Mrs Jessica Elliott1,2, Dr Liz Ryan1,2
1University of Southern Queensland (UniSQ) – School of Nursing and Midwifery, Ipswich / Toowoomba, Australia, 2Centre for Health Research, University of Southern Queensland, Ipswich / Toowoomba, Australia
Biography:
Jessie is an emerging researcher involved in projects exploring emergency nursing, immunisation practice, and knowledge implementation, with a focus on graduate nurse employability and rural health. With a strong academic background and commitment to community engagement, she helped develop the Charleville End to End Training program to address nurse shortages in Southwest Queensland. Passionate about expanding the rural nursing workforce, Jessie is currently undertaking a PhD examining how social factors and rural community dynamics influence nursing student retention, aiming to strengthen pathways for future nurses in remote settings.
Abstract:
Introduction / Purpose
The University of Southern Queensland’s End-to-End Bachelor of Nursing program is a place-based initiative launched in 2022 in Charleville, a Modified Monash Model 7 location in rural Queensland. It was designed to overcome barriers such as travel, cost, and social disconnection by enabling students to live, study, and train entirely within their own communities. The program aims to improve remote health outcomes through culturally safe, community-led education and to build a sustainable local nursing workforce.
Main Body
Delivered through strong partnerships with Southern Queensland Rural Health, South West Hospital and Health Service, Charleville State High School, and local government, the program offers tailored academic support, free accommodation, and hands-on clinical training. Community involvement is central to the program’s success, with contributions such as anatomy dissection supplies from the town butcher and mentoring from local professionals. Since its inception, the program has enrolled 33 rural students, achieved a 90% retention rate, 40% First Nations participation, and 80% local graduate employment. These outcomes reflect the strength of place-based learning and the importance of embedding education within community contexts. The program also fosters intergenerational engagement and local pride, contributing to broader social and economic benefits.
Conclusion / Key Take-Home Messages
This place-based model demonstrates measurable impact in workforce development and community confidence in healthcare. By “keeping locals local,” the initiative addresses current workforce shortages and builds future capacity by growing rural nurses from within. The success of this model suggests it could be replicated in other remote regions to support sustainable health workforce solutions and improve long-term health outcomes.