Ms Darlene Wyatt¹, Ms Heather  Agnew², Ms  Robyn  Gill³

¹Country Health SA Local Health Network, Port Pirie, Australia, ²Country Health SA Local Health Network, Mount Gambier, Australia, ³Country Health SA Local Health Network, Adelaide, Australia

Abstract:

There are a range of generic skills required for student supervision across Allied Health Professionals (AHPs). A multi-disciplinary training workshop was developed and provided by Clinical Placement Educators for AHPs within Country Health SA Local Health Network (CHSALHN) for professional development around student supervision.

Due to the vast distances across rural South Australia, creative use of technology and facilitation were required to provide training to supervisors. Blended participation of face to face with videoconference (VC) attendees ensured both groups received quality training and opportunities for discussion and interaction.

Over 40 AHPs attended the training. Approximately half attended face to face and the other half joined the training via VC which linked 9 additional regional health sites. The model of training combined short presentations of information with time for interactive practice and development of skills in small groups. Sole participants linking in via VC liaised via this medium as a small group to practice skills.

Participants completed a survey to evaluate the training workshop. Feedback from all participants indicated that the blended approach to delivery of this workshop delivered excellent results allowing networking and discussion across rural SA and between disciplines.

The success of this training model has shown that there are opportunities to provide interactive, skills based multi-disciplinary training across vast geographical distances. Further evaluation data from participants will be presented. There are plans to develop this model and offer further blended, multi-disciplinary AHP student supervision workshops.

Biography:

With a career spanning almost 3 decades, Darlene has spent much of her social work career in regional and rural locations in South Australia. Darlene is a strong advocate for attracting students to rural and remote locations to experience the diverse work. The opportunity to work in a multi-disciplinary manner with other allied health professions to support staff with skills and knowledge that can assist them in feeling confident to support students was welcomed with open arms.
Darlene continues to work at growing the number of social work student placements across Country Health SA Local Health Network and looks forward to many more creative and dynamic opportunities in the future.