SpeakOut_April2014_FINAL_eCopy

spotlightonProfessionalsupport

Providingexternal supervision ina rural setting Manynewgraduates and sole practitioners seekmentoringdue to a lack of supervision in their workplace.While SpeechPathology Australia recommends that all practising speech pathologists receive supervision, this is often not the case. The case study belowdemonstrates an example of amodel of external supervision. Setting up external supervision is SpeechPathology Australia’s preferred optionwhen there are no sufficiently experienced staff within the organisation toprovide discipline specific supervision, rather than seekingmentoring as an alternative to supervision. MeredithPrain Professional Support Advisor (Tuesday only)

What is your background as a speechpathologist? I trained inWesternAustralia and spent timeworking in the city aswell as the country for the first five years after graduation.Whileworking in theKimberley region ofWA, I metmy husband and eventuallymoved to Wentworth in far westernNSW. I have spent the last 12 yearsworking in and aroundMildura, Victoria. My clinical experience ismixed, although strongly based in community health service delivery. I am interested in complex communication needs and rural and remote practice. How longhave youbeen supervising speechpathologists? I have engaged in informal mentoring with other speech pathologists over the last few years. This ismy first experience as an external clinical supervisor. I also have experience supervising undergraduate speech pathologists. How longhave youbeen supervising speechpathologists as an external supervisor? Not long! Since the beginning of this year, although planning commenced towards the end of 2013.We are really just commencing our supervision “journey”.

andmetropolitanareas, however in rural and remotepractice, distance plays aprohibitive role for accessing professional development and face-to- face support. Advances in technology havemuch improved this situation, for examplewebinars and reduced rates for accessingonline (post-conference) workshops areexcellent options now onoffer.Metropolitanagencieswho arededicatedand responsive in their support of speechpathologists across the statealsoplay a key role. Additionally, I have found that engagingwithour local networkof speechpathologists, whether attendingmonthly gatherings, maintainingemail contact, having regular “go-to” therapists, or attending theannual Christmasdinner, is crucial for feelingconnectedand sharingnew learningandexperiences. Over time, any awkwardness related tobeingnew toanarea, or recently graduated, is transcendedby the familiarity that comes with long-term local networking. Although my ownattendanceat our local monthly meetings hasbeen verypoor over the last few years (acombinationof being amother to threeboys and livingona propertywell out of town), I continue tophone, email and text other local (andmetropolitan!) speechpathologists regularly. Ongoing support by employers, or finding the time if workingprivately, remain key issues to the successof these largely unfunded, self-drivengroups. I feel reallypleased tobeable tooffer support toother speechpathologists, andproud that anagency I worked in for 10 years is committed to theprocessof clinical supervision, external or otherwise.

Howdid this happenandwhat are the structures andprocesses to support thismodel of supervision? TheAlliedHealth Team Leader at SunraysiaCommunityHealthServices, the employing community health agency, approachedme during the second half of 2013 as theywere havingdifficulty recruiting into aGrade 2 vacancy. Theywere considering employing a new graduate but recognised that therewould need tobe a strong clinical supervision framework in place todo this. My own 10 years experienceworkingwith the agency putme in a goodposition to be able toprovide not only the clinical aspect of supervision, but also support in understanding the setting and community partners. These experiences are constantly drawn on during supervision sessions. The support providedby SunraysiaCommunity HealthServices in formalising the structure, guiding the process through an agency-wide clinical supervision procedure, providing templates for tracking sessions, contracts and goal- setting andbeing on the end of the phone to answer initial set-upquestions has been critical for helping usmove seamlessly into active, regular clinical supervision sessions. What do you see as key issues regardingprofessional support in rural areas? Positions in rural and remotepractice continue tobeprimarily “sole therapist” and rural speechpathologistsbecome quite innovativewithwaysof achieving professional support. Timeand critical mass are key issues affecting speechpathologists inboth rural

AmberBaird SpeechPathologist

SpeakOut April 2014

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www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au