Workforce Quality and Innovation
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Director, UDRH
Professor Lisa Bourke(03) 5823 4519
Research Overview
Rural areas in Australia and the Western world struggle to recruit and retain a health workforce equipped to meet the needs of rural residents. This research stream investigates the recruitment and retention of the rural workforce as well as the training of rural health professionals. The work of this research group focuses on the training of the future workforce, evaluating our training programs as well as understanding the workforce needs and related issues. There are a range of small projects, each contributing to how we prepare our rural workforce, recruit the appropriate workforce and then encourage retention and career progression. These include:
- Evaluation of Medical education in rural areas
- What makes a quality placement (with other UDRHs)?
- Evaluation of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Project in rural and Aboriginal communities?
- Students needs on placement during a pandemic—a national study
- A model of service learning for rural communities
- Nursing and allied health training in rural areas
- Workforce needs in northern Victoria
- Recruitment to, and retention of, health professionals in rural areas
- Short-term staffing in remote Aboriginal communities
Staff
Ms Noha Merchant
Funding
Australian Government Rural Health Multidisciplinary Training program, Australian Research Council and other small research grants.
Research Publications
2023
Mathew, S., Fitts, M. S., Liddle, Z., Bourke, L., Campbell, N., Murakami-Gold, L., . . . Wakerman, J. (2023). Telehealth in remote Australia: a supplementary tool or an alternative model of care replacing face-to-face consultations?. BMC Health Services Research, 23(1), 341. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-023-09265-2
Quilliam, C., Wong Shee, A., Corboy, D., Glenister, K., King, O., Mc Namara, K., Alston, L., Aras, D., Beauchamp, A., & McKinstry, C. (2023). Design and implementation characteristics of research training for rural health professionals: a qualitative descriptive study. BMC Medical Education 23, 200. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-023-04169-5
Nancarrow, S., McGill, N., Baldac, S., Lewis, T., Moran, A., Harris, N., . . . Mulcair, G. (2023). Diversity in the Australian speech-language pathology workforce: Addressing Sustainable Development Goals 3, 4, 8, and 10. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY, 6 pages. https://doi.org/10.1080/17549507.2023.2165149
Reports
Thompson, J.,Mc Clure,R., Harvey, P., Aged Care Allied Health Workforce Modelling Project. Australian Council of Deans of Health Sciences
2022
Hoang, H., Jessup, B., Obamiro, K., Bourke, L., Hellwege, B., Podubinski, T., . . . Knight, S. (2022). Impact of COVID-19 on rural and remote student placements in Australia: A national study. AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF RURAL HEALTH, 30(2), 197-207. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajr.12836
King, O., West, E., Lee, S., Glenister, K., Quilliam, C., Wong Shee, A., & Beks, H. (2022). Research education and training for nurses and allied health professionals: a systematic scoping review. BMC MEDICAL EDUCATION, 22(1), 55 pages. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-022-03406-7
McGill, N., Weller-Newton, J., & Lees, C. (2022). A new survey tool for evaluating pandemic preparedness in health services. BMC HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH, 22(1), 12 pages. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-022-08067-2
Castle, M., O’Hagan, R., Anderberg, E., Harrington, H., Wangman, A. and Dhakal, L. (2022) About face: regional allied health professional adaptation during the COVID-19 pandemic, Australian Journal of Primary Health 2022 Apr;28(2):110-116. https://doi.org/10.1071/PY21150
Jessup, B., Hoang, H., Podubinski, T., Obamiro, K., Bourke, L., Hellwege, B., . . . Rasiah, R. (2022). 'I can't go, I can't afford it': Financial concern amongst health students undertaking rural and remote placements during COVID-19. AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF RURAL HEALTH, 30(2), 238-251. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajr.12855
Sheepway, L., Jessup, B., Podubinski, T., Heaney, S., Bailie, J., Ha, H., & Bourke, L. (2022). A qualitative exploration of health student perspectives of rural and remote placements during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF RURAL HEALTH, 14 pages. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajr.12952
Green, E., Quilliam, C., Sheepway, L., Hays, C. A., Moore, L., Rasiah, R. L., . . . Collett, M. (2022). Identifying features of quality in rural placements for health students: scoping review. BMJ OPEN, 12(4), 11 pages. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2021-057074
Shee, A. W., Quilliam, C., Corboy, D., Glenister, K., McKinstry, C., Beauchamp, A., . . . Mc Namara, K. (2022). What shapes research and research capacity building in rural health services? Context matters. AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF RURAL HEALTH, 30(3), 410-421. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajr.12852
Reid, C., Bennetts, S. K., Nicholson, J. M., Amir, L. H., & Chamberlain, C. (2022). Rural primary care workforce views on trauma-informed care for parents experiencing complex trauma: A descriptive study. AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF RURAL HEALTH, 16 pages. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajr.12922
Moroney, T., Gerdtz, M., Brockenshire, N., Maude, P., Weller-Newton, J., Hatcher, D., . . . Molloy, E. (2022). Exploring the contribution of clinical placement to student learning: A sequential mixed methods study. NURSE EDUCATION TODAY, 113, 7 pages. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2022.105379
Weller-Newton, J. M., Murray, M., Phillips, C., Laging, B., & McGillion, A. (2022). Transition to Practice Programs in Nursing: A Rapid Review.. J Contin Educ Nurs, 53(10), 442-450. https://doi.org/10.3928/00220124-20220907-05
Seal, A. N., Playford, D., McGrail, M. R., Fuller, L., Allen, P. L., Burrows, J. M.,Wright, J.R: . . . Luscombe, G. M. (2022). Influence of rural clinical school experience and rural origin on practising in rural communities five and eight years after graduation.. Med J Aust, 216(11), 572-577. https://doi.org/10.5694/mja2.51476
2021
Bourke, L., Dunbar, T., & Murakami-Gold, L. (2021). Discourses within the roles of Remote Area Nurses in Northern Territory (Australia) government-run health clinics. Health and Social Care in the Community 29(5): 1401-1408. https://doi.org/10.1111/hsc.13195.
Fitts, M., Humphreys, J., Dunbar, T., Bourke, L., Mulholland, E., Guthridge, S., Zhao, Y., Jones, M., Boffa, J., Ramjan, M., Murakami-Gold, L., Tangey, A., Comerford, C., Schultz, R., Mathew, S., Liddle, Z., Russell, D., & Wakerman, J. (2021) Understanding and responding to the cost and health impact of short-term health staffing in remote and rural Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled health services: A mixed methods study protocol. BMJ Open 0:e043902. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2020-043902
Versace, VL, Skinner, TC, Bourke, L, Harvey, P, Barnett, T. National analysis of the Modified Monash Model, population distribution and a socio-economic index to inform rural health workforce planning. Aust J Rural Health. 2021; 29: 801– 810. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajr.12805
Roberts, P., Cosgrave, C., Gillespie, J., Malatzky. C., Hu. W., Hyde. S., Bailey, J., Yassine, T., Downes, N. (2021) "Re-placing" professional practice, Australian Journal for Rural Health. 29: 301– 305. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajr.12717 (Special issue- Educating Health Professionals for Rural and Remote Practice)
Ervin, K., Reid, C, Podubinski, T, Phillips, J. (2021) Trauma-informed knowledge, awareness, practice, competence and confidence of rural health staff: a descriptive study. Journal of Nursing Education and Practice, 11 (9) https://doi.org/10.5430/jnep.v11n9p1
Beks, H., King, O., Clapham, R., Alston, L., Glenister, K., McKinstry, C., Quilliam, C., Wellwood, .I, Williams, C., Wong Shee, A. Community health programs delivered through information and communications technology in high-income countries: a scoping review. Journal of Medical Internet Research. 18/11/2021:26515
Castle, M., O’Hagan, R., Anderberg, E., Harrington, H., Wangman, A. and Dhakal, L. (2022) About face: regional allied health professional adaptation during the COVID-19 pandemic, Australian Journal of Primary Health (accepted December 2021).
Quilliam, C., & Bourke, L. (2021). Perceptions of work-integrated learning in rural health and human services under the National Disability Insurance Scheme in Australia. International Journal of Work Integrated Learning 22(2), 121-133. https://www.ijwil.org/files/IJWIL_22_2_121_133.pdf
Quilliam, C., Crawford, N., McKinstry. C., Wong Shee, A., Harvey, P., Glenister, K., Sutton, K. (2021). Building a rural workforce through identifying supports for rural, mature-aged nursing and allied health students: a systematic scoping review. Australian Journal of Rural Health. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajr.12788
Reid, C., Kelly, L. M., Stanbrook, L., & Quibell, T. (2021). ‘We thought we would just be following the district nurse around’: Innovation in Australian student nursing placements in rural primary health care. Journal of Practical Nurse Education and Practice, 1(2).
Sastrawan, S., Weller-Newton, J., Brand, G., & Malik, G. (2021). The development of nurses' foundational values. Nursing ethics, 28(7-8), 1244–1257. https://doi.org/10.1177/09697330211003222
Weller-Newton, J. M. Phillips, C., Roche, M., McGillion, T., Mapes, J. & Dufty, T. (2021) Datasets to support workforce planning in nursing: a scoping review Collegian 28, 324-332
Weller-Newton, J. M. & Kent, F. (2021) Community health placements for junior medical and nursing students for interprofessional learning. Journal of Interprofessional Care 35 (2) 316-319 https://doi.org/10.1080/13561820.2020.1760803
Reports
Green, E., Quilliam, C., Sheepway, L., Howard, C., Hays, C., Moore, L., Rasiah, R. L., Bailie, J., Inyang, I., Draper, K., Hyde, S., Brown, L., Ferns, J., Collett, M., & Fitzroy, R. (2021, June). What constitutes quality in rural health student placements? Report on a scoping review conducted by University Departments of Rural Health [Final report for the Department of Health]. Australian Rural Health Education Network.
2020
Forman, D., Dunston, R., Mining, S., Fyfe, S., Bolte, K., Jones, M., Yassin, T., & Turvill, A. GLOBAL APPROACHES TO INTERPROFESSIONAL EDUCATION (2020) In Routledge International Handbook of Nurse Education (1st ed.) Editors: Dyson, S., McAllister, M. 243-257. ROUTLEDGE. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781351121675
Bradley, D., Bourke, L., & Cosgrave, C. (2020). Experiences of Nursing and Allied Health Students Undertaking a Rural Placement – Barriers and Enablers to Satisfaction and Wellbeing. The Australian & International Journal of Rural Education, 30(1), 51-63. https://journal.spera.asn.au/index.php/AIJRE/article/view/239
Cosgrave, C. (2020). Context Matters: Findings from a Qualitative Study Exploring Service and Place Factors Influencing the Recruitment and Retention of Allied Health Professionals in Rural Australian Public Health Services. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH, 17(16), 27 pages. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17165815
Cosgrave, C. (2020). The Whole-of-Person Retention Improvement Framework: A Guide for Addressing Health Workforce Challenges in the Rural Context. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH, 17(8), 14 pages. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17082698
Malatzky, C., Cosgrave, C., & Gillespie, J. (2020). The utility of conceptualisations of place and belonging in workforce retention: A proposal for future rural health research. HEALTH & PLACE, 62, 6 pages. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2019.102279
Malatzky, C., Gillespie, J., Couch, D. L., & Cosgrave, C. (2020). Why place matters: a rurally-orientated analysis of COVID-19’s differential impacts. SOCIAL SCIENCES & HUMANITIES OPEN, 100063. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssaho.2020.100063
Quilliam, C., & Bourke, L. (2020). Rural Victorian service provider responses to the National Disability Insurance Scheme. AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF SOCIAL ISSUES, 55(4), 439-455. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajs4.107
Salter, C., Oates, R. K., Swanson, C., & Bourke, L. (2020). Working remotely: Innovative allied health placements in response to COVID-19. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF WORK-INTEGRATED LEARNING, 21(5), 587-600. https://www.ijwil.org/files/IJWIL_21_5_587_600.pdf
Weller-Newton, J. M. & Drummond -Young, M. Focus on Theory: Reflective Practice. IN Nestel, D., Reedy, G., McKenna, L. & Gough, S. (eds) (2020) Clinical Education for the Health Professions: Theory and Practice, Springer Nature. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-6106-7
Thistlethwaite, J., Locke, R., Buckley, S., Chandratilake, M., Jensen, G., van Schalkwyk, S., & Weller-Newton, J. (2020). Global perspectives on Covid-19 from the editorial board. CLINICAL TEACHER, 17(3), 234-237. https://doi.org/10.1111/tct.13167
Weller-Newton, J. M., & Kent, F. (2020). Community health placements for junior medical and nursing students for interprofessional learning. JOURNAL OF INTERPROFESSIONAL CARE, 4 pages. https://doi.org/10.1080/13561820.2020.1760803
Weller-Newton, J. M., & McCormack, B. (2020). From Nightingale to now: time to rethink clinical education in nursing. CLINICAL TEACHER, 17(5), 461-463. https://doi.org/10.1111/tct.13252
Weller-Newton, J. M., Phillips, C., Roche, M. A., McGillion, A., Mapes, J., Dufty, T., . . . Haines, S. (2020). Datasets to support workforce planning in nursing: A scoping review. COLLEGIAN. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.colegn.2020.09.001
O'Toole RF, Wright J. Growing the pool of rural general practitioners. (2020) RURAL AND REMOTE HEALTH, 20: 5769. https://doi.org/10.22605/RRH5769
Farquhar, E., Moran, A., & Schmidt, D. (2020). Mechanisms to achieve a successful rural physiotherapy public-private partnership: a qualitative study. RURAL AND REMOTE HEALTH, 20(3), 9 pages. https://doi.org/10.22605/RRH5668
Moran, A., Nancarrow, S., Cosgrave, C., Griffith, A., & Memery, R. (2020). What works, why and how? A scoping review and logic model of rural clinical placements for allied health students. BMC HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH, 20(1), 18 pages. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-020-05669-6
Reports
Ervin, K., Weller-Newton, J. and Phillips, J. (2020). Clinicians’ experience of telehealth at NCN Health. Final report. (Unpublished). The University of Melbourne.
Ervin, K. & Reid, C. (2020). NCN staff knowledge, attitudes and awareness of trauma informed care: Final report.(Unpublished) University of Melbourne, Rural Health Academic Network/NCN Health.
McGill, N., Weller-Newton, J., Lees, C. (2020) Preparedness for COVID-19: Perceptions of employees in a regional healthcare service. Executive Summary. (unpublished) Echuca: Department of Rural Health, The University of Melbourne.
McGill, N., Weller-Newton, J., Glanville, N., Church, C. (2020) Intake Project - Investigating an evidence-based, community-focused intake model for the newly amalgamated NCN Health. Executive Report. 2020. Shepparton: Department of Rural Health, The University of Melbourne.
Salter, C., & Quilliam, C. (2020). Impacts of a rural primary school embedded speech pathology program: Interim report: University Department of Rural Health, University of Melbourne.(unpublished)
2019
Cosgrave, C., Malatzky, C., & Gillespie, J. (2019) Social determinants of rural health workforce retention: A scoping review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 16(3) 314. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16030314
Wakerman, J., Humphreys, J.S., Russell, D., Guthridge, S., Bourke, L., Dunbar, T., Zhao, Y., Ramjan, M., Murakami-Gold, L. and Jones, M.P. (2019) Remote health workforce turnover and retention: What are the policy and practice priorities? Human Resources for Health 17:99; https://doi.org/10.1186/s12960-019-0432-y.
Dunbar, T., Bourke, L., Murakami-Gold, L. (2019). More than just numbers!Perceptions of remote area nurse staffing in Northern Territory Government health clinics. Australian Journal of Rural
Health, 27(3), 245-250. 10.1111/ajr.12513
Malatzky, C., Cosgrave, C., & Gillespie, J. (2019). The utility of conceptualisations of place and belonging in workforce retention: A proposal for future rural health research. Health and Place, (accepted 17.12.19 available online). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2019.102279
Disler, R. T., White, H., Franklin, N., Armari, E., & Jackson, D. (2019). Reframing evidence-based practice curricula to facilitate engagement in nursing students. Nurse Education in Practice, 41, 8 pages. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nepr.2019.102650
Ervin, K., Reid, C., Moran, A., Opie, C., Haines, H. (2019). Implementation of an older person’s nurse practitioner in rural aged care in Victoria, Australia: a qualitative study. Human Resources for Health, BMC. 17:80 https://doi.org/10.1186/s12960-019-0415-z
Reid, C., Ervin, K., Kelly, L. (2019). Doctors in secondary schools program: the first year of program implementation in a rural Victorian school. Rural and Remote Health, 19:4.
McGirr, J., Seal, A., Barnard, A., Cheek, C., Garne, D., Greenhill, J., . . . Wright, J. (2019). The Australian Rural Clinical School (RCS) program supports rural medical workforce: evidence from a cross-sectional study of 12 RCSs. Rural and Remote Health, 19(1), 9 pages. https://doi.org/10.22605/RRH4971
Reports
Cosgrave, C., Jeffery, V.,Lowe, K. (Dec. 2019).Goulburn Valley Health 2019 Project Implementation Report –Whole-of-Person Retention Improvement Project – Allied health Workforce. Wangaratta,Vic.: The University of Melbourne, Department of Rural Health.
Cosgrave, C., Cooper, R. (2019).East Grampians Health Service 2019 Project Report- Allied Health and Nursing Rural Workforce - Whole-of-Person Retention Improvement Project, Wangaratta, Vic.: The University of Melbourne, Department of Rural Health
Cosgrave, C., (2019).Churchill Fellowship 2018 - Investigating new approaches to strengthen social connection of newly-arrived health workers in rural Australia – Canada. A Report for the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust of Australia, Cath Cosgrave. . https://www.churchilltrust.com.au/fellow/catherine-cosgrave-vic-2018/
Ervin, K. (Dec 2019). Training needs analysis CDH – 2019/20: Identifying opportunities for training and education through triangulation. Cobram, Vic.: Department of Rural Health, The University of Melbourne.
Ervin, K. (2019). Staff get message on urgent care patient experience. Health Victoria. March 2019
Moran, A., Cosgrave, C., Nancarrow, S., Boyce, R., Memery,R., King, O., Malatzky, C., (2019). Year 1 report to the Department of Health & Human Services, East Division: The role, function and value of “non-traditional” allied health roles in rural and regional health services. Shepparton, Vic.: The University of Melbourne, Department of Rural Health.
Quilliam,C., Bourke,L. (2019) The perspectives of National Disability Insurance Scheme service providers on student placements in rural Victoria. Shepparton: Department of Rural Health, The University of Melbourne.
Quilliam, C., & Bourke, L. (2019). The perspectives of National Disability Insurance Scheme service providers on student placements in rural Victoria: Summary report. Shepparton,Vic.: Department of Rural Health, The University of Melbourne.
2018
Cosgrave, C., Maple, M., & Hussain, R. (2018). An explanation of turnover intention among early-career nursing and allied health professionals working in rural and remote Australia - findings from a grounded theory study. Rural and Remote Health, 18(3), 4511. https://doi.org/10.22605/RRH4511
Cosgrave, C., Maple, M., & Hussain, R. (2018). Work challenges negatively affecting the job satisfaction of early career community mental health professionals working in rural Australia: findings from a qualitative study. Journal of Mental Health Training, Education and Practice, 13(3), 173-186. https://doi.org/10.1108/JMHTEP-02-2017-0008