Larry King
Larry King - Registered Nurse
Q1. Why did you first decide to be involved in the RAHC initiative?
I first became involved working in remote Aboriginal communities in 2007 via a nursing agency. I had worked overseas in various countries and was again looking for an adventure, but closer to home. I signed up for one year and have since returned on two occasions for six-week placements before discovering RAHC has varying contracts from three weeks .
Q2. How did you first hear about the program?
Through the NCAH magazine distributed in Melbourne Hospital, where I am employed.
Q.3. Had you been to the Northern Territory before?
My first contract was for one year at Yuendumu, then six weeks each at Nyirripi and Lajamanu before this brief RAHC stint in Ampilatawaja.
Q.4. What preconceptions of working in the Northern Territory did you have before you left? Did these turn out to be true?
I had over the years seen various documentaries about Aboriginal people as well as news reports covering the Northern Territory and more recently, coverage regarding the Intervention program. I saw footage of remote communities, however it was not until driving into a community that I was hit with the thought, "Could this really be happening in Australia?". Therefore the preconceptions I had that conditions were poor were simply annihilated by the glaringly obvious that conditions were far worse than poor.
Q.5. How did you prepare before you left?
My only real preparation before leaving was to speak to two other nurses who had been employed as Remote Area Nurses, one 20 years ago and one quite recently. Otherwise it was just the logistics of relocating for a year and organising the drive there.
Q6. How have you found the transition from your previous employment?
I was fortunate that the first clinic was a relatively new clinic, purpose-built taking, and into account gender specific entrances and waiting rooms and with up-to-date equipment. I felt quite comfortable and able to perform the duties expected of me. My usual role in Melbourne is in Emergency so I was used to the varying array of presentations and have the ability to triage. The initial difficulties were language and not being familiar with cultural practices. There were some very different presentations one doesn't see regularly in Melbourne ED. However with the CARPA manuals, other experienced staff and a DMO on the phone, things got easier over time.
Q7. What level of support did you receive from RAHC?
My RAHC placement was terrific, right from the outset. Despite having worked remotely before with another organisation, I still received two valuable information days on culture and clinical skills. Once I arrived at my post I received phone and e-mail contacts for two clinical support staff. I also had phone contact with the local manager in Alice [Springs] as well Head Office in Canberra
Q8. Do you believe the initiative will ultimately benefit the indigenous community?
Yes.
If yes, why?
Clearly at present there are a multitude of health services and delivery models for communities throughout the Northern Territory, like CARHS, community-based organisations, and Congress to name a few, all working to achieve better outcomes for Indigenous people. It is imperative that we aim to deliver high quality health care that is long term and sustainable for the people to reduce the enormous gap in health status of non-Indigenous and Indigenous [Australians] which I believe RAHC is working towards.
Q9. What are the main barriers towards working in this environment that you’ve faced so far?
My main concern initially was as a nurse, I wondered if I would I instinctively know how to nurse a patient in a culturally appropriate way. It was due to cultural practice that other barriers became evident: what can and can't be discussed regarding gender; ' women's and men's business'; at times there was a language barrier; and of course there is the unavoidable stressors that come with the Territory. I am sure no RAN would be immune to the initial culture shock; differences in birth, death, communicating, eye contact, and shyness as well as the geographical location, isolation and climate, the on-call and fatigue, and the inability to really separate from the clinic after hours.
Q10. Would you decide to work for a similar project in the future?
Yes, somehow it has become a part of me. Despite not wanting to work for long periods in remote communities it is usually not that long after being home in Melbourne that I begin to miss that red sand, the climate, the diversity of the work load and autonomy that comes with working remotely and I feel myself compelled to go back.
Q11. How would you describe the living conditions in the area?
If you mean the accommodation that was provided to me, it was great! A three bedroom house which was clean, with all the necessary equipment provided. However due to lack of housing, my last week was shared with a dental technician and dental nurse, so there is the potential for incompatibility. As for the housing for the Indigenous people, I can't pretend to be familiar with the process of building and its history, or whether Indigenous people were ever involved in the design of the houses, but clearly it appeared the type of structures did not suit many of their purposes or take their culture into consideration. And of course there were all too few of them, resulting in overcrowding and consequently poorer hygiene.
Q12. Do you have any advice for others considering the program?
Yes, research it, try to see any documentaries so that the visual on arrival is not as confronting as it was to me, participate in some form of cultural awareness program like the one RAHC provides, and be very aware of one's own attitudes.
Q13. In what way do you feel you impacted the work being delivered in the area?
During the time out in remote communities, I felt I became better at it. I genuinely started to feel a connection to people and gained their trust as I slowly learned the art of communication. I was very flattered that people would request to see me. The feedback that I got on many occasions was that they felt I listened, was gentle in my approach and kind. This enabled them to talk more openly about health issues facing them.
Q14. Do you think you had the appropriate skills to deal with the perhaps unfamiliar day-to-day situations that arose?
There were certainly times that I was faced with presentations not generally seen in a Melbourne ED, so I certainly gained new skills.
Q15. Do you have any particularly moving stories or pictures from your time there that you’d like to share with others?
There were so many, but one of my favourite and quite simple memories was going to check on a young girl at dusk; earlier she had a fever, and I wanted to confirm it had remained down and that she was continuing with medication, which she was. As I arrived at the house, she was sitting on the verandah and it started to rain quite heavily, which it had not done for maybe a year. Suddenly, as I was taking her blood pressure, I had about 20 or so young children, half clothed, dancing around me in the rain, squealing with delight and laughing. They all wanted to get involved in what I was doing. With the sunset, the rain, the warmth and their smiling faces it was a long way from Melbourne and it was delightful.
Q16. What additional skills did you learn during your placement?
It is a sad thing to say, having grown up in Australia, that I was more familiar with Italian, Greek and Arabic cultures. I knew very little about the Aboriginal culture apart from the horrific, violent past, so it was great to learn about a culture by living in it. I was taken out-bush hunting, even the women showed me various things. I learned about language and stories. I certainly got to see first hand the disparity between the health of Indigenous and non-Indigenous [Austraians] and I got to learn about health conditions that particularly affect Indigenous people living in remote communities.
Q.17. How has this impacted you in the short and long term?
Well it's impacted on me greatly. I have completely different views from before having worked in communities. Some times my head swims with thoughts about what is happening out there. I am still formulating opinions as to why it is like that, how we can serve best, and mostly I educate other health professionals in Melbourne who are interested in listening to my experience.
Q.18. Was the experience what you expected?
It was a great life experience, more than I could ever have imagined
