Alyce Jackson from the School of Nursing and Midwifery is completing her final undergraduate clinical placement with the Borroloola Community Health Centre in the Gulf of Carpentaria, approximately 850 kilometres south east of Darwin, on the McArthur River.

The undergraduate Bachelor of Nursing program requires students to complete a total of 800 hours of clinical placement. Alyce is completing her final 160 hours of placement as part of NURS3273 and will fly into Alice Springs on 17 October 2011 before driving for more than a day via the Stuart Highway to reach Borroloola. That drive is likely to be quite an adventure in itself with Alyce travelling with the mail as part of the Borroloola mail run.

Alyce's journey to Borroloola began in March this year when she represented BREATHHE (Bringing Rural Experience and Awareness to Hunter Health Education) at the National Rural Health Conference held in Perth. At the conference Alyce worked with CRANAplus (Council of Remote Area Nurses of Australia) and representatives from other Australian Universities to facilitate her upcoming clinical placement in Borroloola.

While in Borroloola, Alyce will work at the Community Health Centre, managed by the Northern Territory Government Department of Health and Community Services. The Community Health Centre provides essential Primary Health Care services to approximately 300 people in the town and over 1600 people in surrounding outstations, communities and cattle stations.

Alyce was also awarded the Tami Stone Scholarship in 2011 and is using the scholarship to help fund her travel expenses while her accommodation will be provided by the Northern Territory Government's Department of Health.

Borroloola is a historic town that is the considered to be the gateway to the Gulf region and is famous for its excellent fishing and lead, zinc and silver deposits.

The School of Nursing and Midwifery wishes Alyce all the best and looks forward to hearing about her experiences when she returns on 13 November 2011.