MARIA PETRAKIS PR & Corporate Affairs Advisor, Australian Primary Health Care Nurses Association (APNA)
Student nurses get primary health care experience as COVID restricts hospitals
Grace Mackay’s ambition is to be a flight nurse with
health care sector to set up arrangements for some
the Royal Flying Doctor Service, a job that would
175 Monash University students needing to find
fly her to patients across thousands of kilometres
placements to complete their degrees. Grace says
of the Australian outback. Her primary health care
she called the placement office every week. ‘I was
placement with Ti-Tree Family Doctors in Mt Eliza
really glad I got this one,’ she said.
this year was one important step towards that goal. ‘I didn’t realise the diversity of what it offered,’
Now, APNA, which is arranging another 295 spots in 2021, is lobbying the government to invest in
said Grace, a nursing and midwifery student at
a nationally funded placement system in primary
Monash University. ‘If anything, I feel more strongly
health care settings. The platform will help ease
towards primary health care now.’
the logjam for students like Grace so they
Placements are an integral part of Monash
can graduate — as well as give them valuable
University’s Bachelor of Nursing course, with
experience of what a career in a primary health
students needing to complete approximately 840
care setting would look like.
clinical hours during the three years of the course
‘The demand is definitely there,’ says APNA
in a variety of clinical and health settings. But
Founder Sam Moses, who’s been working on the
restrictions at hospitals and aged care facilities has
pilot project with Monash Nursing and Midwifery.
meant fewer placements for students to get
‘This program shows students the exciting and
the practical experience they need to qualify for
diverse work you can do as a nurse in primary
their degree.
health care — everything from minor surgical
So, the Australian Primary Health Care Nurses Association (APNA) marshalled contacts across the
procedures to chronic disease management and everything in between.’ The Health Advocate • FEBRUARY 2021
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