A group of Charles Sturt University (CSU) students will gain an insight into business and information technology in Asia during a visit to Malaysia in July. The nine students from CSU’s Faculty of Business will visit HELP University and discuss trade with representatives from the Australian High Commission in Kuala Lumpur. Other highlights will include a round-table discussion about strategic marketing with low-cost airline Air Asia, and tours of the Seagate hard disk factory in Penang, and the largest cloud computing data centre in South-East Asia. Tour leader, Mr Anthony Chan, a lecturer with CSU’s School of Computing and Mathematics said, “The tour will give students the opportunity to interact with political and business leaders to get a better understanding of the trade, education and employment opportunities”. The trip is supported by CSU Global, a University initiative to give students the opportunity to experience the world through a broad range of international study experiences.

Fine food expertly matched with selected Charles Sturt University (CSU) wines will be celebrated at the inaugural Bathurst Winter Feast at the University on Friday 5 July. Head of Campus, Mr Col Sharp will host the event, and CSU winemaker, Mr Andrew Drumm, will introduce the wines that accompany the special degustation menu prepared by the CSU catering team. Mr Sharp said, “The Charles Sturt University Winery produces quality wines and was rated four and a half stars in the 2013 James Halliday Australian Wine Companion. The Bathurst Winter Feast will feature new and old wines, including the 2012 ‘PG’ Pinot Gris, the first from the University’s vineyard in Orange, and the new 2012 ‘T’ Tempranillo. I encourage food and wine lovers from the Bathurst region to come along for a night of enjoyment and excellent fare.” Dress is ‘smart casual with a touch of Winter’ and tickets are $90 each by booking on (02) 6365 7643 or send an email csuwinery@csu.edu.au. The inaugural Bathurst Winter Feast starts at 6pm on Friday 5 July at The Rafters (in building C4, car park P10) at CSU in Bathurst.

The ability to communicate to clinical colleagues while using the latest in patient simulation technologies is the focus of a two-day joint training exercise for nursing and paramedic students at the Charles Sturt University (CSU) Inter-professional Clinical Simulation Centre in Bathurst on Thursday 4 and Friday 5 April. “In the real world, where life and death decisions must be made quickly, communication is the key,” said Mr Sandy MacQuarrie, lecturer in the paramedic program at the CSU School of Biomedical Sciences in Bathurst. “Nurses and paramedics play an important part in emergency patient care. Training for that is not easy, but a series of planned ‘high fidelity’ simulations will allow the second and third-year paramedic and nursing students to learn about the importance of communication, teamwork and skilled patient care. Under close supervision, the students will learn to think critically and to relay important information quickly. Charles Sturt University is committed to leading the way in world-class health care training, and initiatives like this train our future leaders in emergency health care.” The joint simulation training for 146 students (76 nursing, and 70 paramedic) in groups of 30 over the two days has been planned by Mr MacQuarrie and Mr Paul Mahony, lecturer in nursing at the CSU School of Nursing, Midwifery and Indigenous Health.

Fitness training will be included in the professional preparation of paramedic students at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Bathurst, starting with fitness testing for 163 students on Wednesday 15 May. Ms Amanda Hlushak, associate lecturer in the paramedic program at CSU’s School of Biomedical Sciences in Bathurst, said, “The aim of running a baseline fitness test for our paramedic students is to make them more fit and more employable by the end of their three-year course. Paramedic wellness, fitness awareness and physical training will also help reduce on-job injuries, reduce occupational stress and enable longer careers. The students will be in uniform and will be doing a weighted stretcher carry, an endurance step-test, and an obstacle course. The obstacle course will include job-specific tasks including the carrying of paramedic equipment, strength tasks, and doing cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR).” The testing will take place at the gymnasium in the CD Blake Auditorium (building E1, on Village Drive) and on the adjacent playing fields at CSU in Bathurst, starting on the hour from 8am to 6pm Wednesday 15 May.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) will host two MyDay information events on Monday 15 April for senior high school students interested to study communication subjects in Bathurst and dentistry and allied health subjects in Orange. The MyDay in Bathurst will help students explore careers in advertising, commercial radio, journalism, sports journalism, public relations, and theatre/media through the School of Communication and Creative Industries. In Orange, the MyDay will profile dentistry at the School of Dentistry and Health Sciences, pharmacy and clinical science at the School of Biomedical Sciences and physiotherapy through the School of Community Health. CSU prospective student adviser, Ms Fran Dwyer, said, “MyDay offers Year 11-12 students the opportunity to find out about the courses available and to experience a day in the life of a university student ‘living and learning’ on campus. The day will involve hands on activities, tours of facilities, and up-to-date information about courses, international study options, and the application process. Students will also get the opportunity to talk to current students and academic staff.” Both MyDay events will be from 10am to 2pm on Monday 15 April, with concurrent information session for parents. Students need to register their interest online at www.csu.edu.au/myday or phone 6338 6010.

The Education For Practice Institute at Charles Sturt University (CSU) will hold its third practice-based education summit in Sydney on Wednesday 10 and Thursday 11 April. The 2013 Practice-Based Education Summit: Practice, Culture and Identity will hear from Australian and international practice-based education experts, led by the Vice-Chancellor and President of CSU, Professor Andrew Vann, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) , Professor Garry Marchant and Director of the Education For Practice Institute, Professor Joy Higgs. The Deputy Director of CSU’s Education for Practice Institute, Associate Professor Franziska Trede, said, “The 2013 Summit will explore the connections between professional practice and concepts of culture and identity. Keynote speeches address knowledge practices in professions, practice in the digital age, and practicing professional identities. Delegates will examine the ways in which practice, culture and identity can inform future research and teaching directions for university-based professional education and workplace learning.” Visiting experts include Professor Monika Nerland (University of Oslo), Professor Rainer Winter (Alpen-Adrai University of Klagenfurt), Professor Nita Cherry (Swinburne University of Technology), Professor Jan Orrell (Flinders University), Professor David Boud (University of Technology, Sydney) and Dr Calvin Smith (Griffith University).

More than 100 first-year paramedic students at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Bathurst have volunteered to assist when thousands of cyclists visit the region to participate in the annual NAB B2B race and ride from Bathurst to Blayney on Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 April. Ms Amanda Hlushak, associate lecturer in the paramedic program at the CSU School of Biomedical Sciences in Bathurst, said, “The National Australia Bank B2B offers our first-year paramedic students the opportunity to gain experience and involvement in the local community. They are required to undertake 80 to100 hours of practical experience in the community as part of their university studies, so volunteering for the B2B enables the students to accrue these hours and gain valuable experience to add to their learning. Although they are in the early stages of their paramedic education, all of the students have a solid understanding of basic triage principles and are Senior First Aid qualified. They will be provided with a basic first aid kit, supplied by the B2B organising committee, to enable them to deliver first-on-the scene assistance to any cyclists who experience difficulties or have mishaps.” The paramedic students will supplement the increased number of St John’s First Aid officers and the 100 volunteers to be located throughout the three courses of the NAB B2B.

The State Emergency Service (SES) unit in Bathurst will assist Charles Sturt University (CSU) paramedic students in an extrication exercise on Wednesday 17 April. Mr Brian Haskins, lecturer in the paramedic program at the CSU School of Biomedical Sciences in Bathurst, said, “The SES will join 15 postgraduate paramedic diploma students to participate in a joint extrication practice using the ‘jaws of life’ on a car donated by Bathurst Auto Parts. We really value the assistance of the SES and Bathurst Auto Parts in the running of these joint training exercises which allow our students to practise their extrication skills in realistic simulations. These simulators are used to practise extricating patients from car seats using devices such as the Kendrick extrication device (KED). Ms Susanne Dixon, the Rescue Team Leader of the Bathurst SES Unit and a training officer with the CSU Division of Information Technology in Bathurst, suggested the idea for the simulators to me at a joint extrication exercise last year.” The simulators were built by the University’s facilities management staff, with materials donated by Bathurst Auto Parts and funded by the CSU Student Paramedics Association. Eight simulation seats were made, each worth approximately $250, with seven for the CSU paramedic program clinical teaching spaces and one for the SES Bathurst Unit. After the exercise, a car seat simulator will be presented to the Bathurst SES Unit.

Construction of the new $14.1 million Bathurst Community Engagement and Wellness Precinct clinical facilities at Charles Sturt University (CSU) has begun. Mr Col Sharp, Head of Campus at CSU in Bathurst, said, “This is an exciting development which will improve the education of our clinical students and also provide an enhanced range of integrated clinical services for the Bathurst region. The integration of multiple clinical services in the one location is important. Firstly, it is a cornerstone of the University’s approach to promote and embed team-based inter-professional care to fulfil their role in the future health and medical workforce. It will also improve patient outcomes through an enhanced focus on prevention and early intervention, and effective management of patients with chronic diseases and complex care needs.” Funding for the project is from three sources: $7.1 million from Health Workforce Australia (HWA), an Australian Government initiative; $6 million from the Health and Hospitals Fund (HHF) initiative of the Australian Government under the Department of Health and Aging, as part of the Australian Government’s broader nation-building infrastructure program; and a $1 million Charles Sturt University contribution from the CSU Infrastructure Plan - Capital Development Plan. The facility is projected to be completed by December 2013 and will become operational in 2014.