[bubblesthenurse]

hi,
i'm about to head out into the australian bush for 2 months on a remote indigenous community, in the middle of the tanami desert.

i have never done this before! the basic set up is this: 4 nurses, running clinics 7 days a week, then oncall over night. there are no hospital beds, if they need a hospital, the royal flying doctors come and get them. there is a GP present for 4 days a week, but then flies out into the town (6 hours drive away)

this concept both excites, and terrifies me. i come from working in a well organised capital city tertiary hospital.

has anyone worked in such a place? what advice can you give me?
i have learned suturing, will learn plastering.

[Suesquatch]

Wow. No tips, just wanted to say wow!

[grammyr]

no advice, just admiration for the courage you have!!!

keep us posted

[bubblesthenurse]

thanks for the comments... i feela bit over whelmed about it, and im not there yet.
i leave in 2 weeks.
Just a bit more on my assignment.
The aboriginal community population is of about 800 people, with around 50 non-aboriginal people. The nearest town, and hospital is around 600Km's away. (6 hours drive). in an emergency, or if a patient is critically ill, wehave the Royal Flying Doctors, who fly down and pick them up.
English is a second language at this place, as it is so remote. Tribal law still plays amajor part in day to day life, and it not not uncommon to have to treat a spearing wound (into the thigh), inflicted as a punishment.
The community is a dry community, meaning drinking alchol is prohibited within a 10 mile radius of the town. alcohol is a major health issue within the majority of aboriginal communities, as it was only introduced to them 200 years ago.
other chronic health issues are: renal disease, heart disease, diabetes (mostly type 2), obesity, glaucoma, and STI's.
Basically, the nurses run a clinic 7 days a week, (mon- fri, then 1/2 days over weekend). there we monitor the health of who-ever needs to be seen. it can vary from a chronic wound ulcer, to a child having a asthma attack or car accident.
its pretty much like an emergency department, but theres only 1 doctor, who is there for 4 days a week, then flies out again. so we unofficially diagnose and treat (we can phone a doctor for orders) when opn the Drs days off.

[Larabelle]

You are either nuts....or very courageous. I am not sure which. But good luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[adoptionacres]

Suggestions: Get in touch with some reservation nurses, they run into the same main problems (i.e. ethanolism, diabetes, etc.) and the remoteness. I believe there is at least one post on this site from a rez nurse. Look her/him up.

Also, get hold of a wilderness medicine or tropical medicine doc at a teaching hospital. The diseases won't be the same, but the isolation and dependence on your critical thinking skills will be.

Get a PDA with a good all around program, one that can be updated from the bush.

The other nurses at your clinic will have lots of info.

Good luck and have fun! How long will you be there?


Nancy

Originally Posted by bubblesthenurse

thanks for the comments... i feela bit over whelmed about it, and im not there yet.
i leave in 2 weeks.
Just a bit more on my assignment.
The aboriginal community population is of about 800 people, with around 50 non-aboriginal people. The nearest town, and hospital is around 600Km's away. (6 hours drive). in an emergency, or if a patient is critically ill, wehave the Royal Flying Doctors, who fly down and pick them up.
English is a second language at this place, as it is so remote. Tribal law still plays amajor part in day to day life, and it not not uncommon to have to treat a spearing wound (into the thigh), inflicted as a punishment.
The community is a dry community, meaning drinking alchol is prohibited within a 10 mile radius of the town. alcohol is a major health issue within the majority of aboriginal communities, as it was only introduced to them 200 years ago.
other chronic health issues are: renal disease, heart disease, diabetes (mostly type 2), obesity, glaucoma, and STI's.
Basically, the nurses run a clinic 7 days a week, (mon- fri, then 1/2 days over weekend). there we monitor the health of who-ever needs to be seen. it can vary from a chronic wound ulcer, to a child having a asthma attack or car accident.
its pretty much like an emergency department, but theres only 1 doctor, who is there for 4 days a week, then flies out again. so we unofficially diagnose and treat (we can phone a doctor for orders) when opn the Drs days off.

[bubblesthenurse]

im there for 2 months.
theres a fair bit out here for resources... mostly uni websites....

i think i must be nuts, because i sure dont feel couragous at the moment.

[AngelNurse2b]

So, how does one get a position like this? Honestly. I want to do this.

[DianeK4HVCH]

You only live once.....you are really going for the gusto on this one!! I both think you are a little crazy, but admire your courage to make a difference. Good luck and God bless!

[bubblesthenurse]

I LOVE IT OUT HERE!!!!
this has got to be what nursing is about!! primary care, emergency nursing, EVERYTHING!!

I'm primarily doing the chronic disease type stuff, so the health board can get more funding, and i've been flown between 3 different communities already. i absolutely love it.

i got into this position by applying to an agency, here in australia. we have a few american and african nurses, and everyone loves learning about eachother!

i will try to keep you posted.

so far so good!!!