COOEE! April 2008

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Welcome to the NRHN!

Did you know that as a Rural Health Club member, you

are automatically a member of the National Rural Health

Network? If you have joined your Rural Health Club this

year - Welcome. If you’re an existing member - Welcome

Back!

The NRHN is the peak body that harnesses the passion

of health students through representation, networking,

professional development and initiatives to increase

the health workforce and health outcomes for rural and

remote Australians. It is made up of 25 University Rural

Health clubs located around Australia, in all states and

territories. The Network is multidisciplinary, covering

medical, nursing and allied health courses, and comprises

a member base of almost 6000 students.

Since the last Cooee, we welcome three new Rural

Health Clubs to the Network. We welcome CRANC from

the University of Canberra, KRASH from Notre Dame

University Broome Campus and Deakin University

Geelong Campus. It is through the hard work of each

Rural Health Club that has allowed the NRHN to be the

success it has been over the past 10 years.

Continued page 2

• Rural Health Club Reports

• NRHN/AMSA Bursaries

• Wide Horizons: NRHN Documentary

• NURHC 08 Report

• NRHN Alumni

• Portfolio Reports

• Members Stories

• Placement Reports

• Conferences of National Significance

2008 Co-Chair Report

Photo: Courtesy of Kenichiro Noda, RUSTICA

2008 Photo Competition Winner

C o o e e ! A p r i l 2 0 0 8

2008 Co-Chair Report

Welcometo Cooee!...Continued from page 1

As the 2008 Co-Chairs, we come from different

states and study different courses. Shannon is a

third year medical student from the University

of New South Wales as a member of RAHMS

in Sydney, and Felix is a third year paramedical

science student from Charles Sturt University

as a member of TEHC in Darwin. Like the

NRHN, our courses of study are diverse and

multidisciplinary in nature.

It has been an extremely busy year for

the Network and we’re only 4 months in!

Hopefully, you would have heard of some

exciting work the NRHN has planned for 2008.

We have recently launched the “Wide Horizons:

Health students get out of town” documentary

DVD, focusing on the experiences of three

health students undertaking a rural placement.

Within the next month, we will be launching

our revised Rural High School Visit (RHSV) kit

and website, to help support your clubs’ RHSV.

Keep an eye out for it!

You may have heard of, or even attended the

National University Rural Health Conference

(NURHC) recently held in Launceston, Tasmania.

This national gathering of students from around

Australia focused on the theme “The Rural

Health Heartbeat: Empowering the Students of

Today to become the Workforce of Tomorrow”.

Over three days, we heard from inspirational

speakers, challenging our views of rural health

and the importance of multidisciplinary and

interdisciplinary health professionals in our

modern health workforce. This was also our

10th NURHC and was marked with a fantastic

formal dinner. A special thank you to Matthew

Cane, Andrew Tierney and Matthew Van

Zetten as the Co-Convenors for NURHC, and

to Kylie Carlson, NURHC Event Coordinator, for

their wonderful and tireless work in bringing

NURHC to life. Congratulations to all award and

competition winners and we look forward to

seeing you at the 11th NURHC!

The National Rural Health Network

is supported by financial assistance

from the Australian Government.

Every year, representatives from each Rural

Health Club and the Executive Team meet for

their biannual Face to Face. This jam packed

day involved discussions and planning for

the year ahead, setting the direction of the

Network for 2008. Face to Face was a fantastic

opportunity for each club to network and

put forward their views for the benefit of all

health students. Congratulations to each Club

representative for their amazing insight and

views to drive the Network forward in 2008.

We would also like to take this opportunity to

thank the 2007 Council for their hard work. We

especially also wish to thank the 2007 Chair,

Claire Seiffert (ARMS); Litsa Kane (Executive

Officer), Linda Nink (Senior Project Officer) and

Kerryn Eccleston (Project Officer) for the tireless

work they have put in to guiding the NRHN

through a period of an additional 6 clubs to the

Network (CRANC, Deakin University-Geelong,

NERCHA, KRASH, RHUUWS and TEHC).

The 2008 NRHN Exec team consists of the Co-

Chairs (Shannon and Felix), Secretary (Fiona

Langelaan) and Executive Officer (Litsa Kane).

To complement our diverse team, we also have

Linda and Kerryn based in the Rural Health

Workforce Australia offices in Melbourne.

Please feel free to contact us at any time – we

look forward to getting to know you and to

hear the exciting and great things happening in

Rural Health Clubs around Australia.

We hope you enjoy this edition of Cooee!

Shannon Nott and Felix Ho

2008 NRHN Co-Chairs

This issue of Cooee! is bursting at the seam and

it’s all thanks to the incredible amount of work

and effort all of our fantastic members have

achieved over the past 6 months.

The Rural Health Club reports are filled with

fun and exciting events ranging from Welcome

BBQs to a Dinner Under the Stars to Bushdances

to RAW (Rural Appreciation Weekend) where

students get a taste of life on the farm.

There are numerous rural placement adventures

to read about. There’s Claire Seiffert’s account

on overcoming her fear of single engine plane’s

in Oenpelli, Robyn Billing’s brush with fame on

the way to Dalby and Jerry Moore overcoming

obstcle’s to be able to attempt new things as a

student Nurse in Darwin.

We also have a great report from one of our

Alumni members - Angela Titmuss tells us what

she’s been up to since graduating last year

and how being a member of the NRHN while

studying has helped her with settleling in to her

internship in Alice Springs.

There is a NURHC 08 round-up from the jovial

RUSTICA Co-Convenors (how they managed to

fit it all in to one article, I don’t know) as well

as reminders of who our well deserving award

winners were including the Photo Competition;

which you will find entrants photos throughout

this issue.

We have a wealth of Indigenous information and

updates from Michael O’Halloran’s Close the Gap

article and events listing to Marion Davies AIMED

website report.

Our other stakeholder organisation and portfolio

representatives have also provided updates.

Don’t forget to check-out all of the fantastic

opportunities that are available to you as a Rural

Health Club member and a health student with

the Conferences of National Significance (CoNS)

update and NRHN/AMSA Bursaries that are now

on offer.

There are also updates about the many

different projects that the NRHN undertakes

such as the National Membership Database, the

documentary ‘Wide Horizons. Health students

get out of town.’, the Rural High School Visits

Kit, the NRHN website and Croc Festival®.

We hope that this edition of Cooee! is helpful,

inspirational, infomative and motivating for you

and your Club members. Enjoy!

National Policy News

The national policy space is very busy at the

moment – to say the least!

We had the Australia 2020 Summit which was

to come up with ‘big ideas’. The health section

focussed very much on the development of

a national preventative health organisation

(similar to the VicHealth model).

The Federal Government also asked for the

Department of Health and Ageing to undertake

an audit of rural health workforce shortages.

We contributed a significant piece of work to

assist their considerations (with a strong focus

on the future health workforce). Minister Roxon

has promised to publish DoHAs advice to her

so we will watch this space. We should have

a map for what the direction the Government

sees for the future of rural health professionals

and their communities.

The National Health and Hospitals Reform

Commission has asked for submissions to

inform their deliberations around the future

of the Australian health system. We are

working to develop a submission by the end

of May deadline. Our submission will focus

on infrastructure (including for education and

training) and viable models of rural primary

health care service delivery (to ensure you have

a quality workplace when you graduate from

University).

Your Conference – What a Success!!

Myself and the Board of Rural Health Workforce

Australia attended the NURHC in Launceston

earlier this month. You were absolutely

passionate about rural health and rural life.

All who heard from you were inspired by your

dedication to assisting rural communities.

For those of us who look at the health

workforce in rural and remote areas, the

conference gives us great hope that we will

have more health professionals living and

working in rural Australia very soon.

So how do we help you to become rural health

professionals in the future?

You were very clear about the type of working

environment that you want. You want to work

in teams and you want work-life balance. You

will not negotiate on this.

We are going to need to move quickly to ensure

that you have a workplace that reflects these

ways of working. We need it to be there when

you graduate. We will need to deliver what

you want or you will leave. We understand

that. Our challenge is now to build a working

environment that you students would choose.

Rural Australia as an employer of choice – that

is our aim.

Who is RHWA?

· Kim Webber, CEO

· Litsa Kane, Operations Manager and NRHN

· Mandy Leveratt, Policy

· Jeremy Maddox, Data

· Linda O’Meara, Finances

· Linda Nink, NRHN

· Kerryn Eccleston, NRHN

· Estilita Vaz, Administration

· Loretta Walshe, Media and Communications

It’s all happening!

Editorial

NRHN & Rural Health Workforce Australia

Dr Kim Webber, CEO

Cheryl McMullen

C o o e e ! A p r i l 2 0 0 8

AURHA:AdelaideUniversity, SA

Coming back from the summer

our first task was getting new

members signed up from both

the fresh year ones as well as the

second to fourth years.

We ran a conjoint BBQ with our

medical society. More than half of

first years signed up which was

fantastic. Concurrently we got

the annual Bushdance planning

underway. The committee was

overwhelmed by the supportive

response from the first years

participating in this planning with

such short notice. The night itself

was a success with a good mix of

members from year one to four.

We also managed to run a couple

of rural shows in Bombala and

Cooma.

Upcoming events:

Bungendore skills day;

Goulburn Show, 5th April;

Year One rural week, 7-11th April;

National Close the Gap Day, 22nd

April;

Moruya Family Health Day, 28th

April;

Monthly club meeting, 15th April

– 6pm;

Annual AGM, 29th April.

Since our major membership drive

event, the Welcome BBQ held

at the end of February, we have

signed on many more members

than in previous years, including

major increases in dental and

nursing student members.

Unfortunately our RHSV

information evening planned for

March had to be rescheduled,

however we have four for this

year, and they look like they will

be a success yet again (and we are

excitedly awaiting the new NRHN

kit!) This year they are planned for:

Limestone Coast (Mt Gambier and

Naracoorte) April 10 – 11;

Clare and Burra, May 29;

Spencer Gulf (Pt Augusta and

Whyalla) July 24-25;

Murray Bridge and Tailem Bend

Sept 5

Following the success of our

inaugural Dinner Under The Stars

last year, the 2008 version was

held Friday 28th March. Due

to trouble finding a venue, the

go-ahead only came very late,

and our very capable, wonderful

event coordinators whipped it up

in a couple of weeks. Held in the

‘mystery location’ of West Beach

function room, our guests were

treated to magnificent views of

the setting sun over the sea on

one side, and the sparkling lights

of the city on the other. We were

lucky to have Prof Radford as our

guest speaker, who amused and

awed us with his stories of many

missions overseas and to remote

parts of our own country. He has

led an amazing life and achieved

much, and hopefully inspired our

members to go out and achieve

our own dreams.

Coming up we have events such

as Clinical Skills trips, RHSVs,

information evenings, and

Campfire08 – SA’s mini-NURHC.

We are very pleased to announce

that this event (Campfire07) won

the NRHN ‘Best RHC Event’ award

for 2007 along with FURHS and

ROUSTAH. Many thanks to all who

were involved!

Jasmine

Banner

ARMS:AustralianNational University, ACT

Yu-Ting

Huang

CARAH have started off 2008

in spectacular fashion taking

out the Runners Up prize at the

NURHC Golden Windmills. A

choreographed performance

to ABBA’s Dancing Queen with

outstanding costumes (see photo

below) obviously impressed the

judges - and certainly surprised

us! We had 7 members attend

NURHC which has definitely

rejuvenated our enthusiasm and

we look forward to increasing

our membership this year. We

are planning activities and

opportunities to work with TEHC

and KRASH in joint Rural Health

Club efforts to promote rural

health in Australia’s top end.

CARAH: Charles Darwin University, NT in assoc. with Flinders Uni, SA

O week 2008. What a week! With

every new intake of health students

there is a new intake of club mem-

bers! This year we focused on being

at the places the health students

were. A stall at the Uni Life Expo

for two days and a presence of club

members at the orientation BBQ for

the health faculty proved to engage

this year’s first year students. Many

expressed interest and put their

names down for the first First Aid

Course we will run this year and a

few on scholarship (and even some

without a scholarship!) enquired as to

how they might become involved in

our Club. Our stall was run in con-

junction with Newcastle University’s

Psychology Student’s Society and we

saw many psychology students join

both Clubs.

Our first Exec meeting for the year

saw many dates set for more ex-

citing events, including our annual

welcome dinner cruise which took

off just last Friday! Many stu-

dents, old and new, attended for

a buffet dinner and dancing while

we trekked around the beautiful

Newcastle harbour and took in

the views. It was a great time for

socialising and getting to know

our newest Club members! All in

all it was a good night despite the

chilling breeze....

Future events include our skills

nights. Due to popular demand,

this year we have decided to run

two separate evenings for medical

and allied health students, cater-

ing to each of their demands

and hopefully in doing so allow-

ing even more students to come

along!

We look forward to a great year

and a wonderful time down in

Launceston, learning from other

Clubs and sharing in their passion

for rural health!

BREAATHHE:University ofNewcastle, NSW

Mary Stokes

CRANC, was established in

December of 2007. Even though

this club is still in its infancy

members have been busy laying

the foundations for a Rural Health

Club that will operate long term

for the benefit of both rural

students and students that wish

to have a ‘rural experience’ as

part of their learning while at the

University of Canberra.

We have had a recruitment drive

at our University orientation

week; been liaising with staff to

promote our Club and looking for

mutually beneficial opportunities

to work in rural health and talking

to students to raise awareness of

the benefits of working in rural

areas. We have pledged four $500

scholarships to help with rural

placements, and are looking at

other ways to encourage students

to see rural work placement as a

viable and beneficial experience.

All of this has been while also

drafting a constitution, electing

office bearers, organising a logo

and promotional material. ARMS

is close by and we have been

fostering relations with them to

bring as many like-minded people

together.

We are organising a member’s

BBQ in April in conjunction with

SHAG week (sexual and general

health week). We plan to hold our

first AGM in May.

CRANC: University of Canberra, ACT

Lyndall Hayes

C o o e e ! A p r i l 2 0 0 8

Deakin University Rural Health Club has been in the making for the past

couple of months with the steering committee working hard to promote

the club across Deakin’s four campuses and get the elections for the

positions of president, vice-president, secretary and treasurer underway.

We are very excited about the level of enthusiasm shown by students

and there has been a great expression of interest from medical, nursing,

allied health and health science students alike. We look forward to

creating exciting, meaningful and relevant experiences for our members,

to concreting relationships between budding health professionals and to

giving a name to our fantastic Rural Health Club.

FURHS has started 2008 with the

fresh enthusiasm that comes with

a new scholastic year, when exams

and assignment due dates are

furthest away!

In 2008 our activities and

events will again continue to

raise awareness of rural health

issues amongst our members,

sponsors, networks, and the

wider university community, as

well as taking an active role in

promoting health careers to rural

high school students. Activities

have been designed to encourage

participation across all health

disciplines, to provide social and

networking opportunities, as well

as supporting the consideration of

rural needs in university courses

and clinical placements.

We continue to work towards

greater coordination and

cooperation with the two other

South Australian clubs, AURHA

and ROUSTAH, planning Rural High

School Visits (RHSVs) collectively,

and welcoming members from all

three Clubs to attend each trip.

Highlights so far this semester

have included our ongoing

relationship with the Royal Flying

Doctor Service facilitating student

attachments, and our O-Week

events within various health

disciplines to promote FURHS and

recruit new members.

The FURHS Shin Dig barbeque

and Annual General Meeting

was recently held to elect the

remaining 2008 committee

members. The Shin Dig also

served as this year’s first full Club

social event, and included a photo

competition with prizes kindly

donated by our club sponsor,

Ramsay Books in Adelaide.

The FURHS committee welcomes

the following newly elected

members who join those members

already elected at the end of 2007:

Robert Carey (Medicine) – Junior

NRHN Rep;

Robert Pannell (Nursing) – Nursing

Rep;

Anne Durdin (Medicine) – Junior

Treasurer;

Andrew Reid (Paramedics) –

Paramedic Rep;

Briony Harris (Medicine) – Medicine

Rep;

Eaka McDonagh (Speech Path.) –

Speech Path Rep.

Planned events still to come this

semester include:

Wilderness First Aid training

weekend;

Rural High School Visits in

conjunction with AURHA and

ROUSTAH;

Rural trips to Port Augusta, Quorn,

and the Anangu Pitjantjatjara.

Yankunytjatjara lands in central

Australia, run by the Rural Doctors

Workforce Agency, local health

professionals, and FURHS.

With a new committee of highly

motivated members from various

disciplines, and many exciting

events already planned, 2008

is shaping up to be another

extremely successful year for

FURHS.

For further details contact James

Bonello (bone0022@flinders.edu.

au).

FURHS:FlindersUniversity, SA

James Bonello

DeakinUniversity, VIC

Bree Slusarczyk

Photo: Jeanita Wong

In entering 2008 LARHC has under-

gone a major face lift. The Faculty

of Health Sciences at the La Trobe

University Bendigo Campus has

collaborated with LARHC, giving

us their full support. Previously

LARHC was coordinated through

the Student’s Association, but now

our headquarters are closer to

home!

A new committee was elected

at the end of 2007, and the

executive includes:

President: Emma Morgans

Vice President: Julie Gittins

Secretary: Jonathan Oram

Treasurer: Sean Fanning

NRHN Senior Representative:

Catriona Williams

NRHN Junior Representative: Fiona

Dingwall Stewart

The City of greater Bendigo

Council has shown a keen interest

in LARHC and our activities, and

the club President has been

invited to attend the council

meetings.

Like all clubs we are eagerly

awaiting the upcoming NURHC.

Ten LARHC delegates will be

attending the event, three of

whom will present on the subjects

of oral health and rural pharmacy.

The social committee has been a

hive of activity lately. LARHC has

again entered a team in Relay

for Life, and planning for the

2008 Health Sciences Ball is well

underway.

All the best for 2008, and we will

keep you posted.

In February 2008 the students

of the University of Notre Dame

(UNDA) Broome were given the

go ahead from the Department of

Health and Ageing to start their

Rural Health Club and were

delighted to christen their club

Kimberley Regional Alliance for

Students in Health (KRASH), at the

National University Rural Health

Conference (NURHC) in

Launceston, April 3rd to 5th.

So now we have a name what

next?

The newly elected club president,

Jerry Moore and NRHN Senior

Representative, Clare Kennedy are

keen to rally the students across

professions, to represent

Registered Nurses, Enrolled

Nurses, Rural Clinical School

attendees and Aboriginal Health

Workers, not only in Broome but

through out the Kimberley and

Pilbara regions. On return to

Broome the 9 enthusiastic

students who attended NURHC will

launch KRASH and begin to build

the empire with the support of the

NRHN, UNDA Broome and other

Broome organisations, such as

Kimberley ABC Radio.

Planned for the year are joint

ventures with our northern

neighbours TEHC and CARAH

including a Rural High School Visit

in Kununurra. We can’t forget our

southern neighbours, SPINRPHEX

and WAALHIIBE, who have already

shown us much support and

we will be liaising with them

throughout the year. We look

forward to creating a support

network within our community

and thank the NRHN for the

privilege of being a part of this

dynamic organisation.

LARHC:La TrobeUniversity, VIC

Catriona

Williams

KRASH:Notre DameUniversity, WAKristie Ballagh

C o o e e ! A p r i l 2 0 0 8

Another busy year has

started at CSU Albury with

MARHS in the thick of it.

MARHS’ annual stall at the

orientation week market

day wasn’t a huge success

as the only rain in about a

month decided to descend

on our lovely outdoor

stalls, keeping the crowds

away. However, we made

up for that with a get to

know you BBQ. We had a

great turnout with a lot of

new faces present which

was very pleasing.

The following week we

had the MARHS AGM,

again we had a great

turnout and lots of 1st

and 2nd years put their

hands up for positions

on the Exec, a great

effort on their behalf.

As always there have

been lots of ideas flying

about, such as organising

a multi-disciplinary ball

which would hopefully

involve our sister club

WARRIAHS. Our biggest

priority at the moment

is putting the finishing

touches on our part in a

massive health careers

day being held at CSU. For

this MARHS has teamed

up with several tertiary

institutions and the local

branch of the Australian

Industries Group to get

300 high school students

from in and around Albury

to come along. This is

going to be a huge day so

hopefully we can spread

the good word about

health careers to many

students.

As it was a very short

term hopefully everybody

will come back after

the mid semester break

ready for a bigger and

better term with MARHS.

And finally, the lucky 10

students who are heading

down to NURHC in

Launceston are thoroughly

pumped and can’t wait

to head down as it will

surely be a blast.

2007 was another successful year

for MIRAGE, many thanks to our

ex-President Ray Burghen whose

enthusiasm and dedication to the

club has been overwhelming.

The year started with O-week,

followed by our annual welcome

drinks at the Marly Hotel,

Newtown, both events saw a large

number of new members signed

up.

MIRAGE conducted three RHSV

during ‘07. The first trip to the

south coast - Narooma and Bega

– featured insights into local

Indigenous history and culture

with Noel Butler, meeting some

of the local health professionals

and students from ANU as well

as engaging in some of the local

activities, a winery visit, cheese

tasting in the cute town of Tilba

and time at the beach, dolphins

and seals included! The second

RHSV of the year sent a small

group of medical students out to

Broken Hill where we conducted

our biggest session yet with

over 100 high school students in

attendance, we even made the

front page of the local paper. The

final RHSV of the year was a group

of allied health students flying to

Ballina to visit schools in Byron

Bay and Maclean, a huge success.

The annual MIRAGE harbour cruise

in April saw a dark and stormy

night fall upon Sydney yet it didn’t

stop 120 keen MIRAGER’s hopping

aboard a rusty old boat. The theme

being B+S (Bogan’s and Seedy

Prom dresses) allowed students to

let their hair down and meet the

other members of MIRAGE.

In May another fantastic

Indigenous Health Forum was held

at Sydney Uni. There was a huge

turnout of people there to listen

to an outstanding panel discuss

issues relating to health equality

in 25 years. The panel included

such speakers as Jimmy Little, Dea

Delaney-Theile, Aboriginal Liaison

officers from RPAH, Jeff McMullen

and was brilliantly hosted by Julie

McCrossin. CrocFest was again a

resounding success with 2 groups

of students heading to Dubbo

and Kempsey to participate in the

festival of Indigenous activities.

This was preceded by the holding

of a cultural awareness day at

Sydney Uni arranged by MIRAGE.

A first for MIRAGE in ’07 was a golf

day sponsored by MDA it saw 25

eager golfers hacking their way

around al local golf course.

This year has also seen a bigger

push to recruit more allied health

students from both the main

campus and Cumberland with

several successful events including

BBQ’s and the multi disciplinary

health night have already been

held.

2008 should see a great year

for MIRAGE, with scholarship

education nights, conferences,

harbour cruises, welcoming drinks,

high school visits and a tennis day

already being planned.

MIRAGE:University of Sydney, NSW

Robyn Billing

MARHS:Charles SturtUni, Albury, NSWDan Baker

NERCHA (New England Rural Club

for Health Alliance) has started the

year with a major membership

drive at UNE’s o-week activities.

We have welcomed our first

members from nursing, medicine

and psychology and are looking

forward to inducting our new

executive in the coming weeks.

We hosted our first Club event

earlier this month. A free barbecue

with live band and membership

drive. It was a great afternoon for

all, and it was great to see all the

support from the academic staff.

Half of our original group will be

travelling to Launceston for our

first NURHC, along with some of

our new members and we are all

extremely excited about meeting

our fellow rural health enthusiasts.

We are looking forward to our

events for later this year and hope

to welcome more of UNE’s many

health students to NERCHA.

Outlook continues to participate in

the rural health team meetings at

uni allowing a great opportunity

for us to provide information

about our activities and find out

more about what is happening re:

rural health on the university front

which is invaluable.

We hope all the clubs enjoyed our

new merchandise items at NURHC

and look forward to unveiling

them to our membership.

We are excitedly joining up

students from various Universities

and fostering their involvement (a

committee position is available for

a representative of these students

but remains open currently)

because we would love to have

them around for input and ideas

and to spread the love that is rural

health care.

Semester 1 has started with

membership drives, visits to the

rural clinical schools, planning

activities for the year, a trivia and

movie night, and working with a

Dr who is an ex-Outlook member

in a pilot Indigenous student

OUTLOOK:University ofMelbourne, VIC

Alyson Kelly

mentoring project that we hope to

commence later this year.

We are getting organised for a

Close the Gap Day, combined rural

scholarship/bonded students’

dinner, an international health

debate and many RHSVs on the

horizon. Our Annual Discussion

dinner continues to be the highlight

and planning is underway already.

Our website on the NRHN website

is set to be transformed and

shaking a move with Monash with

the continuing success of the Rural

Careers Weekend to be hosted this

year by Monash. In case this wasn’t

enough to suck our members dry

there is a blood drive coming up

and many more activities as the

ideas come together.

Peta Macdonald

NERCHA:University of New England, NSW

Peta McDonald

C o o e e ! A p r i l 2 0 0 8

For RAHMS it seems, we just

can’t help but go off with a

bang. Rather than getting off

to a sluggish start, the first

portion of the year that is 2008

has been somewhat intense.

Due in no small part to our

somewhat prominent presence

at the UNSW O-week this year,

our club numbers are at record

levels. It was with some fervor

that the newly formed executive

organised our first social event for

the year, a meet and greet for all

the new members down at ‘The

Donnie.’ The numbers spoke for

themselves, and it really was a

great start to the year, in many

ways setting the scene for our

Exec to make the year a big one.

An honorable mention must go

out to our Rural Appreciation

Weekend, affectionately dubbed

RAW, which was tantalisingly

alluded to in last year’s edition of

COOEE! Taking place in October of

2007 on a property in the lovely

town of Dunedoo, the students

undertook a range of activities

that promoted rural lifestyle.

Such activities included talks

from local GPs, snake education

session, sheep dog/shearing

demonstration, Aboriginal cultural

awareness session and various

other networking opportunities.

We’re quite proud of the

outcome, and an encore is already

formulating. Shannon Nott, NRHN

Co-Chair and RAHMS Exec was

the head of the operation, and

Shannon is intending to run a

session at the inaugural NRHN

conference in a week aimed

at teaching other clubs to run

similar events, and is something

definitely worth asking your

conference delegates about!

Some of our up and coming

events include our mental health

speaker night, for which we are

lucky enough to have former

opposition leader John Brogden

speaking; more Rural High School

Visits to rural NSW, another

extremely popular clinical skills

night, and we are looking at

having fortnightly yoga classes of

which the proceeds will be going

to our charity of choice. We are

indeed on a RAHMpage…

It is looking like a big year for RHINO

in 2008. Despite initial difficulties,

we’ve kicked off the year well with

an extremely keen Executive and

a motivated committee. We have

plenty planned to keep our members

busy and get RHINO back on track for

2008.

Even with a late start this year we’ve

already held two very successful

events and an extremely productive

Rural High School Visit trip. Our first

event was the sign-on BBQ. This

year we rewarded new members

with a free welcome pack. The pack

included scholarship information,

a welcome letter and a free

promotional RHINO T-shirt. Proving

to be quite a success, RHINO ran out

of welcome packs and swelled in

membership numbers.

To keep the ball rolling we held a

social event to facilitate networking

and promote our planned events.

This was, again, a great success

resulting in another surge of new

members. Events such as the Joint

Rural Health Club Weekend, Rural

High School Visits and a number of

Social events were promoted at the

evening.

Rural High School Visits continue to

be a large part of our commitment

to promoting rural health. This year’s

team, led by the experienced Mitch

Sharrock , visited Ingham, Tully,

Innisfail and Ravenshoe. The team

enjoyed educating the children

while sight seeing and consuming

ridiculous quantities of lamb (a

RHINO tradition).

RHINO also sent a delegation to

NURHC 08. The enthusiastic team

returned victorious after beating

TROHPIQ in the “It’s a Knock Out”

games and receiving the “special”

award at the Golden Windmill’s night

(thanks go to Joel for his quick save

by taking the nationally renowned

radio and news personality Julie

McCrossin for an unexpected spin

across the dancefloor).

RAHMS:University of NSW, NSW

Hassan Ahmad

RHINO:James CookUniversity, QLD

Andrew Scott

2008 is a year of change for

ROUSTAH we have:

Changed our logo;

Set up administrative systems;

An almost full Executive

Committee;

Re-vamped the website;

Obtained an on-campus office;

Changed from our hotmail e-mail

to a UniSA based e-mail account;

Updated our constitution and

added 3 $600 Rural placement

Assistance Grants to our budget;

The main focus so far this year has

been to set up our Head Quarters

in an office on-campus. We

have also focused on obtaining

merchandise to help promote our

club to the many health students

at UniSA. Time has also been

spent tidying up and delegating

the roles & duties amongst the

new Exec.

Events to date include the RFDS

BBQ and a welcome dinner for

new members. 22 enthusiastic

new members attended and all

are keen to be active participants

and learn more about the club. It

was a great chance for networking,

socialising, eating and playing

games for the chance to win Uni

book voucher prizes. ROUSTAH,

along with FURHS and AURHA are

busy organising and preparing for

the first RHSV of the year to Mount

Gambier. There are also plans for

regular get-togethers, and social

events for members to network

between the tri-club. .

Recruitment and communications

has also been a big focus. A

ROUSTAH stall was created for the

UniSA U-week roadshow, where

we gained 44 new members.

NURHC delegates and executive

committee members were

recruited via email and ‘word of

mouth between members’. The

majority of our communication is

via email but we have also been

working on an online database for

online registration, email and SMS

system with AURHA and FURHS.

It has been a very positive year

thus far with so much more to

accomplish and with so many

new members and a nearly full

executive committee, achievement

is on the horizon.

Fun, food and festivities marked the first

RHUUWS AGM! The night started off with a

welcome by the President, Brooke Wilson,

an OT student. This was followed by very

interesting and inspiring speeches about

rural placements and Croc Fest. One of the

speakers, a Medical student, has even been

able to experience helping to deliver a baby

in a rural hospital!

The night also held nominations and voting

for the new RHUUWS Executive. We are very

pleased to congratulate Sarah Galloway

(our new President) and Fay Lewer (Vice

President), as well as the other members of

the new Executive.

This night was the culmination of much

hard work from the RHUUWS team. During

the past year we have established the

club, organised sign-up days, and taken our

member numbers from 8 to over 200. We

are very appreciative of the help from the

NRHN in helping us establish our club, and

for their ongoing support. We also thank all

of our new members for their enthusiasm

and commitment to rural health.

We are currently planning a clinical skills

night and further support for our members,

such as scholarships to attend conferences or

for clinical placements in rural areas. We look

forward to a bigger and better year to come!

ROUSTAH:University of South Australia

Renae Strugnell

RHUUWS:University of Western Sydney

Caitlin Szemenyei

C o o e e ! A p r i l 2 0 0 8

Its been a good start to 2008 down

in the land where devils roam. We

got loads of interest on orientation

days for Med and Pharmacy, as

well as societies day, all back in

February, with close to 300 sign

ups.

Societies day went so really well.

Rustica welcome, held a few

weeks later was also our best

attended yet, or at least that I can

remember. Once again we decided

to go with subsidised meals that

were so popular last year - and the

food went down a treat. Rustica

also hosted a welcome bbq for

northwest clinical school students

at Burnie park. This was also very

successful with nearly 50 people

attending. We even had an easter

egg hunt held after dinner and

the Rustica NRHN reps were both

very successful. Other events

planned this semester include a

scholarships info night, clinical

skills night, and an electives info

night.

We have of course been very busy

organising NURHC as well - with

the co-convenors all being on the

Rustica committee. With luck all

will go well, and everyone will

learn lots while having a good

time.

Rustica is also supporting the work

of 2 final year medical students

who have created a Indigenous

electives information website.

Its official launch is at NURHC, so

check it out - www.aimed.org.au

On 28th July 2007, SHARP

members volunteered at the

Annual Police Charity Ball which

is a well recognised community

event that raises funds for local

charities and projects. Half of the

Ball’s proceeds this year went

to the UOW Graduate School of

Medicine Clinical Skills Laboratory.

SHARP assisted on the night by

selling numbered balloons for

prizes!

Later in the year SHARP hosted

Sergeant J Klepczarek from

the Illawarra Police as well as

other dignitaries for the official

handover of the cheque from the

Illawarra Police to The Graduate

School of Medicine after the

Policeman’s Charity Ball in July.

SHARP also received a certificate

of appreciation at the conclusion

of the event to recognise SHARP’s

support for the Illawarra Police

Charity Ball and associated

charities.

19-21st October 2007 - Rural

Appreciation Weekend: SHARP

members joined RAHMS members

to head North to Shannon

Nott’s family farm in Dunedoo

to experience ‘RAW’. Shannon

planned the event in such a

way so that the 36 students in

attendance could participate

in events that promote a rural

lifestyle.

Some of the activities organised

included talks from local GPs,

an education session with a

‘snake man’ and a sheep dog

and shearing demonstration. The

students also participated in an

Aboriginal cultural awareness

session and returned to UOW with

new networks and friends.

9th November: Visit from Gordon

Gregory- Executive Director of the

National Rural Health Alliance: The

event allowed for students to be

informed about the implications

of the upcoming election on the

health system in Australia. Gordon

Gregory was on hand at UOW to

discuss these issues. An informal

discussion was held about the

upcoming election, where the

major political parties stood on

health issues in country-region

Australia and what promises have

been made.

9th February 2008 - SHARP ‘Med

Camp’ Workshop: So far, we’ve

been busy this year signing up

new members. SHARP participated

in the Medical Student’s Society

‘MedCamp’ with a CrocFest

demonstration of plastering and

face-painting. The event allowed

us to talk about the benefits of

being involved with SHARP and

the diverse range of opportunities

for great experiences and personal

development.

18-20th February 2008 - O-Week:

Sharp’s O-week involvement

started off with a presentation

to all first year students studying

a health degree followed by

a faculty BBQ run by SHARP

members. Clubs and Societies

Day followed. Both days saw us

increase our membership, get to

know the first years…and also

allowed us our first opportunity to

display our latest club shirts!

6th March 2008 - Welcome

To Country: SHARP hosted

representatives from RAHMS

(UNSW) at the Wollongong

International House ‘Welcome to

Country’. Students were treated to

a number of dance performances

by the ‘Little Nargums’ and were

introduced to some native snakes.

SHARP:University of Wollongong

Naomi

Piyaratna

Rustica:University ofTasmania,

Matthew Van Zetten

Last year ended with some great

events. Two guest speakers,

Aboriginal Health Workers visited

our lunch time meeting and BBQ.

They discussed their roles as AHW’s

that include being translators,

caring for community and family,

along with trying to be leaders

for their mob. Another spicy social

event was the TEHC Doctors and

Nurses Ball. It was to promote the

new Club and launch the logo. The

wickedly fun evening included

a fashion parade and health

promotion. Many new members

were signed up on the night.

2008 started with O day and Meet

& Greet Drinks and BBQ. TEHC

members organised a stall with

health promotion information and

health items in show bags. The

TEHC members manning the stall

signed up 20 new members and

many 1st year Pharmacy students

joined the club. We also had two

CDU Social Work Lecturers speak

of their role in training people in

remote communities in the Night

Patrol program. They spoke of

the cultural and communication

issues that must be addressed

and assessed when going into the

communities, followed by yes…

another BBQ. We also launched an

exciting new website and email.

A new committee and executives

were elected. TEHC are enthusiastic

and ramped to charge into the

activities the club has planned for

2008.

Some events planned are:

Camping and skills trips to remote

NT;

Close the Gap Day;

Health Days at CDU. Starring

activities and information about

healthy eating, diabetes, asthma

and cardiac problems;

TEHC has club members going to

both Central Australia and Top End

Rural High Schools Visits trip with

GPPHCNT;

A Formal Dinner is planned

with invitations extended to

influential multidisciplinary health

professionals in the Top End;

A Black Tie Ball in association with

the CDU Pharmacy club (TEPSA);

TEHC Club Rural High School Visits.

On the 10th March SPINRPHEX held

our first club meeting of the year,

with over 300 people turning up

to sign up for 2008. With record

numbers of students we actually

ran out of application forms and

had to dash off and photocopy

more! The evening entailed a

delicious BBQ, followed by some

plaster casting fun. Students from

the four different universities

SPINRPHEX encompasses (UWA,

ECU, Curtin, ND), all joined in on

the plastering workshop run by

an Emergency Registrar from

Sir Charles Gardener Hospital.

The event was a huge success,

and hopefully wet our members

appetites for events to come in

2008. Our next events will be

a multidisciplinary clinical skills

night, and our annual Nanga Bush

Camp- which this year has the

theme of “Nanga Survivor- Bush

Challenge”.

SPINRPHEX also had ten keen

delegates attend the 2008 NURHC

in Launceston. This was a jam-

packed few days of rural passion,

culminating in some fantastic

costumes and networking. One

goal which has risen out of our

attendance to this years NURHC,

will be establishing a close

working relationship with ‘KRASH’,

the new RHC in Broome, W.A.

Currently SPINRPHEX has a great

relationship with WAALHIIBE, and

we are looking forward to creating

support networks with our new

friends in Broome.

Finally, I would like to welcome our

new Junior NRHN Representative

onboard: Phillipa Gray.

SPINRPHEX:University of WA

Tashunka

Taylor-Miller

TEHC:Charles DarwinUniversity, NT

Therese Humphrys

C o o e e ! A p r i l 2 0 0 8

What do you get when you mix a bus load

of health students with the ever flexible ‘I

haven’t been able to move like this since

I was in primary school’ game of Twister?

The annual WAALHIIBE/SPINRPHEX

executive committee weekend of course!

What began with a rowdy bus ride out to

Camp Leschenaultia in Chidlow (a small

town in Perth’s Eastern Hills) soon

developed into some obligatory (yet

riveting) ‘get to know you’ ice-breakers

where names were learned.

After some initial sore heads, moans and

groans our respective club

presidents whipped us into shape to

TROHPIQ is again back into the swing of

things for the year with a new executive

and management committee.

We again have a very full calendar and

we have tried to keep a good mix of

academic and social activities. Last

year we introduced a new initiative

with our skills workshops, where basic

clinical skills are taught to new students.

This year, we have managed to gain

sponsorship for these activities and they

continue to be one of the most eagerly

anticipated TROHPIQ events. Another

new event last year that proved popular,

and is being continued is a day at the

country races, which was an excellent way

of showcasing the great social opportunities

a rural lifestyle can afford. This year we are

planning for a new initiative of a “rural careers

night” in which we are hoping to provide

information on the range of health career

options available, how to pursue those options

and guest speakers who have been involved in

the field. We are also currently investigating

the possibility of setting up some information

on rural elective options available to students

in an effort to encourage students to undertake

their practical placements in rural areas.

Planning is continuing for the upcoming joint

rural health club weekend, where students

from UQ, JCU, Griffith and Bond universities

will be meeting up for 3 days in Rockhampton.

This weekend continues to be one of the most

important on the TROHPIQ calendar and is a

great social and networking opportunity.

Our efforts to have a more multidisciplinary

focus at TROHPIQ are continuing with tickets

now being specifically reserved for allied

health for events, some club meetings being

held at the main university campus, where

allied health are based as well as an allied

health careers night.

Another commitment made by TROHPIQ

this year is to increase support available to

UQ’s 4 rural clinical schools of Rockhampton,

Toowoomba, Hervey Bay and Bundaberg.

We have allocated funding to each school to

support a group building activity between the

students of each particular campus.

organise the exciting year ahead. WAALHIIBE’s

year is full of Rural High School Visits,

conferences, multi-disciplinary nights, guest

speakers and CrocFests®, but fear not we

managed to squeeze in the odd sundowner!

We also concentrated on strategies to increase

our active membership across universities and

allied health courses, so if you or anyone you

know is studying an allied health profession

and is not yet a member then visit our

Facebook site (a new initiative) and view

upcoming events, members and how to

become a member.

The two clubs then joined forces to compare

and contrast our yearly plans and began some

preliminary organisation of joint events.

It was a great and very productive weekend

hopefully to be followed by a great and

productive year (that’s where you guys come

in).

TROHPIQ:University of Queensland, QLD

Alicia Lorenz

WAALHIIBE:Curtin Uni & Edith Cowan, WA

Joan Kelly

WARRIAHS:Charles SturtUniversity, NSW

Lauren Frieze

WILDFIRE:MonashUniversity, VIC

Samantha

Buchholz

WILDFIRE has started 2008 with

a bang! We have continued our

usual early year activities and

discussed and planned new

events. To start the year with the

new council and sub-committee

structure, each campus had a

clinical signup day for 3rd, 4th

and 5th year students. This was

a great day to get back members

from previous years and also

inform students who haven’t

previously been involved.

Although we would have liked

greater numbers it was still a

pleasing turnout.

Our next event was O-week

‘Med-Fest’ for freshers on Clayton

Campus. This was a fantastic

time for us all to meet the new

medical students and talk to them

about WILDFIRE and its role. A

lot of students were extremely

interested in hearing about rural

placements and the possibility

of ‘going rural.’ We had a great

turnout and the students really

enjoyed meeting each other.

We had snow-cones, music

and WILDFIRE thongs for a hot

summers day!

O-week also saw the annual ‘Get

Plastered’ night, where freshers

come to socialise with each other

while the committee plaster their

arms! With plaster everywhere,

freshers laughing and the

committee in hysterics, the night

was enjoyed by all.

During 1st term, we held our

annual ‘Dairy Day’ where all

medical and allied health students

were invited to come and sign-

up, and work their way through

100 litres of ice-cream. Again,

the students continued meeting

each other, especially 1st years

meeting 2nd years. Although we

would have liked to see more

of an interest from allied health

students, the medical turnout was

impressive. Recruiting more allied

health students is something

WILDFIRE will be looking to

improve.

Another event coming up is

the annual Matthew Campbell

Memorial Evening. This event is

in memory of Matthew Campbell,

a medical student who tragically

passed away several years ago in

his 2nd year at Monash. Matthew

had a great interest in Indigenous

health, and we have a variety of

speakers coming to speak about

their experiences in this field.

Most campuses are attending with

Mildura campus planning to host

their own separate showing for all

students and staff at the Mildura

campus.

WILDFIRE’s new structure has

changed the way we approach

social activites this year, with all

events this year being extremely

successful.

Hello! 2008 has started and

Warriahs is up for some big events.

We topped the club charts at clubs

day by recruiting 300 + members

which is a great turnout.

Soon after we held our annual

commencement dinner; it was

a huge smash with 188 people

attending. One member walked

away with a $100 Co-Op book

voucher after winning the lucky

door prize.

Already we have had one

member go to a CoNS to the

Northern Territory for a Nutrition

Conference. Hopefully, more follow

in her footsteps and experience

these kinds of events first hand.

We are encouraging members to

go on CoNS by promoting it with

flyers and information.

We are planning the usual events

this year such as the Annual Ball,

Cadaver Trips in Albury, High

School Visits, Health Expos, and

Trivia nights as these are always

big hits.

This year we are looking towards

planning a bus trip to UNSW

to visit the Museum of Human

Disease. This should get many

students attention as some

haven’t visited it before or haven’t

seen it since Yr 12.

Other than that, we have danced

our hearts out for the Windmills

contest for our swinging sixties

theme. We have our own Austin,

and Goldmember its going to be

very shagadelic baby!

C o o e e ! A p r i l 2 0 0 8

Well who would have thought - the small

Tassie town of Launceston could hold perhaps

the best NURHC ever! (OK - so we’re biased

because we organised it - but it was pretty

bloody good!)

Nearly 300 students from all over the country

crossed the Strait and set up camp in Launnie

for the three day conference. After checking

into hotels, (and a few caravans), we all

trekked off for a little speed-dating/meeting

session. The MC was hoping for a few hook-

ups, leading to marriage and the formation

of husband-wife multi-disciplinary teams in

the bush. We’re not too sure of some of the

outcomes of the evening but it did set up the

conference to be a scorcher.

The conference was launched by Professor

Rosemary Calder, from the Department

of Health and Ageing, whom we would

once again like to give our thanks to. Their

confidence in and support of what the NRHN

can achieve was highlighted by their continued

funding of the NURHC. Day time festivities

were well controlled by Master of Ceremonies,

Julie McCrossin. Julie did yet another fantastic

job of keeping discussions on track and guiding

us towards some valuable recommendations

for the Network to take further action on.

The excellence of all speakers makes it too

hard to mention them all here (just look for

a program) but some highlights were Dr Tilak

Dissanayake’s presentation on his journey to

the “rural-side” and the launch of the NRHN

documentary - “Wide Horizons” (coming soon

to a DVD store near you). Thursday night saw

some fierce inter-health club rivalry and some

strong inter-disciplinary team work, with

our very own “It’s a Knockout/Gladiators”

challenge. A few sprained ankles and bruised

egos were the only negatives of the night, with

everyone getting involved and enjoying the

chance to be kids again.

Friday’s program focused on working in

Indigenous communities and on the Northern

Territory emergency initiative before heading

out to suss out some of the tourist attractions

of Launceston - namely the Cataract Gorge,

the Tassie Devil park and the Tamar Island

Wetlands. Big things happened that evening

with the annual Golden Windmills competition.

Personally, I believe Rustica’s performance

was prematurely ended, but Outlook did

show us that “Outback’s Back, Alright?” with

their rendition of the Backstreet Boy classic,

“Everybody”. Thanks must also go to our panel

of expert judges.

Saturday was perhaps the most valuable day

as far as future directions for the Network were

concerned. Presentations on the changing face

of rural health services and the involvement

of rural health opportunities in our education

had everyone warmed up and thinking for

the facilitated discussion that afternoon. Julie

McCrossin led the delegates through discussion

of recommendations and outcomes that we

want the NRHN to work towards this year. Our

Co-Chairs, Felix and Shannon, have their work

cut out for them to address all these issues and

get the ball rolling on improving our positioning

for better rural health. Saturday night saw the

conference closing dinner at historic Clarendon

House. Everyone frocked up and had a great

night, before making final farewells to new

found friends.

In conclusion, we have to thank everyone

who was involved in the organising of this

conference. So many people had to be involved

to make this event happen and everyone

did a fantastic job. We have to thank all the

delegates too, for attending, opening their

minds, and hopefully for spreading the word to

others about what happened when they return

home.

Andrew Tierney, Matthew Van Zetten, and Matt

Cane

10th NURHC Co-Conveners

NURHC 08Photo Comp

The NRHN had a tremendous response (191 photos infact!) to the NURHC 08 Photo Competition, and we thank

all members who submitted photos. 20 photos were then selected to be finalists by the NURHC Social Working

Party. These 20 photos were then voted for by all NURHC delgates and 1st, 2nd and 3rd prize was awarded to

the photographers at the dinner dance on Saturday 5th April at Clarendon House.

1st Kenichiro Noda (aeroplane) 3rd Joshua Crase (Volkswagen cars)

2nd Brendan Jubb (river reflection)

NURHC 08Awards

The NRHN awarded its inaugral $1,000 award

to ROUSTAH, FURHS and AURHA for their

combined effort in having the best club event

in 2007. This event was Campfire which is a

rural health conference for students studying

health related disciplines in South Australia.

Rural Health Workforce Australia presented

its inaugral award to recognise outstanding

dedication and leadership to a Rural Health

Club. The succesful recipients of this award

were Nick Knowles and Aleem Khalfan from

CRANC for their outstanding contribution in

setting up CRANC at the University of Canberra.

Nick and Aleem shared the $2,500 award for

their oustanding contribution.

Rural Health Workforce Australia together with

the National Aboriginal Community Controlled

Health Organisation (NACCHO) presented their

inaugral award recognising an outstanding

contribution to Indigenous Communities to

Marion Davies. Marion was award $2,500 for

her work within the RUSTICA club as well as

her contribution to the AIMED website. This

website was subsequently launched at the

NURHC. Check out www.aimed.org.au for more

information. It really is a great site so jump on.

The NRHN will be working with Marion and

RUSTICA over the coming months to promote

and make the site even bigger and better for

ALL multi-disciplinary health students.

The Janie Dade Smith Award was presented

to Emily Caroll (1st Prize), Telena Eastley(2nd

Prize) and Joshua Crase (3rd Prize) to recognise

and encourage them for contributing to rural,

remote and Indigenous health. Many thanks

go to Janie Dade Smith for her contiued

support for this award and also to Christopher

Cliffe for presenting the award to the recipients

at the NURHC.

The Australian College of Rural and Remote

Medicine yet again presented it’s President’s

Prize to a lucky Medical Student at the formal

conference Dinner. This saw one surprised

Medical Students name drawn out of a ‘Top

Hat’! Fiona Langelaan was the lucky winner

of a $2,500 prize to go towards the costs of a

rural or remote placement in 08.

On behalf of all the students (and of course

the winners) we’d like to thank RHWA, ACRRM,

Janie Dade Smith and oh yeah ourselves!! for

their support to the NRHN and it’s members.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd apologised to all

Indigenous Australians on Wednesday 13th

February of this year. In particular, he apologised

to the Stolen Generations for the actions of

previous Australian governments. Their

assimilation policies destroyed the lives of

hundreds and thousands of Aboriginal & Torres

Strait Islander people.

The Australian Governments integration and

assimilation policies uprooted and (in many

cases) destroyed the lives and identity of

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

This transgenerational trauma can be observed

through issues we see everyday in the media,

including (but not limited to) substance misuse,

abuse, suicide, self-harm and deaths in custody.

A report is to be released in April bringing

together ideas that were generated at the

Indigenous Health Equity Summit that was held

at Parliament in March. The report is to outline

practical measures to close the Indigenous and

non-Indigenous life expectancy gap. Tom Calma,

the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Justice

Commissioner told The Koori Mail that the key

issues include getting more Aboriginal

people into health-related professions,

improving primary health care and more focused

health promotions would be included in the

report.

This is directly related to us as future health

professionals! So if you ever feel unmotivated

with your studies just remember that - We will

be working in the health sector as the GAP

CLOSES!!!!

For more information on the Stolen Generations,

check out the Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Social Justice ‘Bringing Them Home’ website.

http://www.hreoc.gov.au/social_justice/bth_

report/index.html

To see the complete version of the Federal

Parliament’s apology to the Stolen Generations

go to www.nrhn.org.au/indigenous.

We are the Generation that will Close the GapMichael O’Halloran, Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Representative

C o o e e ! A p r i l 2 0 0 8

Well, I don’t know if I can exactly say what I am doing now with any

authority as I have only been working since January!

So the abbreviated history is that I am now undertaking my internship

at Alice Springs Base Hospital – I have just finished my first rotation in

emergency (which I really enjoyed) and now hit the surgical ward…..

Why did I choose Alice Springs? That is the question a lot of people

asked me but I suppose I would say to you – why not? I fell in love with

Central Australia when I started my John Flynn placements here in 2001,

and then returned as a youth worker in a remote community. So when

I was deciding where to do my internship it seemed the logical choice,

probably the best explanation is that it seemed the most ‘real’ place to

me.

Here are some of those realities….. riding out to Simpson’s Gap at

sunset after work, seeing the colours of the sun over the ranges,

climbing Mt Gillen and looking down over the town, meeting old friends

unexpectedly in town, always bumping into someone you know at the

shops (don’t try to keep secrets in your shopping basket!), or having

an old lady yell down the main hospital corridor at the top of her voice

‘Hey Nungarrayi, is that you? You’ve got fat!’– much to my obvious

embarassment….. and the amusement of many bystanders…..

And for those of you worried that by going ‘rural’ you will somehow

‘miss out’ or have disparate learning experiences, I believe that I have

actually got lucky. I have been well supervised, encouraged to try new

things, to practice procedures, and have observed and managed illnesses

that I would not even have seen in the ‘city’ (especially as a junior) –

from the lady with a mycotic aneurysm or another with Lyme disease, to

severe pneumonia or a very dehydrated child, to a patient ‘crashing’ on

the ward late at night, to an unfortunately high incidence of assaults, to

pericardiocentesis being performed on the ED floor!

And I have learnt one very important skill (especially in a person with

the tendency to interrupt or talk a lot!) – to take a good history through

holding back, through listening, and through paying attention to what

has not been said. Cultural issues permeate every aspect of health

here and I have also learnt to really consider how I can provide good

follow up and adequate health care to patients with difficult social

circumstances – you have to be creative in organising follow up care

when someone’s home address may simply be ‘in the scrub, near

Batchelor College’!

And don’t worry about me being isolated! I have actually run into past

members of the NRHN also working here – so for those of you who

know them - Megan Crowe from FURHS is working as a graduate speech

pathologist in the Community Child Health Team, and Tim Saeger from

WARRIAHS is working as a community pharmacist, then_ heading off on

his big overseas adventure!

The NRHN Alumni helps the rural passion of graduated students keep

growing by keeping them in contact with one another as well as with

rural health organisations. To join the Alumni go to www.nrhn.org.au/

alumni or email kerryn@nrhn.org.au.

Conferences of National Significance (CoNS) Funding

CoNS is changing...The new CoNS application form, guidelines and calendar are now online at www.nrhn.org.au/cons

for your chance to experience a wealth of information like many other Rural Health Club members

have previously logon and submit your application. The process for applying for CoNS funding is now

easier and more streamlined. There is an online application form that is automatically sent to the

NRHN.

Since July 2007 we have had 45 successful CoNS applications representing 14 of the 25 RHC’s. We

hope for all clubs to make use of this great resource by applying for funding also. Club members can

also check out students conference reports on the NRHN website to find out what they learnt and the

latest news in their health field.

NRHN AlumniDr Angela Titmuss

Rural and Indigenous health provides a fantastic opportunity for health

practitioners to experience challenging, holistic and hands-on medicine

in areas of definite need.

The National Rural Health Network (NRHN) and Australian Medical

Students Association (AMSA) recognise and encourage students who

choose to undertake their elective in a rural, remote or Indigenous

community. Together, we provide two annual Rural Elective Bursaries

for medical students, one for nursing students and one for allied health

students. Each bursary is valued at $1000, and is designed to help with

the cost of planning and undertaking the elective.

AMSA and NRHN also offer two prizes for an essay on any aspect of

Indigenous health. Each prize is valued at $1000, with one awarded to a

medical student and the other to an allied health or nursing student.

How to apply:

Go to the NRHN website and follow the links under “Scholarships”

Applications are due by close of business on August 31, 2008

For more information please contact the NRHN at amsa@nrhn.org.au or

the AMSA Rural and Indigenous Officer at rural@amsa.org.au

NRHN/AMSA Bursaries

‘Wide Horizons. Health Students get out of town’ Documentary

NRHN Website

www.nrhn.org.au

Rural High School Visits

National Membership Database

The NRHN is creating a student and alumni membership database that

encompasses all Rural Health Clubs. The aim of the project is to create

a repository of all student information so that individual clubs can

generate the reports they need to for the NRHN, RUSC and scholarships

such as JFPP and RAMUS/RAHUS in a more straightforward manner. The

database will also make upkeep of email distribution lists and rolling

students over into the NRHN’s new Alumni program a much easier

process. The database will assist the NRHN in writing reports for its

funding bodies, to show the number of students from each discipline

who are involved in their Rural Health Clubs. The database will also

make online sign up available to students and rural health clubs.

At present, the NRHN is in the requirements gathering phase of

the project. For the next month or so, the membership database

subcommittee will be asking the Rural Health Clubs and administrators

for their membership form and reporting needs. Following this a

prototype site will be constructed and a Rural Health Club will be

selected to pilot the database for a month or so. Then, there will be

a time for merging the current individual Rural Health Club databases

with the NRHN online membership database. Once this is completed,

you will have access to your own portal of information related to your

membership with the NRHN and your Rural Health Club.

If you have any queries regarding the online membership database you

can email: kerryn@nrhn.org.au

As many of you may know, Croc Festival® is

not being funded in Australia this year. Talks

with the organisers reveal a lack of funding

fom Government. So what does this mean

for clubs? The NRHN is currently having talks

with the organisers of Vibe Alive. Although the

NRHN is still finding out more info, Vibe Alive

is a two day festival for young Australians of

all backgrounds that promotes Aboriginal and

Torres Strait Islander cultures and encourages

tolerance and teamwork. Vibe Alive will be

held in five locations across NSW, QLD, WA,

SA and VIC in 2008. Vibe Alive incorporates

music, sport, dance and art in a high-energy,

youth-friendly setting. Participants also have

the opportunity to meet inspiring role models,

learn about healthy living and career options.

Many updates and changes are underway on

the NRHN website. Hopefully by the time

you read this, all club reporting requirements

will be available on line - saving everybody

paperwork and time!

NURHC photos and presentations are being

uploaded for you to have a look at and re-live

your favourite memories.

Clubs now have access to their RHC page to

update and maintain, giving a much greater

opportunity to keep your members up to date

as well as inspire other clubs.

If you have any suggestions, improvements, or

unformation for the website please email us!

Rural High School Visits has had some major

redevelopments over the past few months. The

Kit has changed and now includes a brochure

to hand out to interested parties, an A5 Quick

Reference Guide, a website and much more.

The Rural High School Visits website

www.nrhn-rhsv.org.au

is due to be lanched in May and will be a great

resource for Rural Health Club Members, high

school students and parents.

The Rural High School Visits Kit will be fantastic

for your Club to use when organising a Visit

as well as for when you are at each of your

visits. So jump onto the website in the next

few weeks or give the NRHN team a call on 03

8825 4500 for all your RHSV needs!

Croc Festival®Update

Wide Horizons: health students get out of town is a new NRHN docu-

mentary recently launched at the NURHC. It follows 3 students (Josh

Crase - med, Felix Ho - allied health and Rachel Jenkins - nursing) who

have grown up in city areas but have chosen to undertake a rural place-

ment as part of their studies.

It follows the highs and lows of these placements, their social experi-

ences (which range from bungy jumping to horse riding) and of course

their clinical experiences while on placement.

The aim of the documentary is to promote the benefits of doing a rural

and remote placement in the hope that all health students can see the

advantages of going bush (even for short stint!)

7000 copies of the documentary are currently being developed and will

be distributed to all clubs in the coming weeks. It will also be streamed

on the NRHN website at www.nrhn.org.au.

The NRHN would like to thank all the individuals who have worked tire-

lessly on this documentary. In particular we thank Loretta Walshe (Execu-

tive Producer) and our 3 wonderful students – Josh, Felix and Rachel!

So keep an eye out and spread the word for your fellow students to Get

out of town!

C o o e e ! A p r i l 2 0 0 8

Despite being a city girl born and bred in Perth, Tashunka Taylor-Miller

says, “I chose to go into my medical degree at University of Western

Australia as a bonded scholar with my eyes wide open. I knew I wanted

to go rural in my career because I think it’s a privilege to be able to make

a real difference in a rural community.

“As part of my John Flynn scholarship, I’ve had two fantastic placements

at Dunedoo in rural NSW which have reinforced how you need a really

diverse knowledge and a broad range of clinical skills in rural practice.

You almost feel you need to be everything for everyone.

“I have a particular interest in specialising in ENT (Ear, Nose and Throat)

as part of Paediatrics. I have studied Otitis Media which is endemic

amongst Indigenous children and has a devastating impact on their

ability to interpret language and express themselves - which in turn has

a huge impact on their education.”

Tashunka visited the remote community of Mullewa for CrocFest® as part

of her role as senior NRHN representative for SPINRPHEX. She explains, “I

had an absolutely wonderful time and it made me even more interested

in Indigenous health. I’m hoping to transfer to the Rural Clinical School

in Broome next year. One day, I would like to be part of the Royal Flying

Doctor Service team but I’m not sure yet in what capacity – maybe as a

GP or a paediatrician.”

Tashunka juggles three part time jobs with her studies and her role as

a netball coach, umpire and player. She encourages the high school

students she coaches to strive for their goals and says, “You don’t have to

be the brightest. You just have to knuckle down and work hard - and you

can achieve your goals.”

Tashunka explains that when she was at high school, “I considered being

a lawyer, an astronaut or an Olympic athlete. I always wanted to be a

doctor too but didn’t dare to dream I could get into medicine because a

careers counsellor told me I was stronger in the humanities subjects. But

I’ve made it to 4th Year Medicine and I love it!”

I stepped foot on the dirt airstrip at the Oenpelli airport, having survived

a single engine flight from Jabiru (1 pilot x 1 engine = 1, my rule on

flying already broken – the number of pilots multiplied by the number

of engines should be equal or more than 4!) just after midday on

January 15 and was immediately overwhelmed by the mozzies, heat

and sauna-like humidity. My 5 weeks of Top End tropical delights and

the war on monster mozzies had just begun! And here I was terrified of

encountering snakes and crocodiles…….

Oenpelli, otherwise known as Gunbalanya, is a small Aboriginal

community of approximately 800 people, located in the middle of the

flood plains on the edge of both Kakadu and Arnhem land. In the wet

season, it is cut off by the swollen East Alligator River. Jabiru is only

about 45 minutes away when the river can be crossed. The community

has its own store (very expensive! 1 onion = $4), a famous arts centre

(Injalak Arts), a club where alcohol is served for 2 hours on 3 days of

the week, and a school. It also has a health clinic which hosts 1 GP, 1

junior doctor, 3 locally-trained Aboriginal Health Workers and 5 nurse

practitioners.

Having previously visited the community in May 2007 during my rural

term, it was like returning home (although much, much hotter!) and

within 2 hours of arrival, I was consulting patients (many of whom I had

met the year before). The teamwork, camaraderie and lack of egos are

striking features amongst the clinic staff. The nurses are amazing and

the GP is simply brilliant – patient, culturally sensitive, encouraging and

willing to let you try anything.

During my time in Oenpelli, I spent a large proportion in single engine

planes, praying for dear life (I’m surprised they passed any safety

inspections!), with the Outstation nurse. Once to twice a week, we

would fly out to very remote communities in Arnhem land and conduct

clinics out of sheds or on verandahs. Everything from antenatal checks

to rheumatic fever and tuberculosis to melioidosis would be encountered.

I quickly became an expert in delivering massive glue-like Pan Benz

injections into a squirming child’s buttock and ignoring the ensuing

screams.

My accommodation was in a “Blue House”, provided by NTGPE (Northern

Territory General Practice and Education – a fantastic organisation

providing amazing experiences), which is a self-contained air-conditioned

(although it often didn’t feel like it!) house. Students do not have to pay

for accommodation but must pay for phone costs, electricity cards and

food. Flights into and out of the community are also covered by NTGPE

so it makes for a very cost-effective elective! My total costs over 5 weeks

were around $800, including my flights to and from Canberra-Darwin.

Expensive food, stifling heat and man-eating mozzies were the only

lowlights but the scenery (as seen above) well and truly outweighs all

of these! This short report by no means does justice to the amazing

cultural, medical and personal experiences that I encountered. I highly

recommend the Top End and a remote Aboriginal community as an

elective placement to any healthcare student. Oenpelli is simply

stunning country, with beautiful people and a brilliant clinic.

Oenpelli PlacementClaire Seiffert

Our Members:Choosing a Bonded Scholarship

Tashunka Taylor-Miller

We had a fantastic turnout at NURHC 08 with

130 allied health students in Launceston

representing over 12 differnt allied health

disciplines ranging from dietetics to speech

pathology.

2008 will be a big year for the allied health

portfolio as we strengthen relationships with

key stakholders such as Services for Rural and

Remote Allied Health (SARRAH) and National

Australian Pharmacy Students Association

(NAPSA) who were both represented at NURHC

08, and many others.

All allied health students should be thinking

about applying for CoNS funding to attend the

2008 National SARRAH Conference in August.

It will also be a chance for NRHN members to

present a paper and highlight the great things

that our members are doing.

I have also been involved in the appeals

process of RAHUS scholarship applications, and

look forward to further interaction with RAHUS

scholars.

If you have suggestions or feedback on the

allied health portfolio please contact me at

alliedhealth@nrhn.org.au.

The medical portfolio has started the year

with a bang. Already this year the NRHN has

been involved with medical issues, including

working with the appeals board for the RAMUS

scholarship scheme and ongoing discussions

with the Commonwealth Department of Health

and the Ageing and ACRRM about the bonded

medical places scheme and medical rural

bonded scholarships scheme.

We have also received a lot of feedback from

NRHN members in regard to scholarship and

placement opportunities. In coming months

we aim to investigate the availability of

scholarships and placements available to all

health students across Australia and commence

work on a position statement which will

allow us to lobby both government and non-

government organisations for new scholarship

or placement opportunities.

There have also recently been some questions

raised about the Physician’s Assistant training

program in Queensland, and the impact

Superclinics may have on rural health in

Australia. The NRHN medical portfolio team

will be investigating these issues in the near

future. If you are keen to have your opinion

put forward on these issues speak to your

Club’s NRHN Senior Representative or e-mail

medical@nrhn.org.au.

The vital and often challenging roles of

the nursing profession in the provision of

health care to the Australian community is

appreciated and gratefully acknowledged

by the NRHN. As this year’s NRHN Council

representative for our nursing student

members, I look forward to supporting the

ongoing work of our network.

I am particularly passionate about encouraging

increased membership and involvement of

nursing students within our Rural Health Clubs

nationwide.

A priority for this year will be to promote

the NRHN nursing sub-committee, Winnows,

and facilitate effective networking and

communication amongst our nursing student

members. We will also maintain dialogue

with our nursing peak bodies and partner

organisations, identifying student needs

and advocating for changes that can enable

more of our nursing students to study, attend

dynamic clinical placements, and ultimately

choose careers in rural and remote nursing.

I invite all NRHN members and stakeholders

to contact me (nursing@nrhn.org.au) with

any ideas or questions regarding the nursing

discipline in our network.

Allied Health PortfolioSteven Myers, Allied Health representative

Medical PortfolioLuke Smith, Medical representative

Nursing PortfolioJames Bonello, Nursing representative

JFSS AdventuresRobyn Billing

For my placement, I was going to Dalby in Queensland. So it was with a

very small amount of knowledge of where I was going I picked my dates

to go for my first of the four placements. ACCRM booked my flights, bus

tickets and sent me an itinerary.

I set off, hopping on the plane to Brisvegas, I had 4 seats spare next to

me, awesome I can have a comfy sleep I thought, but no…. at the last

minute on hoped 4 well dressed metrosexuals, Human Nature were in for

the ride.

When I arrived at the Shell Roadhouse, I rang the doctor and he came

and picked me up. There were 4 doctors at the hospital and they were

all only a few years out from finishing degrees at UQ completing their GP

specialist training. I was staying with one other medical student, a locum

doctor and the nurses and nursing students.

My first day started with ward rounds and by the end of the day I had

put a cannula into a guy in Xray and injected dye into him for an ICP.

Didn’t tell him until after, that it was the first time I had put a cannula

into a patient! The Doctors were great letting me have a go at most

things that came up, giving me my own consulting room at the GP clinic,

writing referral’s, prescriptions, lots of procedures. I learnt so much more

in two weeks than I had in the whole of first year clinical. And as a bonus

the hospital lunches and dinners were delicious and all supplied as part of

the scholarship, country cooking reigns again!

The John Flynn Scheme also has a focus on getting you out and about

and being involved in the community. There are about 8 pubs in Dalby…

The locum Pula, myself and Bill the other med student set out with some

recommendations from the nurses and doctors. Dalby is fun to go out

in, you can’t finish the steaks they are ridiculously big, we are in QLD

farming territory!

My first John Flynn trip was extremely fun and the medical experience

was fantastic. I encourage all to apply, you will remember it fondly for a

very long time and I can’t wait to get back to do my second placement.

C o o e e ! A p r i l 2 0 0 8

National Rural Health Alliance is Australia’s peak non-government

organisation for rural and remote health. It brings together disparate

voices from around Australia for the common purpose of improving

the health of people who live and work in country areas. Its office

is in Canberra. The Alliance is currently comprised of 27 Member

Bodies, each of which is a national organisation. They include

consumer groups (such as the Country Women’s Association of

Australia), health professions’ organisations (representing doctors,

nurses, allied health, dentistry, pharmacy, ambulance, health students

and health service managers) and service providers (such as the

Royal Flying Doctor Service, and the National Aboriginal Community

Controlled Organisation). With such a broad representative base,

the Alliance is in a unique position to collect and disseminate

information, determine the key issues affecting health and wellbeing

in rural and remote areas, and provide a breadth of vision on them

to governments, educational and research institutions, and other

professional bodies.

Among its regular contributions to rural and remote health are

management of the biennial National Rural Health Conference and

of the Australian Journal of Rural Health, and production of Position

Papers, Submissions, Media Releases and information newsletters.

The Alliance is also the national management agency for the Rural

Australia Medical Undergraduate Scholarship Scheme (RAMUS).

A guiding principle of the Alliance’s work is the belief that all

Australians, wherever they live, should have access to

comprehensive, high quality, accessible and appropriate health

services.

The Alliance takes a broad view of health and a long-term view

of the development of rural Australia. It supports initiatives which

will contribute to the sustainability of the diverse communities

of rural and remote Australia as healthy and health-promoting

places in which to live and work. It places a high value on strong

partnerships among individuals, groups, organisations and all levels

of governments for improved health for people in non-metropolitan

areas.

National Rural Health AllianceLana Prout, NRHA Representative

Australian Indigenous Medical Electives Database

Marion Davies

AIMED is a new Australian medical student research and elective

opportunities website specific to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander

Health. AIMED is the only Australian database specific to Indigenous health.

AIMED may be accessed by all Australian medical students.

Many Australian medical students gain the majority of their understanding

of Indigenous Australia through electives. It has been shown that education

in Indigenous health is more effective if it is voluntary, task and experience

orientated. Indigenous health (urban, rural or remote) is an excellent and

popular elective choice for many Australian medical students. Yet finding

information about where to go and how to make project contacts for an

Australian Indigenous health project has been frustratingly and

unnecessarily difficult- until now.

When organising my Indigenous health elective I found available

information to be scattered and incomplete. I went into my placement

“blind”. A less determined student would probably have not pursued their

elective in Indigenous health. So I developed AIMED to enable, encourage

and inform future Australian medical students interested in doing an

Indigenous health placement or research project.

AIMED offers up-to-date and comprehensive information on elective and

research opportunities, grants and scholarships, conferences and courses

and will offer access to many on-line resources. AIMED has a forum where

students can ask and answer questions, and share ideas about Indigenous

health and placement or research projects. By making placement as simple

as possible, AIMED has the potential to inspire many Australian medical

students to experience Indigenous health. By facilitating positive, voluntary

Indigenous health experiences as students it is hoped that AIMED inspires

medical graduates to become part of the Indigenous health workforce.

AIMED was launched nationally at NURHC 2008 (National University Rural

Health Conference). AIMED has already been introduced to every Rural

Health Club and medical student society around Australia- with most

establishing a link to AIMED from their websites. AIMED will be heavily

promoted to all Australian medical students over the next six months.

During the month of March 2008, AIMED was piloted at UTAS and received

over 3900 hits- so the interest is obviously out there! It is hoped that

pharmacy, nursing and allied health sections will be added to the AIMED

database this year. Allied health students will certainly find AIMED a useful

resource already, and they are encouraged to regularly check the site. As

for all databases- AIMED will only be as useful as the completeness of the

data that it contains, so I encourage you all to upload your experiences

today.

www.aimed.org.au Marion Davies

Aboriginal & Torres Strait IslanderMike O’Halloran, Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Representative

Australian Rural Education Alliance Audrey Yeo, AREA Representative

The pressing question on AREA is about gaining

funding for 2008-9 to maintain this peak body

of rural and remote education issues. John

Halsey and several members have tirelessly

been meeting and chasing members of

parliament so that we can continue influencing

implementation, evaluation and formation

of government policy in relation to rural and

remote education. Our needed funding of

$85,000 will contribute to the next annual

rural community based Roundtable in Dubbo,

NSW in October 2008, “which will examine

school leadership and community processes”,

according to the last meeting report in February

4th 2008. We await this decision to be made

by the new government. We will endeavour

to meet at face to face on May 2 and 3rd in

Canberra for the last meeting as a REFA council,

pending funding for AREA in the next financial

There have been many people ask if the NRHN

has any cultural awareness training or what

can they do as a club to build links and partner

with their local Indigenous community? This

was recently discussed at the NRHN Council

meeting and is been placed as a high priority

topic. If you would like to participate in

creating a resource around this area, please

contact me at atsi@nrhn.org.au.

The Australian Government funds $3.05

million annually to the Indigenous Festivals

program. As Crocfest will not be running

this year, students are encouraged to

look into and possibly participate in other

Indigenous festivals throughout Australia.

Five organisations received funding to hold

15 events this year. The organisations are as

follows:

-Vibe Australia in NSW, Qld, WA, SA and Victoria

with festivals in Coonamble, Rockhampton,

Kalgoorlie, Port Augusta and Mildura.

-Music Outback Foundation with festivals in the

NT at Laramba, Tanami and Alice Springs.

-Broom Aboriginal Media Association with a

festival in Broome.

-Wakakirri Limited with festivals in the NT and

Qld at Yuendumu, Bloomfield and Cunnamulla.

-TAFE NSW North Coast Institute in NSW at

Lismore, Coffs Harbour and Taree. All these

organisations will hold festivals to encourage

school attendance, retention and healthy

lifestyles for all young Australians, in particular

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.

If you want to broaden your knowledge

of Indigenous Australia and gain a greater

understanding of issues affecting Aboriginal

and Torres Strait Islander people, the following

newspapers will be of great interest to you.

Koori Mail – The voice of Indigenous Australia

Fortnightly national Indigenous newspaper –

100% Aboriginal owned and self funded

www.koorimail.com

National Indigenous Times

www.nit.com.au Samantha Johnson

Rural PlacementJerry Moore

As a student Nurse, studying for a Bachelor of

Nursing at the Broome Campus of Notre Dame

University, I felt compelled to write an article

on a typical practicum placement in the remote

North West of Western Australia after attending

NURHC 08. I was one of five students chosen

to attend the Royal Darwin Hospital for this

practicum. Due to the fact that it is 2000km from

Broome to Darwin, I had to choose whether to

fly or drive. Driving won because I was to be in

Darwin for 5 weeks and the hospital is

approximately 17 km from the city.

When I arrived in Darwin I was rostered on duty

in the Operating Theatre for two weeks, Ward 2A

for a week and the final two weeks in the newly

opened RAPU (Rapid Admission and Planning

Unit).After attending prac placements at locations

such as Broome Hospital and Bidyadanga

Aboriginal Community it was a bit daunting to

think I would be working in a major hospital

leading up to Christmas, as Royal Darwin in the

past has received many patients from major

international disasters e.g.: recent tsunami and

the Bali bombings as well as the normal influx of

local casualties leading up to the festive season. I

have learnt that nervousness is not necessarily a

bad emotion; it turned out to be a positive

motivator giving me the drive to overcome my

stressors and perceived obstacles in

attempting new things. I actually became quite

excited about what I saw and learned whilst on

this practicum, as a Volunteer Ambulance Officer

for the past 11 years, an ex funeral director and

prison officer I had thought I had seen just about

everything there is to see in life, how wrong

I was. I can highly recommend any student

wishing to try a NT placement to apply for a

position at Royal Darwin Hospital and would like

to thank the Rural Clinical School for making the

accommodation available on the hospital

grounds. Royal Darwin Hospital was great

placement that I went into with many

reservations but came out the other side

much more prepared for my own practice as a

Registered Nurse.

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National Rural Health Network c/o RHWA PO Box 6244 South Yarra Vic 3141 Australia

www.nrhn.org.au

Telephone 03 8825 4500 Facsimile 03 9804 7370 Email info@nrhn.org.au

Taya Carter

Sophie Rymill

Fran McGregor