Factors such as lifestyle, career and family ties may attract ... Enhance career options in rural Victoria. ... SAHWEP utilises information technology (IT) and e- ... How best prefer to have your Continuing Education delivered: Rank from 1-4. Rank.
Enhancing rural workforce capacity building through creating new knowledge networks for Allied Health Professionals A/Prof Kevin O’Toole School of International and Political Studies, Deakin University A/Prof Adrian Schoo Greater Green Triangle University Department of Rural Health, Flinders and Deakin Universities Andrea Hernan Greater Green Triangle University Department of Rural Health, Flinders and Deakin Universities
Covered in this presentation Workforce
development - Background State-Wide Allied Health Workforce Education Program (SAHWEP) Results of survey of participants E-Learning and networks Conclusion
Background
Recruitment and retention of Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) is a problem in rural areas. Factors such as lifestyle, career and family ties may attract professionals to rural employment, however reasons for leaving are often related to: personal factors, social and professional isolation, poor access to continuing education (CE), and lack of career paths.
Access to CE may enhance workforce capacity of AHPs in rural areas.
Background
The literature surrounding the retention of allied health workers in rural areas are often based on factors that can be grouped in three domains:
Organisational issues Personal/professional issues Community issues.
These factors are related to family, career, the manner in which an organisation is led, community support and professional development needs.
State-Wide Allied Health Workforce Education Program (SAHWEP)
The program seeks to support the CE needs of Victoria’s AHPs. (See our poster presentation for more details) SAHWEP aims:
Provide needs-based CE to rural and remote allied health professionals; Offer topics of interest to a total of 22 professions; Facilitate allied health networks and inter-professional practice; Create the opportunity for professionals to re-enter the workforce; Improve self-management, team skills and leadership; and Enhance career options in rural Victoria.
State-Wide Allied Health Workforce Education Program (SAHWEP)
SAHWEP utilises information technology (IT) and elearning as the platforms for CE. Webcasting enables a richer mix of media to be used, such as:
Live and post event presentations Virtual discussion board Question and answer sessions Video and audio recordings Interactive surveys
Rich Media Presentation
Aims of Study
The aims of this study are to: (i) Identify what the professionals expect to gain from having
access to CE; (ii) Find out the preferred method of access; and (iii) Measure the need for working with others.
Results
Four professions made up 70% of the respondents;
Physiotherapists (33.6%, n=99), Occupational Therapists (14.6%, n=43), Social Workers (11.2%, n=33), and Speech Pathologists (10.5%, n=31).
The overwhelming majority of respondents were female (89.8%, n=265, male 10.2%, n=15).
39% (n=116) of respondents were aged 21-30 years old.
65.4% (n=193) of respondents worked in the public sector.
Results
The highest ranking expectations of CE were:
Increasing knowledge of own discipline Increasing knowledge of specific conditions Increasing self-confidence
Table 1. Expectations for Continuing Education (CE) Not Important
Very Important
Total
Increased confidence in role as a professional
3.1% (n= 9)
5.6% (n=16)
10.8% (n=31)
26.8% (n= 77)
53.7% (n=154)
287
Better understanding specific conditions
3.5% (n=10)
3.1% (n= 9)
7.7% (n=22)
33.6% (n= 96)
52.1% (n=149)
286
Assessment and or management techniques specific to my discipline
2.8% (n= 8)
3.2% (n= 9)
6.0% (n=17)
20.8% (n= 59)
67.1% (n=190)
283
Results
The most preferred approach to CE was face to face followed by video– conferencing and interactive web-based approaches. This was not uniform across the age cohorts. The 40 and under group mostly preferred face to face (65%, n=111) together with the 50+ cohort (53% n=17).
Table 2. How best prefer to have your Continuing Education delivered: Rank from 1-4 Rank
1
Face to face
56.4% (n=145)
8.9% (n=23)
6.0% (n= 14)
Interactive web-based Non-interactive webbased after the event
Videoconferencing
2
3
4
Total
7.8% (n=200)
26.8% (n=69)
257
40.0% (n=94)
30.2% (n= 71)
23.8% (n=56)
235
14.6% (n= 36)
34.8% (n=86)
38.1% (n= 94)
12.6% (n=31)
247
21.0% (n= 54)
19.1% (n=49)
22.6% (n= 58)
37.4% (n=96)
257
Results
75% of respondents indicated that they were interested in working with other professionals as part of a clinical exchange.
Reasons for working with other professionals included:
Understanding of other professions roles (35%, n=24) Opportunity to learn (30%, n=21) Increase skills and knowledge (improve practice) (28%, n=19) Building relationships (15%, n=10) Exchanging ideas (15%, n=10) Reducing isolation (5%, n=3)
Reasons for being unable to work with other professionals included:
Lack of time (6%, n=4) Family commitments (9%, n=6) Sole practitioner (3%, n=2)
E-learning and Networks
The results of this survey indicate that AHPs in rural areas are interested in using CE to widen their networks, to improve their own skills and broaden their understanding of the work of other professionals. One significant approach to retaining allied health practitioners in rural locations is the supply of good support, education and training Issue for e-learning is that face-to-face more preferred due to past experience (eg University practice) Issue of networking:
Bring disciplines together for better use of economies of scale Vertical, horizontal and symbiotic networks, and ‘place’
Conclusion
CE content on the program website has been expanded to professionals in South Australia and Queensland.
There are opportunities for the different States and Territories to support allied health professionals, thereby building health workforce capacity and addressing the inequality that exits between urban and rural areas in Australia.
If professionals are more prepared to practice rurally, those practicing in rural areas may be more inclined to engage in elearning because access to CE adds value, and the public benefits due to practitioners being able to maintain their CE requirements.
Acknowledgements This program is funded by the Victorian Department of Human Services.
Thank you
