Lead Clinical Coordinator at RAHC, Jennine Lavender, has been working rural since the 80s. Initially, she planned on staying in Narrogin for 6 months, but after falling in love with a local farmer, she ended up working in the same hospital for the next 30 years. In 2011, a “midlife crisis” inspired her to take up a job on Christmas Island, kickstarting her journey into truly remote areas. Now for RAHC, she helps people to make the “mind shift” from acute care to the business of “helping people find their way to good health”. She also talks about how seeing people at their most vulnerable can develop or threaten a nurse’s resilience, and what she learned while fishing with a visiting specialist.

A cattle station cook in her youth, Yuwaalaraay woman Dallas McKeown followed in her mother's footsteps to become an EN — a move that would eventually lead to her current position as CRANAplus’ Exec. Director of First Peoples Strategies. In this episode, she discusses how her experiences have provided motivation along the way. Observing acute illness at RDH, she decided to venture into the world of primary health care and health promotion — where she campaigned on pneumococcal, influenza and smoking, experienced overt racism, and learned that “sometimes there’s nobody else but you to pick up whatever comes through the door”.

In a small east East Pilbara community, eight metres of flood water laps at the clinic driveway. The phone starts ringing. At a nearby goldmine, across the floodwaters, a 50-year-old man is unresponsive. “You have to do what you can with what you’ve got,” RN and Nurse Practitioner Chris’ recalls in this wide-ranging episode, which also features: sending an injured Joey to the vet via school bus, packing a knife sharpener, swimming with manta rays, how a busy work environment makes cruelty too easy, and the relationship-building benefits of baking.

RNs Rachel and Gaby discuss their clinical placements in Groote Eylandt/Gove & Tennant Creek. Rachel "always had this longing" to be a remote nurse and has since moved her family from Newcastle to Katherine; whereas an accidental opportunity led Gaby to witness the need for support where there's "not enough people doing it". The duo illuminate what it's like to fall in love with "patients, stories, culture, everything" and explore the unusual working conditions of "giving depot injections with a litter of puppies at your feet". Plus, they give their tips on the best mobile networks, packing favourite foods, and never underestimating distances.

RAN Shelley talks about her six years of remote practice to date, since leaving the urban ICU/emergency rat race. She talks about learning to suture and plaster cast, supporting a man returning from jail to regain his place in community, the value of living with her partner, and becoming a "vault" of local community knowledge. She also touches on seeing people from the clinic outside of work, the workload calling for "2 or 3 of me", and going without TV for several weeks when the TV breaks down.

A nurse for over 37 years, Sue was among the first group of remote area nurses to receive university-based training. In our first episode of CRANAcast, she reflects on working remote while bringing up her baby; that one time the food truck delivered quail; cutting her own hair; and "becoming so laissez-faire about everything, when you finally come to town, it's a totally different pace and existence." She also shares her thoughts on continuous upskilling, adjusting your expectations, and the impact of tragedy in tight-knit communities.