Ms Renee Flynn 1,3, Ms Lauren Doddo1,2, Mrs Jane Hollier1
1Australian Primary Health Care Nurses Association, Melbourne, Australia, 2Australian Association of Gerontology, Melbourne, Australia, 3Congress of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nurses and Midwives (CATSINaM)
Biography:
Renee Flynn is a Registered Nurse with over 31 years’ experience, with a strong professional focus on Primary Health Care and education. Her clinical background spans primary health, aged care and palliative care, providing her with a deep understanding of the diverse and complex needs of communities outside the acute hospital setting.
Renee holds a Master of Nursing (Education) and has extensive experience lecturing in the Bachelor of Nursing, where she has led curriculum design, subject coordination and student support. She is deeply committed to preparing nursing students to transition confidently into practice, particularly within primary health care including rural and remote environments.
In her current role as Clinical and Education Manager with the Australian Primary Health Care Nurses Association (APNA), Renee combines her passion for education with her commitment to strengthening the primary health workforce. She plays a key role in supporting high-quality student nurse placements across primary health care settings, ensuring students are exposed to meaningful learning experiences that build competence, confidence and an appreciation for nursing careers beyond the acute sector.
Renee is passionate about improving placement opportunities that not only support student learning but also contribute to workforce sustainability in rural, remote, and primary care communities, and she feels privileged to be part of this important and evolving space.
Abstract:
The Australian Primary Health Care Nurses Association (APNA) delivers clinical placements in remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to strengthen the national primary healthcare nursing workforce and provide meaningful learning experiences in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health. These placements immerse nursing students in remote practice, culturally responsive care and community-centered health models. While each community offers unique multidisciplinary services, nursing remains the consistent component across all settings.
This presentation examines two APNA-supported placement sites in the Northern Territory with post-placement interviews and experiential insights. It explores key barriers and enablers influencing student experiences, including degrees of clinical readiness, cultural safety, supervision models, and the role of community expectations; highlighting how these factors shape students’ confidence, capability and willingness to consider remote nursing and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health as a career pathway.
The qualitative themes strengthen placement quality with culturally respectful, clinically robust learning environments that align with community needs. Tailored placement supports, developed specifically for remote contexts, are critical in broadening students’ career opportunities and developing the future remote nursing workforce. Ultimately, these experiences build both clinical competence and culturally safe practice, strengthening primary healthcare for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.