Last month, 15 health professionals from across Western and Far West NSW strengthened their skills in ear health assessment through EarTrain, a hands‑on, face‑to‑face training workshop in Dubbo and Broken Hill.
The full day workshop, delivered by the Western NSW Primary Health Network (WNSW PHN) and TAFE NSW focused on building confidence and practical capability in identifying ear conditions early.
The training attracted strong participation from Aboriginal Health Practitioners, with eight in attendance at the sessions, alongside nurses and allied health professionals.
Practical, hands-on learning that builds confidence
Delivered by Audiologist Jean Tsembis, the workshops provided participants with practical, skills‑based learning, including:
- Safe and effective otoscopy techniques
- Identifying normal ear anatomy and recognising red flags requiring referral
- Learning how to use ear health equipment correctly and safely
- Performing, recording and interpreting tympanometry results
- Understanding common ear conditions and the symptoms to look out for in practice
Participants highlighted the value of gaining hands‑on experience with equipment and developing a deeper understanding of what they are seeing when examining the ear canal and eardrum.
Participants noted that the training would help them offer more ear and hearing assessments within their services, supporting earlier identification and referral processes.
Strengthening care across the region
Feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive, with two‑thirds saying they are likely to change something in their practice as a result of the training.
Participant feedback reinforces the strong appetite for further skill‑building opportunities in ear and hearing health across the region.
WNSW PHN thanks Jean Tsembis and TAFE NSW for their valued partnership and commitment to delivering high‑quality, practical training for the Western NSW workforce.
By strengthening the skills of Aboriginal Health Practitioners, nurses and allied health professionals, initiatives like EarTrain help build local capability and support better hearing health outcomes for communities across Western and Far West NSW.
