<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><sec id="j_ajon-2017-001_s_001"><h3>Background</h3><p>The Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Association of Western Australia provides information, education and advocacy for people living with MND. The role and function of the personnel who provide this service has not been described in the literature and is therefore poorly understood by both healthcare professionals and the public.</p></sec><sec id="j_ajon-2017-001_s_002"><h3>Purpose</h3><p>To describe the role and function of the West Australian Motor Neurone Disease Association (MNDA [WA]) Care Advisors (CAs).</p></sec><sec id="j_ajon-2017-001_s_003"><h3>Method</h3><p>Ethnographic observation of seven MNDA (WA) CAs in their normal daily setting. Interviews with end users of CA service (people living with MND and their carers). Analysis of the observations and interview transcripts was undertaken to identify themes.</p></sec><sec id="j_ajon-2017-001_s_004"><h3>Findings</h3><p>The CAs were observed to undertake their supportive role with passion. Clarity around the role and function was ambiguous, even amongst the people in the roles. It is suggested this is due to limited formalised processes and procedures in an organisation that has moved from originally being run by volunteers through to a professional not-for-profit organisation. This in turn led to issues in recruitment and retention, clinical knowledge versus clinical care and demonstrating capabilities against Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s) for reporting to funding bodies.</p></sec><sec id="j_ajon-2017-001_s_005"><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>Multiple opportunities were highlighted during this study for these service providers to develop robust procedures to record the nature of their work, develop resilience in their work place, and ensure ongoing professional develop processes are engaged.</p></sec></abstract>

BackgroundThe Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Association of Western Australia provides information, education and advocacy for people living with MND. The role and function of the personnel who provide this service has not been described in the literature and is therefore poorly understood by both healthcare professionals and the public.PurposeTo describe the role and function of the West Australian Motor Neurone Disease Association (MNDA [WA]) Care Advisors (CAs).MethodEthnographic observation of seven MNDA (WA) CAs in their normal daily setting. Interviews with end users of CA service (people living with MND and their carers). Analysis of the observations and interview transcripts was undertaken to identify themes.FindingsThe CAs were observed to undertake their supportive role with passion. Clarity around the role and function was ambiguous, even amongst the people in the roles. It is suggested this is due to limited formalised processes and procedures in an organisation that has moved from originally being run by volunteers through to a professional not-for-profit organisation. This in turn led to issues in recruitment and retention, clinical knowledge versus clinical care and demonstrating capabilities against Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s) for reporting to funding bodies.ConclusionMultiple opportunities were highlighted during this study for these service providers to develop robust procedures to record the nature of their work, develop resilience in their work place, and ensure ongoing professional develop processes are engaged.

Both Sides of the Counter

Australasian Journal of Neuroscience

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

{"article-title":"Both Sides of the Counter"}

BackgroundThe Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Association of Western Australia provides information, education and advocacy for people living with MND. The role...

Both Sides of the Counter

Published Online: Jan 03, 2018

Page range: 8 - 14

DOI: https://doi.org/10.21307/ajon-2017-107

Keywords
motor neurone disease, Care Advisor, case management

© 2015 Gilly Smith., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Both Sides of the Counter

Published Online: Jan 03, 2018

Page range: 8 - 14

DOI: https://doi.org/10.21307/ajon-2017-107

Keywordsmotor neurone disease, Care Advisor, case management

© 2015 Gilly Smith., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Keywords
motor neurone disease, Care Advisor, case management