CAHE Visitors and Valued Colleagues
The Centre for Allied Health Evidence is grateful to all its wonderful supporters and colleagues. Visiting the South Australian offices of CAHE recently have been:
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Catherine Turnbull, Principle Allied Health Advisor, Department of Health (SA)
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Bev Gaughwin, Acting Principle Allied Health, Advisor, Department of Health (SA)
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Professor Irwin Epstein, School of Social Work, Hunter College, USA
Catherine
Turnbull, Principle Allied Health Advisor, Department of Health (SA)
The South Australian Department of Health (DH) took allied health matters in hand and appointed Catherine Turnbull as its new Principal Allied Health Advisor in November 2006. Catherine represents allied health services and came to Adelaide with a wealth of experience from her career in New South Wales allied health arena.
After completing her Bachelor degree (Social Work) in 1991, Catherines career spanned the paediatric social work team at Westmead Hospital, Deputy Head of Department at The Childrens Hospital (Camperdown) and Head of Department at the New Childrens Hospital (Westmead). In 2000 she was employed as Director (Social Work) with the Central Sydney Area Health Service, moving to the position of A/Deputy Director (Allied Health) for Sydney South West Area Health Service in 2006. Her involvement in professional associations include: President, Allied Health Alliance (NSW), Chair, Professional Vocational Committee (Health Services Union) and State President, Australian Association of Social Workers (NSW).
Catherine feels that defining a clear structure for AH is
vital to ensure AH are part of the Department of Healths (DoHSA) reform
agenda which includes a whole of government approach and clinical networks.
Catherine's agnda has included a number of state and national issues
regarding AH including registration of certain professions,
inter-professional learning (IPL), competencies and allied health
assistants. Catherine aims to ensure that AH have a clear voice as well as
the opportunity to provide leadership on these matters. She is also
committed to listening and working with AH professional associations and
boards, as well as national organisations such as Allied Health Professions
Australia and the National AH Advisory Committee.
Since November 2006 Catherine has worked closely with CAHE on a number of significant allied health projects, including the launch of the CAHE Journal Clubs in March 2007, an important initiative for allied health workers throughout the state. Catherine also contributes to the CAHE newsletter, keeping CAHE's readers abreast of AH news locally and nationally.
Bev Gaughwin, Acting Principle Allied Health
Advisor, Department of Health (SA)
Bev Gaughwin has a wealth of experience in Allied health and
became DoHSAs Acting Principal Advisor, Allied Health, in October 2007,
whilst Catherine Turnbull was seconded to the position of Director of
Clinical Systems in the Department of Health until March 2008. Bev
appreciates the value of the alliances that have developed and strengthened
within AH, the Dept of Health and across the state since the role of
Principal AH Advisor was established a year ago.
In a recent CAHE newsletter Bev expressed that she felt the relationship
with the Centre for Allied Health Evidence is a key enabler for Allied
Health to develop, share and implement evidence that can influence not only
current practice but can contribute to the reform agenda. From her former
experience as Director of Physiotherapy at Flinders Medical Centre she is
able to understand the challenges for clinicians of undertaking research in
busy clinical environments, and implementing evidence into practice.
Sometimes a little assistance goes a long way to converting intentions into
action and the CAHE provides valuable, assistance and support. CAHE is
very appreciate of Bev's time and support and looks forward to a continuing
relationship with her in her next role!
Dr Guy M. Nehrenz, Ed.D., MA, RRT, Associate Dean, College of Allied Health and Nursing at Nova Southeastern University (NSU), Chair, Department of Health Science (NSU) and Managing Editor of Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice. In November 2006 he visited the Adelaide offices of CAHE, bringing his insights and thoughts on education platforms and online innovations for allied health professionals.
Dr. Nehrenz has nearly 30 years experience in the USA health
arena, starting his career with Samaritan Health System in Phoenix where he
was a neonatal intensive care respiratory therapist. Later he was a flight
therapist (medic) who worked on rotor wing and fixed wing aircraft as well
as the trauma centre. In his flight career, he flew over 1600 flights during
the decade with this organisation. Later, he was Administrative Director of
Medical Education, as well as Director of Research for a number of
multi-level research centres within Samaritan Health. His first full time
university administrative role came as the assistant dean for Kirksville
College of Osteopathic Medicine.
Dr Nehrenz's philosophy on online education is simple: the overall universal
increase of knowledge for allied health professionals. In his online
Philosophy he states:
"It is well known that interactive learning is a method that touches more strings in the adult learner. Simply spewing information in the hopes that the learner will obtain knowledge is a one-way method of instruction, and should be discouraged in this arena of academic endeavour. Interactive learning is a two-way learning cycle. A learning community, online and in-person."
Dr Nehrenz can be contacted directly for further information on online education or you can visit his website: www.drnehrenz.com.
Professor Irwin Epstein, School of Social Work,
Hunter College, USA
Professor Epstein, School of Social Work, Hunter College, USA, has a long standing relationship with Australia, commencing over a decade ago conducting workshops and consultancies with the University of Melbourne, as well as assisting PhD students. In 2007 the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) and the Centre for Allied Health Evidence collaboratively brought him to Adelaide to conduct a Clinical Data Mining workshop in June. The focus of this workshop is Clinical Data Mining and how it can be used as a research tool in social work and AH disciplines practice settings.
Clinical Data Mining (CDM) involves teaching AH practitioners to systematically analyse and aggregate information routinely collected when working with patients, in both qualitative and quantitative forms. Considered an initiator and expert in the field, Professor Epstein is currently writing his third book on this exciting research area. His focus is promoting CDM as a research tool in social work and AH fields.
In his home country Professor Epstein primarily is centred on research in the social work arena, incorporating AH disciplines via social work interventions. In Australia his consulting has broadened to AH disciplines working collaboratively, or within a single AH discipline. An example of this is his visit to the Hunter Valley three years ago endorsed by the University of Melbourne, in which he conducted a workshop on CDM. The result of this workshop was a number of different AH research projects in a diverse range of topics, from mental health to patient interventions post-tracheotomy. Professor Epstein remains involved with this ongoing research with his frequent visits. CAHE is now exploring opportunities to work with Professor Epstein and utilise his expertise in a number of PhD research projects and providing a mentoring role for students and staff.