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 (GRH) team. Team members are located in Ballarat, Shepparton and Wangaratta, at University of Melbourne Department of Rural Health campuses.

We have some great projects in the planning stage at the moment, with the possibility of running pilot placements before the end of the year. Watch this space for updates.

After the success of the workshop in May, the university is running another clinical supervision training workshop online in August. Check out the 'University of Melbourne Webinar & Events' section for more details, and to register.

We also heard some fantastic news recently - Beaufort and Skipton Health Service has been nominated for Victorian 2023 Training Awards, in these 2 categories:

• Employer Award for Apprenticeship Development
• Small Employer of the Year Award

The awards will be presented in Melbourne on 18^th August. Good luck to Kim and the team at BSHS!

Have a great month

The Going Rural Health team

Going Rural Health student support

Student Health & Wellbeing Support

Going Rural Health People & Promotions

Going Rural Health Student Events

Rural Mental Health Placements Available

Rural Job Vacancies

Going Rural Health Education

8th Ngar-Wu Wanyarra Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health Conference 2023

Save the Date! - Hume Region Allied Health Conference 2023

University of Melbourne Events & Webinars

External Events, Education & Resources

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

Going Rural Health (GRH) supports nursing and allied health students from any university 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.

More information about the Going Rural Health Student Support Scheme, including how to apply & eligibility criteria, is available HERE.

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 enroll (click 'start now') 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.

Submit your short video 

Are you a nursing or allied health student currently completing, or have completed, a regional or rural placement?

We're on the look-out for new stories from our student and alumni community to bring our video projects to life. Scan the QR code or follow the below link to get started:

go.unimelb.edu.au/5oxe

Going Rural Health News Page

We have a news page to the Going Rural Health website, available via the top menu under 'News" or via the link HERE.

In this we have links to all our news items, including our news posts, which are also accessible below.

Going Rural Health Winter Event - Soup in a Jar

This winter, we are again running a student giveaway - Soup in a Jar (see details above). Most of these will be given out at our University of Melbourne campuses, but we may also be able to drop some off to our rural health service partners (by arrangement only). Contact your local Going Rural Health representative for more details or to see if a drop off is possible.

Hurry - jar numbers are limited and they are going fast.

Student Psychology Placements in Wangaratta

A new psychology clinic has been established at Gateway Health in Wangaratta to provide culturally safe and appropriate mental health services, drawing on the skills of postgraduate psychology students.

The Gateway Health Psychology Clinic offers a nurturing and professionally stimulating vocational placement experience for their placement psychologists. Supervisors are an experienced team of psychologists and clinical psychologists. Placement psychologists are an integral part of the Gateway team.

Who can apply?

If you are a Masters or Doctoral candidate studying relevant counselling, clinical, professional, neuropsychology or educational psychology courses you can apply to do a vocational placement with Gateway Health.

Placements are still available for 2023. Contact the team now to apply! 

Wellbeing Placements in rural communities

Through this program, also available are interprofessional service-learning placements in more remote communities working with local primary schools, sporting clubs, mother’s groups, and other groups to deliver holistic mental health support programs. These placements provide a unique and beneficial learning experience that can have a huge impact on rural and remote communities.

By creating new placement programs in communities that need the services most, we are delivering a two-pronged approach; providing an enriching learning experience to students and offering rural communities a service they may not have received otherwise.

Who can apply?

Nursing and allied health students in the disciplines of social work, occupational therapy, dietetics, nutrition, physiotherapy, exercise physiology or other allied health disciplines who require as part of their curriculum an undertaking of practical learning through a placement program can apply.

For more information about these placements, visit the website HERE or contact the Going Rural Health team at going-ruralhealth@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 for advertising in this newsletter to Trish Thorpe at trish.thorpe@unimelb.edu.au

We can also advertise on our website and social media platforms!

Careers Online is the University of Melbourne's official online careers resource where you can advertise your organisation’s employment and work experience opportunities. More than 10,000 University of Melbourne students, recent graduates and alumni access Careers Online every month.

You can self-post your job ad at this site free of charge, at any time, via the link HERE.  All instructions on how to post are on this page.

Online Going Rural Health Education

Have you seen the Going Rural Health Online Learning Centre on our website? We have a number of free courses for both students and health professionals. To access the Learning Centre visit the webpage HERE. 

Participants will need to register for the website, log-in and enrol 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 13 free courses  live:

1. NEW Supervision for Service Learning Placements: This short course outlines the basic principles of a Service Learning placement, and how supervisors will need to adapt their supervision practices to support students on Service Learning placements.
2. NEW Interprofessional Education for Rural Student Placements: Are you looking to embed interprofessional education into your student placements? This course will provide you with some tools to provide an interprofessional placement learning experience for your students.
3. Supervision Principles for the Novice Supervisor: This course, aimed towards novice supervisors, takes participants through the basics of student supervision, in order to get the best out of students. An adjunct workshop is also offered for a small fee; sessions for 2023 will be scheduled early in the new year.
4. New Interdisciplinary Graduate Education and Learning (NIGEL) Series: This course is targeted towards mostly non-clinical learning for new graduates, especially those working in regional and rural areas. Covering 9 topics, this will help health professionals new to practice with the transferable skills they need in their day-to-day work.
5. Human Rights in Healthcare: This course looks at how human rights apply to healthcare, particularly from a regional/rural lens.
6. Project Supervision for Student Placements: This course provides some tips on selecting and designing placement projects that fit timeframes, student learning requirements, and desired outcomes for all.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. Communication: Tools to optimise your communication skills and ensure the perceived message is the intended message.
11. 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.
12. Responding Effectively to Upset and Complaining Patients or Family. This course discusses methods to work with these individuals for best outcomes.
13. 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 Learning - for Students ONLY

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

Education

Innovative approaches to supervision in rural practice

When: Fri, 28th July 2023, 9am-12pm

Where: Online via Zoom

This workshop is interactive in nature and designed to equip inexperienced supervisors with an understanding of innovative approaches to supervision in rural practice, as well as provide the necessary knowledge and practical skills to effectively supervise students within their health service.

What we will cover in the workshop:

• Innovative approaches to supervision: why, what, how
• Student needs
• Supervisor role
• Preparing for placement
• Setting expectations and goals
• Feedback and reflection

Register now HERE.

For more information, please contact going-ruralhealth@unimelb.edu.au

“Wellbeing Matters” Workshops

Health professionals have an innate understanding that wellbeing matters, yet we often focus on the health and wellbeing of others, and not our own. Prioritising wellbeing is crucial in enabling us to feel good and function well in life, both professionally and personally.  

This interactive workshop focusses on developing participants understanding of what wellbeing is, why it matters, and how we can apply evidence-based strategies to develop wellbeing. The session provides an opportunity to connect, reflect and explore practical tools for enhancing wellbeing in oneself, and in others. The content of this session is relevant to all health professionals and students, and can be customised to meet the specific needs of the group.

Session topics include:

• Understanding wellbeing and relevant terminology
• Overview of application of wellbeing science
• Evidence based building blocks of wellbeing
• Wellbeing in content of rural health
• Personalised wellbeing profile/ plan

Please contact the Going Rural Health team to organise your session at going-ruralhealth@unimelb.edu.au

Aboriginal Cultural Learning Workshops 2023

Ballarat region with Bonnie Chew: For students AND staff

MARYBOROUGH: Tuesday 3rd October 9.30am - 4.30pm, Maryborough District Health Service

To book visit the link  HERE.

Hume Region with Robynne Nelson: For students ONLY

SHEPPARTON:

17th August, 9am-3.30pm, University of Melbourne Shepparton Campus

3rd October, 9am-3.30pm, University of Melbourne Shepparton Campus

WANGARATTA:

12th September, 9am-3.30pm, 'The Chalet' University of Melbourne Wangaratta Campus. 

To book for any of the Shepparton and Wangaratta workshops, visit the link HERE.

The 2023 Ngar-wu Wanyarra Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Conference will be held on Yorta Yorta Country in Shepparton, Victoria on Wednesday 11th October 2023. The conference is delivered by Department of Rural Health, University of Melbourne and is in its 8th consecutive year.

Meaning to ‘listen and act’ in Yorta Yorta language – the Ngar-Wu Wanyarra Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander conference recognises First Nation knowledges and voices and aims to facilitate the exchange of information of key topics in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ health and wellbeing.

The conference provides a forum for the presentation of cutting-edge program initiatives and research findings in Aboriginal health and wellbeing by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community leaders, health practitioners and their colleagues.

For more information, and to submit an abstract, visit the webpage  HERE.

SAVE THE DATE! 

Join us at the Hume Region Allied Health Conference on the 26th of October 2023.

Alongside the North East and Goulburn Valley Allied Health Education Group, we're working to deliver this fantastic conference at the University of Melbourne Shepparton campus. More details to come.

Learn more  HERE.

2023 University of Melbourne Webinars

Clinical Supervisor Training

When: Tuesday 8th August 2023, 4-5.30pm

Where: Online Webinar (via Zoom)

This interprofessional event is open to our Clinical Educator partners from all disciplines within our faculty and provides an opportunity to network with others in clinical education, share ideas and experiences.

The session will provide:

•            understandings about different models of feedback

•            best practice for proving constructive and positive feedback

•            breakout rooms of Interprofessional clinical educators

•            discussion of feedback scenarios

•            a Q&A session of interprofessional educators to discuss this important topic

Please register at this link for this interprofessional event HERE.

To celebrate Research Week Northeast Health in collaboration with The University of Melbourne, Rural Health Academic Network (RHAN) invite you to a webinar by Professor Dougie Boyle and Dr Kristen Glenister at 12-1pm on Monday 4^th September.

Prof Boyle is the Professor of Clinical Data Analytics, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, and Director of the Research Information Technology Unit (R2). Since 2006 Prof Boyle has been researching, developing and implementing systems for the ethical acquisition of record-linkable data for audit, research and health surveillance. In recent years, Learning Health Systems methodologies have become accepted as a mechanism to support translational research. Prof Boyle shall provide an introduction to Learning Health Systems and follow this with an example of implementing this methodology in rural health research. Undertaking such research has many consent, data curation and governance pitfalls. Prof Boyle is here to help address questions from the audience.

Dr. Kristen Glenister is a Senior Research Fellow at the Department of Rural Health, University of Melbourne, based in Wangaratta. Her research interests include rural health, chronic disease and access to health services. She was one of the chief investigators on the NHMRC partnership funded project ‘Crossroads-II’, a large population health study in the Goulburn Valley that looked at health, disease and access to care. She is a co-convenor of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion special interest group at the Public Health Association, where she advocates for rural health. She has collaborated with Northeast Health clinicians on projects ranging from chronic disease management and integrated care to digital health inclusion. She has supported rural medical students to complete research projects with topics ranging from skin cancer models of care, responses to COVID and natural disasters, polypharmacy, obesity, stroke and chronic pain. Kristen shall address topics including:

• Data types and the research question

• The need for high quality data with sufficient granularity to monitor/explore issues and answer questions

• How to balance data collection approach and identifiability

• Challenges of data sharing, and potential risks

• File audits to uncover ways to make positive changes to patient care

There will be the opportunity at the end of the webinar presentation for Q & A. Please register online now HERE. 

For any queries please contact Di Doyle, Events Coordinator, Department of Rural Health, The University of Melbourne ddoyle@unimelb.edu.au

Public Webinar Series 2023

It takes a village - Preparing young people and the community for wellbeing

When: Tuesday 15th August 2023, 5:30 - 6:30pm

Where: Online Webinar

The University of Melbourne, Department of Rural Health invite you to a public webinar by Dr Jacqui Francis.

Jacqui is a wellbeing lecturer, researcher, advisor and educational designer at The University of Melbourne. Jacqui’s recent projects have included work with a range of communities: co-creating and piloting brief online wellbeing interventions for primary school students, creating the wellbeing literacy program for the staff of the not-for-profit psycho-social support organisation, Richmond Fellowship Queensland (RFQ), collaborating with RFQ and the Darling Downs First Nations community to co-create the Culturally adapted wellbeing literacy program, and collaboratively producing the most recent recommendations for the NSW Department of Education, Wellbeing Framework refresh.

With the emergence of wellbeing science, including positive psychology there is increasing evidence of what leads to wellbeing; economically, socially and psychologically. After providing an introduction to wellbeing and positive psychology, we will consider how best to prepare our young people for wellbeing by:       

• Working with communities (schools, families, workplaces, sports clubs etc.) rather than only individuals
• Adopt approaches to wellbeing that include positive functioning and not only the absence of illness
• Move beyond the present to the future
• Focusing on how we communicate about wellbeing as a key enabler (i.e. wellbeing literacy)

This webinar is a must for primary and secondary teachers and parents. We hope this will be a ‘cameras on’, interactive lecture, designed to connect and collectively share conceptualisations and experiences of wellbeing, from a scientific perspective.

There is the opportunity to ask questions when registering and on the night.

Registrations essential. Register via the link HERE.

Enquiries: Di Doyle - Events Coordinator E: ddoyle@unimelb.edu.au or P: (03) 5823 4512.

Past Webinars

Past recordings of webinars are available via the DRH website (link below), including the 'Understanding ADHD' webinar from May.

Department of Rural Health Facebook: DRH Facebook

Department of Rural Health Website: DRH Website

Nursing & Allied Health Colorectal Symposium

The Royal Children’s Hospital’s Colorectal and Pelvic Reconstruction Service invite you to attend The Nursing and Allied Health Colorectal Symposium. This event will take place as part of the 2^nd Melbourne Colorectal Course. The symposium will take place onsite at RCH and streamed via Zoom on Friday 18^th of August commencing at 1:30 pm. 

This symposium is designed for nursing and allied health professionals that have an interest in the management of children with colorectal conditions.

Attendees will hear from advanced practice providers from the Colorectal and Pelvic Reconstruction Service (CPRS) at The Royal Children's Hospital, as well as members of the invited international faculty.

Topics discussed will include Anorectal Malformations, Hirschsprung disease and Chronic Constipation. The principles of diagnosis and management, as well as inpatient and outpatient care, will be covered. There will be an additional focus on the mental health and psychosocial challenges faced by patients and their families. Sessions will be moderated by members of the CPRS Well-being team, including psychology, social work and child life therapy.

Procedures such as anal dilatations and rectal washouts will be considered, and the care of colostomies, ileostomies and appendicostomies will be discussed. On completion of the symposium, attendees will be able to describe the typical constipation pathways, common oral and rectal treatments, and potential surgical interventions. Attendees will also have a clear understanding of how allied health professionals may complement the work of the nursing and medical professionals in supporting children and their families.

For further information, please see the flyer attached HERE or contact cprs.coordinator@rch.org.au

To book visit the link HERE.

Multidisciplinary Acute Paediatric Pain Management Study Day

When: Thursday August 3^rd 2023

Where: Via Zoom

Cost: $40 +GST

Content includes

• Pain assessment & Analgesic ladder
• Opioid infusions and patient controlled analgesia
• Procedural pain management
• Communication tools
• Playful practice in pain management-Clown Doctors
• Introduction to the Chronic Pain Team

Places are available for this virtual study day. Register HERE.

ENT Study Day

When: Friday August 11^th 2023

Where: Onsite and Zoom

Cost: $200 on-site, includes catering and parking; $100 via Zoom 

RCH Education Hub is running their first ENT tonsil and adenoidectomy professional development day. This course is tailored for Medical and Nursing Staff. 

Content includes:

• Introduction to the ENT service and referral process 
• Obstructive Sleep Apnoea
• Day Stay Adenoid-tonsillectomy 
• Anaesthesia for Adenoid-tonsillectomy 
• PACU care & escalation 
• Ward management and overnight desaturations 
• T’s & A’s hospital in the home program 
• Family and patient education 
• Expert Panel discussion

For more information and to register via Eventbrite click HERE.

Paediatric Nursing Webinars 2023

Allied Health Paediatric Webinars 2023

SARRAH Member Discussion - ANZSCO: Making Sure Allied Health is Recognised

SARRAH Leadership Program 2023 Dates

Program 2: 28/08/2023 - 06/10/2023

Gain the skills and knowledge to lead and manage your organisation and enhance your career opportunities through leading, mentoring, and coaching.

This course is ideal not only for allied health professionals but any individuals aiming to become a successful leader and agent for change in the rural and remote health landscape of Australia. SARRAH offers flexible and affordable study options including online learning and discounted rates for SARRAH members.  

The course has been built around four key topics:

• Leadership Vs Management
• "Being" leadership
• "Doing" leadership
• "Maintaining" leadership 

For more information, and to enroll, visit the link HERE.

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 .