Evidence suggests that health care workers are often uncomfortable talking with people about hearing voices, despite recommendations that voice-hearers be provided with opportunities to freely discuss their experiences. Moreover, in rural and remote Australia, workforce shortages mean that a broader range of workers, often non-specialists, are providing services for people with complex mental health presentations. Improving the skills of this non-specialist workforce is therefore an important endeavour. The Hearing Voices that are Distressing (HVD) simulation workshop was originally developed by voice-hearers and provides participants with first-hand experience of what it might be like to hear voices that are distressing. HVD [...]

Abstract Objective: To better understand barriers and enablers to uptake of dementia training in rural and remote areas using input from rural and remote aged and health care workers into how dementia training could be offered to better meet their needs. Methods: Roundtable focus groups were conducted in six diverse rural and remote locations in four jurisdictions around Australia. Sixty-seven workers from predominantly nursing, allied health, and support worker roles involved in dementia care participated. Data were collected by site and used a mixture of face-to-face and virtual facilitated 'roundtable' discussions. Each group discussed barriers and enablers to participation in training and [...]

Summary Background Globally, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and gout (arthritis conditions) result in considerable pain and suffering and disproportionately affect First Nations Peoples, who are more likely than non-First Nations Peoples to have an arthritis condition and to experience a higher burden of disease. Access to culturally appropriate health information supports the health and wellbeing of First Nations Peoples. The aim of this study was to identify evidence-based, culturally appropriate recommendations to inform the development of arthritis educational resources for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples (First Nations Peoples in Australia). Methods This mixed-methods study using community-based participatory action research had [...]

Abstract Background: Rising global temperatures and increased use of personal protective equipment has led to increased risk of heat stress amongst healthcare professionals. This review synthesizes recent research on the impact of heat and heat mitigation strategies on healthcare professionals across disciplines and settings. Method: Databases were systematically searched using keywords and data from included studies were extracted for content analysis. Results: Among 15 eligible studies, 13 investigated the impact of heat stress on healthcare professionals. Six investigated mitigation strategies. Most studies utilized survey methodology and were related to the use of personal protective equipment during the recent pandemic. Large [...]

Rural health work-integrated learning exposes students to the unique features of rural professional practice and provides opportunities to improve students’ work-readiness. Service learning placements delivered in rural settings seek to address the dual goals of student learning and meeting community identified needs. This research aimed to evaluate the experiences of students and supervisors who were involved in service learning placements in various rural and regional communities across a range of educational and health settings. Thirty-eight participants completed an online survey, reporting high levels of satisfaction with this placement format. Students experienced a strong sense of belonging within the host organisation, [...]