a handbook for supervising allied health professionals - HETI - NSW ...

THE SUPERGUIDE
Supervision in rural and remote settings
14
It is recognised that clinicians working in rural and remote settings experience unique
challenges in both obtaining and providing supervision. Some of the common issues
experienced by rural clinicians include but are not limited to:
• The line manager is often also the supervisor hence it is challenging moving
between both roles
• Line management of clinicians is often outside of the specific discipline
• Working in small department/teams and/or hospitals means there are fewer staff
available to provide supervision and or/supervisors can experience burnout
• Working in isolation/as a sole clinician means there is reliance on the individual
to be proactive in seeking support remotely
• Rural clinicians often work across a range of inpatient, outpatient and community
settings which adds an additional level of complexity to the delivery of services
and educational needs of the clinician.
Obtaining the required level of support may require “thinking outside the box” to harness
resources and to obtain support from networks of peers or even staff located within
other Local Health Districts.
Tips for rural and remote clinicians
• Encourage staff members to seek support and help from other clinicians:
f within the local area
f outside the local area (including metropolitan centres)
f from professional bodies
• Network with other clinicians both within and outside of the Local Health
District both in rural and metropolitan areas via email, phone and social media
• Join or create a peer support network to share experiences and learn from
each other (for tips on group/peer supervision go to page 24)