Allied health service–learning student placements in remote northern Australia during COVID‐19

Campbell, Narelle; Stothers, Kylie; Swain, Lindy; Cairns, Alice; Dunsford, Ella; Barker, Ruth

doi:10.1111/ajr.12661

Cited by 10 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…Fortunately, around 80% of students continued to undertake a planned rural and remote placement in some form. This finding is positive in the light of early reports that showed the widespread cancellation of rural and remote placements at the height of the pandemic 6 . As the pandemic has progressed, UDRHs along with health services have clearly found creative ways to provide meaningful learning opportunities for students without compromising their safety or the safety of the community.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 76%

“…This finding is positive in the light of early reports that showed the widespread cancellation of rural and remote placements at the height of the pandemic. 6 As the pandemic has progressed, UDRHs along with health services have clearly found creative ways to provide meaningful learning opportunities for students without compromising their safety or the safety of the community. Continuing to find safe placement experiences has likely been driven by strong student demand, with only 6% of students choosing to cancel their placement due to health risks associated with the pandemic.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…9 This closure resulted in immediate impacts for some students with organised UDRH-facilitated clinical placements in these communities. 6 Although biosecurity zones were relaxed in July 2020, ongoing travel restrictions and concern from both universities and health services that allowing students from metropolitan areas to travel to placements in rural and remote locations posed an inadvertent risk of exposing rural and remote communities to the virus. Universities…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In 2019, UDRHs across Australia facilitated placements of at least 2 weeks length for 16 510 nursing, midwifery and allied health students, an increase of 26% from the previous year 5 . Although growth in clinical placement numbers was planned in 2020, the emergence of coronavirus SARS‐CoV‐2 (COVID‐19) as a worldwide pandemic resulted in immediate and widespread challenges to facilitating rural and remote placements for students across Australia throughout 2020 6,7 …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The Australian Department of Health was quick to identify many remote areas of Australia as quarantine zones, particularly in efforts to protect vulnerable populations, such as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities 9 . This closure resulted in immediate impacts for some students with organised UDRH‐facilitated clinical placements in these communities 6 . Although biosecurity zones were relaxed in July 2020, ongoing travel restrictions and concern from both universities and health services that allowing students from metropolitan areas to travel to placements in rural and remote locations posed an inadvertent risk of exposing rural and remote communities to the virus.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 4 more Smart Citations

Impact of COVID‐19 on rural and remote student placements in Australia: A national study

Hoang

Jessup

Obamiro

et al. 2022

Australian J Rural Health

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Objective To investigate students' perceptions of the impact of coronavirus SARS‐CoV‐2 on rural and remote placements facilitated by 16 University Departments of Rural Health in Australia in 2020. Design A mixed‐method design comprising an online survey and semi‐structured interviews. Setting Australia. Participants Allied health, nursing and medical students with a planned University Departments of Rural Health‐facilitated rural or remote placement between February and October 2020. Intervention A planned rural or remote placement in 2020 facilitated by a University Departments of Rural Health, regardless of placement outcome. Main outcome measures Questionnaire included placement outcome (completed or not), discipline of study (nursing, allied health, medicine), and Likert measures of impact to placement (including supervision, placement tasks, location, accommodation, client contact and student learning) and placement experience (overall, support, supervision, university support). Semi‐structured interviews asked about placement planning, outcome, decisions, experience and student perceptions. Results While coronavirus SARS‐CoV‐2 reportedly impacted on the majority of planned placements, most students (80%) were able to complete their University Departments of Rural Health‐facilitated placement in some form and were satisfied with their placement experience. Common placement changes included changes to tasks, setting, supervisors and location. Allied health students were significantly more likely to indicate that their placement had been impacted and also felt more supported by supervisors and universities than nursing students. Interview participants expressed concerns regarding the potential impact of cancelled and adapted placements on graduation and future employment. Conclusions The coronavirus SARS‐CoV‐2 pandemic was reported to impact the majority of University Departments of Rural Health‐facilitated rural and remote placements in 2020. Fortunately, most students were able to continue to undertake a rural or remote placement in some form and were largely satisfied with their placement experience. Students were concerned about their lack of clinical learning and graduating on time with adequate clinical competence.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 76%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Impact of COVID‐19 on rural and remote student placements in Australia: A national study

Hoang

Jessup

Obamiro

et al. 2022

Australian J Rural Health

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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Healthy ageing in remote Cape York: a co-designed Integrated Allied Health Service Model

Cairns,

Rodda,

Wymarra

et al. 2024

Aust. J. Prim. Health

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Allied health services in rural and remote hospitals often work in siloed and solo discipline-specific positions. They are often part of general multi-disciplinary teams without a clearly articulated service model that integrates care for individuals and addresses broader community health needs. Integrated care service models for clients with complex disabilities or chronic health needs have demonstrated improved outcomes, but feasible service models are rarely described in the context of rural, remote and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Integration can support primary health care in remote communities where resources are thin, and the breadth of multidisciplinary service providers is not available. A remote health service, in collaboration with a University Department of Rural Health and community partners, developed a community rehabilitation and lifestyle service for adults who experience chronic disease, disability or were at risk of functional decline due to frailty. Using an integrated approach, this model of care improves access to specialist and primary healthcare services, delivers targeted group-based rehabilitation and preventative activities, and addresses community and workforce capacity to meet the needs of the remote community. This paper describes a remote primary health care, Integrated Allied Health Service Model, developed with a focus on the co-ordination and integration of care and resources between the health service, education and community.

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A qualitative exploration of health student perspectives of rural and remote placements during the early stages of the COVID‐19 pandemic

Sheepway

Jessup

Podubinski

et al. 2022

Australian J Rural Health

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Objective To explore health student perspectives of rural and remote placements during the early stages of the COVID‐19 pandemic. Setting Australia. Participants Allied health, nursing and medical students with a planned rural or remote placement between February and October 2020. Design Semi‐structured interviews ( n = 29) with data thematically analysed. Results Five main themes emerged from student experiences: (1) ‘Do we go? Don't we go? Like how much risk is involved?’ related to student concerns regarding acquiring and transmitting COVID‐19 on placement; (2) ‘We are sort of just standing at the door trying to watch’ encompassed student perceptions of missed clinical learning opportunities in response to health and safety measures related to COVID‐19; (3) ‘I, as a student, sort of fell under the radar’ related to student perceptions of suboptimal supervision; (4) ‘It was a bit more difficult to engage with that wider community’ recognised student feelings of social disconnection and their lack of opportunity for community immersion; and (5) ‘We felt like we got something that is more than we expected’ emerged from student reflections on training during the pandemic and alternative placements (virtual, simulated and non‐clinical) that exceeded expectations for learning. Conclusions Although most students were willing and able to undertake their rural or remote placement in some form during the early stages of the pandemic and identified unanticipated learning benefits, students recognised lost opportunities to build clinical skills, become culturally aware and connect with rural communities. It remains unknown how these rural and remote placement experiences will impact rural intention and in turn, rural workforce development.

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Allied health service–learning student placements in remote northern Australia during COVID‐19

Cited by 10 publications

References 6 publications

Impact of COVID‐19 on rural and remote student placements in Australia: A national study

Impact of COVID‐19 on rural and remote student placements in Australia: A national study

Healthy ageing in remote Cape York: a co-designed Integrated Allied Health Service Model

A qualitative exploration of health student perspectives of rural and remote placements during the early stages of the COVID‐19 pandemic

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