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• “BARRAMUNDI” THEMES – billabong; fishing; respite; remote community; outback Australia (part 6 of Remote Nursing NT series)

• “WET & DRY“ THEMES – Weather conditions; Health concerns; Remote Northern Territory; Australia (part 5 of Remote Nursing NT series)

• “LIVING CONDITIONS – BELOW PAR! “THEMES – Housing; Health Education; Living Conditions; Illness factors (part 4 of Remote Nursing NT series)

• “A CHRISTMAS UPSET“ THEMES – Remote Area Nursing; Premature Birth; Lack of Resources (part 3 of Remote Nursing NT series)

• “OVERWHELMED & UNDER-RESOURCED!” THEMES – Remote Aboriginal Community; Health care provision; demands; health programs; stress (part 2 of Remote Nursing NT series)

• “CULTURE SHOCK” THEMES – Health; Aboriginal Commuity; Remote Nursing; Alcohol; Culture; Adjustment and Coping (part 1 of Remote Nursing NT series)

• “MENTAL HEALTH IN THE DARK AGES” THEMES – Mental Health;  Institutions; Cricket; Patient care (part 1 of Mental Health series)

• “EMOTIONAL DRAFTING EXPLAINED” THEMES – Therapy; Self Help; eBook; Lifeskills; Health; Strategies

• “THE 2 DIFFERENT WORLDS OF WRITING & PROMOTING” THEMES – Writing; Promoting; Authors; Social media

• “SPECIAL DELIVERY” THEMES – Mental Health; Self Harm; Schizophrenia; Clinic (part 8 of Mental Health series)

• “BATHROOM BLOOD” THEMES – Mental Health; institutions; violence; staff brutality (part 7 of Mental Health series)

• “THE PAINT JOB” THEMES – Mental Health; Institutions; Theft; Institutionalisation; Chronic staff (part 6 of Mental Health series)

• “THE OUTING” THEMES – Mental Health; Outings; Trips; Travel; lost patients (part 5 of Mental Health series)

• “(IT’S ALL ABOUT) SHAVING FACE” THEMES – Mental Health; Institutions; routine; mistreatment; deception (part 4 of Mental Health series)

• “GOING POTTY!” THEMES – Mental Health; Institutions; toileting; chores; cleaning (part 3 of Mental Health series)

• “INSTITUTION SACRIFICED DIGNITY” THEMES – Mental Health; Institutions; bathing; hygiene; saving water; poor health care (part 2 of Mental Health series)

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A remote nursing experience in the NT Australia (part 6)

Running the health clinic and the multitude of health programs is both challenging and demanding, so when the opportunity to get away on the weekend presents itself we were quick to grab it.

While the road trip was often bumpy and dusty arriving at a remote billabong was well worth the ride.

Read the rest of this entry

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A remote nursing experience in the NT Australia (part 5)

Many people say that in the Northern Territory there are only two seasons – the “wet” and the “dry”. From a health point of view both these times have their own set of challenges.

A massive storm approaches during the "build up"

The “build up” is a period of extended hot days or weeks with frequent violent storms preceeding the “wet” season. Read the rest of this entry

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A remote nursing experience in the NT Australia (part 4)

Unfortunately one of the immediate tragedies to greet unsuspecting visitors in a remote aboriginal community is the standard of living – in particular the housing.

Being used to the middle class areas of cities and suburbia it is extremely confronting and disturbing to see families living in broken down dwellings with broken fixtures, windows, walls, ceilings etc. To add to this the filth and untidiness in many homes is hard to come to terms with. Read the rest of this entry

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A remote nursing experience in the NT Australia (part 3)

Christmas approaches along with the “wet” season and our first 3 months is behind us. It has been constantly busy with 10 hour days and many “call outs” after hours.

Medi-vac plane - an unfortunate but necessary frequent visitor! (me in my best working outfit)

Our first baby was born – premature and weighing just 900 grams. During our efforts at resuscitation the oxygen supply ran out! We were aware of the shortage but our requests for more had gone unfullfilled from town (500 klms away). Read the rest of this entry

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A remote nursing experience in the NT Australia (part 1)

It was my first day at the health clinic in a remote aboriginal community in the Northern Territory. I was the nurse in charge. No orientation program could prepare you for this! Read the rest of this entry

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Emotional Drafting is the term used to describe a collection of strategies that can be designed and adapted to manage various emotional difficulties.

There is an emphasis on relaxation (referred to as the “Basic Draft”) as the cornerstone to developing other personal tools that can be used to make significant positive changes in managing stress, conflict and coping difficulties. In addition users of Emotional Drafting can recreate a state of mind or a feeling they once had and use this to manage problems that affect their lives today.

The tools in Emotional Drafting are referred to as “Drafts”. Some of these are:

• The Basic Draft
• The Reliving Draft
• The Draft of Creation
• The Thoughtful Draft
• The Writing Draft

Some of these can be done with ease, while others require re-reading and practice. However with a little effort the skill can be perfected and used to great effect.

For further information – to purchase the eBook – or to grab a free sample click HERE! There is also an Emotional Drafting link on the menu bar in this website.

Bob Goodwin

(Subscriptions to Stories And Plays welcome! FREE – Click Here)

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Writing and Promoting are worlds apart! It is a close call to say which would be the most challenging.

As for the challenging part I don’t mind that so much as it gives me a sense of purpose and stimulates my thinking. Read the rest of this entry

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A reflection on some personal experience (Mental Health series – part 8 )

Okay – BE WARNED right now this is NOT a happy story. If blood and stuff upset you don’t read this! This is NOT SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN!!

It was a day pretty much like any other. The Community Mental Health clinic was in full swing with patients lined up waiting to see the psychiatrist who was already running an hour behind schedule.

I was on call this day for any random drop ins or urgent call outs.  At around 11am Keith unexpectedly presented himself to reception and asked quite calmly if he could see one of the workers. Read the rest of this entry