Stories

Back in the mid-1970s, I had just completed my general nursing and paediatric certificates in the UK when a colleague came to Australia to work with the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) for 18 months. When she returned, the stories of her experiences planted a seed in my brain.

Ken Farmer, RAHC Dentist shares his journey from private practice to remote practice in the NT. 

Lynda Murphy has been working as a registered nurse for almost 35 years.  She has spent a large part of her nursing career working in intensive care and emergency departments, along with stints in London and Africa.  It was her time in Africa which gave her a taste of working in remote or disadvantaged communities and sparked her interest in remote nursing back home.

The first placement in a remote Indigenous community can be daunting for even the most experienced nurse. Having someone on hand to help alleviate concerns and ease nurses into their new environment can make all the difference.

65 year-old Maggie McKenna has worked as a Registered Nurse for the past 30 years at The Canberra Hospital. In that time she worked for 15 years as a paediatric nurse, took a four year break to look after her own children, and then found her passion providing renal care.

After working as a self-employed GP for 35 years, 61 year-old Dr Virgil Pierini from the Mornington Peninsula retired but wanted to continue his medical work in some way. Having previously worked in the Northern Territory, he decided to work with RAHC in Tennant Creek, helping to improve access to services and health outcomes for Indigenous Australians.

Aaron Richardson started his career as a hospital-based Registered Nurse working the wards of the Princess Alexandria Hospital in Brisbane.  Since taking his nursing remote, Aaron has never looked back.

A job ad in CRANAplus spurred Glen Innes Registered Nurse Kim Henderson to take the plunge and apply for a remote nursing position.

Since then Kim hasn’t looked back, completing six placements with RAHC in the last 18 months. Kim says while it is the most challenging work during her 29 year nursing career it is also definitely the most rewarding.

When Taygan McDowell was offered a RAHC placement in Ramingining in the Northern Territory, she didn’t even know where it was. After some research, nerves and lots of excitement, Taygan travelled from Hervey Bay, Queensland, to East Arnhem Land.

Darwin based General Practitioner Dr Tanya Davies had previously worked as a locum in remote and rural communities around Australia.  But after three years in the city, Dr Davies decided to give RAHC a call and get back to the bush.

Larry King began working in remote Indigenous communities in 2007 through a nursing agency. He has also nursed overseas. Looking for a new adventure but somewhere closer to home, Larry signed up with RAHC and so far has completed three placements in the Northern Territory, including one year Yuendumu and two six week placements - at Nyirripi and Lajamanu.