NURS1101 Foundations Of Professional Practice 1A

2. Read the material you have located; and identify the relevant factors within the Wakerman definition below:

 

Remote Health is an emerging discipline with distinct sociological, historical and practice characteristics. Its practice in Australia is characterised by geographical, professional and, often, social isolation of practitioners; a strong multidisciplinary approach; overlapping and changing roles of team members; a relatively high degree of GP substitution; and practitioners requiring public health, emergency and extended clinical skills.

 

These skills and remote health systems, need to be suited to working in a cross-cultural context; serving small, dispersed and often highly mobile populations; serving populations with relatively high health needs; a physical environment of climatic extremes; and a communications environment of rapid technological change.

 

The above mentioned definition describes many of the characteristics of remote health in Australia and outlines the health practice necessary for the delivery of the service in the rural and remote context. When analysing the case study, you need to identify both the characteristics (geographical, professional) and the context (working cross-culturally, small dispersed and often highly mobile populations with relatively high health needs, and physical).

 

Introduction

The main purpose of this assessment is to demonstrate the professional practices and health service delivery in the rural and remote areas of Australia country. In relation to this, the relevant article is referenced as Cross-sector, seasonal employment of pharmacists in rural hospitals in Australia and New Zealand: a qualitative study exploring pharmacists’ perceptions and experiences. In context to the chosen journal, the features and challenges of health services are also elaborated to reach at conclusion for required actions in order to improve the health service. In addition to this, the Wakerman’s definition of remote health is also assesses with the exploring challenges in detailed manner. On the other hand, the suggested actions are also proposed in order to improve the health practices in delivering the health service in rural and remote context Australia.

Features of health service delivery

The BMC health services research based journal has been chosen as cross sector, seasonal employment of pharmacist in rural hospitals of Australia and New Zealand. In relation to the evolution of health care paper, it is determined that the population of Australia is increasing with rapid force that directly leads towards the need of significant health services in the rural and remote areas of Australia and New Zealand. On the other hand, aging population will also increase over the 65 years from 13% to 23% which is a dynamic indication towards the enhancement of health service (Dent, Harden and Hunt, 2017). This study is explored in the Australian rural and remote areas where there is lacking of pharmacist where the pharmacist is an important part of the hospital to provide the reliable and on time service to the patients. In relation to this, the pharmacist are not found available on time where there is a need for cure of patients.  

The major features of this health service are to provide the efficient and effective service to the patients so that the quality management of medication can be leaded into adverse manner. In relation to this, the health services are not delivered in better manner so the sectional and cross – sector aspects in medication is exists so the medical service can be provided in significant manner. With respect to this, the general practitioners are providing the service at rural areas hospital to review and deliver the primary care services. In relation to the features or characteristics of health service, the private and public partnership also exists which is adopted to optimize the resources in making the health service better (Fitzpatrick, Perkins, Luland, Brown and Corvan, 2017). From engaging with interviewing the 17 respondents, it is determined that the all the pharmacist have worked in the different hospital and have seasonal experience to deliver the required service at the rural and remote areas of Australia and New Zealand. From the assessment of features of health service delivery, the collaboration and communication is also plasticized as a major aspect for enabling the rural people to provide the service in medication treatment.                                                        

Relation of definition of remote health with respect to the Wakerman’s definition

In context to the definition of remote context by the Wakerman, he stated that the remote health is determined as the emerging discipline where the isolation of practices are carried out, overlapping and changing the role of team members in the medication service. With reference to the selected case, the role of nurses has been changed as the nurses in the rural and remote areas providing the all types of service to the patients for improving the health in emergency case. As the nurse engaged into the recording of information, logistic and supply of resources for the medical treatment (Speyer, Denman, Wilkes-Gillan, Chen, Bogaardt, Kim, Heckathorn and Cordier, 2018). At the same time, Wakerman described that the emergency discipline at rural areas is determined as there the high population and staff is very less and providing the service comes under the remote health. Along with this, the current edge of medical development is integrating with the technologies but many rural and remote areas are lacking in the technological resources so that the better cure can also be lacking into behind. Moreover, the general practitioners are also working in the cross culture environment as general practitioners are coming into the local and rural areas for delivering the health service.                

Identification of issues of health service delivery     

Over the analysis of chosen journal of practitioners health service, it is identified that the rural areas of Australian community is facing the problem of shortage of pharmacist to provide the positive implications as it need to enhance the treatment and the adverse impact can be reduced. At the same time, the pharmacist are also not found while working at on – site. In addition to this, it is also determined that the medication management is also not carried out in effective manner as the staff as nurses are facing the issues due to the lower management support. On the other hand, it is also assessed that the nurses are working on behalf of pharmacist as the nurses are providing the services of providing the medication supply and basics medical services (Tan, Emmerton, Hattingh and Caze, 2014). In addition to this, the nurses are also facing the issues of clinical and logistic challenges because of the lacking support from top management of hospital service. From the interview of respondents, it is also identified that the hospitals are also facing the challenge of not having proper resources as bed and the number of bed are found less than 50 in the rural areas so it is critical for the health service to manage the emergency in the hospitals. Furthermore, it is also assessed that the lacking of resources might lead towards the poor quality service which directly influences the health of rural and remote areas.      

In relation to this, it is also assessed that the hospital management is also not taking any action toward the improvement of health service in the local areas of Australia and New Zealand. It is also pointed out that the retention and recruitment strategy is also not taken into consideration to hire the skilled pharmacist for the rural and remote areas. Furthermore, it is also detained that the government is also not taking seriously the matter of health service in order to provide the pharmacist in rural areas.                                

Impact of determined features and issues on health professional practices

The health professional practices will get influenced in big manner from the determined features and issues in delivery of healthcare services. There will be opportunity for the healthcare professionals to develop their career in the rural care services. The curricula of health professional will be evolved in big societal context and may be influenced by the number of different factors. The regional healthcare committee have been identified a range of number of different forces with the possible to influence sustainability, curriculum development and implementation in health professional practices. The factors that will influence to the professional practices are training, licensure, and accreditation and certification requirements to provide healthcare services in professional manner (Cunningham et al., 2012). As the population of Australia in increasing in rapid manner so that it is generating the opportunities for the care professionals in rural and remote areas. In addition, the aged population also covers a big part of the total population of the country, which is indicating enhancement of health professional practices in the country. It is analyzed that there is lack of healthcare services in rural and remote areas of the country so that there is a big need of professional care services in these areas. These areas are demanding the processional care services and providing better opportunities for the professional practices (Speyer, Denman, Wilkes-Gillan, Chen, Bogaardt, Kim, Heckathorn and Cordier, 2018). In addition, the issues such as shortage of pharmacist in rural and remote and the logistic problems are also presenting opportunities for the health professional practices.

Recommended solutions for issues

There are several ways through which these issues can be eliminated in effective manner. The major recommendations are discussed as below:

Open new training and practice centers in rural and remote areas:

The Australian government can reduce the issues related to healthcare services in remote and rural areas through opening new training and practices centers. New training and practice centers will attract the unemployed people to take training to get job. The regional government should invest in these areas to support the healthcare industry and reduce the lack of pharmacists and support the nurses to provide better care services. It is a good option of reducing the issue of health care services in remote and rural areas

Increase staffing in the rural care centers:

It is observed that the number of staff in rural care organization is less, which is a big issue in care services. In this concern, the government should recruit new staff in rural areas to remove this issue and support the professional care practices in these areas (Paul and McDaniel, 2016). 

Improve logistic services to rural and remote areas:

It is also big issue in rural and remote areas that they are not connected to urban areas and developed cities in proper manner. Due to weak logistic services the individuals are facing several issues in getting proper treatment for serious care issues. In this concern, the government should also have proper focus on this issue and improve the logistic system in rural and remote areas.

Provide support to care organizations to open care centers in rural areas:

The authority can also reduce the issues of care services in rural and remote areas by providing support to the care organization to open new clinics in rural areas. The government should make flexible and easy process for the care organizations to open their care centers in rural areas. As well as the government also provide financial support to the health care professionals to increase better care services in rural and remote areas (Tan et al., 2014). The government support will motivate the health care practitioners to improve their services in these areas.

Provide additional benefits for the professionals in rural and remote areas:

Additional benefits will attract the employees to do their job in a specific area. In this concern, the government should provide additional benefits for the care professionals who are providing their services in rural and remote areas. Due to additional benefits the care professional will try to go in these areas. In this concern, the government can reduce the lack of care professionals in rural and remote areas by offering additional benefits for the care professionals.

Conclusion

From the above discussion, it can be concluded that the rural and remote areas are facing a big issue of care professional practices and health service delivery in Australia. There are several factors and issues in care services that are influencing to health professional practices. In this concern, it is essential for the government to consider these factors and issues to develop the care services in rural and remote areas to develop a healthy life style.

References

Cunningham, F. C., Ranmuthugala, G., Plumb, J., Georgiou, A., Westbrook, J. I., & Braithwaite, J. (2012). Health professional networks as a vector for improving healthcare quality and safety: a systematic review. BMJ Qual Saf, 21(3), 239-249.

Dent, J., Harden, R.M. & Hunt, D., (2017). A practical guide for medical teachers. USA: Elsevier Health Sciences.

Fitzpatrick, S.J., Perkins, D., Luland, T., Brown, D. & Corvan, E., (2017). The effect of context in rural mental health care: Understanding integrated services in a small town. Health & place, 45, pp.70-76.               

Paul, D. L., & McDaniel, R. R. (2016). Facilitating telemedicine project sustainability in medically underserved areas: a healthcare provider participant perspective. BMC health services research, 16(1), 148.

Speyer, R., Denman, D., Wilkes-Gillan, S., Chen, Y.W., Bogaardt, H., Kim, J.H., Heckathorn, D.E. & Cordier, R., (2018). Effects of telehealth by allied health professionals and nurses in rural and remote areas: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of rehabilitation medicine, 50(3), pp.225-235.           

Tan,  A., Emmerton, L., Hattingh, H. & Caze, A. (2014). Cross-sector, sessional employment of pharmacists in rural hospitals in Australia and New Zealand: a qualitative study exploring pharmacists’ perceptions and experiences. BMC Health Service Research, 1-10.