Assessing the implementation of a career development framework targeting early career allied health professionals

The primary objective of this study was to engage early career allied health professionals (ECAH) in a career development framework targeted specifically to their needs. The secondary objectives were to: identify if the framework increased clinician participants' career achievements and altered manager participants' practices in offering development opportunities to ECAH. This was a 12-month observational (non-experimental) trial of a pragmatic program implementation. Data collected included: initial uptake of staff into the program; retention rate after 12months; number of participants' career achievements; and program evaluation by both participants and managers. At 12months, 35 of the 123 enrolled ECAH remained engaged in the career development program; that is, 28.5% retention, and these participants had an increased number of achievements. The program was effective in broadening managers' practices, 77% offered increased opportunities to ECAH across the development domains of supervision, service planning and quality. This study was partially successful in meeting its objectives. It was unsuccessful in retaining ECAH in a career development program for 12months, although it was successful in increasing the number of achievements for those ECAH that remained engaged. It also broadened managers' practice in the opportunities they offered. The program's success was heavily reliant on the intrinsic motivation of both managers and clinicians. Increasing career development opportunities for AH is important to pursue as a means of increasing satisfaction, retention, and fostering a culture of quality and safety.