Speak Out OCTOBER 2021 DIGITAL EDITION

Association NEWS

Association Branches Various topics raised by Association Branches were discussed, with many of these already being progressed. It was suggested that staff presentations could be included within Branch meetings to assist in disseminating information on current projects and priorities through the Branches. Feedback on this idea will be sought at the upcoming Branch Chairs meeting. Efforts are also being made to simplify the Branch budgets and financial reporting to assist Branches in utilising their budgets for appropriate projects. Speech Pathology Workforce Analysis Project Susan Nancarrow, Director, AHP Workforce presented on the progress of the Speech Pathology Workforce Analysis Project. The project aims to profile the supply (those coming into/leaving profession, participation), distribution (location, roles and services, organisation and models and settings of care), and demand/need for speech pathologists. A range of survey and data collection tools are being utilised to assist in the profiling, with the current mapping tool demonstrated. The next Board of Directors meeting will be held in conjunction with the Association’s Budget Meeting on 26 /27 November 2021. While we hope to host this meeting in a face-to-face format, this will be determined based on restrictions at the time. Gail Mulcair Chief Executive Officer The Association has initially purchased a limited 12-month trial subscription to the database, and will monitor its use by members and staff. As is the case for other Association journals, you must be logged into your SPA account to access the database. A maximum of 20 users will be able to access CINAHL at any one time. If the access cap is reached, you will receive a message indicating that this is the case and suggesting that you try again later. To maximise opportunities for all, and allow others to login in, users will be automatically logged out after a time period of inactivity. The trial has commenced and resources are being developed to support usage of the database, with more information to come. We believe that increased access to full text journal articles will play an important part in facilitating greater adoption of EBP across the profession.

of the cohort, and based on student needs design a recruitment and engagement strategic plan and marketing communications campaign. Cultural responsiveness The Board of Directors welcomed the recent appointment of Tara Lewis to the position of Senior Advisor Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Strategy and Practice. Tara will be integral in guiding several key priorities and contributing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspective to inform Association functions and activities. Tara will also be Co-Chair for the Association’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Committee. An amendment to the Terms of Reference for the Advisory Committee in relation to the quorum, to ensure appropriate representation is received from those with an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander background, was approved by the Board of Directors. Ethics Board Ethics Board Chair, Trish Bradd, and SPA Manager, Ethics and Professional Issues, Trish Johnson, outlined the functions, responsibilities, and processes of the Ethics Board, highlighting resources developed to support the membership’s understanding of their responsibilities in relation to ethical and professional conduct. The Board of Directors was pleased to confirm the appointment of Suzanne Burow to the Ethics Board, as a Community Representative, for a further three-year term. Former Ethics Board member, Tristan Nickless was also appointed to the Ethics Board reserve pool. The responsibility to support members to implement evidence-based practice (EBP) within their practice is one that SPA takes seriously. One of the key sources of evidence to consider is high quality external evidence from published research. Members currently have access to the International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology (IJSLP) and the J ournal of Clinical Practice in Speech-Language Pathology (JCPSLP) as part of their membership. However, difficulty accessing full text publications from other journals is a common barrier faced by members when implementing EBP. To enhance members’ access to the research literature, SPA has purchased a subscription to CINAHL (Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature), a database which includes over 40 journals relevant to speech pathology and allied health, including the full suite of American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) journals. For some journals, there is a delay in the availability of full text articles which means that some articles published within the last 12 to 18 months may not be available immediately.

CINAHL: Access to full text articles

Access CINAHL here

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Speak Out | October 2021