The Graduate School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health is pleased to invite you to a research seminar to hear two PhD candidates present on their research. All are welcome, no RSVP necessary.

Venue: Seminar Room CS801, Level 8, Clinical Services Block, Newtown Hospital

Amy Joe, PhD Candidate in Nursing: Male Ex-prisoners' Perceptions of Health and Wellbeing

Ex-prisoners are known to have specific and sometimes complex health needs. Research into ex-prisoner health and wellbeing has been carried out in many countries using mainly quantitative design; few studies have captured the ex-prisoner voice. Conceptually health and wellbeing in the existing research has not been well defined. The purpose of this research is to understand how ex-prisoners perceive their health and wellbeing. An interpretive descriptive approach, with semi-structured interviews as method will be used to understand ex-prisoners perspectives of their health and wellbeing. The findings of the study will contribute new understanding and knowledge of male ex-prisoners’ perspectives of their health and wellbeing; how they make sense of health and wellbeing; and advance understanding of health behaviours of adult male ex-prisoners. It will also contribute theoretically with the development of a conceptual framework that can be applied in studies exploring health and wellbeing.

Lorna Massov, PhD Candidate in Midwifery: Women’s Experiences of Using Virtual Reality in Labour: A Mixed Methods Approach

There is worldwide concern over rising epidural analgesia rates for women in childbirth and the use of pharmacological methods of pain relief in normal labour. Birth is a normal physiological process and many women want a natural non-pharmacological birth. The purpose of this PhD study will be to explore the experiences of women using Virtual Reality as a non-pharmacological method of pain relief in labour. It is intended to assess the acceptability and feasibility of Virtual Reality and a range of Virtual Reality environments with pregnant women as potential users. It will also explore the user’s experiences of Virtual Reality during labour and explore possible perception and cognition mechanisms responsible. This Mixed Methods research study is intended to make an original contribution to the field of Virtual Reality and its application in labour and birth and also inform design for new biomedical technologies.