Home - ACU (The Australian Catholic University)

Site Navigation

Indigenous Australian Primary Health Care

Indigenous Australian Primary Health Care 1
Students at the Living Sculptures, Broken Hill

Indigenous Australian Primary Health Care 2
Staff involved in teaching the unit, (from L-R) Tony Kickett, Maria Tattersall, Violeta Lopez, Jane Allnutt and Deb Jones

Indigenous Australian Primary Health Care 3
Students participating in the bush survival skills

Indigenous Australian Primary Health Care 4
Students at the big seat overlooking Broken Hill

Indigenous Australian Primary Health Care 5
Recovery session at the Silverton Hotel after bush survival skill training

A new and exciting elective unit was established in semester 2, 2007 to enable second nursing year students from NSW to experience Indigenous Primary Health care in a rural remote Indigenous health setting.

The unit, NRSG206: Indigenous Australian Health: Field Study is a join venture between ACU, North Sydney’s School of Nursing and The University of Sydney Department of Rural Health (Broken Hill Campus).  This unit provides an opportunity for students to engage in primary health care in a context vastly different from their normal environment.  The aim of this unit is twofold, in providing undergraduate nursing students with (i) an Indigenous Australian primary health care experience that is underpinned by culturally safe and supported practice, with education and health promotion being delivered in an Indigenous community by health care providers; and (ii) the knowledge, skills and attitudes required to work competently and safely to meet the health care needs of Indigenous Australian people.

The concepts of identity, culture, racism and cultural safety are addressed from a holistic perspective with a specific focus on Indigenous Australian peoples.  The unit is undertaken as a field trip in the Far West of NSW for 4 weeks in September where students are placed in an Indigenous Australian primary health care setting.

In 2008 seven students were selected to participate in the field trip and were placed in Brewarrina, Bourke, Wilcannia, Dareton, Wentworth and Broken Hill.  Prior to placement in the Indigenous Communities, students participated in interactive sessions on cultural awareness, cultural respect, managing / coping in isolation, bush survival and health awareness issues.

Associate Professor Violeta Lopez, Head of School, joined the students in Broken Hill for the orientation week.  All students had a mentor at their placement, and had email & phone access whilst on placement. Following the placement students were debriefed about their experiences.

For more information please email Ms Jane Allnutt, Lecturer, Maternity & Neonatal Nursing, School of Nursing on jane.allnutt@acu.edu.au