Regional and rural allied health professionals in Australia need better information services training and support for evidence‐based practice

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacqueline Lienesch ◽  
Kylie Ann Murphy ◽  
Tracey Elizabeth Parnell ◽  
Adele Miles
Keyword(s):  
Health Professionals ◽  
Allied Health ◽  
Evidence Based Practice ◽  
Information Services ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Allied Health Professionals ◽  
Training And Support

Do Allied Health Professionals Exercise Evidence-Based Practice in Services?

2016 ◽  
Vol 22 (12) ◽  
pp. 3983-3987
Author(s):  
Noor Hidayah Abu Bakar ◽  
Norhayati Mohd Zain ◽  
Khairiah Abdul Hamid ◽  
Mary M Dore Lim
Keyword(s):  
Health Professionals ◽  
Allied Health ◽  
Evidence Based Practice ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Allied Health Professionals

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

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Wright ◽  
Mary Fry ◽  
Jo Adams ◽  
Catherine Bowen
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Practice ◽  
Health Professional ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Allied Health ◽  
Evidence Based Practice ◽  
Research Capacity ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Building Research ◽  
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 Nurse and Allied Health Professional musculoskeletal research internship programme and 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 (e.g. changing perceptions of research); personal impact (e.g. confidence); impact on clinical practice (e.g. supporting evidence based practice); drivers for applying (e.g. assisting career choices); intervention design (e.g. appropriate timing and duration); mentorship and networking (e.g. general support and advice on career pathways); challenges (e.g. continuing with research when in full time clinical practice). Conclusion: The internship programme is an effective model in building research capacity in MSK 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.

Urban Australian general practitioners’ perceptions of falls risk screening, falls risk assessment, and referral practices for falls prevention: an exploratory cross-sectional survey study

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 111 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kajtek Kielich ◽  
Lynette Mackenzie ◽  
Meryl Lovarini ◽  
Lindy Clemson
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Older People ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Allied Health ◽  
Falls Prevention ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Allied Health Professionals ◽  
Falls Risk ◽  
Referral Practices ◽  
Prevention Interventions

Objective The study aimed to explore Australian general practitioners’ (GPs) perceptions of falls risk screening, assessment and their referral practices with older people living in the community, and to identify any barriers or facilitators to implementing evidence-based falls prevention practice. Methods Hardcopy surveys and a link to an online survey were distributed to 508 GPs working at one Medicare Local (now part of a Primary Care Network) located in Sydney, Australia. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and key themes were identified from open text responses. Results A total of 37 GPs returned the survey. Only 10 (27%) GPs routinely asked older people about falls, and five (13.5%) asked about fear of falls during clinical consultations. Barriers to managing falls risk were identified. GPs estimated that they made few referrals to allied health professionals for falls interventions. Conclusions GPs were knowledgeable about falls risk factors but this did not result in consistent falls risk screening, assessment or referral practices. Due to the small sample, further research is needed with a larger sample to augment these results. What is known about the topic? Falls are a common and serious health issue for older people and fall prevention is vital, especially in the primary care setting. General practitioners (GPs) are key health professionals to identify older people at risk of falls and refer them to appropriate health professionals for intervention. Evidence-based falls prevention interventions exist but are not easily or routinely accessed by older people. What does this paper add? GPs believe that previous falls are an important falls risk factor but they do not routinely ask about falls or fear of falls in clinical practice with older people. GP referral rates to allied health professionals for falls prevention are low, despite evidence-based falls prevention interventions being provided by allied health professionals. There are several barriers to GPs providing falls prevention assessment and intervention referrals, particularly using the current primary health systems. What are the implications for practitioners? GPs need to recognise their potential significant contribution to falls prevention in the community and may require tailored training. Sustainable evidence-based referral pathways need to be developed so that older people can be referred to allied health professionals for falls prevention interventions in the primary care setting, and better local networks need to be developed to allow this to occur. Policy makers may have to address the identified barriers to multidisciplinary practice and funding of services to facilitate effective falls prevention programs in primary care.

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