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Your Stories
This is where we tell your stories, cover topical issues and promote meaningful initiatives.
Interested in sharing your experience of working in remote health? Perhaps there is a topic that you would like to see covered in the CRANAplus Magazine? Get in touch with your story or suggestion by submitting an enquiry
It’s not all big-picture with Katherine Neil
Newly inducted CRANAplus Fellow and former CEO Katherine Neil admits that she “kind of fell into” nursing as a career.
Becoming a Fellow
Are you ready to take your leadership to the next level? Becoming a CRANAplus Fellow could be the perfect opportunity to show-case your dedication and leadership.
Giving back to the profession that gives with Josh Stafford
Recently appointed CRANAplus Board Member and newly inducted CRANAplus Fellow, Josh Stafford was 15 years old when his neighbour asked him if he could fill in for his paper round at the hospital.
Embracing digital innovation with Kate Welleman
New CRANAplus Board member Kate Welleman, a seasoned remote health professional, champions First Nations-led health care and digital health innovation – two pillars in closing the health care gap.
2024 CRANAplus Member Survey results
Thank you to everyone who participated in the CRANAplus 2024 Annual Member Survey. Your insights are invaluable in helping us understand your experiences and strengthen our support for the remote…
Enrolled nurses strengthen remote health care
Melissa Allen manages the outback clinics for Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) South Australia and Northern Territory. She explains the value of employing enrolled nurses (ENs) in these clinics,…
Scratching the remote itch with Ange Cummins
The highlight of Ange Cummins’ career has been travelling Australia as a remote area nurse. While being away from it for now, facilitating CRANAplus courses is satisfying her cravings for the remote…
Advocacy in action
How can we ensure a sustainable and resilient healthcare workforce for rural and remote communities? CRANAplus Senior Policy Advisor Heather Keighley and Development and Innovation Manager Kristy…
Building paediatric assessment competence and confidence
Emergency paediatric care can be particularly challenging for rural and remote health workers due to limited resources and the need for swift, accurate assessments, writes CRANAplus Clinical…
Wellbeing strategies from a RAN
Senior Bush Support Line Psychologist, MC Mandile, recently caught up with remote area nurse and CRANAplus facilitator, Victoria (Vicki) Carr, to discuss wellbeing strategies while working remotely.
Don’t forget your goggles, coral and a motorbike!
CRANAplus Member, Dr Kirsten Due, strives to find treasure amongst the difficulties of remote work. With the wisdom of remote nurses and doctors she’s met along her career, she’s compiled a packing…
Lay the foundation for community awareness with Naomi Zaro
Naomi Zaro, descendant of the Meriam (Dauareb) people of the Torres Strait, uses her platform as a re-elected CRANAplus Board Member to be a voice for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Health…
Unsung heroes in Tennant Creek Hospital
When Olivia Ryder, a nurse with extensive experience in remote health, found herself on the other side of the healthcare system in Tennant Creek, she gained a new appreciation for the dedication and…
Bridging the distance: Navigating intimate relationships when working in rural and remote health care
Even under ideal circumstances, navigating life with a significant other(s) can present challenges. However, working in rural and remote health care adds another layer of complexity, requiring extra…
A warm welcome from Alice Springs with Elsie Butuyuyu
Elsie Butuyuyu had the opportunity to complete an undergraduate mental health nursing placement in Alice Springs, where she felt right at home. From hiking to carolling, Elsie made the most of…
The first stop on the path to remote nursing
As an undergraduate student, Greg Johnston was looking for advice on how to enter the world of remote area nursing, and stumbled upon CRANAplus. Now, as he begins his graduate year in Tennant Creek,…
Meet CRANAplus Member Regina Huang
CRANAplus Member Regina Huang introduces herself to the community.
The gift of a Kulap with Michelle Gorman
Michelle Gorman was fortunate to undertake a mental health nursing placement on Thursday Island in the Torres Strait. The cultural lessons she learnt have helped shape her understanding of how to…
A swift look into bush nursing centres with Sue Carroll
Sue Carroll joined our CRANAplus Nursing and Midwifery Roundtable to be an advocate, make a difference and tell her story. Here, she shares what life is like at Swifts Creek Bush Nursing Centre.
A commitment to collaboration with Phill Harnas
For Registered Nurse and Midwife Phill Harnas, joining the CRANAplus Nursing and Midwifery Roundtable is an opportunity to contribute to strengthening pathways to remote nursing in Australia. Here he…
Raising the profile of rural and remote nursing with Cally Meynell
Clinical Nurse Cally Meynell, who has spent many years working in rural and remote areas, has joined the CRANAplus Nursing and Midwifery Roundtable. Here, she explains the opportunity she sees to…
Exploring the rewards of rural nursing: a Rural LAP locum’s journey
For many nurses, the opportunity to combine adventure with professional growth is a dream come true. For Narelle Hanckel, that dream became a reality when she joined the Rural Locum Assistance…
“Nature itself had unburdened us”
In this snippet from CRANAcast episode 13, we delve into Wendy’s world of nursing deep in the Cairns Hinterland. Here, Wendy reveals the impact the natural landscape has on her and her colleagues’…
Lessons from a life of service with David Innes
Registered Nurse David Innes finds many similarities between his nursing life as an Army Reserve Nursing Officer and the life of remote nurses in Australia. Here he talks about his life in the…
Who will be taking the reins?
Are you proactively nurturing the next generation of leaders within your remote healthcare team, or is succession planning something you’re aiming to prioritise soon? We spoke with a select group of…
Erica Stone RN — 2024 Gayle Woodford Memorial Scholarship recipient
Erica Stone was announced as the 2024 Gayle Woodford Memorial Scholarship recipient at the 2024 CRANAplus Remote Nursing & Midwifery Conference Gala this October. Here Erica shares her journey so…
Driver for change of direction
In her first remote experience, Registered Nurse Catherine Priestley’s commitment has been recognised, receiving the 2024 CRANAplus Early to Remote Practice award. Here she explains how her interest…
The Nutbush has its limits
Susan Wilkes, the Director of Nursing at the Birdsville Primary Health Centre, Central West Hospital and Health Service – which is a part of Queensland Health – was a presenter at this year’s…
Remote Area Nurse Lesley Woolf’s latest accolade – 2024 CRANAplus Aurora Award for the Remote and Isolated Health Professional of the Year
For Lesley Woolf, Executive Health Manager at Mala’la Health Service Aboriginal Corporation in Maningrida, this is a time of recognition for her decades of commitment to help improve the health of…
A jillaroo’s calling to remote health with CRANAplus Nursing and Midwifery Roundtable member Sam Fleming
Newly appointed CRANAplus Nursing and Midwifery Roundtable member Sam Fleming was raised in Quirindi, a small rural town in New South Wales with a population of 2,500. Coming from a large farming…
The power of translational research
Registered Nurse and PhD scholar J’Belle Foster, who has spent years working and researching TB in high-risk areas overseas and on Australia’s border with Papua New Guinea, has been recognised with…
Heart of Australia’s national expansion
Over the past decade, Heart of Australia has had remarkable success in bridging the ‘health care gap’ in rural and remote communities in Queensland.
From strength to strength with Melina Connors, First Nations Midwifery Director for Queensland Health
Melina Connors, inaugural First Nations Midwifery Director for Queensland Health, is passionate about the state’s Growing Deadly Families strategy. Here she talks about how her new role plays a vital…
Advocacy for closing the continuity gap for remote midwives with Donna Stephen
For midwife Donna Stephen, holistic care and continuity of care are paramount for expecting mums. In this article she explains why.
From rugby player to remote nurse with CRANAplus fellow Mark Goodman
Newly inducted CRANAplus Fellow and volunteer facilitator Mark Goodman was sixteen when he cut his hand on a can at the shop he was working at. The six hours he spent in emergency, watching the…
Lessons from the Tanami Desert with Karri Withers
In her final undergraduate nursing placement, Karri Withers was fortunate to secure a position in the remote community of Balgo, WA, through the Majarlin Kimberley Centre for Remote Health. This…
Building skills and connections in Tennant Creek with Lauren Hoskin
Second-year Flinders University nursing student Lauren Hoskin recently had the opportunity to complete a four-week nursing placement in Tennant Creek, an experience that significantly impacted both…
Mental health nursing on Thursday Island with Ailis Conrad
Ailis Conrad was fortunate to undertake her final-year nursing placement on Thursday Island in the Torres Strait. Supported by a warm team, Ailis gained hands-on experience in mental health care…
Why should midwives attend a Midwifery Upskilling course?
Remote health practice in Australia demands a high level of skill and ability to effectively respond to and manage the normal, the complex and the (thankfully less common) emergencies, writes Leonie…
Building a happy workplace
Building a safe and happy workplace is a lot like building a house, writes MC Mandile, Senior Psychologist, Bush Support Line. The foundations must be laid well for the rest of the house to stand…
APSGN in focus
CRANAplus spoke with medical doctor, researcher and educator, Dr Allison Hempenstall, Public Health Medical Officer of the Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service, to discuss the nuances of acute…
Personal touch is Helen’s mantra
Membership officer Helen Phipps has notched up 15 years in the role at CRANAplus. Here she reminisces about her time with the organisation.
Supporting nurses in bladder cancer care
In the ever-evolving landscape of health care, education and support for healthcare professionals are critical, especially in specialised fields like bladder cancer care.
Nurse Navigators a win for coordination
For complex and vulnerable patients, the introduction of Nurse Navigators, as the name suggests, is geared to assist their winding journey within the healthcare system.
Adapting CRANAplus education
“The challenge was on, like an episode of Ready, Steady, Cook with only five ingredients to make a six-course dinner, we were off to Christmas Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands to deliver ten…
Looking back on a unique opportunity
Ann Knuckey has retired as a Registered Nurse after 48 years – but she still loves to look back on her nursing career, mainly in midwifery. “I never once thought I don’t want to do this anymore,”…
Supporting nurses and allied health professionals to take leave
In rural and remote communities, nurses and allied health professionals are delivering vital services to meet the needs of their communities. Their dedication is unwavering, and the demands on their…
Showcasing and promoting wellbeing
Mental Health and Wellbeing was a key theme in October at the 2024 Remote Nursing and Midwifery Conference in Naarm (Melbourne).
Remote Area Nurse Lesley Woolf recognised with Medal of Order of Australia
Aboriginal community-controlled health services are the way of the future, says Registered Nurse and Midwife Lesley Woolf, Executive Health Manager – Health, Aged Care & Community Services – at…
The trachoma project reducing preventable blindness in Western Australia
We are on the road to eliminate trachoma in Australia, says environmental health expert Dr Melissa Stoneham. But Melissa, who heads up the service-delivery Environmental Health Trachoma Project…
Managing a remote health clinic
Josh Stafford sits on the CRANAplus Member Nursing & Midwifery Roundtable and is the Director of Nursing at Lockhart River Primary Health Care Centre with the Torres and Cape Hospital and Health…
2024 Remote Nursing & Midwifery Conference Preview
Catch up on the speakers, the preceding free Expo, and social opportunities that you can expect at the CRANAplus 2024 Remote Nursing and Midwifery Conference in Naarm/Melbourne this October.
Nurses share their advice on school visits and school nursing
Do you work with children in a school setting, or hope to in the future? We’ve invited five CRANAplus Members to share their insights into working with children in rural and remote communities,…
Julie’s life-changing experience as a remote area school nurse
CRANAplus Member and RN Julie Bamford reflects on the rewards and challenges of her four-year experience working as a school nurse in a remote community.
A thought-out journey into remote area nursing
CRANAplus Nursing and Midwifery Roundtable member Michelle Appo shares insight into her recent experience in Halls Creek WA, and why she is carefully considering each step in her pathway to remote…
The overlooked skill of offroad four-wheel driving
Many remote area nurses report being ‘handed the keys to the clinic’ without prior experience. Just as many are ‘handed the keys’ to the four wheel drive, having only ever driven a small two wheel…
Timely termination access in remote Australia
Pregnant people in rural and remote areas seeking termination services commonly experience access delays and difficulties. Whilst several factors influence this, Laura Berry, Mental Health and…
Preventing preterm labour
In this article, Leonie McLaughlin, CRANAplus Remote Clinical Educator shares what remote practitioners can do to prevent preterm labour. For further information please enrol in a CRANAplus Maternity…
Considerations for psychological debriefing in the workplace
When something traumatic happens, people often feel the need to ‘do’ something; to ‘fix’ people’s hurt, shock, sadness, or any other feelings they are experiencing. This is a natural reaction, as we…
Functioning in a dysfunctional workplace
Many of us have worked in a dysfunctional workplace at some point. You know, the workplace that is full of hostility, negativity, cliques, mistrust, inefficiency and selfishness? Along with these…
Q&A with Nurse Practitioner Tom Rampal
Katherine-based NP Tom Rampal talks balancing personal and professional lives, becoming a nurse practitioner, and the ins and outs of chronic disease management.
In love with Alice Springs — Kylie’s pitch for working in the Centre
Registered Nurse, clinical educator and CRANAplus course facilitator Kylie Huxtable, admits she ‘shamelessly promotes’ her current hometown of Alice Springs to participants considering remote work in…
One-on-one nursing: opportunities for personalised care in the remote setting
Remote clinics can be the ideal environment for nurses to encourage patients to be involved in decisions about their health, says retired clinical nurse consultant Helen Walker.
Undergraduate nurses share their placement experiences in rural and remote Australia
CRANAplus is committed to working with its Members to explore and clarify their experiences, to help guide and inform CRANAplus activities and advocacy. This includes the emerging workforce –…
Making the leap: Emma’s message to nurses with a dream
Recruited this year as a Remote Clinical Educator at CRANAplus, Registered Nurse/Clinical Nurse Emma Davis hopes to inspire nurses thinking of moving into the rural and remote environment to make the…
From student to trainer: Ivy’s nursing career on Thursday Island
Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service (TCHHS) clinical facilitator Ivy Hodges has a keen insight into how the graduate students she is mentoring are feeling and what they are experiencing. Not…
Helping remote health workers with their self-care
“It’s a privilege when people want to share their stories with you and you can help them,” says Bush Support Line psychologist Maria-Christine Mandile.
Student story: A refreshing change of pace in Alice Springs
Melbourne-based nursing student Grace recently undertook a clinical placement in Alice Springs, NT – an experience she describes as invaluable. Here, she talks about her cultural orientation,…
Student story: Beyond the pages in Nyirripi
Second-year nursing student Brittanie says her very remote placement in Nyirripi, Central Australia imparted “lessons that no textbook could convey”. Here the University of New England student writes…
The joy of locum nursing in remote Australia
After 60 hours of night shift, locum nurse Greta Webb spent time telling us how much she has loved being a part of Rural LAP. A veteran of the program, Greta joined Rural LAP 13 years ago and…
Triage Emergency Care Quiz
Test your knowledge of triage emergency care in remote Australia with this quiz adapted from CRANAplus' pre-course online learning. Correct answers are shown at the bottom of the article.
Strongyloidiasis – eradicating every last worm with Dr Wendy Page
2021 NT Australian of the Year, Dr Wendy Page spent three decades working in East Arnhem Land with Miwatj Health Aboriginal Corporation, fighting a parasitic enemy that is invisible to the naked eye…
Remote area nursing packing list
We invited CRANAplus Members to share their advice on items to bring when working in a remote area, or to purchase when visiting a regional or urban hub. Here is the list you helped us to compile!
Taking the query out of Q Fever
In the 1930s, a mysterious outbreak of illness among Brisbane abattoir workers was dubbed ‘query fever’ because of its unknown cause. 90 years later, Q Fever can still mystify and mislead with its…
New course supports health workers experiencing trauma
Following the recent release of two written trauma resources, the CRANAplus Mental Health and Wellbeing team are proud to announce the addition of a third resource, a new online course titled…
Returning to remote area nursing after time away
Greg Morley launched his remote nursing career in the 1980s, before returning to the city and building a life there for more than 25 years. But his love of remote area nursing never left him and in…
Culture the focus at Yutjuwala Djiwarr Aged Care Centre
“You won’t find our residents sitting blankly looking at a television screen. They’re always outdoors, catching the breeze.” That’s Registered Nurse Rosie Breen, Service Manager at the Yutjuwala…
CRANAplus Q&A: “I have been asked if I am competent at triage. Is a certificate all I need?”
Triage requirements vary significantly across different healthcare settings, encompassing distinctions between state services, health districts, and individual practices. Notably, there is no…
CRANAplus facilitator Kirsty Blair’s passion for preparing remote health professionals
CRANAplus course facilitator, Kirsty Blair RN/RM has experience ranging from intensive care as the after-hours coordinator in a busy city hospital to working overseas in war-torn regions. Having…
Student story: Cameron’s remote nursing placement on Thursday Island
Cameron Powers’ final student nursing placement has solidified his career direction: he’s heading remote. Here, the Queensland University of Technology student writes about his multi-leg adventure to…
Student story: Jethro’s confidence-building placement in Central Australia
Jethro Haythorpe, a nursing student from Charles Darwin University, recently undertook two consecutive placements in Alice Springs, NT. Here, Jethro writes of star-filled desert nights, stunning red…
Remote nursing research tips
Are you interested in undertaking research in the remote healthcare sector? We invited six nurses with research experience to answer your burning questions.
CRANAplus facilitators in action
Check out what it’s like to take to the road as a CRANAplus facilitator. A few of our volunteers have captured some behind-the-scenes action as they rounded out the 2023 course schedule.
Nurse-led skin cancer detection pilot continues
In December 2022, we spoke with Marion Eckert, Director of the Rosemary Bryant Research Centre (RBRC) Uni SA and her team about their new pilot program Project Check Mate – a collaboration with Skin…
What’s happening online? CRANAplus Member Facebook Group
Check out some of the latest content from our new CRANAplus Members Facebook Group. This Facebook Group provides a forum for Individual CRANAplus Members to connect with each other, share ideas,…
2023 CRANAplus Member Survey Results
Thank you to everyone who participated in our 2023 Member Survey. Your participation helps us to develop a deeper understanding of your experiences and gather valuable workforce data. It allows us to…
Ann’s train journey takes an unexpected turn
CRANAplus Board member and RN Ann Aitken recently found herself tending to a person with chest pains during a recreational train journey. Here she tells her tale – and pays thanks to having recently…
Broken systems? Fix them
How often could something you are doing at work be simplified, improved, or adjusted to better meet the health needs of individuals or the community? Be honest. Sometimes, it can feel to you and your…
Baby bundles of success in PNG
While building a school in Papua New Guinea, carpenter Barry Kirby became aware of the region’s incredibly high rate of preventable maternal and newborn fatality. 12 years and two degrees later, he…
Supporting the wellbeing of remote agency nurses
CRANAplus regularly partners with organisations from the remote health sector to support staff mental health and wellbeing. A recent collaboration with nursing agency Affinity Nursing has upskilled…
Increasing male engagement in rural and remote centres
A/Prof Tim Moss from CRANAplus partner organisation Healthy Male provides advice on strategies health practitioners can use to increase male engagement in primary health care.
Apply now for 2024 scholarships, grants and awards
We are now accepting applications for the 2024 Scholarships and Grants program. Nominations are also now open for the CRANAplus' 2024 Australian Remote Health Awards. Browse award categories…
Allergies on the rise
Allergies need to be taken seriously. Heather Roberts, who presented an abstract at the 40th CRANAplus Conference and has worked for the National Allergy Council since 2019, explains how rural and…
Tasmanian nurse Katie Pennington recognised as 2023 Remote & Isolated Health Professional of the Year
This year’s recipient of the CRANAplus Aurora Award for the Remote and Isolated Health Professional of the Year, Katie Pennington, reflects on the power of nurses’ voices, the community health model…
New starter Micah makes a difference in West Arnhem
The recipient of the 2023 Early to Remote Practice Award, Micah Haslam RN, describes receiving the award as a surprise and honour. Here, she talks about her newfound love of Gunbalanya.
Laura Black, NP from WA’s Wheatbelt, receives 2023 CRANAplus Excellence in Remote and Isolated Health Practice award
Laura Black, Nurse Practitioner from the tiny town of Moorine Rock in the West Australian Wheatbelt, is the 2023 recipient of the CRANAplus Excellence in Remote and Isolated Health Practice award.
2023 Gayle Woodford Memorial Scholarship recipient, Tiffany Cattermole
Tiffany feels fortunate to have been awarded the 2023 Gayle Woodford Memorial Scholarship and says it will give her the upper hand in expanding her career in remote health.
The History of CRANAplus (Part 1): 1982 – 1985 — CRANA’s Origin Story
The formation of the Council of Remote Area Nurses of Australia in the early 1980s represents a collective triumph against the odds. Remote area nurses at the time were frequently under-resourced and…
The History of CRANAplus (Part 2): Preparing the workforce — the push for education
At the 1985 conference in Townsville, education (or lack thereof) was identified as the single most important issue facing RANs.
The History of CRANAplus (Part 3): The fight for identity — validating RAN practice
How can you make your voice heard when you are out of sight from the majority of Australians? CRANA would answer this question successfully, but not without difficulty, over the next four decades. As…
The History of CRANAplus (Part 4): From cottage industry to corporate entity
CRANA's history is defined by two major growth spurts — the funding of the late 1990s and the diversification of the late 2000s. But when its ambitions have exceeded its budget, passionate volunteers…
Ready for the next pandemic?
Is Australia ready for future pandemics? Whether we can curb the spread will depend on the nation’s ability to run effective quarantine facilities, writes Senior Research Officer, Angela Sheedy.…
“Our responsibility to graduates” with New South Wales-based Clinical Educator, Dalya Holowinski
CRANAplus Member and Riverina-based District Nurse Educator Dalya Holowinski explains the process of identifying the learning needs of the emerging workforce, the roving CNE model, and the…
Student story: Maningrida placement cements aspiring remote area nurse Gillian’s passion for remote practice
Aspiring remote area nurse Gillian Edmiston from Charles Darwin University shares insight into her four-week placement in Maningrida, an Aboriginal community in West Arnhem Land, NT, where she worked…
Sexual Health in Regional & Remote Populations with Nikki Brandon from SHINE SA
Nikki Brandon from SHINE SA provides an update on the challenges of STI screening in remote areas, some tips on encouraging screening, and asymptomatic STIs.
2022 CRANAplus Early to Remote Practice Award Winner, volunteers in Vietnam
Last year’s CRANAplus Early to Remote Practice Award Winner, Lorraine Woods, put her prize money towards a volunteering trip to Vietnam, where she and her friend Judith delivered resources and…
Midwifery Group Practice in the Torres Strait with CM Maxine Lenehan
Maxine Lenehan CM works within the Midwifery Group Practice on Thursday Island. She explains how MGP works in the Torres Strait, the logistics of island-based healthcare, and the “beautiful…
Recap: 2023 CRANAplus 40th Anniversary Conference
This October, more than 200 delegates and stakeholders gathered in Gimuy/Cairns at the CRANAplus 40th Anniversary Conference, for three days of networking, reminiscing, and envisioning a better…
The remote area nursing couple chasing their farming dreams
CRANAplus Member Dr Kirsten Due MO writes in about inspiring nursing couple, Jason and Melanie. The pair met in Alice Springs and lived in remote Alaska, before returning to Australia to continue…
Mindfulness on the go for remote health professionals
In the busyness, and with the competing demands in our lives, it is essential to prioritise our physical health and wellbeing, writes Senior Psychologist, Therese Forbes. We are constantly bombarded…
Early intervention crucial for burn victims
First responders can dramatically improve outcomes for burn victims, reducing the need for a graft by fifty per cent. Here Dr Helen Douglas, who works for the State Burns Service in WA, talks about…
Adding maternity emergency care skills to the remote area nurse’s toolbox, with midwife Di Evans
Remote area midwife and CRANAplus facilitator Di Evans is passionate about empowering and supporting RANs. Here Di shares what drives her volunteer contribution to CRANAplus’ “something for…
Regular CRANAplus Magazine writer reflects on the 2015 conference in new book
In the 2010s, Journalist Rosemary Cadden travelled from Adelaide to the Top End in the footsteps of explorer and fellow Scot, John McDouall Stuart. On the way, she attended the 2015 CRANAplus…
40th CRANAplus Conference Preview
Catch up on the speakers, pre- and post-conference events, and social opportunities that you can expect at the 40th CRANAplus Conference in Cairns this October.
Nursing on Christmas Island, with Stevhnie Nel
Community health nurse Stevhnie Nel discusses cultural awareness when working with Chinese and Malay clients, community immersion as a self-care strategy, and witnessing the annual Christmas Island…
60 years a nurse in rural New South Wales
CRANAplus Member Sandra Vicary retired recently, having just reached the milestone of 60 years of nursing in rural New South Wales. She remembers asking permission to marry as a young nursing sister,…
Coping with the Kimberley Floods
Senior Psychologist for the Bush Support Line, Dr Nicole Jeffery-Dawes, reflects on the emotional and professional challenges her community faced during the floods in the Kimberley earlier this year…
Put sepsis at the forefront
RN, RM and Remote Clinical Educator at CRANAplus, Leonie McLaughlin, is passionate about helping nursing staff in remote communities provide best-practice care in the absence of maternity services…
CRANAplus Q&A: Paediatric burns
“Hi CRANAplus. Paediatric burns are not uncommon in the community I work in. These often result from spilled boiling water. Despite having previous experience/ training in burns, I still find myself…
Cytomegalovirus: remote nurses key to early detection
How much do you know about CMV? As the first port of call for antenatal screening in much of remote Australia, nurses are key to early detection and treatment. So urges remote area nurse Mel Howard,…
CRANAplus facilitator spotlight: On home soil
CRANAplus course facilitator Jackie Hanniver reflects on the magnetic pull of country Australia, and the less obvious benefits of delivering training where remote health staff work and live.
Limited-time Membership offer for students
Whether you’re studying nursing or midwifery, or undertaking training in an allied health speciality, CRANAplus wants to support you on your pathway to developing a career in remote and isolated…
Becoming a remote area nurse – a new module
If you are interested in working as a remote area nurse or midwife, but uncertain how to get started, you may want to check out our new free reflective online module, ‘Becoming a remote area nurse:…
Mindful Photography Competition: Winners Announced
Congratulations to everyone who participated in the CRANAplus Mindful Photography competition. Check out the competition winners here!
Remote area nursing: That time I saved a horse’s life
In the 1980s, when a horse suffered a cut to the neck in Tarcoola, SA, new-to-town remote area nurse Ros Jinks performed a successful “backyard surgery” to save its life. Her story evokes the golden…
Staying safe around camp dogs, with AMRRIC
Camp dogs are culturally significant, a source of joy, and a mainstay of many remote communities. However, health professionals who work in or visit remote communities may sometimes find them…
Risk management in Antarctica, with Dr. Edi Albert
Dr. Edi Albert, Senior Lecturer in Remote and Extreme Environment Medicine at the University of Tasmania, has spent his career working in a variety of extreme environments – including Antarctica. He…
Empowering Nurse Practitioners, with Lesley Salem
At this year’s CRANAplus Conference, proud Wonnarua woman and Nurse Practitioner (NP) Lesley Salem will shine a light on the challenges and opportunities facing the Nurse Practitioner workforce in…
Student story: A deeper understanding
Meg Gibson from the University of New England reflects on the cultural lessons learned during her nursing placement in Mparntwe/Alice Springs.
Incivility in remote health workplaces
Uncivil workplace behaviours that border on bullying can have a destructive impact on staff wellbeing and health care delivery. As Therese and Kristy from CRANAplus’ Mental Health and Wellbeing team…
Student story: The country’s calling
Curtin University physiotherapy student Abbey Staer experienced varied practice areas, outreach and Aboriginal health during her final placement at Karratha Health Campus. Having also found…
CRANAplus Fellow Isabelle Skinner on Telehealth’s trajectory
CRANAplus Fellow in Focus Isabelle Skinner, is a nurse midwife turned remote area nurse turned educator. In this summary of her nursing life, Isabelle touches on her passion for telehealth and wound…
CRANAcast taster: CRANAcast with Keppel Schafer
In episode 18 of CRANAcast, Keppel Schafer RN, RM and Queensland “country boy at heart” shares his top drawcards of working in remote health, along with stories from his last 12 years volunteering as…
Nursing through the floods in Daly River, NT
“Navigating a moderate flood event in a remote community can be a challenging and eye-opening experience for health-care professionals,” writes well-versed Rural LAP locum Gawaine Glasby RN, of his…
Floods and Chalkboards in North West Queensland
CRANAplus Member Paul Reeves, Clinical Nurse Coordinator, provides a snapshot of his recent work out in North West Queensland.
Disaster nursing: expecting the unexpected
Six years ago, when RN Catherine Anne Brewer found out about the terrorist bombing at the Ariana Grande concert in England, she asked herself “What if that happened on my watch?” This question has…
Mooditj Leadership Training experience
Holly Fazulla from SHINE SA reflects on a Mooditj Leadership Training course she recently completed in Alice Springs. Now, she’s prepared to deliver the Mooditj program, a resilience, relationships…
Encouraging ageing well, with keynote speaker Professor Eddy Strivens
Looking at healthy ageing has been a lifetime’s work for Professor Eddy Strivens, a key speaker at this year’s CRANAplus conference in Cairns in October. Here he talks about becoming an ‘accidental…
Transitioning to remote practice: RANPP participants on their career journeys to date
Midway through 2022, CRANAplus accepted four nurses into its pilot Remote Area Nursing Pathway Program (RANPP). The program attracted interest from hundreds of nurses, highlighting the emerging…
A CRANAplus Members’ guide on retiring from remote area nursing
Retired rural and remote area nurses Stewart, Karen, June and Tracy share their retirement journeys and discuss transitioning out of the workforce, preparing your finances and home, pursuing your…
Taking nursing education to remote Australia
Nurses are a mainstay of the rural and remote health workforce, so it’s vital to invest in their professional development. That’s the view of Jason Phieler, a long-term facilitator for CRANAplus…
Dan Hanson on the benefits of a remote area nursing mentor
The CRANAplus LINKS Mentoring Program for remote health professionals connects mentors and mentees from around Australia. Free for all parties, the program encourages career development and builds…
Preventing Tuberculosis in the Torres Strait
Papua New Guinea experiences some of the world’s highest rates of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis. The Torres Strait Protected Zone permits traditional inhabitants to travel without passport…
Who can call the Bush Support Line?
The Bush Support Line is a space for all rural and remote health workers to talk. The line has been operating in various forms since 1997 and provides a non-judgemental, safe and anonymous space for…
Responding to a Motor Vehicle Crash
Intensive Care Paramedic and CRANAplus Remote Emergency Care course Facilitator Casey Hayes provides advice on how to respond to a motor vehicle crash while working in a remote setting. Casey’s…
Growing Deadly Families
Last year, Queensland Aboriginal midwives Sonita Giudice and Melina Connors travelled 44,500 kilometres in cars, planes, and ferries – equivalent to circumnavigating the globe – as part of the…
Introducing CRANAplus Board Member, Ann Aitken
Dr Ann Aitken PhD was appointed to the CRANAplus Board in October 2022, alongside Danielle Causer whom we introduced in CRANA Magazine edition #127. Ann is Director of Nursing, Midwifery and Facility…
Celebrating Excellence: NAATSIHWP & IAHA Award Winners
CRANAplus was proud to sponsor multiple important industry awards in 2022, including NAATSIHWP’s Models of Care and Career Pathways Innovation Excellence Award and IAHA’s Allied Health Assistant…
Understanding effective alcohol and drug treatments
The latest review into effective alcohol and drug-use treatment for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples has the potential to encourage greater recognition of the value of First Nations…
CRANAcast taster: Episode 15 with Di Thornton
In episode 15 of CRANAcast, CRANAplus Fellow, registered nurse, and endorsed nurse practitioner from the Murray-Mallee region in SA, Di Thornton, shares her views on taking an “outside the box”…
Student story: Holistic and Culturally Safe practice in Ntaria
Undergraduate nursing student Karleigh Barbour reflects on her 2022 remote placement in Ntaria (Hermannsburg), NT, where her dream of becoming a RAN began to feel more like a reality.
Differences between urban and remote nursing
CRANAplus Professional Officer Michelle Mason highlights some of the differences between urban and remote nursing, including location, staffing, skill set, resources and lifestyle, and provides…
Advice on applying for nursing and midwifery scholarships and grants
CRANAplus Professional Officer Melanie Avion offers advice on applying for scholarships and grants including tips on meeting the criteria, filling out and submitting an application, and the…
CRANAplus Q&A: Shoes for new RANs
“What shoes would you recommend new RANs to be wearing? I understand the work is very different from normal RN work, and I don’t think my runners will cut the NT wet season”. Corey, NT
A new face at CRANAplus, Laura Coldwell
In this article, we introduce you to the newest member of the CRANAplus Mental Health and Wellbeing Team, Laura Coldwell. A UK-trained mental health nurse, with experience in sexual and remote…
CRANAplus Education Update: April 2023
This year, the CRANAplus Education team has rolled out a new two-day face-to-face workshop for the Maternity Emergency Care course. Readers can also look forward to the relaunch of our Advanced…
Introducing Amanda Forti
Amanda Forti RN RM joined CRANAplus as a Remote Clinical Educator in July of last year. Amanda has a Master of Philosophy in the field of Midwifery along with experience in private and public…
Introducing our new Safety & Security Framework
CRANAplus recently released a new safety and security framework outlining its three areas of commitment to the safety and security of remote health professionals. We have also published new and…
Verus People answer your FAQs about working for a nursing agency
Many nurses experience remote health practice for the first time while working for a nursing agency. CRANAplus has invited Corporate Member Verus People to answer your frequently asked questions…
Culturally appropriate palliative care on Country
Many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people express the wish to be cared for, and to die, on Country if possible. When care at home is preferred, it can be provided by clinical services to help…
2022 CRANAplus Member Survey Results
In our 2022 Member Survey, we received responses from Members with varying specialties, employment patterns, experience levels and places to call home – yet a handful of common themes emerged that…
Consumer control in the mental health sector
Giving consumers control to determine their own recovery pathway is at the core of new national mental health standards. The new standards, designed specifically for mental health services provided…
Hepatitis C testing even more accessible
South Australian Viral Hepatitis Nurses are joining a world-first HCV point-of-care testing program being rolled out nationally in Australia.
Student story: Diverse patient needs by the sea
Nursing student Kate Janjatovic was fortunate to land a student placement in the tropical town of Carnarvon, WA, alongside her friend. Kate shares her fun living with and learning from other health…
Student story: Back to the country way
Perth nursing student Bethany Egbers completed her WA Country Placement seaside, an 8-hour journey south in the picturesque town of Esperance. There, she quickly discovered a new sense of…
Mindful Photography Competition
Capture a moment that displays and encourages mindfulness for your chance to win a $200 gift voucher. The CRANAplus Mental Health and Wellbeing Team is running a Mindful Photography Competition – no…
Melioidosis – and its Wet Season connection
Dr Ella Meumann from Menzies School of Health Research discusses melioidosis, a predominantly wet season disease caused by the soil-dwelling bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei. Ella works with…
Empowering child nutrition
It’s not enough to tell parents to feed their children healthy food, says nutrition expert Anthea Brand. Primary health care nurses also need to look for ways to empower healthy eating – by targeting…
CRANAplus launches Mirii Course designed for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Practitioners and Workers
Our brand new CRANAplus Mirii Course is designed to provide Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Practitioners and Workers with the skills to effectively use clinical care manuals and…
Converse Culture Shock – Unaccustomed to the familiar
When you return from a stint in a remote community, home life can suddenly seem unfamiliar, write CRANAplus Members Ms M Press and Ms R Caine. Most of us recognise culture shock as a condition…
Remote child health: a later transition
Child Health nurse and long-time CRANAplus Member Dianne Paul, now 72, describes herself as a ‘late starter to remote’ and yet despite retiring from nursing almost a year ago, still regularly finds…
Celebrating our 2022 Aurora Award Winner Lynette Byers
2022 Aurora Award recipient, Lynette (Lyn) Byers, who works as a Clinical Nurse Consultant with Nganampa Health Council in the APY Lands and volunteers on various boards and committees related to…
Quality and safety superstar: Lorraine Harry
This year’s recipient of the Excellence in Remote and Isolated Health Practice Award is Quality & Safety Officer at Mala’la Aboriginal Health Service, Lorraine Harry. Here, she discusses…
2022 Ray Wyeth Early to Remote Practice Award recipient Lorraine Woods
The recipient of the Ray Wyeth Early to Remote Practice Award, Lorraine Woods, transitioned to remote health in 2021, joining the new Palm Cockatoo Midwifery Group Practice in Weipa, Cape York. She…
Addressing inequity in skin cancer detection
South Australian nurses will have the chance to lead skin cancer detection at numerous pop-up screening clinics across the state in 2023/2024, as part of Project Check Mate, a newly funded pilot…
Japanese Encephalitis Virus’ Australian arrival
Historically a condition of Asia and the Pacific, the mosquito-borne Japanese Encephalitis Virus (JEV) entered Australia’s consciousness in February 2021 with a fatal, locally acquired infection. In…
Your contraception questions answered
The new Australian Contraception and Abortion Primary Care Practitioner Community of Practice (AusCAPPS) is designed to support your clinical practice in women’s sexual and reproductive health care,…
From EN to RN — 3 stories
In 2022, CRANAplus administered Country Women’s Association Rural and Remote Nursing/Midwifery Professional Development grants. Three Enrolled Nurses who successfully applied relate here how the…
The case for place-based care as a remote area nurse
Unique personal and professional rewards await those who live and work in remote communities, says RN and CRANAplus Nursing and Midwifery Roundtable member, Katie Pennington. These include…
Self-collection HPV testing in remote Australia
Testing for HPV using self-collection can increase our ability to eradicate cervical cancer by 2035, writes Carina Brown RM, Clinical Workforce Educator, SHINE SA.
Kidney Transplant Yarning in Queensland
Gary Torrens, clinical nurse consultant at Princess Alexandra Hospital, has been part of a $1 million national initiative to counteract barriers for Indigenous dialysis patients getting on the kidney…
Introducing one of our newest Board Members, Danielle Causer
At the CRANAplus Annual General Meeting in October, Danielle Causer was voted in as one of two of CRANAplus’ newest Board Members, along with Ann Aitken. As Executive Director (ED) of Nursing for…
Facilitator spotlight: Sharon Gibbens
RN and RM Sharon Gibbens decided to facilitate courses for CRANAplus because of her passion for two-way learning and her recognition of the advanced skills required in pre-retrieval.
Student story: Learning, walking and living on Mparntwe Country
Occupational therapy student Annabelle Keynes recounts her dream placement at Purple House in Mparntwe, Alice Springs; an experience she describes as ‘immersive and affirming’. From small acts of…
Student story: Consolidating skills in ED
Edith Cowan University undergraduate nursing student Chris Mattiaccio escaped a cold wet winter to undertake an experience of a lifetime in WA’s northwest. There he found blowholes and breathtaking…
Bush Support Line team undertake SafeSide suicide prevention training
Our Bush Support Line team, consisting of both CRANAplus senior psychologists and out-of-hours psychologists, share a wealth of clinical experience from having lived and worked across rural and…
A new way to access support — CRANAcast: Supporting your Wellbeing
Kristy Hill, Manager Education and Resources Mental Health and Wellbeing Services at CRANAplus, introduces CRANAcast: Supporting your Wellbeing – a new free podcast designed to support the mental…
2022 CRANAplus Conference overview
Over 200 delegates from around the country gathered in Adelaide from 4–6 October for two and a half days of highly productive networking, knowledge-sharing and inspiration.
An exhibitor’s perspective — 2022 CRANAplus Conference
In October 2022, CareSearch returned to face-to-face conferences by attending the 39th CRANAplus Conference in Adelaide. Katrina Erny-Albrecht and Susan Gravier from CareSearch write about their…
The life and times of Credentialed Diabetes Educator, Kerri Rothery
Kerri Rothery was presented as a graduate at the 2022 CRANAplus Conference, for having completed a Master of Remote and Indigenous Health through Flinders University. We catch up with Kerri to…
2022 Gayle Woodford Scholarship recipient Emily Evans
Registered Nurse Emily Evans describes winning this year’s Gayle Woodford Memorial Scholarship as a great honour and a career game changer.
Signs of success in palliative care
To be able to die in a place of your choosing is a key indicator of the success of a palliative care service. In Broken Hill the percentage is 98 per cent – which is just one reason to join the…
Pandemic spotlights emerging nursing workforce in the NT
Angela Sheedy’s time at the Howard Springs quarantine facility during the pandemic has got her reflecting on the untapped skills of student and newly-qualified nurses in Australia prior to the…
CRANAplus Fellow in Focus: Sally Johnson
Fellow in Focus, from the August 2022 edition of the CRANAplus magazine, is Sally Johnson who, at 81, claims to be ‘absolutely retired’ but she still has ideas for CRANAplus, which she was…
Member Vivienne Fazulla — Nurse of the Year, NSW Far West LHD
Longstanding CRANAplus Member and attendee at the inaugural CRANAplus Conference in Alice Springs in 1983, Vivienne (Viv) Fazulla, won the NSW Far West Local Health District Award for Nurse of the…
Introducing the new Federal Minister for Health and Aged Care, the Hon Mark Butler MP
The Hon Mark Butler MP was sworn in as the Federal Minister for Health and Aged Care on 1 June 2022. CRANAplus catches up with the Minister to discuss nursing workforce sustainability, safety and…
Post-disaster mental health support
Cath Walker, Senior Psychologist with the CRANAplus Bush Support Line, has this June been awarded a National Emergency Medal for her work in Mallacoota, Victoria following the devastating Black…
CRANAplus launches its inaugural Remote Area Nursing Pathway Program
This July, CRANAplus launched its inaugural Remote Area Nursing Pathway Program. The nine-month program is supporting four CRANAplus Members to build clinical skills, resilience, and cultural safety…
Darwin’s cancer care team wins top award
“Winning the team section in this year’s Northern Territory Nursing and Midwifery Excellence Awards this May illustrates how well the Alan Walker Cancer Care Centre at Royal Darwin Hospital pulls…
Making the most of working in remote communities
Registered Nurse/Nurse Practitioner Chris Birch, from the CRANAplus Nursing & Midwifery Roundtable, shares a few tips to help health workers get the most out of working in remote communities.
2022 CRANAplus Conference preview
Discover the speakers, exhibition space, and social opportunities that await at the 39th Annual CRANAplus Conference in Adelaide this 4–6 October.
CRANAcast taster: Episode five with Dallas McKeown
In episode five of CRANAcast, Dallas McKeown, Executive Director First Peoples’ Strategies at CRANAplus and proud Aboriginal woman of the Yuwaalaraay nation, shares her journey from EN to her current…
Readiness for rural and remote healthcare settings
Being prepared is the key to working remotely, according to CRANAplus course facilitator, Registered Nurse Mark Dunn.
Student story: Tess’s outback adventure
At first, flooding cuts Tess Wallace off from her clinical placement in Alice Springs Hospital, but after undertaking an outback journey involving joeys, truckers, and mates from her childhood, she…
Student story: ICU nursing in Alice Springs
CDU student Madaleine Ellsmore’s placement in Alice Springs ICU allowed her to familiarise with new interventions, participate in difficult family discussions, learn from skilled mentors — and even…
CRANAplus’ evolving Mental Health and Wellbeing service
Executive Director, Mental Health and Wellbeing, Pamela Edwards, discusses the value of wellbeing workshops, the need to support the families of remote health workers, and new wellbeing resources you…
Critical Conversations — Free online course
A new, free, interactive online course called ‘Critical Conversations’ is available on the CRANAplus website. It prepares the workforce to navigate conversations with people who need support,…
Face-to-face workshops back in full force
CRANAplus Clinical Education Manager Leanne Laurie discusses how COVID-19 has evolved our course delivery, the enduring popularity of face-to-face courses, course updates and exciting conference…
New addition — Paediatric Advanced Life Support 101
CRANAplus has added Paediatric Advanced Life Support to its Paediatric Emergency Care course, preparing participants to deliver high-quality care to paediatric arrest patients.
MMM: What is it and why does it matter?
The Modified Monash Model (MMM) is the official method for classifying locations as cities, rural, remote, or very remote, writes CRANAplus Professional Officer Michelle Mason. Do you know how your…
Gaining skills through grants — 3 stories
Gaining skills, preparing to return to clinical practice, maintaining the remote skill set: these are some of the benefits made possible by Nurses Memorial Foundation of SA Grants through CRANAplus.…
Support key to WA’s Transition to Practice program
Making the transition from city and regional hospital settings to rural and remote health practice offers huge benefits to career nurses and midwives. But the experience can leave nurses, especially…
Could it be sepsis? The first national standard of care for sepsis patients
The first national standard of care for sepsis patients has been released in Australia, aiming to improve the recognition, treatment and management of the condition which is the body’s…
Healthy mums and babies
At our 39th Annual Conference, Co-Director of the Molly Wardaguga Research Centre and CRANAplus Fellow Sue Kildea will be discussing the state of maternity services in remote Australia and necessary…
Surviving extreme heat
2022 CRANAplus Conference invited speaker Dr Simon Quilty discusses how increased temperatures are impacting remote communities and what Aboriginal culture can teach non-Indigenous Australians about…
Five things you should know about RHD
The Rheumatic Heart Disease Endgame Strategy launched at the end of 2020. Some jurisdictions are now developing and launching their own RHD Action Plans. With the goal of eliminating RHD by 2031, we…
Ready for a Mental Health Emergency
By gaining skills in assessment, intervention, and referral, remote area nurses and health practitioners can drive positive outcomes when clients present with mental illness or severe distress, and…
Remembering Ray Wyeth
On October 11 2021, Nurse and Midwife Raymond Clifford Wyeth tragically lost his life while working in an ambulance in Stanwell, Central Queensland, along with the patient he was caring for. Ray’s…
Singing from the same song book
A stalwart in the remote nursing policy space, Heather Keighley joined CRANAplus as Senior Policy Adviser in December 2021. She discusses policy issues affecting remote area nursing, collaborating…
COVID-19 Safety on CRANAplus Courses
Deputy CEO and Executive Director of Education, Amelia Druhan, outlines CRANAplus’ COVIDsafe protocols for course delivery. Designed to keep the workforce and vulnerable communities safe, these…
2021 Membership Survey results: listening to your voice
The results of the 2021 CRANAplus Membership Survey are in. Find out why your colleagues stay remote, how COVID-19 has affected the workforce, and the advocacy priorities identified by our…
From ED to PHC: Leonie’s Leap of Faith
Leonie Higgs made a ‘leap of faith’ into remote health in late 2021 when she took a primary health care position in Cape York. We caught up with her in January to discuss her new sense of purpose,…
Improving safety in remote clinics: a Q&A with Laura Wright
RN and research student Laura Wright discusses the findings of The Remote Area Safety Project, her mixed methods study involving a literature review, survey, interviews, and policy analysis. What are…
Celebrating the life of NP Cathy Woods
Michelle Dowden recalls her wonderful Galiwin’ku Island colleague, Cathy Woods, who passed away in 2021 but who lives on in treasured memories of distributing ice-cream on Boxing Day and 3am debriefs…
Student Story: Immersion in Emergency
Lucas Revell from Edith Cowan Uni reflects on his month in Esperance, spent consolidating his emergency nursing skills by facing new presentations – including septic shock and mastocytosis – and…
Student Story: Building clinical reasoning in a less critical environment
Days spent gaining skills in venepuncture, arrhythmias, and wound care. Nights spent enjoying the Territory’s best chicken wings and cooling down in the local swimming pool with friends. Charles…
Fellow in Focus: Kathryn Zeitz
Kathryn Zeitz, an avid sponsor of the CRANAplus scholarship program to fund remote placements for health students, has fond memories of discovering the existence of our organisation back in 1998.
Moral injury and the COVID-19 pandemic
Have the pressures of the COVID-19 pandemic forced you to do things at work that go against your moral principles? You may be experiencing moral injury and its symptoms of guilt, anger, and…
MEC course updates incoming
A recent survey of Maternity Emergency Care (MEC) course participants is guiding updates to CRANAplus’ MEC Program. Using the feedback you provided, the Education Team are now busy updating the…
End of an Era: Farewell to Long-time Facilitator, Rosemary Moyle
A facilitator on the CRANAplus REC Course since the very beginning, Rosemary Moyle continued to bring her wide-ranging experience to CRANAplus courses until 2021. As she hangs up the boots, Rosemary…
Let’s CHAT about Dementia
The Let’s CHAT Dementia research project is set to drive research-informed best practice dementia care for Indigenous Australians living in rural and remote areas. Dallas McKeown, who is a member of…
SMS 4 Dads heads to rural and remote Australia
The call is out to all rural and remote health workers to spread the word to new dads and dads-to-be about a free text-based service designed especially for them.
Being an Aboriginal Health Practitioner during the pandemic
Geoffrey Ganambarr from the Marthakal Homelands Health Service has been an Aboriginal Health Practitioner for 11 years. His challenging role involves being the first point of contact and providing…
How is stroke retrieval changing?
“For the first time in Australia’s history, the Stroke Alliance aims to close the health care gap in providing stroke care across our vast continent,” says Skye Coote (NP, CCRN, MN, NVRN-BC,…
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Myth Busting with NOFASD Australia
CRANAplus catches up with Robyn Smith, the Helpline Manager for the National Organisation for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (NOFASD), to tackle four common Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder myths.
New resources to improve Quality Use of Medicines
NPS MedicineWise has just released three new resources to make it easier to follow a quality use of medicines (QUM) approach and reduce pressure on nurses moving between communities.
Student story: earning independence
University of Notre Dame nursing student Jennifer Kuppens discusses how her placement in Kununurra District Hospital improved her time-management skills, confidence and ability to prioritise…
Student story: my intrastate odyssey
University of Wollongong Nutrition and Dietetics student Gynette Reyneke recalls her placement in Broken Hill. A warm welcome, heritage and culture, and rewarding project work awaited her in the far…
Equal opportunities needed for all health students
Two thirds of nursing students never had the opportunity to complete a rural or remote placement, recent National Rural Health Student Network (NRHSN) research has shown. NRHSN Chair Jean-Baptiste…
Kellie Kerin: Upfront about Trauma, Turnover & Culture Shock
Short-lived attention to workplace safety for nurses and midwives in remote settings is nothing new. If RN Kellie Kerin, the NT Indigenous representative on the CRANAplus Nursing and Midwifery…
Meet 2022 OAM, Vicki O’Donnell from Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Services
Vicki O’Donnell, a Nyikina Mangala woman from Derby in Western Australia, is the third person in her family to receive the OAM for community work. Here she talks about the influence of her family and…
Improve your triage competency, online
CRANAplus recently launched Triage Emergency Care Online, a scheduled online course that makes triage competency attainable to remote health professionals who are affected by COVID-19 restrictions or…
New tool to fight infection in the tropics
Tropical areas across the top of Australia have a very high rate of potentially dangerous skin and other infections – and a very low level of information to support clinicians in treating these…
Neuroprotective developmental care
Dr Pamela Douglas, the Medical Director of Possums & Co., discusses the Neuroprotective Developmental Care Accreditation Pathway, for which the charity is offering 300 scholarships. She also…
Why we stay and why we leave
As part of her Flinders University Master’s of Remote and Indigenous Health, RN Jacki Argent interviewed seven experienced RANs for her study ‘Why we stay or leave and what we value: a qualitative…
A tropical transition to remote
We catch up with Madison Clark, RN with the Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service, to find out what it’s like to work near ‘the most beautiful beaches’, witness the impacts of health promotion…
Wound care training in remote NT
The Australasian Foundation for Plastic Surgery has conducted 20 wound care workshops and counting in the Top End, paving the way for faster-healing wounds, fewer infections, and locally provided…
Roundtable Round-up: Nurse Practitioner Candidate Emma Collins
The CRANAplus Nursing and Midwifery Roundtable discusses and reports on key issues affecting rural/remote health. Roundtable Member, Nurse Practitioner Candidate and Nurse Manager Emma Collins from…
Meet 2021 Collaborative Team Award Winners, the Midwifery Unit of the Coomealla Health Aboriginal Corporation
In the Far West region of New South Wales, Coomealla Health Aboriginal Corporation have been doing things differently. Midwife Debbie Towns discusses their innovative transition to a digital…
Meet 2021 Excellence in Research and/or Education Award Winner, Dr Kylie McCullough
Hear from Dr Kylie McCullough, lecturer at Edith Cowan University in Perth, on her early experiences in Kakadu, how they shaped her research interests, and how research into remote area nursing is…
Meet 2021 Excellence in Remote and Isolated Health Practice Award Winner, Helen Parker
Child Health Nurse with Mala'la Health Service, Helen Parker, has worked in Kenya, Saudi Arabia, and widely through the Top End. She reflects on becoming a nurse practitioner, a RAN's wide scope of…
Meet 2021 Aurora Award Winner, Terrie ‘Tess’ Ivanhoe
Tess Ivanhoe, Nurse Practitioner on the Chronic Disease Program at Nganampa Health Council, discusses how localised care can change health outcomes, the importance of understanding the community you…
Our new Acknowledgment of Country
Acknowledging Australia’s First Peoples is an obligation that CRANAplus embraces with deep commitment. Under the leadership of CRANAplus’ inaugural Executive Director of First Peoples’ Strategies,…
Just like the real thing: the new simulation tech changing how we learn
The more life-like a training scenario, the more meaningful the learning experience. CRANAplus constantly keeps abreast of the latest developments in simulation technology and a few recent…
Working through the bushfires: a psychologist’s experiences
Bush Support Line Manager Stephanie Cooper reflects on her experiences living and working on New South Wales’ south coast during the 2019/2020 bushfire season. As her story shows, even those with…
Eating well on the job: 9 nutrition tips
CRANAplus Senior Psychologist Nicole Jeffery-Dawes explains the connection between nutrition, gut health and wellbeing, and identifies nine ways to improve what you’re eating and drinking when…
Climate change and health
With a recent survey finding that more than half of the Australian health workforce are alarmed by how climate change is impacting health, CRANAplus is increasingly advocating for meaningful action.
Helping people become ‘health seekers’
Lesley Salem became Australia’s first Indigenous Nurse Practitioner 19 years ago. Now, she works in Doomadgee in Far North Western Queensland where the 2017-founded primary health care service is…
Student Story: From Katherine to Port Augusta
Kelly Ramsdale recollects the memorable moments from her professional experience placements – such as learning traditional weaving and the removal of a fist-sized carbuncle – and highlights the…
Student Story: Paramedicine, 750km from home
On the wide open plains of southwestern Queensland, hospitals and outside help may be far away. Nicolas Stanford reflects on his time as student paramedic on Charleville Station, the importance of…
Student Story: Lightening the Burden
Ballarat-based nursing student Molly Gladman’s four-week placement in Tennant Creek saw her gain experience in the general ward, midwifery clinic, renal dialysis unit, and GP clinic. Confronted by…
Fellow in Focus: Working for a fair and equitable society
Dr Scott Davis, a Fellow of CRANAplus, has worked in remote health for 30 years across the north of Australia and internationally, always with an eye on creating opportunities to support the…
CRANAplus People Power: Our three new Remote Clinical Educators
Meet Nicole Smith, Michelle Price and Leanne Laurie, three new CRANAplus Remote Clinical Educators who started in the last half of 2021. We discuss their backgrounds, what makes them tick, and the…
Facilitating courses is Ken’s passion
Ken Iles has participated in rescues following natural disasters, been a stand-by paramedic for your favourite reality TV show, and facilitated CRANAplus courses for 14 years. But it’s the remote…
Getting the #JabDone with Wuchopperen
Far North Queensland’s Wuchopperen Health Service discusses its unique engagement-focused approach to the COVID-19 vaccine roll-out, which includes community events, pop-up clinics and creating…
Meet the 2021 Gayle Woodford Scholarship Recipient
This year’s successful applicant for the Gayle Woodford Memorial Scholarship is Katie Yeomans, a proud Aboriginal Nurse of the Ngarigo Nation. A patient accumulator of the necessary experience, Ms…
Meet new CRANAplus Board Member, Naomi Zaro
At the CRANAplus Annual General Meeting in October, Naomi Zaro was voted in as the organisation’s newest Board Member. A proud Torres Strait Islander woman, Ms Zaro is eager to support the…
Occupational therapy in the Red Centre
Jordyn Iovino reflects on her clinical placement with Desert Therapy in Alice Springs and discusses how she has grown as a professional through increased cultural awareness.
Supporting farmers in remote Gippsland, Victoria
The Victorian Government announced funding for a Bush Nursing Pilot project this June. We catch up with Sarah Carr from Dargo Bush Nursing Centre to find out how the project is being implemented and…
Providing good preconception and antenatal care in rural and remote
Judy Burke has been working as the women’s and maternal health coordinator at Katherine West Health Board for the past two years.
Meet Deputy National Rural Health Commissioner, Adjunct Prof. Shelley Nowlan
Primary healthcare, women’s health, rural nursing, rural midwifery, and shining a light on nursing in the bush are key priorities set by the new Deputy National Rural Health Commissioner.
Vaccination – speak up loudly, reasonably and often
The awards just keep coming for Professor Sabina Knight, a key player in the creation of the Council of Remote Area Nurses of Australia (CRANA) back in 1983, the organisation that led to CRANAplus in…
From Cairns with love
Developing skills in the general medical ward and during home visits and experiencing Cairns by pushbike made this clinical placement away from her kids worthwhile for Nicola Dolan – and allowed her…
Health at great heights
Third-year nursing student Sarah Horn took to the air during her clinical placement at RFDS’ Meekatharra base. Despite the challenges of working at altitude and in intense heat, learning cultural and…
A welcome change of pace
Maigan Marrocco headed to Lake Grace in south-west WA to undertake her stage three nursing placement, with the financial assistance of a CRANAplus sponsored Undergraduate Remote Placement…
Fellow in focus: learning how to listen
Cross-cultural nursing, and certainly Remote Area Nursing (RAN), were basically unheard of in Australia when Registered Nurse Toni Dowd began practising in the late 1970s.
Facilitator spotlight: following in family footsteps
Catch up with Keppel Schafer, CRANAplus Facilitator since 2011. Keppel followed his grandmother’s steps into healthcare and is passionate about the transition from paper-based to digital…
Another day, another lockdown: Coping with pandemic fatigue
We take a look at pandemic fatigue affecting the Australian health care workforce and outline how to cope.
You don’t know what you don’t know
Nurse Practitioner Lynette Byers, now in her third term on the CRANAplus Board, has seen many changes in the past nine years. Here she talks about her passion for education.
Fellow in Focus: Turning up at the coal face
Each edition of the magazine, we talk to a Fellow of CRANAplus, people who work tirelessly in their roles in rural and remote health and who we have recognised for their efforts. This month we…
A dream come true — eventually
CRANAplus facilitator Kathy Arthurs always wanted to be a nurse and to work for the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS). She studied nursing straight from school, in the days of hospital training. But…
My favourite placement
Physiotherapy graduate Georgina Haire discovered a silver lining when her final placement was interrupted by COVID-19 restrictions last year. Here’s her story.
Smitten by life in Esperance
Verity Lee, who studied at Edith Cowan University in Bunbury Western Australia, says her six-week placement in Esperance in WA was the perfect way to complete her Registered Nursing degree. Here’s…
Wonders and hurdles of rural midwifery
Mathilda (Tilley) Wilson, who completed her Bachelor of Midwifery at Charles Darwin University last year, summarises her final placement.
Fellow in Focus: Prepared to talk
Senior Mental Health Clinician, Sophie Heathcote, was in the first batch of Fellows of CRANAplus announced at the organisation’s conference in 2011. She has a long history with the organisation:…
The right direction for Emma
A chance meeting at a bus stop catapulted new CRANAplus Board member Emma Barritt from the world of academia into life as a remote area nurse in Indigenous communities in Outback Australia.
A priceless experience
Mental health nursing student Gabrielle Wilton recently travelled to Nhulunbuy and Groote Eylandt in East Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory
for her remote placement experience. Here’s her story.
Remote experience will open your eyes
Occupational Therapy student Natasha Clegg had no idea what to expect when she undertook a remote placement. Having completed it, she now believes everyone attaining an allied health degree should…
The Esperance experience
Emily Bean feels fortunate that she completed her nursing degree with a placement in Esperance in Western Australia. Here she outlines all the reasons why.
Meet Professor Sabina Knight, 2020 Remote Health Professional of the Year
Professor Sabina Knight, Director of the Centre for Rural and Remote Health at James Cook University, based in Mount Isa, is the 2020 recipient of the prestigious Aurora Award from…
Meet Di Thornton, 2020 recipient of the Excellence in Remote and Isolated Health Practice Award
Di Thornton gains recognition this year because of her exceptional response to the COVID-19 pandemic while serving small-town communities either side of the Victoria/South Australia border.
Meet 2020 Collaborative Team Award Recipients, CRAIG TEHS Primary Health Care
The COVID-19 Response and Action Information Group (CRAIG) at the Top End Health Service (TEHS) has worked tirelessly since the arrival of the pandemic in Australia to produce plans and procedures…
An experience to cherish
Occupational therapy student Elyse Krsanac at Curtin University says her placement at Alice Springs Hospital earlier this year “was easily the most rewarding experience of my life so far”.
Scholarships a financial boost during placements
The CRANAplus scholarships are a great boost to help relieve financial stress for recipients undergoing their placements says fnursing student Elise Thornwaite who is studying a Bachelor of Nursing…
Walking side by side
Decision time came 45 years ago for Nurse Practitioner Stephen Farrington when he met a young boy sitting with an old man carving a boomerang at Uluru. That decision was to spend his working life in…
Keeping Birthing on Country in the spotlight
Sue Kruske and Sue Kildea, midwives and leading university educators based in Alice Springs, are passionate about building knowledge of, and expanding services for Birthing on Country.
Meet the 2019 CRANAplus Award Winners
The CRANAplus awards are always a highlight for conference delegates, and in maintaining tradition they were awarded at the conference dinner in 2019. The awards are an opportunity to recognise those…
Having a whale of a time in the Great South West
CEO of Heywood Rural Health, Jackie Kelly swaps big city living for life on the beach.
In love with Alice
After completing a student placement in Central Australia, Registered Nurse Melissa Godden has returned to the Northern Territory to undertake a Graduate Nurse Program at Alice Springs Hospital. She…
Prepared for the challenges
A nursing background in trauma management, and working for 16 years in a remote hospital in his home land, Zimbabwe, prepared Freedom Zulu well for the challenges of working in Pormpuraaw Primary…
Play together, stay together
Mutton birding, Reiki healing and golf: these are just three of the varied activities on truwana/Cape Barren Island that are helping the locals follow their motto of “the community that plays…
First taste of remote nursing: from ICU to Ali Curung
Self-exposed ‘quintessential city slicker’ Charlotte Sumskas, a Critical Care Registered Nurse, recently went bush for a remote clinical placement. These are her thoughts, penned in the midst of her…
Maningrida to Manhattan
Registered Nurse Sue Ellen Kovack left her nomadic lifestyle as a remote area nurse in Australia for the Big Apple in November 2016. As she says, she went “from one extreme (in so many ways), to…
Barefoot Initiative — Lexi Keneally
We first met Lexi Keneally and family back in the March/Autumn 2013 Magazine. Here she catches us up on the amazing work being done by the Barefoot Initiative on the International stage.
A Paramedic Intern in the Northern Territory – A Personal Experience
‘Do you want a job as a paramedic in Darwin?’... ‘Yes please! Where do I sign?’ A few weeks after travelling to Darwin for an intensive 2-day interview process, Trent Ramsay received the above call…
Step out of your comfort zone
Being a student is the perfect time for stepping out of your comfort zone and taking new opportunities, says third year nursing student Lilly Sideris.
Multiple positive experiences in Indigenous Health
Indigenous health has always been a passion for Katarina Samotna, a 3rd Year Bachelor of Nursing student at Charles Darwin University. And her recent placement in the remote Indigenous communities of…
Anyone for an e‑Cuppa?
Marcia, Katrina and Leanne shared an ‘e-cuppa’ on Skype celebrating 12 months with the CRANAplus LINKS mentoring program.
Dental Student on Wheels
Traveling in the purpose-built dental van to provide services in aged care facilities in the Port Macquarie region was a highlight for Jessica Zachar, a Final Year Dentistry Student at Charles Sturt…
Cake to Cape
Four medical students from Dundee Scotland recently completed a fortnight’s placement in the remote Aboriginal community of Napranum on Cape York peninsula, 800kms north of Cairns.
Flexibility proves key on clinical placement
Connie Hierl, a 3rd year Bachelor of Nursing student at Griffith University in Southport, has discovered firsthand how nurses working in remote areas need to be flexible in an ever-changing…
Revelations at One Arm Point
3rd Year Bachelor of Nursing Student at Uni SA, Rory McGrath-Swan shares his story of 'a great opportunity'. A stint at One Arm Point, about 200 kilometres north of Broome on the Dampier Peninsula,…
Flying high and delving deep
Dianne Few shares insights into the diverse roles and locations that working as a remote area nurse has to offer.
What I would have missed
Ever considered going Remote? CRANAplus Member, Pam Wade felt the need for a sea-change. See her short story here.
Clinical skills pushed to the limits
For Angela Ramsay and Ely Taylor, two students from Canberra whose clinical nursing experience to date was bound to hospitals, “going remote” was both eye-opening and refreshing.
“Going South” to Antarctica
Dr Lloyd Fletcher, who spent 12 months in Antarctica as the Dr on Australia’s Davis Station, says he would recommend the experience of “going south” to anyone.
Palpable respect and pride
Libby Bowell, Director of Education for CRANAplus, says that the recent Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander (ATSI) health worker course in Cairns “pretty much confirms that my goal for the last…
Living the dream
A love for tiny little towns, isolated islands and the Aussie outback! Nancy has a passion for public health and improving living standards for those in far-flung corners of the world.