Prof. Sue Lenthall1
1Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Australia, 2Flinders University, Alice Springs, Australia, 3James Cook University, Emerald, Australia, 4Co-Health, Launceston, Australia
Biography:
Sue Lenthall is an experienced educationalist and remote area nurse, with over two decades of practice in remote communities across Queensland and Central Australia. She was the inaugural Course Coordinator of the Remote Health Practice program at the Flinders University, where she oversaw the development of a curriculum specifically designed to prepare health professionals for practice in remote Australian settings. She has since led and supervised numerous research projects related to remote area nursing, the remote health workforce and research impact. Sue is a fellow of CRANAplus and is currently employed as Professor of PHC at Charles Darwin University.
Abstract:
The RAN role in non-emergency client consultations is a key distinction between mainstream registered nurses (RNs) and RANs. Most models of consultation are derived from general practice medicine, however the non-emergency consultations form approximately 80% of a RANs work. The Remote Area Nurse (RAN) model of consult was initially developed in the late 1990’s after recognition that the SODA-F and SOAPIE frameworks commonly utilised by nurses in remote Australia did not adequately promote consideration of the social, psychological, behavioural, environmental and population health dimensions of illness that may relate to client presentations. Following recent changes in remote health workforce employment models and the 2023 release of the National Rural and Remote Nursing Generalist Framework the RAN model of consultation was revised by eleven experienced remote area nurses. It was mapped against the framework and includes principles and eight steps.
1. Open consultation
2. History
3. Clinical examination
4. Assessment and discussion
5. Negotiate management plan
6. Close consultation
7. Documentation
8. Reflection
This workshop will teach participants the foundations of the revised RAN Model of Consult and discuss its application and relationship to the National Rural and Remote Nursing Generalist Framework. It is aimed at RANs and educators of RANs.