Perceptions towards rural and remote practice: A study of final year occupational therapy students studying in a regional university in Australia

Autor:	Tomomi McAuliffe, Fiona Barnett
Rok vydání:	2010
Předmět:	Occupational therapy medicine.medical_specialty business.industry Rural health Occupational Therapy Nursing Work (electrical) Quantitative research Medicine Health education Rural area Duration (project management) business Curriculum
Zdroj:	Australian Occupational Therapy Journal. 57:293-300
ISSN:	0045-0766
DOI:	10.1111/j.1440-1630.2009.00838.x
Popis:	Background/aim: Rural and remote health education during undergraduate training is a strategy to alleviate the shortage of rural health professionals. Undergraduate rural exposure can be beneficial in improving students’ perceptions towards rural and remote practice as well as their decision to work rurally. This study examined James Cook University (JCU) final year occupational therapy students’ perceptions towards rural and remote practice and if their perceptions had changed over the course of their study. Methods: Questionnaires were administered to 58 final year occupational therapy students at JCU during a block class. Quantitative data analysis was performed on responses. Results: The change in the students’ career intentions from not considering to considering rural and remote practice over the duration of their study was found to be significant (exact P = 0.003). The influential factors identified in students considering rural employment included the rural location of their close family and friends (exact P = 0.006), the overall occupational therapy programme (U = 171.5, P = 0.045), good fieldwork experience (U = 144, P = 0.039) and inspiring fieldwork supervisors (U = 135.5, P = 0.01). The course curriculum was not found to influence the students’ perceptual change. Conclusion: This study has found that students’ perceptions towards rural and remote practice changed over the course of their university programme. A greater focus on the academic staff and fieldwork supervisors’ perceptions towards rural and remote practice may be required in the development of rural undergraduate programmes. Identification of students who have family/close friends living in rural and remote areas may encourage occupational therapists to work in rural areas.
Databáze:	OpenAIRE
Externí odkaz:	https://explore.openaire.eu/search/publication?articleId=doi_________::a8d57ca8b53bf3b6bfd9980a8917beaa https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1440-1630.2009.00838.x Zobrazit plný text záznamu Plný text