Key influences on rural health and welfare service delivery : Lessons from the literature
- Authors: Gregory, Raeleene , Green, Rosemary , McLaren, Suzanne
- Date: 2008
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Rural Social Work and Community Practice Vol. 13, no. 2 (2008), p. 33-42
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- Description: Contemporary rural Australia is home to a diverse population which constitutes approximately one third of the total population of the nation. Rural Australians are engaged in numerous occupations and undertakings, not all of which are directly involved with agriculture. A decline in the agricultural sector over past decades has, however, led to significant disadvantage in terms of the resources and facilities available to rural people. There are issues regarding recruitment and retention of staff which provide challenges for health and welfare agencies. The provision of effective services is dependant on staff; however, there are a number of influences on the experience of health and welfare professionals in the Australian rural context. This paper, through a review of the literature, identifies some of those influences.
The development of 'expert-ness': Rural practitioners and role boundaries
- Authors: Gregory, Raeleene , Green, Rosemary , McLaren, Suzanne
- Date: 2007
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Rural Social Work and Community Practice Vol. 12, no. 2 (2007), p. 16-21
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- Description: Health and welfare practitioners have reported challenges in their personal and professional lives brought about by the realities of dual and multiple relationships in small communities. This paper reports the findings of a qualitative grounded theory study of 70 such practitioners living and working in rural Victoria. Australia, with regard to the development of worker expertise in dealing with personal and professional role boundary issues. The research findings suggested that this group of rural health and welfare practitioners dealt with personal and professional boundary issues through a process of sensitive decision-making and strategic behaviour that became increasingly intuitive over time. Participants oftern adopted elastic and fluid boundaries using their personal experience and local knowledge to inform their professional judgement. These findings have implications for practitioners, for employers, and for educators.
- Description: C1
- Description: 2003005777
Working with survivors of sexual assault : Attitudes and beliefs of rural health workers
- Authors: Radcliffe, Margaret , Green, Rosemary , McLaren, Suzanne
- Date: 2004
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Women Against Violence Vol. 15, no. (2004), p. 22-29
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- Description: The central purpose of this study was to explore the attitudes and beliefs about sexual assault of health and welfare professionals in a rural area. These front line staff are often the professionals to whom a woman discloses her story, yet many generalist health and welfare workers feel ill equipped to deal with such disclosures. This study sought to understand the frameworks and beliefs held by generalist health and welfare workers about sexual assault. The findings of this study indicate that attitudes and beliefs of many participants included theoretical frameworks that ignore the role of power and gender, and are based on myths and assumptions about the behaviour and/or psychology of victim/survivors and perpetrators. Such beliefs have an impact on outcomes for survivors, and the quality of service offered to them, and indicates a need for comprehensive further training for health and welfare workers about sexual assault. Participants also lacked confidence in their ability to work effectively with survivors, although they clearly understood the long-term effects of experiencing sexual assault.
- Description: C1
- Description: 2003000956