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Discussion

Bush Clinics

Hi everyone,

as part of my trip around australia, ive acquired a 2 month contract in a remote town in the middle of no-where in NT.

has anyone worked in this kind of environment before?

this is a big step for me, and while im not too concerned about the type of work, i am concerned about the lonliness and isolation i may feel, as i am a city girl through and through. does anyone have any tips?

how close can i get to my clients?

this is a aboriginal community, and i am aware of some of the social and medical issues faced by such remote aboriginal communities. and i also know i need to distance myself from these issues so i can try to help, but these are also the people i will be living with for 2 months.

any ideas?

Featured Replies

  • Expert

Contact the union and make sure you have support. You will be doing a LOT of independant work.

Make sure your assessment skills are top notch.

There are some great learning packages and resources around - tap into them. When in doubt ring your nearest larger hospital.

Do you have any experience in A&E? If not get some before you go and get someone to teach you the fundamentals of suturing.

This isn't a one person outpost is it?

  • Author

Thanks Gweneth,

i know that i'm partnered with another nurse, and we take it in turns to be on call during out-of-hours, and then we run clinics 7 days a week.

i made sure the agency knew that i dont have suturing or canulation skills, but i have a vast number of other skills.

ive halready had 3 months experience, and i was hoping to get more experience at a major hospital's A&E before going, but they said the job is here now, and i would be ok.

it still seems a bit astonishing that i am being posted so remote, with only 2 years of nursing experience.

  • Expert

Your other resource is here. I will keep an eye out for your posts and if you have a question and I am on please feel free to PM me. I might not know the answer but I will do my best to find an answer for you.

I also have done a hellavalot of study in relation to envenomation so please feel free to pick my brain.

  • Author

Thanks Gwenith,

a friend from work gave me a book on remote nursing. it's a study carried out over a year in a remote community in WA, and talks about all the hardships the nurses under go, and the lifestyle of being a remote nurse.

absolutely fascinating stuff, and very useful.

it particular, it addresses the issue of recruitment, with the agencies telling people that they are skilled enough to work in such a place, but by the time they get out there and start working, the nurses feel mislead.

i feel that this has been done to me. how can a nurse of 2 years be aptly qulaified to make medical decisions?

the beauty of going through an agency of course, is that i can always back out of my contract if needed, such as i feel unsafe.

5 1/2 weeks before i go.

i have had friends who did volunteer work for 3 month periods in alaska and in the black hillswith the indians...there was a lot education in basic health also there was ethanol addiction..probably also other addictions now as this was like 15 years ago

the problems with transporting critical pts was one that presented itself..had to be on alert for early warning signs

i remember particularly she was talking about the bush pilots landing on a small lake and taking off with patient

i know that you will learn a lot and that you will find this fulfilling

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