scholarly journals Effects and mechanisms of an allied health research position in a Queensland regional and rural health service: a descriptive case study

2018 ◽  
Vol 42 (6) ◽  
pp. 667 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel J. Wenke ◽  
Anna Tynan ◽  
Annette Scott ◽  
Sharon Mickan
Keyword(s):  
Health Service ◽  
Allied Health ◽  
Research Capacity ◽  
Research Culture ◽  
Building Research ◽  
Potential Value ◽  
Research Collaborations ◽  
Rural Health Service ◽  
Use Of Technology

The aim of the present case study is to illustrate the outcomes of a dedicated allied health (AH) research position within a large Queensland regional and rural health service. The secondary aim of the case study is to describe the enabling and hindering mechanisms to the success of the role. Semistructured interviews were conducted with the Executive Director of Allied Health and the current AH research fellow incumbent within the health service. A focus group was also undertaken with six stakeholders (e.g. clinicians, team leaders) who had engaged with the research position. Outcomes of the AH research fellow included clinical and service improvements, enhanced research culture and staff up-skilling, development of research infrastructure and the formation of strategic research collaborations. Despite being a sole position in a geographically expansive health service with constrained resources, key enabling mechanisms to the success of the role were identified, including strong advocacy and regular communication with the Executive. In conclusion, the case study highlights the potential value of an AH research position in building research capacity within a large non-metropolitan health service. Factors to facilitate ongoing success could include additional research and administrative funding, as well as increased use of technology and team-based research. What is known about the topic? Dedicated research positions embedded within health care settings are a well cited strategy to increase research capacity building of allied health professionals (AHPs). However the majority of these positions are within metropolitan health settings and unique challenges exist for these roles in regional and rural areas. Few studies have described the impact of dedicated AH research positions within regional health centres or the factors which facilitate or hinder their role. What does this paper add? Dedicated research positions within a non-metropolitan Australian health service may have a positive impact on AH clinical services, research culture, staff upskilling, research infrastructure and research collaborations. Key enabling mechanisms to support the role may include advocacy from higher level management, strong networks and communication channels. Additional research and administrative funding, the use of technology and team based research may enhance sustainability of such roles. What are the implications for practitioners? AH research positions have potential value in building research capacity within a large non-metropolitan health service. Health managers and researchers should be aware of the unique challenges to these roles and consider mechanisms that may best enhance and sustain outcomes of the positions including: the development of infrastructure (i.e. technology, website of resources), networks, and communication strategies (i.e. regular meetings with leadership and promotion internally).

scholarly journals Strategies for research engagement of clinicians in allied health (STRETCH): a mixed methods research protocol

BMJ Open ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (9) ◽  
pp. e014876 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sharon Mickan ◽  
Rachel Wenke ◽  
Kelly Weir ◽  
Andrea Bialocerkowski ◽  
Christy Noble
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Mixed Methods Research ◽  
Allied Health ◽  
Research Capacity ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Knowledge Brokering ◽  
Programme Theory ◽  
Allied Health Professionals ◽  
Research Engagement

IntroductionAllied health professionals (AHPs) report positive attitudes to using research evidence in clinical practice, yet often lack time, confidence and skills to use, participate in and conduct research. A range of multifaceted strategies including education, mentoring and guidance have been implemented to increase AHPs’ use of and participation in research. Emerging evidence suggests that knowledge brokering activities have the potential to support research engagement, but it is not clear which knowledge brokering strategies are most effective and in what contexts they work best to support and maintain clinicians’ research engagement.Methods and analysisThis protocol describes an exploratory concurrent mixed methods study that is designed to understand how allied health research fellows use knowledge brokering strategies within tailored evidence-based interventions, to facilitate research engagement by allied health clinicians. Simultaneously, a realist approach will guide a systematic process evaluation of the research fellows’ pattern of use of knowledge brokering strategies within each case study to build a programme theory explaining which knowledge brokering strategies work best, in what contexts and why. Learning and behavioural theories will inform this critical explanation.Ethics and disseminationAn explanation of how locally tailored evidence-based interventions improve AHPs use of, participation in and leadership of research projects will be summarised and shared with all participating clinicians and within each case study. It is expected that local recommendations will be developed and shared with medical and nursing professionals in and beyond the health service, to facilitate building research capacity in a systematic and effective way.

Research culture in a regional allied health setting

2017 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 300 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donna Borkowski ◽  
Carol McKinstry ◽  
Matthew Cotchett
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Health Research ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Allied Health ◽  
Research Capacity ◽  
Research Culture ◽  
Allied Health Professionals ◽  
Regional Area ◽  
Open Coding ◽  
Conducting Research

Research evidence is required to guide best practice, inform policy and improve the health of communities. Current indicators consider allied health research culture to be low. This study aimed to measure the allied health research culture and capacity in a Victorian regional health service. The Research Capacity and Culture tool was used to evaluate research capacity and culture across individual, team and organisation domains. One-way ANOVA was used to determine differences between allied health professions, whereas responses to open-ended questions were themed using open coding. One hundred thirty-six allied health professionals completed the survey. There were statistically significant differences in the organisation domain between social work, physiotherapy and occupational therapy professions; in the team domain, between social work and all other professions. Motivators for conducting research included providing a high-quality service, developing skills and increasing job satisfaction. Barriers included other work roles taking priority, a lack of time and limited research skills. Multi-layered strategies including establishing conjoint research positions are recommended to increase allied health research culture in this regional area.

scholarly journals Building research capacity in musculoskeletal health: qualitative evaluation of a graduate Nurse and Allied Health Professional internship programme

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Wright ◽  
Mary Fry ◽  
Jo Adams ◽  
Catherine Bowen
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Practice ◽  
Health Professional ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Allied Health ◽  
Research Capacity ◽  
Service Planning ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Building Research ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Allied Health Professional

Abstract Background: Evidence based practice enhances service planning and delivery, clinical decision making and patient care. However, health professionals often lack the time and opportunity to access or generate evidence. Research capacity building is thus an important mechanism for improving health service delivery. This study evaluates the effectiveness of a UK-wide Nurse and Allied Health Professional musculoskeletal research internship programme in which graduates applied to undertake their internship through one of five Higher Education Institutions. The evaluation explores the experiences of interns and their mentors.Methods: Sixteen new graduates completed the internship programme (September 2015 – August 2018). Twelve interns and thirteen mentors participated in the evaluation. The evaluation used qualitative asynchronous email-based interviews to explore the experiences of interns and mentors. Interpretive phenomenological analysis of coded transcripts identified principal themes.Results: Early research outputs from the interns include three peer reviewed publications and 21 conference abstract presentations. Two interns were in full time research at the time of interview or had a research component in their clinical role. Nine interns in clinical posts disclosed plans to return to research in the near future. Seven themes were identified: the impact on interns’ careers; personal impact (for example, influence on self-confidence); impact on clinical practice; drivers for applying; intervention design (for example, attitudes concerning the timing and duration of the intervention); mentorship and networking (including general support provided and quality of career advice); challenges.Conclusion: The internship programme is an effective model in building research capacity in musculoskeletal research for Nurses and Allied Health Professionals, influencing careers, building confidence and improving clinical practice. The internship programme has the potential to be replicable to other clinical contexts nationally and internationally.

scholarly journals Building research capacity in the allied health professions

2008 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-68 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caroline Pickstone ◽  
Susan Nancarrow ◽  
Jo Cooke ◽  
Wesley Vernon ◽  
Gail Mountain ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Allied Health ◽  
Health Professions ◽  
Research Capacity ◽  
Building Research ◽  
Allied Health Professions

Rural health services and the task of community participation at the local community level: a case study

2018 ◽  
Vol 42 (1) ◽  
pp. 111 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elena Wilson ◽  
Amanda Kenny ◽  
Virginia Dickson-Swift
Keyword(s):  
Health Policy ◽  
Health Service ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Community Participation ◽  
Rural Health ◽  
Service Planning ◽  
Rural Health Services ◽  
Case Study Methodology ◽  
Rural Health Service

Community participation in health service decision making is entrenched in health policy, with a strong directive to develop sustainable, effective, locally responsive services. However, it is recognised that community participation is challenging to achieve. The aim of the present study was to explore how a rural health service in Victoria enacts community participation at the local level. Using case study methodology, the findings indicate that enactment of community participation is desired by the health service, but a lack of understanding of the concept and how to enact associated policy are barriers that are exacerbated by a lack of resources and community capacity. The findings reveal a disconnect between community participation policy and practice. What is known about the topic? The need to involve communities in health service planning, implementation and evaluation is a feature of health policy across major Western countries. However, researchers have identified a dearth of research on how community participation is enacted at the local service level. What does this paper add? The study that is presented herein addresses a gap in knowledge of community participation policy enactment within a rural health service. Insights are provided into the challenges faced by rural health services, with a disconnect between policy ideal and the reality of implementation. What are the implications for practitioners? Health service staff need clear direction from chief executive officers about the purpose of community participation policy and the expectations for individual roles. Community advisory committees need clarity about the community member role and the processes for making decisions. Services and their boards would benefit from targeted government funding to resource community participation activity.

Building Research Capacity in College Recreational Sports

2007 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 26-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Danell J. Haines ◽  
Tyler L. Fortman
Keyword(s):  
Human Resources ◽  
Research Capacity ◽  
Practice Research ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Recreational Sports ◽  
Research Culture ◽  
Building Research ◽  
Research Mentor ◽  
Research Resources

The field of college recreational sports is growing, but research in the field has not grown equally. To ensure that decisions are made correctly and to justify the worth of college recreational sports to administrators, it is vitally important that research within the field expand. The purpose of this article is to identify strategies for building research capacity within the NIRSA community and in departments of college recreational sports. Previous literature was examined and four strategies within the context of building research capacity emerged: (1) create a research culture in which those affiliated with a given department have comparable positive views about the role of research within the department and use research to make evidence-based decisions; (2) develop and practice research skills; (3) select or be a research mentor; and (4) provide research resources including human resources, facilities, funding, and libraries. These themes are explained in detail and implementations strategies to build research capacity within college recreational sports are given.

scholarly journals Index of Access: a new innovative and dynamic tool for rural health service and workforce planning

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (5) ◽  
pp. 492 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew R. McGrail ◽  
Deborah J. Russell ◽  
John S. Humphreys
Keyword(s):  
Health Service ◽  
Rural Health ◽  
Workforce Planning ◽  
Service Planning ◽  
Rural And Remote ◽  
Health Service Planning ◽  
Planning Decisions ◽  
Primary Health ◽  
Rural Health Service

Objective Improving access to primary health care (PHC) remains a key issue for rural residents and health service planners. This study aims to show that how access to PHC services is measured has important implications for rural health service and workforce planning. Methods A more sophisticated tool to measure access to PHC services is proposed, which can help health service planners overcome the shortcomings of existing measures and long-standing access barriers to PHC. Critically, the proposed Index of Access captures key components of access and uses a floating catchment approach to better define service areas and population accessibility levels. Moreover, as demonstrated through a case study, the Index of Access enables modelling of the effects of workforce supply variations. Results Hypothetical increases in supply are modelled for a range of regional centres, medium and small rural towns, with resulting changes of access scores valuable to informing health service and workforce planning decisions. Conclusions The availability and application of a specific ‘fit-for-purpose’ access measure enables a more accurate empirical basis for service planning and allocation of health resources. This measure has great potential for improved identification of PHC access inequities and guiding redistribution of PHC services to correct such inequities. What is known about the topic? Resource allocation and health service planning decisions for rural and remote health settings are currently based on either simple measures of access (e.g. provider-to-population ratios) or proxy measures of access (e.g. standard geographical classifications). Both approaches have substantial limitations for informing rural health service planning and decision making. What does this paper add? The adoption of a new improved tool to measure access to PHC services, the Index of Access, is proposed to assist health service and workforce planning. Its usefulness for health service planning is demonstrated using a case study to hypothetically model changes in rural PHC workforce supply. What are the implications for practitioners? The Index of Access has significant potential for identifying how rural and remote primary health care access inequities can be addressed. This critically important information can assist health service planners, for example those working in primary health networks, to determine where and how much redistribution of PHC services is needed to correct existing inequities.

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