community health nurses at work
Community health nurses provide a comprehensive range of health promotion, early identification and intervention services to children, young people, adults and their families. The nurses work across all age groups. For example: child health nurses provide services to families with new babies and young children from birth to three years of age. School health nurses are involved with children and adolescents commencing with the school entry assessment offered to children in kindergarten or pre-primary. A small number of community health nurses also provide services to adults, with a particular focus on chronic disease prevention and women’s health.
The road to remote community health nursing in Western Australia
takes nurses to many areas throughout the vast expanse of the state.
Remote community health nursing provides unique opportunities
for practice and career development in remote Aboriginal communities,
mining towns, tourist and holiday areas and agricultural regions.
Remote area community health nurses provide Primary Health and
emergency nursing services from birth to aged care in health centres,
nursing posts, schools and communities across the state.
Hearing and ear health, vision and eye health, management of acute
and chronic illness, developmental, mental health and emotional issues
are all part of the role of the remote community health nurse in school health.
The remote area community nurse provides school health services to many
schools in the area and travels to isolated communities throughout the region
in four wheel drive vehicles.
Some remote area nurses provide emergency nursing care to the local
communities in emergency rooms in health centres and nursing posts.
The end of another day in remote area nursing......
Photography © C.A.Vye