Nurses of the Outback

by Annabelle Brayley

The work of a nurse is challenging enough, but when you add a remote location, the stakes are so much higher. Meet fifteen courageous people who prove that the inland runs on nurse power. There's Anna, who is on duty as the fury of Cyclone Yasi tears through inland Queensland; Maureen in outback New South Wales, who faces everything from a snakebite to a helicopter crash; Aggie, who overcomes her demons to help young people in the Kimberley; and Catherine, newly graduated and determined to make a difference in the Gulf Country she and her rodeo-riding husband call home. From some of the most remote places on the earth, these stories bring the outback to life - we witness the harshness and isolation as well as the camaraderie of life in small towns in the middle of nowhere. These intrepid nurses tend to life-threatening emergencies, manage everyday health care and even patch up the local pets. From Bidyadanga to Broken Hill, Mount Isa to Marree, these tales are by turns moving and inspiring, full of gutsy feats and classic outback spirit. Annabelle Brayley collected the stories that appeared in the bestselling Bush Nurses. 'Incredible stories of incredible people. ' Blue's Country MagazineAuthor BiographyAnnabelle Brayley trained as a registered nurse. When she married her husband, Ian, she went on to live on an isolated sheep and cattle station in south-west Queensland. Relocating in 2001 to the small rural community where they now live, Annabelle resumed employment in rural and remote health before retiring to pursue her passion for storytelling. As a regular contributor to R. M. Williams OUTBACK magazine, Annabelle frequently tells the stories of people who live and work in the bush. She has developed a reputation for accuracy, honesty and sensitivity that enables people to tell their stories without fear of prejudice or sensationalism. - Nurses Of The Outback By Annabelle Brayley (Paperback)

Genres: Nonfiction

288 pages, Paperback

First published March 26, 2014

Reviews

[Bec · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading Nurses of the Outback. Annabelle has put together a wide cross-section of nursing professionals working in outback Australia who have come from varied and diverse backgrounds as coming off the plane from South Africa to be thrown in the deep end in a remote WA Nursing Home to surviving Cyclones in Queensland's North Coast. One thing these 15 nurses (both female and males) have in common is their amazing skills to do a lot with very little resources, as well as their compassion and determination to make sure their little remote communities don't miss out on the care and support they deserve.

The book is broken up into 15 sections looking at each amazing Nurse (although as is often the case in outback communities, some names crop up in other stories) so it is easy to read and can be broken up if you don't have time to read it all at once. For anyone thinking of going 'bush' to work or live this book is a real eye opener and a true tribute to those amazing women and men that our outback wouldn't survive without.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sorry for low rating but this is just not the book for me, too much family stuff, not enough nurse action!

[Goldenwattle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Last year I visited some of the places mentioned in the book, on my return drive from Canberra to Darwin, with a side trip to Kununurra in Western Australia. Over 12,000 kms.
The story that affected me most was Chapter Six, "Heart of the Territory" and the sad incident of the boy going missing at Dunmarra Roadhouse. During my road trip last year I camped there twice; going north and south. The remote roadhouse, the campground, the road trains (trucks, each up to 54 metres long) parked out front and roaring past, the water buffaloes wallowing in the mud out by the highway and the cattle wandering in from the bush. I have vague memories of a plaque at the roadhouse to the child. I got a bit teary.
An interesting read.

[Susanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

A series of 15 chapters about 15 different 'remote' nurses in various parts of Australia.
The information about localities and challenges faced was interesting, but the book is easy to pick up and put down.
Each chapter follows the same pattern: a drop-in introduction to a memorable moment in each nurse's career (which continues later in the chapter), followed by biographical information. Some bios are naturally more interesting than others, which could have been shortened, but the point of the collection is more about the sort of people drawn to nurse in remote areas, and the types of challenges they face as they care for their clients, and advocate for much-needed changes.
Worth reading, and it's a very easy read.

[Anneliese Steinhardt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nurses of the Outback has 15 different stories of nurses from different backgrounds and countries telling their story on how they got into nursing and their different experiences. I have finished this book being very grateful for the country I live in and the healthcare Australians receive that many of us take for granted. Many of the nurses in this book did stints in war zones or third world countries and returned to Australia. Many of the women in this book have shaped healthcare into what it is today through their passion of caring and leadership. I have learnt so much from this book, that being history and just general knowledge. I would definitely recommend reading it. 4.4/5 stars

[Rachel · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked that each chapter was15-20pages, but that became because of how its written... its not engaging writing and makes me think of magazine articles.
There's a formula structure to each chapter. Phrases tend to be repeated in each section, and a few points are needlessly repeated aswell- this just made me switch off. Some chapters felt like they just reached out to anyone just to fill the pages.

I wouldn't have finished it but I read it all for CPD (continuous personal development/ ongoing training)

[Nevena · Rating 2 out of 5]

Didn’t enjoy the writing style, too much like those bios they share when somebody new starts at a job or speaks at a conference. Too much fluff about the nurses’ lives and achievements and few stories about actual experiences. It simply narrates their lives.

Also too much farm / oil rig / general outback jargon - this one is on me because I’m not a native speaker. However it doesn’t help you engage with the stories.

[Helena Rann · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great collection of stories about the angels of remote Australia. Nicely representative of different ages, specialties, sexes and destinations all united by the care they provide to people all over the country.

[Sarah Larkin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting and inspiring as I head into my own career!

[Anne Peachey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful stories of amazing Nurses in the Australian Outback, their dedication and some of the hardships they endure. This book portrays the isolation so vividly you can smell the red dirt, feel the heat and imagine yourself alongside these special people.
Loved this book.

[Helen McKenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Following on from her first book Bush Nurses, Annabelle Brayley has again placed the spotlight on the amazing men and women who choose to work in some of the most remote areas in Australia, if not the world. Nurses of the Outback follows the journey of several of these dedicated health professionals.

Although they are up against many odds such as extreme heat and dust, very limited resources and equipment and lack of support from other medical staff each of the nurses profiled have found the niche in the outback. Medical services in extremely isolated places are often the focus of the community and as such Outback Nurses are often on call for weeks on end and struggle to take holidays as there is nobody to replace them. Yet despite these hardships, all the nurses have willingly worked tirelessly to maintain and improve health services to those who need them most.

While Bush Nurses was a series of shorter vignettes often told in the own words of the nurse, Nurses Of The Outback features longer profiles, giving a more detailed picture of each individual nurse and just what they have accomplished. Often thrown in the deep end, it is a testament to the professionalism of the Nurses Of The Outback that they do not give up in the face of hardships that most city dwellers would not be able to handle.

I was very interested in the varied backgrounds of the nurses profiled. Some were from small communities, others from major cities looking for a change and a couple were from overseas. I was especially taken with the story of a young nurse from Zimbabwe who initially applied for a job in a city hospital but ended up in a nursing home in remote WA. Despite this baptism of fire, she never gave up and spent many years in the small community, grateful for the opportunity to make her life in Australia.

Nurses of the Outback is a fitting tribute to those who do a job that most of us would baulk at. It is an inspirational book but also one that makes you think and appreciate the health services and facilities most of us take for granted.

[Amanda - Mrs B's Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of 15 stories of incredible nurses who devote their lives to delivering health care services in rural and remote areas of Australia, are the subject of Annabelle Brayley’s second book, Nurses of the Outback. Following on from her first book released in 2013, Bush Nurses, Annabelle Brayley establishes herself as a passionate storyteller who is committed to her craft. Brayley’s research for Nurses of the Outback has seen her cross all parts of Australia, to bring the reader a collection of stories from amazing female and male nurses from all aspects of nursing. The book is structured in a way that each chapter reads as a separate story on a particular nursing professional. Thus the book can be read either in small spurts, or as a whole, which I did and enjoyed. Each story is a personalised account, looking at the background, education and motivations for entering nursing in the outback. It was interesting to note that while some nurses did set out to work in the outback, others ended up there by chance. Despite these nurses varying from gender, nursing position or place of origin, they all share a passion for the job and the outback way of life. These are inspiring people, facing the challenges of isolation and distance on a daily basis. It is something that urban dwellers like myself tend to take for granted when using health care services. Brayley writes in a way that displays her understanding of the complexities of working as a nurse in the outback, which reflects her training as a registered nurse based in rural Australia. Her stories of these brave women and women and men vary from being humorous to heart-warming but all are touched with honesty. This is a book that can be enjoyed by those of all walks of life, you definitely do not have to be in the heath profession to appreciate the work of our country’s Nurses of the Outback.

[Aussie bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

living in a small country town in Australia, you see first hand what these amazing people do to keep us healthy and alive. A few times a week you hear the chopper fly over your head and your heart stops knowing that someone from town has been horribly injured or is very sick and their lives are now in the hands of the RACQ Careflight Helicopter and the wonderful people who fly out to us.

I have all the respect in the world to all the doctors, nurses and helpers in Tara, I know that one day my life or someone I love may be relying on them and I would like to say thank you for all that they do.

In regards to this book, it is a wonderful Inspirational novel, and thanks to Annabelle we get to see inside the lives of these wonderful people who move out to the middle of nowhere to save lives. Nurses are usually the first port of call for any emergency in the outback and it is up to them to co-ordinate rescue operations, doctors and transport.

Nurses of the outback isn’t just about the lives of the people mentioned it also contains, heartbreaking and sometimes funny or triumphant stories that these nurses have to share.

I loved this story and highly recommend it to anyone, these people deserve a medal mostly working on their own in the middle of nowhere on call twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, it is not for the light-hearted. These people are strong and courageous and my hat goes off to you, you are all my heroes thank you

[Justine Gill · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Nurses of the Outback
Author: Annabelle Brayley
Published by: Penguin Books Australia


This is Annabelle Brayley's second book about rural and isolated nursing in Australia. Brayley is a registered nurse herself and has lived and worked in rural and isolated communities both as a nurse and working on the land with her husband. She also is a regularly contributor to RM William Outback magazine.
This book introduces us to 15 amazing nurses working in the most extreme, harshest of conditions that Australia has to offer. These nurses are at the forefront of medical care for people (and occasionally animals) in emergency situations as well as dealing with chronic and primary health care needs in many different isolated communities across Australia. It tells the stories of the nurses personal lives, education and what led them to pursue a career in such a challenging field of nursing. The nurses come to nursing in a variety of ways but all of them have a common love for the outback and the spirit of its people.
I know I have a number of nurses in this group that would enjoy this book. It is not only for those interested in health care however. Each chapter is a separate story. It is a book that can be read cover to cover or by just reading individual stories when you have a little time and a cup of tea.

[Simone · Rating 4 out of 5]

While nurses everywhere do an amazing job in caring for their patients, those brave enough to work in Outback Australia are surely a special breed. Far away from the up to the minute technology, plentiful supplies and fellow staff members available in city hospitals nurses of the outback must rely largely upon themselves to provide quality health care for those who live and work in the middle of nowhere.

Annabelle Brayley has profiled fifteen outback nurses of varied background and experience for this very interesting book. Some ended up in the outback by chance, others were drawn to the idea of working in a remote area, but all have found their place amidst the stifling heat and dust. Few complain about the lack of resources, rather they appreciate the richness of the experience of outback life.

While TV and movies sometimes romanticise the outback, Nurses of the Outback is a warts and all take on medical services in the most remote areas of Australia.Yet it's overall tone is very positive, celebrating those health professional brave enough to venture off the beaten track and serve these remote communities. It also serves to remind those of us in urban areas just what health services we take for granted.

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Since the early 1900’s there have always been nurses in the outback. These nurses are courageous, adventurous, strong, reliable and responsible nurturers of people of the outback.”
The book introduces us to 15 such people who without exception have an amazing story to tell. I so enjoyed reading about them. Often they tend to be unsung heroes who deserve to be recognized for the amazing job they do in nursing in remote areas of Australia.
This book was truly inspiring and I have no hesitation in recommending it to others to read. I read it for our January Book Club meeting where the theme was Non-fiction.

[Toni · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author Annabelle Brayley, herself a registered nurse, gives an excellent portrayal of the varied and diverse working and community lives of remote area nurses in Australia. As a past remote area nurse I can truly say that the stories related provide a vivid, realistic and honest account of situations in which nurses find themselves in the outback. Annabelle captures the ordinary to the extraordinary and give readers a rare insight into the challenges nurses, their families and communities often face "in the middle of nowhere".

[Alice Derrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great stories and accounts of the nurses working in the Outback. A lot of those people weren't sure about their careers post school, they became nurses and fell in love with it and the communities they worked in.

[Keryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved reading this book, I thought it was going to be all about the actual nursing and was not expecting to learn so much about the women and how they came to be where they are. Well written and very enjoyable

[Fiona · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book more than I did. The various stories were interesting enough but the style of writing left me wanting more emotion and connection with these nurses.

[Karen Smith]

A good read!

[David Keal · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting insight into outback nursing and the challenges of the daily lives of these incredible people.

[Heidi · Rating 3 out of 5]

The writing of the book wasn't fantastic, but I LOVED the stories about what these amazing men and women deal with on a daily basis in remote areas of this beautiful country.

[Diane in Australia · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Stars = I liked the book. I'm glad I read it.