University Department of Rural Health (UDRH), Northern Territory

Nursing and Allied Health students

The University Department of Rural Health team provides support and assistance to allied health and nursing students, their universities and clinical supervisors to maximise the outcomes of clinical placements in the Northern Territory.

Students from any university or health-related course are welcome to access our services. In the past we have assisted with placements from the Red Centre to the Top End for students from disciplines such as nursing, physiotherapy, speech pathology, pharmacy, podiatry and nutrition and dietetics.

Planning for placement

Discover which of our sites interests you the most.

Book your placement through your normal university channels.

Complete your university requirements for placement.

Work with your university placement team and placement host organisation to verify the compliance documents needed for an NT placement (for example see here.)

Register with ntplacements@flinders.edu.au so that we may link you into cultural training and other placement support services, and let you know about activities and services in your area.

For information regarding accommodation assistance please visit the accommodation portal

Financial Assistance – Nursing and Allied Health

We recognise that travelling away from your usual residence can incur additional costs. You are expected to cover your own travel, accommodation, insurance (both health and professional indemnity) and living costs associated with completion of your placement in the Northern Territory.

There are a number of grants and scholarships available to support your placement in the NT.

Grants and Scholarships

The following information is intended as a guide and may help assist with some of the additional costs.

See the links below to check eligibility criteria and locate application forms. This list is just a start and you are advised to also check with your home University about potential grants.

Travel support

In some cases University faculty funding or government grants may be available to assist with travel to and from rural and remote placement sites. Please contact your University placement coordinator for more information.

If completing a placement at Nhulunbuy, Katherine or Tennant Creek, students are expected to pay for travel to the nearest major centre (Darwin or Alice Springs) and Flinders NT can help with the cost of travel to/from the remote site at the beginning and end of placement. Applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis so contact our placement office for more information as soon as your placement is confirmed.

Remote visits

At times there may be an opportunity to travel to remote locations as part of your placement. Flinders NT may be able to assist with travel and accommodation costs associated with these visits if they fall within the normal expected role of your supervisor. We encourage you to attend in order to maximise your learning opportunities. Applications for support for remote visits are assessed on a case-by-case basis. Contact our placement officers for more information.

Bike hire

Bicycles are available for hire at some of our placement sites. Contact our placement officers for more information.

More information

Contact your placement office for more information: ntplacements@flinders.edu.au.

Student activities and events

Student Networking and Interprofessional Sessions (SNIPS)

Student Networking and Inter-Professional Sessions (SNIPS) are relaxed sessions where students can learn about remote practice and meet with students from other universities and disciplines.

Enjoy light refreshments while listening to speakers talk about their profession or experience in the Northern Territory. The sessions also provide a forum for students who are required to do presentations for their placement or who would like to share their own experiences.

SNIPS are held regularly at each of our placement sites. You will recieve emails about upcoming sessions after you register your placement with us.

Previous SNIPS sessions have covered a wide range of topics including:

P & O – More than just a Cruise Line (Prosthetics and Orthotics)
The Itchy and Scratchy Show (Crusted Scabies)
The Role of Occupational Therapy in Burns Rehab
Lipoedema, Lymphoedema or Obesity
Renal Therapies in the Top End
Working in Remote – is it a good fit for you?
Communicating with Clients with Dementia
Lessons Learned from Cyclone Marcus
Remote Area Nursing
Dialysis in the Desert – a hot topic
Organ Donation in the Northern Territory

Cultural workshops

Aboriginal culture is diverse and varies across Australia and between Northern Territory communities.

Flinders NT deliver free introductory workshops for students at each of our campus sites, which cover working with Aboriginal clients in the local context of clinical health services delivery.

There are multiple factors that influence the overall health and well-being in the Aboriginal population in Australia. Understanding these factors can contribute to better health outcomes for Aboriginal clients as health practitioners use more culturally safe, secure and holistic frameworks.

Training is focused on the local regional conten where your placement is based and covers working with Aboriginal clients in the context of clinical health services. As a result of the workforce diversity in the NT, the workshop will not focus on any one discipline. Students from all health disciplines and backgrounds are encouraged to attend and work through clinical conundrums which can be applied to respective work settings.

Participants are encouraged to contribute to the workshops through the sharing of experiences, by asking questions and through respectful discussion of topics and scenarios.

Register

You will recieve a booking for cultural training when you register your placement with us. This training is encouraged for all students and mandatory if you use our accomodation facilities.

Please contact ntplacements@flinders.edu.au for more information.

Escape rooms for education

Flinders NT has been using escape rooms to:

Engage high school students and provide insight into healthcare careers
Educate and encourage undergraduate students to gain skills and knowledge around team work, interprofessional practice, communication and rural healthcare
Provide training to new graduates in the Top End
Collaborate with other universities to provide activities that contribute to the quality of healthcare placements
Our research and presentations.

Pastrol care and mentoring support

Placement can be stressful, especially when you are a long way from home in a different environment. Our placement team are available to support you throughout your placement and offer local knowledge and someone to talk to.