The changing role of bush nurses in East Gippsland, Victoria

In the last four years, East Gippsland has experienced drought, floods and more recently devastating bushfires. Economically, local primary and tourist industries have experienced a decline. Over the decade, services have been withdrawn from small towns and opportunities for youth mean having to leave home. The population of small, rural communities is ageing, whilst the health needs of residents are increasingly complex.The five East Gippsland Bush Nursing Centres provide local health care services to isolated communities. However, the last ten years have witnessed a reduction in service funding and hours, while administration requirements and practice expectations have increased. The social, economic and demographic developments, coupled with service provision changes, have influenced the role of the bush nurse from a predominantly clinical focus to that of a vital primary health care role. This paper seeks to discuss how the role of the bush nurse has changed in response to external forces within the East Gippsland context.