title: The New South Wales Allied Health Workplace Learning Study: barriers and enablers to learning in the workplace.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Workplace learning refers to continuing professional development that is stimulated by and occurs through participation in workplace activities. Workplace learning is essential for staff development and high quality clinical care. The purpose of this study was to explore the barriers to and enablers of workplace learning for allied health professionals within NSW Health.
  
  
  METHODS
  A qualitative study was conducted with a purposively selected maximum variation sample (n =46) including 19 managers, 19 clinicians and eight educators from 10 allied health professions. Seven semi-structured interviews and nine focus groups were audio-recorded and transcribed. The 'framework approach' was used to guide the interviews and analysis. Textual data were coded and charted using an evolving thematic framework.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Key enablers of workplace learning included having access to peers, expertise and 'learning networks', protected learning time, supportive management and positive staff attitudes. The absence of these key enablers including heavy workload and insufficient staffing were important barriers to workplace learning.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Attention to these barriers and enablers may help organisations to more effectively optimise allied health workplace learning. Ultimately better workplace learning may lead to improved patient, staff and organisational outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Health Education and Training Institute, NSW Health, Gladesville, NSW, Australia. Bradley.Lloyd@sswahs.nsw.gov.au.
authors.forename: Bradley
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lloyd
authors.forename: Daniella
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pfeiffer
authors.forename: Jacqueline
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dominish
authors.forename: Gaynor
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Heading
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: Annie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: McCluskey
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000488:Allied Health Personnel / Q000193:education*; D004496:Education, Continuing / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D007318:Inservice Training; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009517:New South Wales; D036301:Qualitative Research; D017132:Workplace