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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 at communications@CRANAplus.org.au
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…