Mrs Sally West1
1James Cook University Centre for Rural and Remote Health, Emerald, Australia
Biography:
Sally West is a nursing academic at James Cook University’s Central Queensland Centre for Rural and Remote Health. Her research focuses on implementing Nasal High Flow Therapy in remote settings and translating evidence to suit these contexts. A Registered Nurse with 20 years of clinical experience, including 10 years in rural and remote communities, Sally is completing a PhD using an implementation science methodology. She is passionate about advocating for equitable healthcare access for people living in rural and remote areas, comparable to urban standards.
Abstract:
Introduction/Background:
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children experience higher rates of acute respiratory disease than non-Indigenous Australian children. Three remote hospitals—Thursday Island, Weipa, and Cooktown, collaboratively implemented a locally derived, remote-specific guideline for paediatric nasal high flow (NHF) therapy. Implementation science methodology guided the development and evaluation of strategies to support guideline use.
Aims:
1. To assess staff self-perceived comfort using NHF therapy and the influence of a remote-specific guideline.
2. To evaluate the impact of implementation strategies on retrieval decision-making and guideline use.
Methodology:
A mixed-methods implementation science design was used. Qualitative staff interviews were transcribed and deductively analysed using COM-B domains. Quantitative data were collected through medical file audits examining retrieval decisions and guideline utilisation.
Results:
Qualitative and quantitative findings are presented and mapped to COM-B domains.
Conclusion:
Context-informed implementation strategies influenced retrieval decision-making and supported NHF guideline use in remote settings.