Renal nurses in Mount Isa are gaining advanced, hands-on training through a cross-hospital collaboration between North West Hospital and Health Service, Townsville Hospital and Health Service and Metro South Hospital and Health Service.
Following the success of previous training partnerships, the initiative has seen 6 Mount Isa-based nurses undertake specialised haemodialysis training at tertiary facilities over 6-weeks, including Princess Alexandra Hospital and Townsville University Hospital, building critical skills to support patients closer to home.
The training provides exposure to high-acuity environments, large multidisciplinary teams, and complex dialysis care, which is an experience that is not always available in smaller, rural settings.
North West HHS Assistant Director of Nursing Renal, Gary Torrens, said the partnership was an important step in strengthening local capability and ensuring sustainable renal services for the region.
“This collaboration allows our nurses to build advanced clinical skills in larger hospitals and bring that knowledge back to the North West,” Mr Torrens said.
“It means our patients can access high-quality renal care closer to home, without needing to travel long distances wherever possible.”
Clinical Nurse Consultant Yazan Hedeq notes that the initiative builds on previous successful collaborations and forms part of a broader strategy to develop a sustainable local workforce and reduce reliance on temporary staffing models.
“While agency nurses can provide short-term support, we saw a real opportunity to invest in our own workforce,” said Mr Hedeq.
“By creating a clinical educator on site and partnering with metro services, we’ve been able to upskill nurses from across our hospital who have an interest in renal care, including a First Year Practice nurse. This approach not only strengthens our service now, but builds long-term capability within our local team.”
The opportunity also highlights the strength of partnerships across Queensland’s public health system, with metro and regional services working together to support workforce development in rural and remote areas.
During placements, nurses gain practical experience in managing dialysis machines, responding to complications, and working alongside specialist renal teams.
For participating nurses, the experience offers both professional growth and a deeper understanding of how renal services operate across different settings.
Following completion of their training, nurses return to Mount Isa Hospital, where they contribute to local renal services and outreach care across the region.
This includes supporting patients in remote communities, helping ensure access to essential, life-sustaining treatment closer to where they live.
The initiative reflects a shared commitment across health services to strengthen rural healthcare and support the delivery of safe, high-quality care for patients across Queensland.