CRANAplus extends its appreciation to members who participated in our 2021 membership survey. Your continued feedback is essential to CRANAplus and informs development of our services, values, and areas of focus based on the issues of greatest importance to you. Read on for an overview of our findings.
Why members continue to work remote
One of the questions we asked was “What motivates you to continue working in remote or rural practice?” Your responses were varied, but the below answers express some of the most common themes:
- “Love the challenges and autonomy remote has.”
- “Making a difference to the health of those living in a remote area.”
- “The country, the people, the lifestyle.”
- “Being a part of a small community.”
- “Being able to direct and be instrumental in the direction where the clinical care is going.”
- The ability to “learn new skills”.
- “The variation to work practices and the varied patients.”
- “The opportunity to be valued for the work I do.”
- “Knowing that the bush is on my doorstep.”
- “Being on Country.”
- The challenges, complicated clinical presentations.”
How COVID-19 impacted members
You also shared how COVID-19 had impacted you as a health professional. Here’s just a few ways COVID-19 impacted respondents:
- Increased workload and work hours.
- Increased mental exhaustion and anxiety, including about catching the virus, and compounded by the fact it has been harder to see family and friends.
- Resulted in staff shortages and other staffing and employment issues.
- Restricted movements due to quarantine and border restrictions.
- Changed the role of staff (e.g., telehealth, vaccinations). For some, this was a positive professional development opportunity; for others, an additional burden on extreme workload.
- Made it necessary to dispel misinformation, while increasing the risk of aggression.
- Increased focus on infection control practices.
- Made it harder to access education and conferences, while making COVID-19 related education necessary.
How can the sector do better?
It was humbling to find that our members experience CRANAplus living its values (97%), and that you align most closely with our values of Safety, Integrity, and Respect.
You also told us that it is important that you are recognised, supported, and your voice is amplified and heard.
Respondents valued:
- “Belonging to an organisation that understands our work environment”
- “That an organisation bigger than me has a voice for remote nursing in our government.”
- “The sense that someone is fighting for us at a higher level.”
- “Understanding us as a unique group of professionals (and) care givers!”
Your participation in the survey has affirmed our understanding of how important our advocacy is to members.
It’s invited us to double down on our determination to advocate at all levels of government for positive change.
You told us that, for the sector to truly thrive, we would need to see:
- Improved staff security, including safer accommodation and never alone policies.
- Greater First Peoples engagement and employment.
- Meaningful action towards social determinants of health, such as improved Indigenous housing.
- More staff, greater staff retention, and flexible work arrangements.
- Adequate funding, including for education access.
- An established remote area nursing pathway, possibly including financial incentives.
- Increased workplace support, skilled management, and improved fatigue management.
Rest assured, that’s not everything you identified. We value every perspective that was shared by members and will be using all your responses to help determinate our actions in 2022 and beyond.
Thank you for having your say
In conjunction with initiatives such as our Nursing and Midwifery Roundtable, these results help us to understand what we are doing well and to identify emerging priorities. Thank you for having your say, and for your continued commitment to rural and remote health. It’s fantastic to have you as part of the CRANAplus community.
We take this opportunity to encourage you to make the most of your full membership benefits and to really maximise the supports and resources available to you through CRANAplus.
Katherine Leary
Executive Director of Corporate Services
CRANAplus
