Bush nursing centres project

The Bush Nursing Centre (BNC) model is a responsive and flexible non-bed based provider of primary and community health needs in small rural communities with catchment populations of up to 1500.

The Victorian Bush Nursing Centre Strategic Directions 2006 –2009 paper was developed as a result of consulatation from the July 2005 statewide meeting. This provides a framework for continuing to develop the quality of BNCs and is consistent with policy documents such as Rural directions for a better state of health (Nov 2005), the planning framework for integrated ambulatory care: Care in your community (Jan 2006) and the implementation of the Small Rural Health Services approach.

In consultation with BNC stakeholders four key areas of development have been identified:

• Strategic planning, quality improvement and governance
• Information management, technology and marketing
• Clinical support, professional development and workforce
• Capital and sustainability

Each of these themes is being progressed by different working groups and an annual review process has been established.

There a 13 Bush Nursing Centres in Victoria located at:

• Balmoral
• Buchan
• Cann River
• Bairnsdale
• Dartmoor
• Dingee
• Elmhurst
• Gelantipy
• Harrow
• Lake Bolac
• Lockington
• Woomelang and
• Swifts Creek
  

Victorian Bush Nursing Centres employ Remote Area Nurses (RANs), who due to the the remoteness of their communities, may be the only available health care professional to provide first line emergency care and stabilisation in the event of a medical or trauma emergency. The majority of RANs work independently and refer patients to other areas and disciplines for secondary and tertiary interventions.

In Victoria, the Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Regulations 2006 5(2)(b) provides a framework to issue a Health Permit that allows RANs to have the delegated responsibility to provide emergency care if they have attended annual competency based training and been assessed as competent in the use of the Remote Area Nurses, Emergency Guidelines (RANEG). This delegation allows them to use the guidelines in the event that a medical practitioner cannot be contacted.

The annual training and the RANEG ensure that RANs have a sound knowledge of the primary and secondary survey model of care and the most common interventions expected to be implemented in an emergency situation.

The RANEG are closely aligned with the evidence based Rural Ambulance Victoria (RAV) Clinical Practice Guidelines and demonstrate a collaborative approach between the Department of Human Services and RAV. The RANEG is updated on an annual basis.

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