Stakeholder engagement is integral to government as we don’t have the knowledge or expertise on every subject. Through the mutual exchange of knowledge and expertise our stakeholders help us deliver high quality policies, programs, and services.
Every day, across all of government, at every level, we engage with people who have a vested interest in what government does. The quality of these relationships determines how well we deliver on our vision for better health and wellbeing for all Australians, now and for future generations. As such navigating and understanding how government, and its departments, are structured and how policies and programs are proposed, commissioned, and funded, can be confusing for stakeholders.
Stakeholders can sometimes have different levels of skills and experience in engaging with government. This can affect their ability to fully participate in an initiative, as well as the quality of the information they provide. This forum is designed to work with stakeholders to build their capacity to contribute and align their strategic vision with the priorities, policies, and programs of government.
This presentation aims to support stakeholders in navigating the complex government environment. By unpacking how departments are structured, how policy is driven and exploring processes such as budget the presentation will provide a deeper understanding so as to enhance strategic stakeholder engagement and optimise opportunities.
By having a better understanding of the ways of working with government, organisations will be better supported to effectively manage issues, build strong relationships, and balance organisational priorities strategically and align with government priorities, policies, and programs.

Aim/Objective: This presentation reports the findings of two phases of a four phase study which aims to determine the most cost-effective method to structure nursing clinical placements to prepare clinically competent, work-ready Registered Nurse graduates in the Australian context.
Methods: A four-phase, mixed methods study inclusive of a scoping review, national cross-sectional study, comparative mixed methods case studies and cost effectiveness analysis.
Phase One: A scoping review using JBI methodology of English publications of all types between January 2002 to September 2023 to understand the extent and type of evidence for undergraduate nursing student clinical placement models and their characteristics, focusing on outcome measures of cost-effectiveness, clinical competence, and work readiness.
Phase Two: A national cross-sectional survey of nursing education providers to understand the costs related to clinical placements.
Phase Three: Comparative mixed methods case studies with qualitative and quantitative data gathered from key stakeholders at each case study site (n=4).
Phase Four: A cost-effectiveness analysis using the Quality adjusted passing student's education (QAPSE) outcomes measure.
Results: The scoping review yielded 52 publications, with the
majority from Australia, USA, and Canada (37 Primary research publications, seven discussion papers, one government report, five literature reviews, and two quality improvement activities) revealing that there is no published data examining the cost effectiveness of clinical placement models. The national survey results will be presented.
Conclusion: This study responds directly to the persistent problem of quality of clinical placements for undergraduate nursing students by analysing cost-effectiveness. The outcome of this study has the potential to positively impact the current health workforce crisis by decreasing attrition in nursing programs. Finally, the study outcomes will provide evidence to inform future policy, funding, and decision making for clinical placements in nursing.

Aim: Interprofessional education (IPE) is fundamental to supporting students and staff to become collaborative, practice-ready professionals, well-positioned to engage in interprofessional collaborative practice (IPCP). Facilitating factors for IPE include the development of shared knowledge and understanding of IPE, interprofessional thinking and acting, and the promotion of mutual understanding. However, a gap exists between learners, teachers and professionals (micro level), and at the organisational level between teaching and health organisations (meso level). This presentation reports on an Introductory IPE-4-IPCP online education module for health care staff, health education faculty and health professions students which aimed to bridge that gap.
Methods: Following the development of the Introductory IPE-4-IPCP module we sought to understand the impact on a) learners’ self-assessed confidence in the ability to engage in IPE and IPCP and b) learners’ preparedness for change towards interprofessional collaborative practice.   A multi-methods study using focus groups and pre-post measures of self-reported confidence; attitudes towards teamwork and the interprofessional socialisation and valuing scale.
Results: Focus group data analysis yielded four themes - content, learner experience, implementation, and patients/clients. Both student and faculty learners reported changes pre and post module, although these were only significant in the student learners who increased confidence regarding ability to engage in IPCP across all self-report items (p <.001) ; confidence in working in as part of a multidisciplinary team (Z - 4.30 p <.001) and in attitudes, beliefs and behaviours of regarding engaging in collaborative care (Z - 5.026, p < .001).
Conclusions: The introductory IPE-4-IPCP module provides a shared view of IPE and IPCP across micro and meso levels, offering consistency in teaching and practice across education and health care organisations. Completing the module resulted in changes for all learners although changes in knowledge confidence and attitudes toward IPCP learning were significant for student learners.

Aim: An innovative simulated electronic health record software program has been designed and developed with the aim of transforming the delivery of simulated learning for undergraduate Australian health professional students. This software will ultimately offer seamless integration between theoretical and simulated subjects and demonstrates a novel and sustainable approach to deliver what has been to date, a complex and unachievable target.
Methods: Our interdisciplinary approach incorporated inputs and expertise from various university and healthcare divisions, including computer science, information technology, clinicians, and educators. The development of the software involved iterative design phases with user-centred testing. Emphasis was placed on creating a user-friendly interface that promoted patient safety and supported student learning.
Results: Initial feedback from educators, students, and clinicians has been overwhelmingly positive, praising the system's ease of use and focus on supported learning.
Conclusion: The development of this academic electronic health record illustrates the successful outcome of persistent collaboration across diverse academic divisions. It is anticipated that this project will not only achieve its primary aim of enhancing student learning and their preparedness for clinical placement, it also set a precedent for future interdisciplinary projects in health technology.