Discovering the past, acknowledging the present and predicting the future : an historical analysis of the development of remote area nursing culture

An historical analysis of remote area nursing history at Birdsville in far south-west Queensland during the years 1923-1953 reveals some interesting data relating to how a culture of nursing practice is established and developed. In the absence of any other on-site health personnel, the registered nurses who operated the ‘Brisbane Home’ experienced considerable personal and professional isolation. Technological support was also minimal. In particular, prior to the advent of the pedal radio and the instigation of a flying doctor service, the remote area nurses (RAN) at Birdsville by virtue of their isolation, developed high levels of diagnostic and clinical skills. Thus the seeds of independent nursing practice were sown. Analysis supporting this paper demonstrates that even with increasing access to communication and aviation technologies during the time period under investigation, independence in clinical decision- making was firmly retained. Thus a culture of remote area nursing, evidence of which remains to this day, was developed and became accepted by other health professionals, employers of RAN and the community at large.