Premium
Developing a Sole Occupational Therapy Position in a Rural Area
Author(s) -
Welch Mary,
McKenna Kryss,
Bock Lester
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
australian occupational therapy journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.595
H-Index - 44
eISSN - 1440-1630
pISSN - 0045-0766
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-1630.1992.tb01743.x
Subject(s) - workforce , metropolitan area , occupational therapy , position (finance) , rural area , medicine , population , isolation (microbiology) , family medicine , nursing , gerontology , environmental health , physical therapy , economic growth , business , finance , pathology , microbiology and biotechnology , economics , biology
A 1988 Queensland Health Department survey of the demographic, training and workforce characteristics of registered occupational therapists (Queensland Department of Health, 1990) in Queensland, revealed that 31 percent of survey respondents were working outside the Brisbane metropolitan area. From an earlier demographic survey of the same population (Shah & Maas, 1980), it was clear that isolation from the profession, one's peers and continuing education opportunities were the perceived disadvantages of taking up a rural position. Based on personal experience, this paper provides an exposé of the planning, preparation, challenges and problems involved in accepting and developing a sole occupational therapy position in a rural area