Welcome to Going Rural Health News! Going Rural Health News is the publication of new and relevant information about all things related to rural clinical placements, education and rural health, from the Going Rural Health team. Team members are located in Ballarat, Shepparton and Wangaratta.

It's continuing to be a very busy and exciting time for the team, as placements are ramping up, and programs and initiatives that have been on hold for a couple of years begin again. Our health service and placement partners have been fantastic, and many new placements will begin soon.

COVID still continues to present some challenges, but just like previously we will work with our partners to overcome them and provide excellent learning experiences for our future health workforce.

 The Going Rural Health team

Going Rural Health student support

My Allied Health Space

Student Health & Wellbeing Support

Going Rural Health Student Events

Rural Placements wanted!

Rural Job Vacancies

Going Rural Health Extended Rural Immersion Clinic (ERIC)

Going Rural Health Education

University of Melbourne Events & Webinars

External Education & Resources

Going Rural Health and University Department of Rural Health (UDRH) Research

Going Rural Health Website

Going Rural Health supports students to complete rural clinical placements. Support includes financial assistance, subsidised accommodation in selected areas, education, mentoring support, student activities, & cultural training.  For financial assistance, eligible students may only receive EITHER subsidised accommodation at University of Melbourne owned housing (where available, subject to availability) OR a financial payment for their placement (not both). Financial payment is calculated per day of attendance at placement.

From 2022, longer placements and those in smaller rural centres will attract more financial assistance. More information on the Going Rural Health Student Support Scheme, including how to apply & eligibility criteria, is available HERE.

As always, we are trying to ensure that students get the best placement experience possible. Please help us to do this by directing students to complete our Student Placement Survey. It is a short online survey that should only take students 10-15 minutes to complete.

There are a number of wellbeing supports available to students while they are on placement. Details are available on the Going Rural Health website on our 'Online Resources for Students page, and also outlined below:

1. CRANA Plus Bush Support Services: Toll free 24hr free phone counselling service for those in rural areas, including students while they are on placement. Phone 1800 805 391 anytime.
2. CRANA Plus free course: Adapting Self-Care Practices During Clinical Placement
3. National Rural Health Student Network Mental Health guide: When the Cowpat Hits the Windmill

4. The Going Rural Health Wellbeing & Resilience course:

   To access the course, follow this link HERE.

   You will need to register for the website (if you haven’t already), log-in to the website, and enrol to complete the course.

   If you have any issues with access please contact the team at going-ruralhealth@unimelb.edu.au

5. Health & Wellbeing Service – telehealth appointments:

   The Rural Clinical School offers telehealth counselling services while students are on placement. Please see the link HERE for more details and to book an appointment.

Students on placement in the Shepparton Region mid-May:

Going Rural Health are holding a student engagement weekend activity.

What: Oz Tenpin Bowling Shepparton

When: Saturday 14th May

To book or for further information visit this link HERE.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a backlog of placements for universities for many disciplines, which will end up leading to delays in students graduating, and as a result less health professionals available for the workforce.

Do you think your organisation might be able to host a nursing or allied health student (or two)? Going Rural Health can help you develop placements and support placement students.

For more information please contact Trish Thorpe at  trish.thorpe@unimelb.edu.au

The team are now providing another platform for rural and regional organisations to advertise their employment opportunities to our network. Please feel free to send the details of any vacancies to Trish Thorpe at trish.thorpe@unimelb.edu.au

In 2021, Going Rural Health have organised a new 'Extended Rural Immersion Clinic' (ERIC) for physiotherapy students.  This will continue for 2022.

ERIC students complete multiple consecutive rural placements over an extended period, from 10-20 weeks, to immerse the students in the rural community. Emerging research evidence shows that immersion placements for nursing and allied health students are more likely to result in students working in rural locations.

If your organisation would like to participate in this program, please contact the Going Rural Health team at going-ruralhealth@unimelb.edu.au

Online Going Rural Health Education

Going Rural Health have a new Learning Centre on the Going Rural Health website. Access the Learning Centre HERE. 

Participants will need to register for the website, log-in and enroll in courses. Certificates of completion will be automatically generated upon successful completion of courses. If you have any problems with this process please contact the team at going-ruralhealth@unimelb.edu.au

Courses will be added as they are released, but the site currently has 7 courses live:

• Online Introduction to Rural Practice: this is our updated course introducing students and new staff to practicing in a rural community. Great for those new to rural health.
• Wellbeing and Resilience: an updated version of our Resilience module, the course has been moved to the Learning Centre for easier access. Health professionals - including health students - as a group don't tend to look after themselves well; this course gives insight and tips as to how to look after ourselves better.
• Giving and Receiving Effective Feedback: This is a combination of our original two separate courses (Giving Feedback, and Receiving Feedback), as much of the content was similar. Provides tips to better receive feedback, especially if it is negative, and ways to provide more effective feedback to staff and students.
• Communication: Tools to optimise your communication skills and ensure the perceived message is the intended message.
• Social Media Posting for Health Professionals. A package, particularly for young health students or experienced health professionals new to social media, that discusses the pitfalls and risks associated with social media posting on various platforms.
• Responding Effectively to Upset and Complaining Patients or Family. This course discusses methods to work with these individuals for best outcomes.
• Critical Thinking & Clinical Reasoning. This topic discusses what critical thinking is and how to implement into your everyday practice as a health practitioner.

Online Cultural Training - for Students ONLY

Going Rural Health, in collaboration with a Yorta Yorta traditional custodian from the Shepparton region, have developed an online cultural training course for students. The course can be accessed via our website HERE.

Education - May/June 2022

STAFF:

Introduction to Supervision Workshop

All sessions have now been converted to online format!

More information and bookings via this link HERE.

Advanced Supervision Workshop

All sessions have now been converted to online format!

Event dates 2022:

Zoom (any region): 26th May, 2-4pm

Cost: $50

Bookings essential. For more information, and to book, visit our booking page  HERE.

STUDENTS:

Student Tutorials 2022

Aimed at students but also suitable for new graduates.

Ownership of Learning: May 5th, 3.30-4.30pm, via Zoom

Critical Thinking & Clinical Reasoning: May 5th, 2-3pm, via Zoom

Building Career Readiness Skills: May 11th, 9-10am, via Zoom

Ownership of Learning: May 18th, 9-10am, via Zoom

Building Career Readiness Skills: May 25th, 9-10am, via Zoom

Critical Thinking & Clinical Reasoning: June 6th, 1.30-2.30pm, via Zoom

Ownership of Learning: June 8th, 9-10am, via Zoom

For more information, and to book, visit the StarRez online events page HERE.

STAFF & STUDENTS:

Effective Teamwork Workshop

Event dates 2022:

When: 17th May 2-4pm

            16th June 1.30-3.30pm

Where: University of Melbourne Rural Campus, 49 Graham Street Shepparton

Cost:   Staff $25

           Students: free - Email kylie.browne@unimelb.edu.au for student discount code.

Bookings essential. For more information, and to book, visit our booking page HERE.

Interprofessional Rural Palliative Care Breakfast & Presentation

We welcome health students and health professionals to join us for breakfast and to hear from our wonderful speakers Mick Dobson (OT) and Steve Pitman (Nurse Practitioner), who will provide us an overview of community palliative care and how they practice in an incredibly cohesive interprofessional model.

Light Breakfast Catering will be provided.

When: Wednesday 4th May 2022, 8.30am

Where: Department of Rural Health 'Dunvegan', 806 Mair Street Ballarat

Registration essential. Register via the links below:

Students: https://go.unimelb.edu/au/bn6e

Staff: https://go.unimelb.edu/au/yn6e

Cultural Competency in Aboriginal Health Training

The Department of Rural Health invites allied health, pharmacy, nursing and medical students from all Universities to participate in a free Cultural Competency in Aboriginal Health training workshop. Robynne Nelson delivers a highly informative and valuable session on Cultural Competency in Aboriginal Health, helping you to increase your skills and knowledge for working with Indigenous people and communities in a more culturally appropriate and effective way.

Shepparton details:

When:  Thursday 12th May, 9.30am-3.30pm

             Thursday 4th August, 9.30am-3.30pm

             Thursday 13th October, 9.30am-3.30pm

Where: University of Melbourne Rural Campus, 49 Graham St Shepparton

Wangaratta details:

When:   Thursday 22nd September, 9.30am-3.30pm

Where: University of Melbourne Rural Campus, 'The Chalet' Docker St, Wangaratta

Shepparton and Wangaratta workshops are for STUDENTS ONLY. COVID-19 requirements apply.

Bookings essential. For more information, and to book, visit http://go.unimelb.edu.au/9u7i

Ballarat details:

The Going Rural Health team at the University of Melbourne Department of Rural Health invites all nursing and allied health students to participate in Aboriginal Cultural Insight Experience Virtual Workshops. Nursing and allied health university and health service staff are also welcome to attend. Traditional Owner Bonnie Chew will conduct virtual cultural awareness workshops introducing students and staff to past and present Aboriginal Australia. These sessions will give students and staff an insight into the Aboriginal history in Australia and an opportunity to discuss meeting the health and well-being needs of today’s community in a meaningful and culturally appropriate manner.

When: Tuesday 31st May, 9.30am-4.30pm.

            Thursday 14th July, 9.30am-4.30pm.

            Wednesday 30th November, 9.30am-4.30pm

Where: University of Melbourne Rural Campus, 806 Mair St, Ballarat.

Cost: Staff $30. Students: FREE. 

COVID-19 requirements apply.

Bookings essential. To book, visit our Eventbrite page HERE.

NOTE: Students - please contact Trish Thorpe trish.thorpe@unimelb.edu.au for student booking links.

Please contact the education team via the Going Rural Health email address: going-ruralhealth@unimelb.edu.au  for details of all education, if any issues with bookings, or to book a virtual session from the education list at Education topics.

New Interdisciplinary Graduate Education & Learning (NiGEL) Series - COMING VERY SOON!

Going Rural Health introduced a new free education series for graduates and early career health professionals in 2021. This series was intended to support new graduates and early career professionals to develop their transferable skills and non-discipline-specific knowledge in health care. 

After discussions with multiple health service staff, these sessions will be recorded and accessible soon via the Going Rural Health Learning Centre as part of a learning series (NIGEL Series). A discussion board will be made available to participants for some topics, to simulate the conversations which would normally occur in a live event. This will be monitored periodically by Going Rural Health staff.

There will also be opportunity to run local workshops for some topics, in addition to the online learning.

For more information please contact:

Trish Thorpe trish.thorpe@unimelb.edu.au

Save the Date & Call for Abstracts

The 2022 7th Annual Ngar-wu Wanyarra Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health Conference will be held face to face with online options on Wednesday 12th October 2022, in Shepparton on Yorta Yorta Country.

The aim of the conference is to facilitate the exchange of information on key issues in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' health and well-being, and provide a forum for the presentation of cutting-edge program initiatives and research findings by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioners and their colleagues.

The call for Abstracts is now open; there is opportunity of present or have a stall or poster presentation. To submit an abstract, go to: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/2bae

For more information about the conference, visit the conference website at: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/4a6e

Meet Melbourne 2022

Ever wondered about the benefits and supports for regional and rural students studying at the University of Melbourne? Come along to one of the 'Meet Melbourne' events running in a regional/rural area near you in 2022, and ask about 'Access Melbourne'.

Events in the Going Rural Health footprint are listed below. 

Horsham: Wednesday 1st June, 5.30-7.30pm, Horsham Golf Club, 304 Golf Course Road, Haven 3401.

Echuca: Wednesday 8th June, 5.30-7.30pm, The Mill, 2-8 Nish Street Echuca 3564.

Seymour: Tuesday 12th July, 5.30-7.30pm, Seymour Club, 1 Elizabeth Street, Seymour 3660.

Shepparton: Wednesday 13th July, 5.30-7.30pm, University of Melbourne Department of Rural Health, 49 Graham Street, Shepparton 3630.

Ballarat: Tuesday 26th July, 5.30-7.30pm, Craig's Royal Hotel, 10 Lydiard Street South, Ballarat 3350.

Please note though that there are other regional/rural towns hosting an event that are not listed here.

Bookings will open soon, and bookings are essential. For more details, and to book into an event, visit the webpage HERE.

AHCEN Complex Case Series

The Allied Health Clinical Educators Network 'Complex Clinical Cases' are a series of online webinars which aim to upskill Allied Health Professionals and promote inter-professional practice.

The intended audience is early years Allied Health Professionals. These free webinars welcome four Allied Health experts from different organisations and professional backgrounds to discuss their experience and approaches in the assessment, treatment and management of a patient with a complex clinical topic.

Case studies will centre around the following topics in 2022:

• Early intervention to optimise neurodevelopment in high-risk infants: Wednesday May 25th, 3-4.30pm
• Oncology: Head and Neck Cancer: Wednesday July 27th, 3-4.30pm
• Acute Neurology: Thursday September 15th, 3-4.30pm

Registrations will open 3-4 weeks prior to each webinar (held via Zoom).

For more information contact Elisha Matthews: Elisha.Matthews@rch.org.au

LGBTIQA+ Group Supervision

Want to learn more about working with LGBTIQ+ people as a health professional? Join Lachlan Slade for these group supervision sessions.

For more information, and to book (various dates available), visit https://events.humanitix.com/group-supe#

Allied Health Paediatric Videoconference Series

MAY: Type 1 Diabetes & School

When: Tuesday 17th May 2022, 1-2pm

Presenter: Amy Grant, Diabetes Educator, Department of Endocrinology & Diabetes, RCH

Registration: Via Eventbrite HERE.

JUNE: Managing Fussy Eating - the first steps

When: Tuesday 21st June 2022, 1-2pm

Presenter: Early Childhood Intervention Services, RCH

Registration: Via Eventbrite HERE.

Registration is via the Eventbrite links and it closes 2 business days before each presentation. It is free to attend and we encourage any health professional interested to view one or all of them.

If you have any questions about this series please email education.outreach@rch.org.au

Free Student Resource From CRANA plus:

Adapting Self-Care Practices During Clinical Placement

The resource is for any student preparing for a placement in a rural or remote setting. To access the resource, visit the webpage HERE. 

Allied Health Clinical Educators Network Clinical Supervision Modules

The Allied Health Clinical Educators’ Network (AHCEN), has released some modules on training staff in clinical supervision. They include:

• Setting up a clinical supervision relationship
• Providing effective feedback
• Developing Clinical Reasoning through Supervision
• Supporting Wellbeing through Clinical Supervision

For more details see the document HERE.

Head to Help: A Free Mental Health Service For All Victorians

This is a service available through the Primary Health Network (PHN), for Victorians of any age experiencing mental ill-health - whether they have a GP mental health plan or not. The service is FREE, and no appointments are required.

Phone: 1800 595 212 8.30am - 5pm Monday to Friday (except public holidays).

For more details see the website HERE.

NOTE: This is NOT a crisis service.

For urgent support call Lifeline on 13 11 14

Out of hours and weekends call Beyond Blue on 1800 512 348.

Yarning SafeNStrong - A New Counselling Service for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Peoples

The Victorian Aboriginal Health Service has established Yarning SafeNStrong: a free and confidential counselling service for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Peoples. The service is available 24 hours, 7 days a week to people and families who need to have a yarn with someone about their wellbeing.

Phone: 1800 959 563

For more information see the website HERE.

Three Rivers UDRH

Three Rivers UDRH supports health professionals, staff and students by offering free online courses. The following two courses are especially relevant:

Three Rivers UDRH Rural Clinical Placements – How to grow your own course .

Three Rivers UDRH Telehealth - Embracing Technology in Healthcare

Student telehealth placements resource

There is a great resource available from SARRAH about student telehealth placements. It is a copy of the presentation from a recent webinar. Access it via the link below:

SARRAH webinar student TH placements Robyn Gill

PHN resources

WestVic PHN and Murray PHN also have education available in regional and rural areas. See their websites for details of what is on in your region:

WestVic PHN: https://westvicphn.com.au/events-education/upcoming-events/

Murray PHN: https://www.murrayphn.org.au/events/

The Going Rural Health program sits within the University Department of Rural Health (UDRH) of The University of Melbourne. The UDRH undertakes a number of research projects, some of which relate to student placements - from both the student perspective, and of those who support students (supervisors and placement support staff).

Student Placement Survey

As previously mentioned, Going Rural Health are trying to ensure that students get the best placement experience possible. Please help us to do this by directing students to complete our Student Placement Survey. It is a short online survey that should only take students 10-15 minutes to complete.

Supervisor & Placement Support Staff Survey

Going Rural Health are undertaking a research project to gain a better understanding of rural clinical placements, from the perspective of those who support students (supervisors and placement support staff). Many of you will have already received an email from one of the Going Rural Health team members to invite you to participate, and to encourage you to share the invite with your colleagues. Visit the Going Rural Health webpage HERE for more details.

If you would like any further information on any of these projects, please contact the Going Rural Health team at going-ruralhealth@unimelb.edu.au .