Can webinars support the implementation of video consultations at pace and scale within the allied health professions?

2021 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Lesley Holdsworth ◽  
Debbie Provan ◽  
Gail Nash ◽  
Marc Beswick ◽  
Carol Curran ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Healthcare Professional ◽  
Allied Health ◽  
Video Conferencing ◽  
Professional Services ◽  
Allied Health Professionals ◽  
Video Consultation ◽  
Before And After ◽  
National Activity ◽  
Allied Healthcare ◽  
The Impact

Background/aims In an attempt to reduce the impact of COVID-19 and support remote working, many allied healthcare professionals were equipped with video consultation technology. To support this new way of working, profession-specific webinars were delivered and attended by over 50% of the total allied healthcare professional workforce in Scotland. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of these webinars on the knowledge and confidence of allied health professionals in delivering services via video conferencing. Methods Attendees knowledge and current video conferencing use were ascertained immediately before and after webinars. Surveys were also completed at 4 and 8 weeks after the webinar to establish any impact on clinical practice. Results Levels of understanding, knowledge and confidence increased considerably (P<0.001). Follow up at 8 weeks post webinar identified that 75.5% of attendees were using video conferencing, with allied healthcare professional video conferencing activity representing 17% of all national activity by June 2020. Conclusions Upskilling a diverse and dispersed workforce at pace and scale to enable safe remote working has been critical throughout the pandemic. Webinars have proven to be popular with staff to increase their knowledge of and ability to confidently use video conferencing to provide allied healthcare professional services across Scotland.

scholarly journals The CDM-Net Project: The Development, Implementation and Evaluation of a Broadband-Based Network for Managing Chronic Disease

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Kay Jones ◽  
Trisha Dunning ◽  
Beth Costa ◽  
Kristine Fitzgerald ◽  
Akuh Adaji ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Disease ◽  
Disease Management ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Allied Health ◽  
Chronic Disease Management ◽  
Management Service ◽  
Health Providers ◽  
Allied Health Professionals ◽  
Before And After ◽  
The Impact

Background. In Australia most chronic disease management is funded by Medicare Australia through General Practitioner Management Plans (GPMPs) and Team Care Arrangements (TCAs). Identified barriers may be reduced effectively using a broadband-based network known as the Chronic Disease Management Service (CDMS). Aims. To measure the uptake and adherence to CDMS, test CDMS, and assess the adherence of health providers and patients to GPMPs and TCAs generated through CDMS. Methods. A single cohort before and after study. Results. GPMPs and TCAs increased. There was no change to prescribed medicines or psychological quality of life. Attendance at allied health professionals increased, but decreased at pharmacies. Overall satisfaction with CDMS was high among GPs, allied health professionals, and patients. Conclusion. This study demonstrates proof of concept, but replication or continuation of the study is desirable to enable the impact of CDMS on diabetes outcomes to be determined.

scholarly journals Importance of safety climate, teamwork climate and demographics: understanding nurses, allied health professionals and clerical staff perceptions of patient safety

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. e000433
Author(s):  
Shahram Zaheer ◽  
Liane R Ginsburg ◽  
Hannah J Wong ◽  
Kelly Thomson ◽  
Lorna Bain
Keyword(s):  
Patient Safety ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Allied Health ◽  
Safety Climate ◽  
Outcome Variable ◽  
Senior Leadership ◽  
Staff Perceptions ◽  
Allied Health Professionals ◽  
Leadership Support ◽  
The Impact

BackgroundThere is growing evidence regarding the importance of contextual factors for patient/staff outcomes and the likelihood of successfully implementing safety improvement interventions such as checklists; however, certain literature gaps still remain—for example, lack of research examining the interactive effects of safety constructs on outcomes. This study has addressed some of these gaps, together with adding to our understanding of how context influences safety.PurposeThe impact of staff perceptions of safety climate (ie, senior and supervisory leadership support for safety) and teamwork climate on a self-reported safety outcome (ie, overall perceptions of patient safety (PS)) were examined at a hospital in Southern Ontario.MethodsCross-sectional survey data were collected from nurses, allied health professionals and unit clerks working on intensive care, general medicine, mental health or emergency department.ResultsHierarchical regression analyses showed that perceptions of senior leadership (p<0.001) and teamwork (p<0.001) were significantly associated with overall perceptions of PS. A non-significant association was found between perceptions of supervisory leadership and the outcome variable. However, when staff perceived poorer senior leadership support for safety, the positive effect of supervisory leadership on overall perceptions of PS became significantly stronger (p<0.05).Practice implicationsOur results suggest that leadership support at one level (ie, supervisory) can substitute for the absence of leadership support for safety at another level (ie, senior level). While healthcare organisations should recruit into leadership roles and retain individuals who prioritise safety and possess adequate relational competencies, the field would now benefit from evidence regarding how to build leadership support for PS. Also, it is important to provide on-site workshops on topics (eg, conflict management) that can strengthen working relationships across professional and unit boundaries.

scholarly journals Qualitative investigation of the perceptions and experiences of nursing and allied health professionals involved in the implementation of an enriched environment in an Australian acute stroke unit

BMJ Open ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (12) ◽  
pp. e018226 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ingrid C M Rosbergen ◽  
Sandra G Brauer ◽  
Sarah Fitzhenry ◽  
Rohan S Grimley ◽  
Kathryn S Hayward
Keyword(s):  
Change Management ◽  
Acute Stroke ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Stroke Unit ◽  
Allied Health ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Enriched Environment ◽  
Allied Health Professionals ◽  
Acute Stroke Unit ◽  
The Impact

ObjectiveAn enriched environment embedded in an acute stroke unit can increase activity levels of patients who had stroke, with changes sustained 6 months post-implementation. The objective of this study was to understand perceptions and experiences of nursing and allied health professionals involved in implementing an enriched environment in an acute stroke unit.DesignA descriptive qualitative approach.SettingAn acute stroke unit in a regional Australian hospital.ParticipantsWe purposively recruited three allied health and seven nursing professionals involved in the delivery of the enriched environment. Face-to-face, semistructured interviews were conducted 8 weeks post-completion of the enriched environment study. One independent researcher completed all interviews. Voice-recorded interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed by three researchers using a thematic approach to identify main themes.ResultsThree themes were identified. First, staff perceived that ‘the road to recovery had started’ for patients. An enriched environment was described to shift the focus to recovery in the acute setting, which was experienced through increased patient activity, greater psychological well-being and empowering patients and families. Second, ‘it takes a team’ to successfully create an enriched environment. Integral to building the team were positive interdisciplinary team dynamics and education. The impact of the enriched environment on workload was diversely experienced by staff. Third, ‘keeping it going’ was perceived to be challenging. Staff reflected that changing work routines was difficult. Contextual factors such as a supportive physical environment and variety in individual enrichment opportunities were indicated to enhance implementation. Key to sustaining change was consistency in staff and use of change management strategies.ConclusionInvestigating staff perceptions and experiences of an enrichment model in an acute stroke unit highlighted the need for effective teamwork. To facilitate staff in their new work practice, careful selection of change management strategies are critical to support clinical translation of an enriched environment.Trial registration numberANZCTN12614000679684; Results.

Satisfaction with referral relationships between general practice and allied health professionals in Australian primary health care

2011 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 250 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bibiana Chan ◽  
Judy Proudfoot ◽  
Nick Zwar ◽  
Gawaine Powell Davies ◽  
Mark F. Harris
Keyword(s):  
General Practice ◽  
Chronic Diseases ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Allied Health ◽  
Shared Care ◽  
Working Relationships ◽  
Optimal Care ◽  
Allied Health Professionals ◽  
Intervention Measures ◽  
The Impact

Chronic diseases require a multidisciplinary approach to provide patients with optimal care in general practice. This often involves general practitioners (GPs) referring their patients to allied health professionals (AHPs). The Team-link study explored the impact of an intervention to enhance working relationships between GPs and AHPs in general practice regarding the management of two chronic diseases: diabetes and ischaemic heart disease (IHD) or hypertension. The Measure of Multidisciplinary Linkages (MoML) questionnaire was developed to assess professional interactions and satisfaction with various aspects of the multidisciplinary relationship. Questionnaires were completed at baseline and 6 months by GPs (n = 29) participating in the Team-link project and by AHPs (n = 39) who had a current working relationship with these GPs. The Chronic Care Team Profile (CCTP) and Clinical Linkages Questionnaire (CLQ) were also completed by GPs. There were significant changes from baseline to 6 months after the intervention measures for individual items and overall MoML scores for GPs, especially items assessing ‘contact’, ‘shared care’ and ‘satisfaction with communication’. The comparable item in the CLQ, ‘Shared Care’, also showed significant improvement. However, there were no statistically significant correlations between the change in overall ‘Referral Satisfaction’ scores in the GP MoML and the CLQ. The CCTP also improved and was a weak negative correlation between the GP MoML and two of the subscores of this instrument. There were no changes in AHP measure. This study demonstrates that the instrument is sensitive to differences between providers and conditions and is sensitive to change over time following an intervention. There were few associations with the other measures suggesting that the MoML might assess other aspects of teamwork involving practitioners who are not collocated or in the same organisation.

Research culture in allied health: a systematic review

2016 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 294 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donna Borkowski ◽  
Carol McKinstry ◽  
Matthew Cotchett ◽  
Cylie Williams ◽  
Terry Haines
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Health Research ◽  
Allied Health ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Research Culture ◽  
Positive Research ◽  
Research Skills ◽  
Allied Health Professionals ◽  
The Impact

Research evidence is required to guide optimal allied health practice and inform policymakers in primary health care. Factors that influence a positive research culture are not fully understood, and nor is the impact of a positive research culture on allied health professionals. The aim of this systematic review was to identify factors that affect allied health research culture and capacity. An extensive search of 11 databases was conducted in June 2015. Studies were included if they were published in English, had full-text availability and reported research findings relating to allied health professions. Study quality was evaluated using the McMaster Critical Review Forms. Fifteen studies were eligible for inclusion. A meta-analysis was not performed because of heterogeneity between studies. Allied health professionals perceive that their individual research skills are lower in comparison to their teams and organisation. Motivators for conducting research for allied health professionals include developing skills, increasing job satisfaction and career advancement. Barriers include a lack of time, limited research skills and other work roles taking priority. Multilayered strategies, such as collaborations with external partners and developing research leadership positions, aimed at addressing barriers and enablers, are important to enhance allied health research culture and capacity.

scholarly journals Assessing Baccalaureate Nursing Students’ Antibiotic Stewardship Knowledge Using Virtual Standardized Patient Simulations

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (S1) ◽  
pp. s37-s37
Author(s):  
Mary Lou Manning ◽  
Monika Pogorzelska-Maziarz ◽  
David Jack ◽  
Lori Wheeler
Keyword(s):  
Nursing Students ◽  
Baccalaureate Nursing ◽  
Antibiotic Stewardship ◽  
Video Conferencing ◽  
Antibiotic Use ◽  
Baccalaureate Nursing Students ◽  
Standardized Patient ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Tract Infections ◽  
The Impact

Background: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the single most important factor leading to the development of antibiotic resistance (AMR) is the use of antibiotics. Studies indicate that up to 50% of hospitalized patients receive at least 1 antibiotic, half of which are inappropriate. The outpatient setting accounts for >60% of antibiotic use and over half of these prescriptions are inappropriate. Antibiotic stewardship programs improve appropriate antibiotic use, reduce AMR, decrease complications of antibiotic use, and improve patient outcomes. Building a nursing workforce with necessary AMR and antibiotic stewardship knowledge and skill is critical. Nursing graduates can translate knowledge into practice, promoting the judicious use of antibiotics to keep patients safe from antibiotic harm. Methods: Third-year baccalaureate nursing students enrolled in a fall 2020 health promotion course at an urban university affiliated with an academic medical center participated. Students received a 3-hour lecture on antibiotics, AMR and antibiotic stewardship nursing practices and actively engaged in antibiotic stewardship simulations using standardized patient (SP) encounters. The SP participants were specifically trained for these activities. Simulations included a 30-minute brief before and a 60-minute briefing after the activities. All activities occurred via video conferencing. Case scenarios, developed by the authors, focused on penicillin-allergy delabeling of an adolescent prior to elective surgery and appropriate use of antibiotics in managing pediatric urinary tract infections and acute otitis media (AOM). Before-and-after tests were used to assess the impact on AMR and antibiotic stewardship knowledge. Results: Over a period of 4 days, all enrolled students (n = 165) participated in 1 three-hour virtual simulation session. Using Zoom video conferencing with multiple breakout rooms, the activities were easily managed. During the simulations, students often struggled with reading an antibiogram and applying the concept of “watchful waiting” in AOM management. Significant differences were found in before-and-after test results, with significant improvement in students’ general and specific knowledge and awareness of antibiotics (P < .01). During the debriefing sessions, students reported increased awareness related to their role in advancing the judicious use of antibiotics. Conclusions: Initially, we planned to conduct in-person SP simulations. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, faculty and students demonstrated remarkable flexibility and resilience as we successfully converted to a virtual format. Virtual lecture and SP simulations, followed by debriefing, was an effective approach to educate baccalaureate nursing students about AMR and their role in antibiotic stewardship. Areas for course content improvement were identified.Funding: NoDisclosures: None

Expanding Access to Care: Scope of Practice Laws

2017 ◽  
Vol 45 (S1) ◽  
pp. 33-36
Author(s):  
Kathleen Hoke ◽  
Sarah Hexem
Keyword(s):  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Nurse Practitioners ◽  
Allied Health ◽  
Scope Of Practice ◽  
Independent Practice ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Allied Health Professionals ◽  
Integral Role ◽  
Dental Providers ◽  
The Impact

Allied health professionals play an integral role in providing safe, affordable care to communities in need. Laws that define the permissible scope of practice for these professionals may take full advantage of these providers and may unnecessarily restrict safe and effective care. Nurse practitioners in many states may provide care independent of a physician; research reveals that this care is safe, affordable and accessible. Yet hurdles exist that prevent communities from securing the full benefit of NPs in independent practice. The scope of independent practice for allied dental providers varies greatly across the country, often including stringent supervision requirements. Emerging approaches to allowing allied dental providers to practice independently in certain settings or with dentist supervision via telemedicine and creating the intermediate provider, the dental therapist, may increase access to safe, affordable dental care. Research on the impact of laws that allow broader independent practice by NPs to ferret out the hurdles to full implementation of the spirit of such laws is needed. That research could support expanded independent scope for allied dental providers and other allied health care providers.

scholarly journals Effects of participation in an aging game simulation activity on the attitudes of allied health students toward older adults

2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beverly Henry ◽  
Carolinda Douglass ◽  
Irene Kostiwa
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Allied Health ◽  
Negative Attitude ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Allied Health Students ◽  
Attitudes Toward Older Adults ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Students Attitudes ◽  
Game Simulation ◽  
The Impact

The Aging Game simulation activity was designed to improve medical students’ attitudes toward older adults. This study was conducted to determine if the Aging Game, adapted for use with allied health students, could yield positive results in the students’ levels of anxiety about aging and attitudes toward aging. The modified Aging Game was implemented at a large Midwestern university with 156 students from three allied health areas – nutrition and dietetics, physical therapy, and long-term care administration. All students actively engaged in the simulation activity and completed pre- and posttest questionnaires containing the Anxiety about Aging Scale (AAS) and the Aging Semantic Differential (ASD) measures. Results indicated most students had low anxiety about aging and positive attitudes toward older adults both before and after the Aging Game activity. Changes in the students’ pre- and posttest scores on AAS and/or ASD measures were mixed, with small differences in average scores. The demographics of the sample group for this study may partially explain the effects the simulation experience had on these allied health students. That some students took on a more negative attitude toward older adults after the simulation could be attributed to a more realistic view of the difficulties and challenges of aging. Also, the shortened timeframe of the Aging Game simulation may have affected the students’ reactions to the activity. Future activities to complement the simulation, such as reflective writing and interaction with older adults, may improve the impact of the Aging Game on the attitudes of allied health students.

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