Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Roles in Aboriginal Healthcare

This report examines the crucial role of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers in improving health outcomes for their communities, highlighting their functions in primary healthcare and various work environments across Australia. It defines key concepts related to their practice, emphasizing the importance of registration and qualifications, and discusses funding sources supporting their work. The research explores the contemporary relevance of these roles, particularly focusing on how they contribute to addressing the unique health challenges faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Furthermore, it touches upon historical contexts, such as the impact of the White Australian policy, and examines the experiences and health of nurses working alongside these health workers, emphasizing the need for adequate staffing and supportive environments. The report concludes by reinforcing the significance of these health workers in providing accessible and culturally sensitive care to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population.

Running head: INTERDISCIPLINARY COLLABORATION 1
Interdisciplinary Collaboration
Student’s name
Institutional Affiliation

INTERDISCIPLINARY COLLABORATION 2
Interdisciplinary Collaboration
1. Introduction
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers’ role is crucial in the improvement of
health outcomes for the people of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander. They play a vital role in
the workforce of primary healthcare. They provide clinical and primary healthcare for families,
individuals and the community (Aboriginal Health Council of S.Australia , 2018). Workers of
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander origin across Australia work in various environments in the
community. Many of them are employed in the Aboriginal community controlled organizations
of health. Some of them are employed in the Government Health Sector (Smith, 2016). Many of
the workers work within mainstream services with general practices and other non-governmental
organizations. The roles of the workers exist in metropolitan settings with regional and remote
touch. The health practitioners ought to be registered with the Australian Agency of Registration
for Practitioners.
The title for an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Practitioner is protected under
section 113 of the National Law. The certificate for the practice in Aboriginal or Torres Strait
Islander Health Care is the mean qualification for the registration as a healthcare practitioner. A
number of titles are used for the description of the job roles for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander workers of health (Audry Berman et al., 2016). The titles vary significantly across
Australia and they may describe the specialty of an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health
Worker. Everyday dietary tracking of nutrition is beneficial in awareness creation for and
analysis and can be helpful in influencing balanced food intake (Kerryn Phelps & Hassed, 2013).

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Documenting regular nutritional intake can be challenging for people who are not used to
keeping track of the things they eat.
After a few days of trial and error, however, the practice becomes part of everyday life, and
hence, it becomes easier for people of Australia to practice healthy food intake. The dietary
analysis class activity is an essential exercise because it teaches vigilance in the lack of nutrients
and vitamins that lead to various diseases (Australasian Society for HIV Medicine, 2013).
According to the subject, the presence of whites in Australia is a great game changer in the way
that food is prepared and appreciated in the Australian culture. The majority of the Australian
workforce is composed of immigrants and other races make up some of the greatest numbers of
immigrants in the Australia (Karen Francis et al., 2016). The amount of work required in the
food and drink preparation process together with their rich culture regarding food and drink are
some of the main factors that make them the most suitable to satisfy the Australian population.
2. Discussion
a. defining the associated key concepts
The role of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers is essential for the
improvement of outcomes in health of the people of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander. They
carry out vital roles in the health care of the workforce by providing primary and clinical care for
people, groups, and families (Anne-Katrin Eckermann et al., 2012). Health workers of
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander origin work in various environments. Many of the health
workers are employed in the community of the Aborigines by the Organization of Aboriginal
Community Controlled Health. Some of them are employed by the community health sector
(Karen Francis et al., 2016). Many of them work in the mainstream services like in the non-

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governmental organizations and other general practices. Roles of the Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander Health Worker can be found in metropolitan areas and the remote areas.
Practitioners of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health origin must be registered by the
agency of Australian Health Practitioners Registration (Patricia Dudgeon et al., 2015). The title
of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health is protected by the law under the National law,
section 113. One of the qualifications for practicing as an Aboriginal and Strait Islander Health
Worker is the acquisition of Certificate IV of practice in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
Health Care (Anne-Katrin Eckermann et al., 2012). Various titles are used in the description of
roles of jobs performed by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers. They vary
significantly across Australia. It may or may fail to describe the level of training or the specialty
of an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Worker (Sue Carter DeLaune et al., 2017).
The body receives funding from various sources for instance the Australian and South Australian
governments, institutions of higher learning together with other essential partners for the
insurance of programs delivery for the sector. The organization is the chief organ in charge of
health care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
When the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workers Association were
incorporated in 2001, the primary funding was received from the government of South Australia
via the Aboriginal Health Branch of the Aboriginal Health Services. The need to address health
issues of the Aboriginal population increased over time increasing the opportunities for receiving
further funding from other sources (Sue Carter DeLaune et al., 2017). The Commonwealth of
Nations was the primary source of funding for education, training, and the workforce and public
and eye health. Creation of partnerships with Universities in Australia has enabled the institution
to acquire funding for many of the research projects it undertakes including key roles in research.

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Beginning 2008, the AHCSA received permission from the Council of Australian Government to
receive funding from the government of Australia and the state to run its affairs in research and
development of health care solutions for Aboriginal populations (Aboriginal Health Council of
S.Australia , 2018). The funds were meant to deliver programs across the state for instance
support of workforce, social marketing, sexual health, and smoking. Other important areas
include support of patient information systems, supervision of GP workforce and delivery
(Australasian Society for HIV Medicine, 2013). The increase in funding allowed rapid progress
at the AHCSA for the last 65 years. Since the incorporation of AHCSA, many programs have
passed through the priorities of funding change.
The definitions carried on to 1972 during the abolishment of the White Australian policy.
The White Australians created exclusion for Indigenous people of Australia by definition (Karen
Francis et al., 2016). Major changes for the White Australians started occurring in 1967 when
the referendum was conducted. The government returned some of the lands to the people in
1975. The research examines the characteristics and the experiences of nurses who are aged over
50 years in Australia (Patricia Dudgeon et al., 2015). The research examines the way the nursing
profession affects the quality of the life the nurse lives. The study seeks to determine whether
and how the nature of the nurses Jobs makes the nurse’s health deteriorate over the long run. The
research is looking at the high stress level nature of the nursing profession and it is seeking to
determine the kind of implications these characteristics have on the health of the person of the
nurse.
A literature review in the research covering recent studies that have been conducted
concerning the health of aging nurse exists. The research has discovered that generally, the
health of nurses above the age of 50 years is poor (Smith, 2016). Researchers have discovered

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that the good health of the nurses directly reflects on the patient relationship theta they have, the
successful performance in the profession and a general willingness to last longer in the
profession (Audry Berman et al., 2016). Research was quantitatively conducted by the use of an
online survey conducted in close consultation with the members if the organizations of Australia
(Aboriginal Health Council of S.Australia , 2018). The information can help organizational
planners have prior information about how to staff their nurse’s workforce to ensure that no
nurse is overburdened. Keeping enough ventilation in the organization allows the nurses to have
ample space to breathe and in effect improves their performance (Smith, 2016). It teaches the
important role the nurses play and the fact that some of them give away all their lives to make
other people feel better just so that they can heal their wounds for the rest of their lives.
b. Discussing the contemporary relevance of the topic to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander peoples’ health context. Use the prescribed readings and broader resources to
support your discussion.
The Australian Government focuses on the people who bring a positive contribution to the
country. One of the main regulations aims to ensure that the country only welcomes people who
help to improve the lives of the rest of the country by ways of innovation, creativity, and
scientific discovery (Smith, 2016). The immigrants into the country have to have a good
education, have access to good health care and the ability to speak proper English. Almost all the
people in the county are either immigrants or children of immigrants. Australia focuses on the
population segment that can best contribute to the growth and development of the nation. The
country seeks to recruit specialists who are skilled in various professions (Australasian Society
for HIV Medicine, 2013).

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3. Conclusion
The report compounds the issues that affect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health
Workers’ association and their different roles in providing access to care for the population.
Australia allows its citizens to have dual citizenships. One is allowed to be a citizen of the
country as well as be a citizen of another country. Dual citizenship is highly encouraged in the
country as it helps to improve the quality of the citizen (Audry Berman et al., 2016). The policy
is not in effect anymore because it received huge public outcry that made it lose favor in the eyes
of citizens. The policy shed negative light on the reputation of the Australian immigration
practice. At the beginning of the documentary, many immigrants said they would live in the
country for two years and migrate. By the end of the film, however they changed their minds and
said they were okay with living in the country.

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References
Aboriginal Health Council of S.Australia . (2018). Aboriginal Health Council of South Australia.
Retrieved May 30, 2018, from http://ahcsa.org.au/health-programmes/?filter=All
Allan Borowski, Sol Encel, & Ozanne, E. (2017, November). Longevity and Social Change in
Australia. New York: UNSW.
Anne-Katrin Eckermann, Toni Dowd, Ena Chong, Lynette Nixon, Roy Gray, & Johnson, S. M.
(2012). Binan Goonj: Bridging cultures in Aboriginal health. New York: N.P.
Audry Berman, Shirlee Snyder, Barbara Kozier, Glenora Lea Erb, Tracy Levett-Jones, Trudy
Dwyer, et al. (2016). Kozier & Erb's Fundamentals of Nursing Australian Edition (Vol.
4). Sydney: Pearson.
Australasian Society for HIV Medicine. (2013). Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health
Workers and Blood-borne Viruses (Vol. 9). Sidney: ASHM.
Australia. Parliament. Senate. (2016). Parliamentary Debates Australia: Senate (Vol. 214). New
York : Oxford .
Karen Francis, Ysanne Chapman, & Davies, C. (2016). Rural Nursing: The Australian Context
(Vol. 2016). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Kerryn Phelps, & Hassed, C. (2013). Joints and Connective Tissues: General Practice: The
Integrative Approach Series (Vol. 21). New York : elsevier.
Patricia Dudgeon, Helen Milroy, & Walker, R. (2015). Working Together: Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander Mental Health and Wellbeing Principles and Practice (Vol. 25).
New York : Telethon Institute for Child Health Research.

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Smith, J. D. (2016). Australia's Rural, Remote and Indigenous Health (Vol. 81). Adelaide :
Oxford.
Sue Carter DeLaune, Patricia Ladner, Lauren McTier, Joanne Tollefson, J., & Lawrence, J.
(2017). Fundamentals of Nursing: Australia & NZ Edition. New York: Wiley.
Trauer, T. (2006). Outcome Measurement in Mental Health: Theory and Practice (Vol. 9).
Sidney: Cambridge University Press.