue Watson and Lesley Woodcock took lead roles in development of the work, in inductions for students and in convening the joint evaluations with LJMU staff. LJMU’s Practice Learning Support Unit was instrumental in identifying and matching students for placement settings. The staff named were joined by PLSU staff and Professor Godfrey Mazhindu and senior 5 Boroughs NHS Trust staff for the ceremony.

Looking for a place to meet, study, to do group work in? Well that place, might just be, the Space!

Located on the ground fl oor of the Faculty Tithebarn Street building, the Space offers a comfortable environment to study in either alone or as part of a group. This brand new multifunctional student zone is equipped with comfortable seating, seminar rooms and cutting edge I.T facilities.

The Space

London Trip

22

Wiggly Seminars: Worming information into your mind

Faculty research seminars happen on a monthly basis, with each seminar including presentations on a different theme.

Recent themes have been ‘Participatory Research Methods’ and ‘Victims and Witnesses of Crime’ and the forthcoming seminar is titled ‘Evidenced-based approaches to prevention’. The seminars are intended to facilitate the

sharing of knowledge and research skills across the Faculty and offer an opportunity for Faculty postgraduate students, academics and researchers from the Centre for Public Health to present their research alongside external speakers. Come along to gain a better awareness of a variety of research topics, methodologies and how this evidence is implemented in practice.

The chance to air your views on a hot subject in the health and applied social sciences arena.The government is launching a new learning plan in schools which shows school children a range of airbrushed images in an attempt to show them the ‘impossible standard’ set by the media.

The images demonstrate how photographs of people can be altered and airbrushed. It is hoped that this will help young people critically appraise and gain more realistic perceptions of the images they see.

The Equalities Minister Lynne Featherstone said: “ We want children to recognise from an early age that their value is worth so much more than their physical appearance.”

We asked Faculty students, do you agree with these new plans or could we actually be pre-empting eating disorders or other mental health conditions by presenting these ideas to children?

Have Your SayAGREE34% of students we asked agreed that it was a good idea to introduce this idea to children during lessons at school. They felt that it was useful to show children how the media can change images to give an unrealistic idea of how we should look. This may ultimately prevent eating disorders and low self esteem.

Alex Lewis, a fi rst year DIPHE Adult Nursing student said: “It is good for children to see what real women look like without airbrushing.” Her classmate Sandra Lake said “ It is important that youngsters, especially those approaching their teens, are aware of the changes that the media can make to the images we see so that they do not have an unrealistic view of what real people look like and put pressure on themselves to be perfect”.

DISAGREE66% of students disagreed with the Government’s new plans with most saying that children should not be introduced to the idea of body image too young as this could encourage them to think about their weight and pre-empt worries about the way they look. The majority of students agreed that children should not be thinking about body issues until they get a bit older and that study time in school could be put to better use.

Siobhan Birchall, a fi rst year BA Adult Nursing Student said: “Kids should be having fun and enjoying themselves, not worrying about the way they look. Putting ideas about body image in their heads is only going to encourage them to worry and get paranoid about being perfect. It is more important for kids to learn about being healthy and exercise, no matter what size they are”

To read more about the government’s initiatives relating to body image/ confi dence www.homeoffice.gov.uk/equalities/equality-government/body-confi dence/

Issue 01 The Vine 23Issue 01 The Vine

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To keep informed on Faculty news, events, projects, research and courses please visit

www.ljmu.ac.uk/health

Contact us:Faculty of Health and Applied Social SciencesLiverpool John Moores University79 Tithebarn StreetLiverpoolL2 2ER

Email: health-marketing@ljmu.ac.ukTel: +44 (0)151 231 4096