The alleged murder of Remote Area Nurse Gayle Woodford in outback South Australia late last month has seen an online petition bring the issue of single nurse posts to the doorstep of federal parliament this week.
Minister for Rural health Fiona Nash called an urgent meeting of stakeholders to ascertain the safety procedures currently in place for remote nurses, understand the concerns of health workers and examine where improvements are needed. The meeting was underway as QCL went to print.
Remote Area Nurses are often expected to attend after hours call outs alone- a practice the petition aims to abolish.
As the professional body for the isolated health workforce of Australia, CRANAplus aims to educate and represent all health professionals working in the remote sector of Australia.
CRANAplus CEO Christopher Cliffe said while the nation was reeling from news of Mrs Woodford’s alleged murder, remote nurse safety was complicated.
“The reality is it was a random criminal act that could have happened to a local teacher or other community member,” he said.
“That said, we’ve been saying for 30 years that single nurse posts are not good practice for professional and clinical safety.”
Mr Cliffe said there were existing policies with the option of dual nurse posts in place but the problems were occurring a great distance from government offices.
“It’s challenging for federal health ministers because they don’t run remote services- the states or Aboriginal health services often do,” he said.
“Safety programs are very hit and miss in the country. Budgets may be tight, new nurses may not be briefed on safety protocols, or systems may not exist at all.
“Nurses often rely on friends or relatives for assistance but imagine how reliable that is when the need arises at the last minute.”
Executive director of nursing and midwifery at the central west health service, Lorraine Mathison, described the various safety policies existing in remote areas.
“We work closely with the police and local councils to monitor the whereabouts of our nurses when they attend call outs and nurses are required to phone in when they reach and leave each destination,” she said.
“It takes a special person to work in a single nurse post.
“These nurses are independent people to start with and issues arise when nurses prioritise patient safety.”
Despite such challenges, Mr Cliffe said he strongly supported the petition and urged people to contribute to the current 115,000 votes via the online form.
“We should be able to make this work. We’re a developed, wealthy country and we have a responsibility not only to staff but also the people living in remote areas,” he said.
“Hopefully the minister will work with the industry via organisations like CRANAplus to eliminate grey areas, develop standards and shine a light on the recesses of remote health care.”
