Dr Karin Fisher

Dr Karin Fisher

Research Academic

University of Newcastle Department of Rural Health

Career Summary

Biography

Having qualified as a nurse over 25 years ago, I have worked in various areas of public hospitals and community health services. My clinical expertise in relation to access to health services for sexual health issues led me to undertake my PhD studies. The focus of this work was to understand why syphilis is still present in a rural area of New South Wales as well as to explore how an individual’s construction of rurality shapes the way in which he or she accesses health services for Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs). This work showed the significance of rurality as a marker for affecting health and shaping different experiences, especially the changes in the meanings associated with STIs.

Following the completion of my PhD I moved from my clinical position in public health to undertake part time work with the University of Newcastle Rural Department of Health. Since my appointment to the University of Newcastle,I have been involved in a number of research projects. I have authored a number of peer reviewed journal articles and refereed and non-refereed research based national and international conference papers. I have also supervised a number of health services staff who have undertaken workplace research as well as PhD students. My current research interests include health services research, primary health care, public health issues, interprofessional collaboration and health workforce.
Research Expertise
Population Health issues, Sexually transmitted infections, Health service access, Rural workforce issues, Difficult to access populations, Grounded theory, Mixed methods.

Collaborations
As part of my work at the University of Newcastle, I have worked in research teams with members from Hunter New England Local Health Network, University New England, University of Sydney, Flinders University, University Tasmania and University of Adelaide. I also work as part of a multidisciplinary team based at the University of Newcastle, Department of Rural Health that includes the disciplines of medicine, radiography, physiotherapy, nutrition and dietetics, pharmacy, occupational therapy, Indigenous health care, speech pathology and mental health.

Qualifications

  • PhD, University of New England

Keywords

  • Allied Health
  • Difficult to access populations
  • Equity
  • Evaluation
  • Health Service Research
  • Health Workforce
  • Health care
  • Health service access
  • Interprofessional Collaboration
  • Mixed methods
  • Nursing
  • Primary Health Care
  • Public Health
  • Qualitative methodology
  • Qualitative research
  • Rural Health
  • Rural Health Workforce

Languages

  • English (Fluent)

Fields of Research

Code Description Percentage
111799 Public Health and Health Services not elsewhere classified 60
119999 Medical and Health Sciences not elsewhere classified 20
160599 Policy and Administration not elsewhere classified 20

Professional Experience

Academic appointment

Dates Title Organisation / Department
1/01/2008 - 1/01/2010 Senior Research Officer Hunter New England Local Health Network
Hunter Rural Training
1/01/2002 - 1/01/2004 Acting Director Population Health & Planning, Hunter New England Local Health Network
Australia
1/01/1997 - 1/01/2007 Public Health Officer Hunter New England Local Health Network

Professional appointment

Dates Title Organisation / Department
1/03/1993 - 30/12/1997 Clincial Nurse Consultant Hunter New England Health Service
Australia
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Publications

For publications that are currently unpublished or in-press, details are shown in italics.

Book (1 outputs)

Year Citation Altmetrics Link
2014 Higgs J, Croker A, Tasker D, Hummell J, Patton N, Health Practice Relationships, Sense Publishers, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, 262 (2014) [A3]
Citations Scopus - 2
Co-authors Anne Croker, Kym Rae, Tony Smith, Tracy Levett-Jones, Nicky Hudson

Chapter (3 outputs)

Year Citation Altmetrics Link
2018 Briggs D, Fisher K, Tejativaddhana P, Fraser J, 'How to write up your research', Handbook for Health Management research, Society for Health Administration Programs in Education (SHAPE), online (2018)
2016 Fisher KA, Squires K, Woodley I, 'Community collaboration beyond the red tape: Complying without being constrained', Collaborating in Healthcare Reinterpreting Therapeutic Relationships, Sense Publishers, Rotterdam, The Netherlands 211-220 (2016) [B1]
Co-authors Kelly Squires
2014 Fisher KA, Grotowski M, 'Caring for Patients Who Have Sexually Transmitted Infections: Getting the team on board', Health Practice Relationships, Sense Publishers, Rotterdam, The Netherlands 171-178 (2014) [B1]

Journal article (15 outputs)

Year Citation Altmetrics Link
2018 Fisher KA, Smith A, Brown L, Little A, Wakely K, Hudson J, et al., 'Value-adding to health professional student placement experiences: Enhancing work readiness and employability through a rural community engagement program', Journal of Teaching and Learning for Graduate Employability, 9 41-61 (2018) [C1]
DOI 10.21153/jtlge2018vol9no1art698
Co-authors Luke Wakely, Nicky Hudson, Katrina Wakely, Alexandra Little, Kelly Squires, Tony Smith, Leanne Brown
2017 Fisher K, Smith T, Nairn K, Anderson D, 'Rural people who inject drugs: A cross-sectional survey addressing the dimensions of access to secondary needle and syringe program outlets', Australian Journal of Rural Health, 25 94-101 (2017) [C1]

© 2016 National Rural Health Alliance Inc. Objective: To better understand issues related to access to injecting equipment for people who inject drugs (PWID) in a rural area of Ne... [more]

© 2016 National Rural Health Alliance Inc. Objective: To better understand issues related to access to injecting equipment for people who inject drugs (PWID) in a rural area of New South Wales (NSW), Australia. Design: Cross-sectional face-to-face survey using convenience and snowball sampling. Setting: Six regional and rural population centres in Northern NSW, within the Hunter New England Local Health District. Participants: The sample included 190 PWID who had accessed a needle and syringe program outlet within 4¿weeks of the survey. Main outcome measures: Data include demographic information, preferred location for accessing injecting equipment, reasons for that preference, whether they obtained enough equipment, travelling distance to an NSP and self-reported hepatitis C virus status. Results: Sixty percent self-identified as Aboriginal people. The median age of respondents was 32¿years and 60% were men. A significantly larger proportion (P¿<¿0.05) of the Aboriginal respondents were women (27% versus 11.6%) and younger (37.6 versus 12.7%) compared to non-Aboriginal respondents. Most preferred to access injecting equipment at a community health facility (62.6%), as opposed to other secondary outlets, where they gained enough equipment (67.4%). Just over 80% said they were tested for HCV in the past year, with about 37% told they had tested positive. Conclusions: There are complex dimensions affecting how rural PWID access secondary NSP outlets. Although access is similarly limited as other rural health services because of the nature of injecting drug use and sensitivities existing in rural communities, there is potential for application of unique access models, such as, promoting secondary distribution networks.

DOI 10.1111/ajr.12304
Citations Scopus - 4Web of Science - 3
Co-authors Tony Smith
2015 Massey S, Fisher K, Croker A, Smith T, 'Collaboration across the health care and education interface: what is it like for teachers of children with traumatic brain injury?', AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF PRIMARY HEALTH, 21 74-78 (2015) [C1]
DOI 10.1071/PY13035
Citations Scopus - 2Web of Science - 2
Co-authors Anne Croker, Tony Smith
2015 Croker A, Fisher K, Smith T, 'When students from different professions are co-located: the importance of interprofessional rapport for learning to work together', JOURNAL OF INTERPROFESSIONAL CARE, 29 41-48 (2015) [C1]
DOI 10.3109/13561820.2014.937481
Citations Scopus - 10Web of Science - 12
Co-authors Anne Croker, Tony Smith
2013 Fisher KA, Hussain R, 'Informal talk: shaping understandings of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in rural Australia', RURAL AND REMOTE HEALTH, 13 (2013) [C1]
Citations Scopus - 1
2011 Smith AN, Fisher KA, Keane S, Lincoln M, 'Comparison of the results of two rural allied health workforce surveys in the Hunter New England region of New South Wales: 2005 versus 2008', Australian Journal of Rural Health, 19 154-159 (2011) [C1]
DOI 10.1111/j.1440-1584.2011.01202.x
Citations Scopus - 6Web of Science - 6
Co-authors Tony Smith
2011 Keane S, Smith AN, Lincoln M, Fisher KA, 'Survey of the rural allied health workforce in New South Wales to inform recruitment and retention', Australian Journal of Rural Health, 19 38-44 (2011) [C1]
DOI 10.1111/j.1440-1584.2010.01175.x
Citations Scopus - 52Web of Science - 51
Co-authors Tony Smith
2011 Smith AN, Fisher KA, 'Self-reported competency and continuing education needs of limited licence remote X-ray operators in New South Wales, Australia', Rural and Remote Health, 11 1560 (2011) [C1]
Citations Scopus - 7Web of Science - 7
Co-authors Tony Smith
2011 Fisher KA, 'The qualitative interview and challenges for clinicians undertaking research: A personal reflection', Australian Journal of Primary Health, 17 102-106 (2011) [C1]
Citations Scopus - 2Web of Science - 2
2010 Fisher KA, Fraser JD, 'Rural health career pathways: Research themes in recruitment and retention', Australian Health Review, 34 292-296 (2010) [C1]
DOI 10.1071/AH09751
Citations Scopus - 21Web of Science - 22
2008 Fisher KA, Hussain R, Jamieson M, Minichiello V, 'Syphilis and disadvantage in rural communities', International Journal of STD & AIDS, 19 215 (2008) [C3]
2004 Fraser JD, Alexander C, Fisher K, 'Hepatitis C education needs of rural general practitioners working in northern New South Wales', Australian Journal of Rural Health, 12 152-156 (2004) [C1]
DOI 10.1111/j.1440-1854.2004.00588.x
Citations Scopus - 2
2002 Fraser JD, Alexander C, Fisher K, 'Hepatitis C caseload and models of care for rural GPs working in northern New South Wales', Australian Family Physician, 31(11) 1063-1065 (2002) [C1]
Citations Scopus - 2
2002 Fraser J, Alexander C, Fisher K, 'Hepatitis C caseload and models of care for rural GPs working in northern New South Wales.', Australian family physician, 31 1052-1054 (2002)
Croker A, Smith T, Fisher K, Littlejohns S, 'Educators Interprofessional Collaborative Relationships: Helping Pharmacy Students Learn to Work with Other Professions', Pharmacy, 4 17-17 [C1]
DOI 10.3390/pharmacy4020017
Citations Web of Science - 1
Co-authors Tony Smith, Anne Croker, Sonja Littlejohns
Show 12 more journal articles

Conference (37 outputs)

Year Citation Altmetrics Link
2019 Urquhart L, Roberts K, Brown L, Duncanson K, Fisher K, 'Mutual respect for ways of knowing, doing and learning: Collaborative yarning to understand an Aboriginal wellbeing program', Darwin, NT (2019)
Co-authors Leanne Brown, Lisa Urquhart
2019 Smith A, Waller S, Beauchamp A, Sutton K, Depczynski J, Brown L, et al., 'The Nursing and Allied Health Graduate Outcomes Tracking Study: Methodology for Large-scale Data Linkage Tony Smith, University of Newcastle Department of Rural Health Australia', Canberra, ACT (2019)
Co-authors Tony Smith, Leanne Brown, Luke Wakely
2018 Chapman JN, Croker AL, Hungerford PD, Fisher KA, Gourlay J, May JA, 'Not another document for the bookshelf: Informing wise palliative care practice in a rural area', Tamworth, NSW (2018)
Co-authors Jennifer May, Anne Croker
2018 Smith AN, May JA, Burrows JM, Wakely LT, Brown LJ, Fisher KA, et al., 'Counting the chickens as they hatch: tracking students and the rural health pipeline', Tamworth, NSW (2018)
Co-authors Jennifer May, Tony Smith, Luke Wakely, Leanne Brown, Julie Burrows
2018 Urquhart LE, Monaghan N, Cook J, Brown LJ, Fisher KA, Duncanson K, 'Yarning About Spring into Shape : beyond the usual methods.', Tamworth, NSW (2018)
Co-authors Leanne Brown, Lisa Urquhart
2018 Munro SL, Brown L, Croker A, Burrows J, Fisher K, Munro L, 'Yearning to Yarn: Teaching for Equity', Auckland, NZ (2018)
Co-authors Julie Burrows, Anne Croker, Leanne Brown
2017 Sutton K, Waller S, Fisher K, Smith AN, 'Informing rural practice decision-making of urban trained allied health and nursing students', Cairns (2017)
Co-authors Tony Smith
2017 Fisher KA, Farthing A, Waller S, Sutton K, 'Heck Yes! What drives students transition to working in remote and rural areas?', Adelaide, South Australia (2017)
2016 Farthing A, Sutton K, Fisher K, Smith AN, Wall A, 'Exploring incentives for early career professionals to 'Work in the Village': Industry stakeholder perspectives', Port Lincoln, SA (2016)
Co-authors Tony Smith
2016 Sutton K, Waller S, Fisher K, Farthing A, McAnnalley K, Russell D, et al., 'Understanding the Decision to Relocate Rural Amongst Urban Nursing and Allied Health Students and Recent Graduates' (2016)
Co-authors Leanne Brown, Tony Smith
2016 Brown L, Crowley E, Croker A, Little AL, Fisher K, 'Embracing the boundaries of interprofessional practice-based collaboration in work integrated learning', Embracing the boundaries of interprofessional practice-based collaboration in work integrated learning, Sydney (2016)
Co-authors Alexandra Little, Leanne Brown, Anne Croker, Elesa Crowley
2015 Fisher KA, Croker A, Smith T, May J, 'Grappling with a shared understanding of 'interprofessional learning': "I know what i mean... but what do we mean"', ANZAHPE-AMEA 2015 Conference, Newcastle (2015) [E3]
Co-authors Jennifer May, Anne Croker, Tony Smith
2015 Fisher KA, Brown L, Smith T, Hudson N, 'Evaluation of a community engagement program: What do rural healthcare students gain from experiential community-engaged learning?', ANZAHPE-AMEA 2015 Conference, Newcastle (2015) [E3]
Co-authors Leanne Brown, Tony Smith, Nicky Hudson
2014 Fisher KA, Croker A, May J, Smith T, 'Are we on the same page yet?": Using photo-elicitation for shared understandings within an interpretive research team', N/A, Sydney (2014) [E3]
Co-authors Jennifer May, Anne Croker, Tony Smith
2014 Croker AL, Harries-Jones H, Wakely L, Brown L, Little A, Fisher K, 'Preparing students for collaborative healthcare practice: Valuing educators' interdisciplinary rapport', Proceedings of the 2014 Practice-Based Education Summit, Sydney (2014) [E3]
Co-authors Alexandra Little, Luke Wakely, Anne Croker, Leanne Brown
2014 Fisher K, Wakely L, Squires K, Shipley L, Wakely K, Brown L, et al., 'A model for enhancing community engagement of undergraduate health professional students on rural placement', The 2014 Muster Global Community Engaged Medical Education, Uluru (2014) [E3]
Co-authors Kelly Squires, Tony Smith, Leanne Brown, Katrina Wakely, Luke Wakely, Nicky Hudson
2014 Croker AL, Wolfgang R, Leys J, Wakely K, Fisher K, Smith T, et al., 'Students as Individuals in Interprofessional Learning: Should there be an 'I' in 'Team'?', ANZAHPE 2014 Conference Handbook & Program, Gold Coast (2014) [E3]
Co-authors Jacqui Leys, Tony Smith, Anne Croker, Katrina Wakely, Alexandra Little, Rebecca Wolfgang
2014 Fisher K, 'Heck Yes! What drives students' transition to working in remote and rural areas?', Australian & New Zealand Association for Health Professional Educators (2017), ANZAHPE 2017 Conference, Adelaide (2014)
2014 Croker AL, Wakely L, Fisher K, 'Interprofessional collaboration as a context for patient-centred care: Compassion or competition', Compassion and Care in a Changing World the 3rd Asia-Pacific Internation Conference on Qualitative Research in Nursing, Midwifery and Health, Newcastle (2014) [E3]
Co-authors Anne Croker, Luke Wakely
2013 Croker AL, Fisher K, Smith A, May J, 'Of vacuums and scaffolds: Interprofessional learning on a rural clinical placement', The 2013 Practice-Based Education Summit http://csusap.csu.edu.au/~areport/documents/pbe_summit_2013/Handbook.pdf, Sydney, NSW, Australia (2013) [E3]
Co-authors Tony Smith, Anne Croker, Jennifer May
2013 Woodley I, Fisher KA, 'University rural health placements: building social capital in a local community', Proceedings of the 12th National Rural Health Conference, Adelaide (2013) [E2]
2013 Croker AL, May J, Fisher K, Smith A, 'A Moving Feast of Opportunities: How do Students in Rural Areas Learn to Work with other Professions?', Handbook & Program of ANZAHPE 2013 - Professional Development of Health Professional Educators, Melbourne (2013) [E3]
Co-authors Anne Croker, Tony Smith, Jennifer May
2012 Fisher KA, Anderson D, Nairn K, Smith T, 'Interrupting hepatitis C incidence among injecting drug users in rural areas: A review of the literature', Program and Abstracts. Population Health Congress 2012, Adelaide, SA (2012) [E3]
2012 Croker A, Smith AN, Fisher KA, May JA, 'Exploring interprofessional education - Seeing the whole elephant', Symposium Program. Interprofessional Education for Quality Use of Medicines, Newcastle Beach, NSW (2012) [E3]
Co-authors Anne Croker, Jennifer May, Tony Smith
2011 Harrison JA, Fisher KA, Webber MT, Vujinov M, 'A snapshot of services for multicultural rural communities in northern NSW for 2007-2010', 2011 PHC Research Conference Abstracts, Brisbane, QLD (2011) [E3]
2011 Harrison JA, Fisher KA, Smith AN, 'Migrant access to health care in rural northern NSW: A qualitative study', 2011 PHC Research Conference Abstracts, Brisbane, QLD (2011) [E3]
Co-authors Tony Smith
2011 Fisher KA, Whiting P, '2011 PHC Research Conference Abstracts', 2011 PHC Research Conference Abstracts, Brisbane, QLD (2011) [E3]
2011 Fisher KA, Smith AN, Keane S, Lowe S, Campbell N, Whitford D, 'Continuing professional development for allied health professionals: A rural perspective', 2011 PHC Research Conference Abstracts, Brisbane, QLD (2011) [E3]
Co-authors Tony Smith
2011 Coates JC, Fisher KA, Smith AN, Shipley LG, 'It is not just physical! Socio-cultural factors and falls experiences in elderly Australian Aboriginals', 2011 PHC Research Conference Abstracts, Brisbane, QLD (2011) [E3]
Co-authors Tony Smith
2010 Fisher KA, 'The qualitative interview: Challenges for clinicians undertaking research', 2010 Primary Health Care Research Conference: Program & Abstracts, Darwin, NT (2010) [E3]
DOI 10.1071/PY10034
2010 Harrison J, Fisher KA, Smith AN, 'Access to rural health care for new arrivals: A literature review', 2010 Primary Health Care Research Conference: Program & Abstracts, Darwin, NT (2010) [E2]
Co-authors Tony Smith
2010 Massey SE, Fisher KA, Croker A, Smith AN, 'Partners in rehabilitation. Health and education collaborating in paediatric brain injury - A literature review', 2010 Primary Health Care Research Conference: Program & Abstracts, Darwin, NT (2010) [E3]
Co-authors Tony Smith
2010 Fisher KA, Fraser J, Crockett R, 'Entering the health workforce pipeline: Perceptions of rural secondary students', Conference Proceedings 2010, University of Birmingham, UK (2010) [E1]
2009 Fisher KA, 'When no-one wants to talk: Personal reflections on engaging rural communities in a study about sexuality transmitted infections', Proceedings of the 10th National Rural Health Conference, Cairns, QLD (2009) [E1]
2007 Thornberry T, Fisher KA, 'Encouraging increased rural health research participation: Lessons learnt', 2007 Rural Health Research Colloquium. Official Program, Tamworth, NSW (2007) [E3]
2007 Fisher KA, 'When no-one wants to talk: Challenges and triumphs of research in STIs in a rural area', 4th Biennial NSW Primary Health Care Research & Evaluation Conference. Programme and Abstract Book, Bondi Beach (2007) [E3]
2006 Fisher KA, Hussain R, Jamieson M, Minichiello V, 'The Relevance of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) in Relation to Access to Services in a Rural Area of New South Wale', Bridging the Gap between Ideas and Doing Research, Armidale, NSW, Australia (2006) [E1]
Show 34 more conferences
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Grants and Funding

Summary

Number of grants 4
Total funding $166,191

Click on a grant title below to expand the full details for that specific grant.

20181 grants / $13,400

Out of sight, out of mind?: Pedagogical and equity implications of videoconferencing for healthcare students' education in rural areas$13,400

Our project arises from our grappling with experiences and discourse associated with videoconferencing as a tool intended to enable parity of participation for healthcare students living and learning in rural areas. This grant will enable us to explore equity and pedagogical implications for our students' education. Our team of researchers and educators within the Department of Rural Health will bring these implications of videoconferencing 'into sight and into mind' to dialogue with and about them. We aim to transform practice and avoid inadvertently reinforcing deficit discourse associated with one aspect of living and learning in rural areas.

Funding body: University of Newcastle, Centre of Excellence for Equity in Higher Education

Funding body: University of Newcastle - Centre of Excellence for Equity in Higher Education

Funding body University of Newcastle - Centre of Excellence for Equity in Higher Education
Project Team

Anne Croker, Leanne Brown, Emma Cooper, Karin Fisher, Miriam Grotowski, Alex Little, Sonja Littlejohns, Simon Munro, Katrina Wakely, Luke Wakely
Scheme Excellence in Teaching for Equity in Higher Education Grant
Role Investigator
Funding Start 2018
Funding Finish 2019
GNo
Type Of Funding Internal
Category INTE
UON N

20171 grants / $15,000

Yearning to yarn: Using 'Aboriginal ways of knowing and learning' to support clinical placement experiences of Aboriginal health professional students$15,000

The aim of this project is to establish a framework to enable rural health professional educators to “teach for equity”. At the core of the framework is the notion of “yarning” as a way of understanding and supporting Aboriginal knowing and learning. To develop this framework the experiences of two groups engaged in clinical placements will be explored through yarning: (i) Aboriginal medical and allied health students who have undertaken or undertaking clinical placements (ii) their clinical educators from the University of Newcastle and healthcare settings. These insights gained will inform educators’ pedagogical strategies and perspectives when engaging with Aboriginal students studying in a range of health professions.

Funding body: University of Newcastle - Centre of Excellence for Equity in Higher Education

Funding body University of Newcastle - Centre of Excellence for Equity in Higher Education
Project Team

Mr Simon Munro, Dr Anne Croker, Dr Karin Fisher, Dr Julie Burrows, Dr Leanne Brown
Scheme Excellence in Teaching for Equity in Higher Education Grant
Role Investigator
Funding Start 2017
Funding Finish 2018
GNo
Type Of Funding Internal
Category INTE
UON N

20141 grants / $1,600

TQ2U: Australia - Sydney$1,600

Funding body: University of Newcastle - Faculty of Health and Medicine

Funding body University of Newcastle - Faculty of Health and Medicine
Project Team Doctor Karin Fisher
Scheme Travel Grant
Role Lead
Funding Start 2014
Funding Finish 2014
GNo G1400513
Type Of Funding Internal
Category INTE
UON Y

20111 grants / $136,191

Investigation of access to the needle syringe program in rural and remote areas of the Hunter New England region$136,191

Funding body: Hunter New England Area Health Service

Funding body Hunter New England Area Health Service
Project Team Doctor Karin Fisher, Associate Professor Anthony Smith
Scheme Project Grant
Role Lead
Funding Start 2011
Funding Finish 2012
GNo G1100867
Type Of Funding Other Public Sector - State
Category 2OPS
UON Y
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Research Supervision

Number of supervisions

Completed1
Current1

Current Supervision

Commenced Level of Study Research Title Program Supervisor Type
2017 Masters Gathering Perspectives of Success in an Aboriginal Nutrition and Exercise Program M Philosophy (Nutrition&Diet), Faculty of Health and Medicine, The University of Newcastle Co-Supervisor

Past Supervision

Year Level of Study Research Title Program Supervisor Type
2013 PhD Migrant Populations: Socio-cultural Dynamics and the Explanation for the Risk of HIV/AIDS Transmission in Bangladesh Medical Science, University of New England Co-Supervisor
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Research Projects

Nursing and Allied Health Student Tracking Study 2017 -

Understanding the Decision to Relocate Rural Amongst Urban Nursing and Allied Health Students and Recent Graduates 2016

Publications

Farthing A, Sutton K, Fisher K, Smith AN, Wall A, 'Exploring incentives for early career professionals to 'Work in the Village': Industry stakeholder perspectives', Port Lincoln, SA (2016)

Sutton K, Waller S, Fisher K, Farthing A, McAnnalley K, Russell D, et al., 'Understanding the Decision to Relocate Rural Amongst Urban Nursing and Allied Health Students and Recent Graduates' (2016)

Yearning to yarn: Using 'Aboriginal ways of knowing and learning' to support clinical placement experiences of Aboriginal health professional students 2017 -

The aim of this project is to establish a framework to enable rural health professional educators to “teach for equity”. At the core of the framework is the notion of “yarning” as a way of understanding and supporting Aboriginal knowing and learning. To develop this framework the experiences of two groups engaged in clinical placements will be explored through yarning: (i) Aboriginal medical and allied health students who have undertaken or undertaking clinical placements (ii) their clinical educators from the University of Newcastle and healthcare settings. These insights gained will inform educators’ pedagogical strategies and perspectives when engaging with Aboriginal students studying in a range of health professions. Within our collaborative dialogical inquiry, we will use ‘appreciative inquiry’ to take this project into the complex space of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal interaction, digging deeply into the potential positives of cross-cultural human interaction to bring about understanding and change.

Grants

Yearning to yarn: Using 'Aboriginal ways of knowing and learning' to support clinical placement experiences of Aboriginal health professional students

Funding body: University of Newcastle - Centre of Excellence for Equity in Higher Education

Funding body University of Newcastle - Centre of Excellence for Equity in Higher Education
Description The aim of this project is to establish a framework to enable rural health professional educators to “teach for equity”. At the core of the framework is the notion of “yarning” as a way of understanding and supporting Aboriginal knowing and learning. To develop this framework the experiences of two groups engaged in clinical placements will be explored through yarning: (i) Aboriginal medical and allied health students who have undertaken or undertaking clinical placements (ii) their clinical educators from the University of Newcastle and healthcare settings. These insights gained will inform educators’ pedagogical strategies and perspectives when engaging with Aboriginal students studying in a range of health professions.
Scheme Excellence in Teaching for Equity in Higher Education Grant

How do students learn to work with other health professions? 2012 -

Publications

Croker A, Smith AN, Fisher KA, May JA, 'Exploring interprofessional education - Seeing the whole elephant', Symposium Program. Interprofessional Education for Quality Use of Medicines, Newcastle Beach, NSW (2012) [E3]

Croker AL, May J, Fisher K, Smith A, 'A Moving Feast of Opportunities: How do Students in Rural Areas Learn to Work with other Professions?', Handbook &amp; Program of ANZAHPE 2013 - Professional Development of Health Professional Educators, Melbourne (2013) [E3]

Croker AL, Fisher K, Smith A, May J, 'Of vacuums and scaffolds: Interprofessional learning on a rural clinical placement', The 2013 Practice-Based Education Summit http://csusap.csu.edu.au/~areport/documents/pbe_summit_2013/Handbook.pdf, Sydney, NSW, Australia (2013) [E3]

Fisher KA, Croker A, May J, Smith T, 'Are we on the same page yet?": Using photo-elicitation for shared understandings within an interpretive research team', N/A, Sydney (2014) [E3]

Croker AL, Wakely L, Fisher K, 'Interprofessional collaboration as a context for patient-centred care: Compassion or competition', Compassion and Care in a Changing World the 3rd Asia-Pacific Internation Conference on Qualitative Research in Nursing, Midwifery and Health, Newcastle (2014) [E3]

Croker AL, Harries-Jones H, Wakely L, Brown L, Little A, Fisher K, 'Preparing students for collaborative healthcare practice: Valuing educators' interdisciplinary rapport', Proceedings of the 2014 Practice-Based Education Summit, Sydney (2014) [E3]

Croker AL, Wolfgang R, Leys J, Wakely K, Fisher K, Smith T, et al., 'Students as Individuals in Interprofessional Learning: Should there be an 'I' in 'Team'?', ANZAHPE 2014 Conference Handbook &amp; Program, Gold Coast (2014) [E3]

Fisher KA, Croker A, Smith T, May J, 'Grappling with a shared understanding of 'interprofessional learning': "I know what i mean... but what do we mean"', ANZAHPE-AMEA 2015 Conference, Newcastle (2015) [E3]

Croker A, Fisher K, Smith T, 'When students from different professions are co-located: the importance of interprofessional rapport for learning to work together', JOURNAL OF INTERPROFESSIONAL CARE, 29 41-48 (2015) [C1]

Croker A, Smith T, Fisher K, Littlejohns S, 'Educators Interprofessional Collaborative Relationships: Helping Pharmacy Students Learn to Work with Other Professions', Pharmacy, 4 17-17 [C1]

Out of sight, out of mind?: Pedagogical and equity implications of videoconferencing for healthcare students' education in rural areas 2018 -

Our project arises from our grappling with experiences and discourse associated with videoconferencing as a tool intended to enable parity of participation for healthcare students living and learning in rural areas. This grant will enable us to explore equity and pedagogical implications for our students' education. Our team of researchers and educators within the Department of Rural Health will bring these implications of videoconferencing 'into sight and into mind' to dialogue with and about them. We aim to transform practice and avoid inadvertently reinforcing deficit discourse associated with one aspect of living and learning in rural areas.

Community Engagement Program Evaluation 2013 - 2017

Publications

Woodley I, Fisher KA, 'University rural health placements: building social capital in a local community', Proceedings of the 12th National Rural Health Conference, Adelaide (2013) [E2]

Fisher K, Wakely L, Squires K, Shipley L, Wakely K, Brown L, et al., 'A model for enhancing community engagement of undergraduate health professional students on rural placement', The 2014 Muster Global Community Engaged Medical Education, Uluru (2014) [E3]

Fisher KA, Brown L, Smith T, Hudson N, 'Evaluation of a community engagement program: What do rural healthcare students gain from experiential community-engaged learning?', ANZAHPE-AMEA 2015 Conference, Newcastle (2015) [E3]

Fisher KA, Squires K, Woodley I, 'Community collaboration beyond the red tape: Complying without being constrained', Collaborating in Healthcare Reinterpreting Therapeutic Relationships, Sense Publishers, Rotterdam, The Netherlands 211-220 (2016) [B1]

Fisher KA, Smith A, Brown L, Little A, Wakely K, Hudson J, et al., 'Value-adding to health professional student placement experiences: Enhancing work readiness and employability through a rural community engagement program', Journal of Teaching and Learning for Graduate Employability, 9 41-61 (2018) [C1]

Investigation of Access to the Needle Syringe Program in rural and Remote Areas of the Hunter New England Region 2011 - 2012

Grants

Investigation of access to the needle syringe program in rural and remote areas of the Hunter New England region

Funding body: Hunter New England Area Health Service

Funding body Hunter New England Area Health Service
Project Team Doctor Karin Fisher, Associate Professor Anthony Smith
Scheme Project Grant

Publications

Fisher K, Smith T, Nairn K, Anderson D, 'Rural people who inject drugs: A cross-sectional survey addressing the dimensions of access to secondary needle and syringe program outlets', Australian Journal of Rural Health, 25 94-101 (2017) [C1]