背景:农村和偏远社区在获得医疗服务方面面临着严重的不利条件,并且健康状况不佳的风险很高。这些领域的劳动力挑战是多方面的,与需要广泛技能和知识的专职医疗专业人员合作,为当地社区提供重要服务。发展农村和偏远实践的专业知识,引入了专职卫生农村通才途径(AHRGP),以发展和识别农村和偏远实践所需的专业技能和知识,然而,专业人士的经验还没有被探索。这项研究获得了从事该途径的专职卫生专业人员及其临床主管的经验和看法,直线经理,行业负责人和消费者代表。
方法:在四个研究阶段采用语用方法进行了定性研究。这项研究是调查经验的大型混合方法研究的一个组成部分,AHRGP对南澳大利亚(SA)六个区域地方卫生网络的影响和结果。面试,进行了调查和焦点小组,以探索参与者的看法和经验。数据在参与者组和研究阶段进行了主题分析。
结果:共有54名参与者,包括15名学员,13名直线经理,九位临床主管,六个职业线索,四名项目经理和七名消费者代表告知了这项研究。从数据中产生了五个主题;获得农村实践的广泛技能和知识,找到管理道路的时间,将学习付诸实践,AHRGP影响整个团队和信心,一致,熟练的专职医疗专业人员对消费者产生积极影响。
结论:AHRGP正在为专职卫生专业人员提供发展农村和偏远实践技能和知识的机会。它也对个人管理复杂性和解决问题的能力产生积极影响。调查结果表明,消费者和组织受益于提供更多可访问性,一致,以及学员提供的优质服务。学员面临的挑战是找到时间来管理学习并将学习付诸实践。组织将受益于更清晰的支持结构和资源,以支持未来的道路。毕业生的激励和职业发展机会将增强AHRPG的整体价值。
BACKGROUND: Rural and remote communities face significant disadvantages accessing health services and have a high risk of poor health outcomes. Workforce challenges in these areas are multifaceted, with allied health professionals requiring broad skills and knowledge to provide vital services to local communities. To develop the expertise for rural and remote practice, the allied health rural generalist pathway (AHRGP) was introduced to develop and recognise specialist skills and knowledge required for rural and remote practice, however the experiences of professionals has not been explored. This study gained the experiences and perceptions of allied health professionals undertaking the pathway as well as their clinical supervisors, line managers, profession leads and consumer representatives.
METHODS: A qualitative study was undertaken drawing on pragmatic approaches across four research phases. This study was one component of a larger mixed methods study investigating the experience, impact and outcomes of the AHRGP across six regional Local Health Networks in South Australia (SA). Interviews, surveys and focus groups were conducted to explore the perceptions and experiences of participants. Data was analysed thematically across participant groups and research phases.
RESULTS: A total of 54 participants including 15 trainees, 13 line managers, nine clinical supervisors, six profession leads, four program managers and seven consumer representatives informed this study. Five themes were generated from the data; gaining broad skills and knowledge for rural practice, finding the time to manage the pathway, implementing learning into practice, the AHRGP impacts the whole team and confident, consistent, skilled allied health professionals positively impact consumers.
CONCLUSIONS: The AHRGP is offering allied health professionals the opportunity to develop skills and knowledge for rural and remote practice. It is also having positive impacts on individuals\' ability to manage complexity and solve problems. Findings indicated consumers and organisations benefited through the provision of more accessible, consistent, and high quality services provided by trainees. Trainees faced challenges finding the time to manage study and to implement learning into practice. Organisations would benefit from clearer support structures and resourcing to support the pathway into the future. Incentives and career advancement opportunities for graduates would strengthen the overall value of the AHRPG.