Nursing Assignment – Report
The Role of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) health workers collaborate with other healthcare practitioners to provide high-quality services to the local people. Further, the health workers foster a healthy working relationship between the healthcare professionals and indigenous patients. Essentially, the health workers act as interpreters, thus, breaking the language barrier and bridging cultural differences between the health providers and the recipients (McBain-Rigg & Veitch, 2011). Other than the intermediary role, the health workers also offer counseling services, cultural security, and safety services, as well as treatment for illnesses and managing injuries. Moreover, the practitioners visit the patients in their homes to monitor their well-being, as well as offering moral support to the sick and their family. Besides, the health worker encourages the affected persons to find out more about the various health issues towards a healthy life. Other than health promotion, an ATSI health worker provides preventive health services to the local community (Abbott, Gordon, & Davison, 2008). Primarily, the health worker gears towards a holistic healthcare provision.
Strengths that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers Bring to the Interdisciplinary Team
The health workers embrace the spirit of teamwork within an interdisciplinary setting. Some of the strengths they contribute to the success of the interdisciplinary team are hereby discussed. First, the health workers are collaborative. Essentially, they liaise with the interdisciplinary team towards achievement of improved health outcomes among the people of Aboriginal. Second, the health workers are organized. Fundamentally, they ensure the smooth flow of medical services and health operations across ATSI health clinics. Third, they are good communicators. In essence, they employ the relevant communication strategies to promote intra-team communication. Fourth, they are growth-oriented. In collaboration with the interdisciplinary team, the health workers facilitate personal growth and development of all staff members and offering proper training to recruits in the profession. Finally, they are respectful. The health workers value the aspect of respect within a team. Therefore, they respect their colleagues’ contributions before reaching a consensus regarding medical issues (Peiris et al., 2012).
The Limitations of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers
Health workers experience different challenges. In this report’s context, the ATSI health workers face certain limitations such as inequitable distribution of health services. Existing data shows that 48% of the medical providers are located in very remote areas of Australia (Mercer, 2013). Such regions have a very low population of around 24%. The statistics imply that the health workers are underutilized, while the majority of the patients are denied the privilege of quality health care. Male health practitioners are also left out as the existing data shows that the female health workers are the majority at 70% (Mercer, 2013). Therefore, the gender inequality aspect renders the male health professionals jobless or with minimal opportunities.
How Nurses and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers optimize each Other’s Role
Nurses and ATSI health workers complement each other’s role in a major way towards effective healthcare provision. The two classes of professionals liaise in the delivery of the day to day health services to the local community (Homer et al., 2012). Further, they partner with their fellow professionals towards the attainment of a multi-disciplinary approach to healthcare provision. Also, the two groups of healthcare practitioners conduct medical assessments and administer treatment to the ATSI population. Moreover, they make home visits to bed-ridden patients for nursing services and moral support. Besides, the nurses and the ATSI health workers also observe universal precautions as per the Infection Control Policies. Further, the professionals observe hygiene standards in handling equipment, as well as maintaining sterilization procedures (Dudgeon et al., 2014).
The medical personnel are also charged with the responsibility of patient data management. In essence, they record and document patient meta-data information, as well as the treatment and medication offered. Further, they observe high standards of confidentiality for storing a patient’s health records. In respect to the computer era, both professional groups collaborate in recording statistics via computer systems for easy retrieval of client data. Finally, both nurses and health workers cooperate in executing administration duties within the desired clinical environment (Couzos & Murray, 2008).
References
Abbott, P., Gordon, E., & Davison, J. (2008). Expanding roles of Aboriginal health workers in the primary care setting: seeking recognition. Contemporary Nurse, 27(2), 157-164.
Couzos, S., & Murray, R. (2008). Aboriginal primary health care: An evidence-based approach. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Dudgeon, P., Milroy, H., Walker, R., Australia., Australia., Telethon Institute for Child Health Research., Kulunga Research Network., … University of Western Australia. (2014). Working together: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mental health and wellbeing principles and practice. West Perth, WA: Kulunga Research Network
Homer, C. S., Foureur, M. J., Allende, T., Pekin, F., Caplice, S., & Catling-Paull, C. (2012). ‘It’s more than just having a baby. Women’s experiences of a maternity service for Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families. Midwifery, 28(4), e509-e515.
McBain‐Rigg, K. E., & Veitch, C. (2011). Cultural barriers to health care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in Mount Isa. Australian Journal of Rural Health, 19(2), 70-74.
Mercer, C. (2013). The Experiences of Aboriginal Health Workers and Non Aboriginal Health Professionals working collaboratively in the delivery of Health Care to Aboriginal Australians: a systematic review of qualitative evidence (Masters). University of Adelaide.
Peiris, D., Brown, A., Howard, M., Rickards, B. A., Tonkin, A., Ring, I., & Cass, A. (2012). Building better systems of care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people: findings from the Kanyini health systems assessment. BMC Health Services Research, 12(1), 369.
