{"id":979,"date":"2025-09-23T09:24:33","date_gmt":"2025-09-22T23:24:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ruralhealth.org.au\/partyline\/?p=979"},"modified":"2025-09-23T09:24:33","modified_gmt":"2025-09-22T23:24:33","slug":"a-kombi-a-calling-and-a-community-one-nurses-journey-through-rural-aged-care","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ruralhealth.org.au\/partyline\/a-kombi-a-calling-and-a-community-one-nurses-journey-through-rural-aged-care\/","title":{"rendered":"A Kombi, a calling, and a community: One nurse\u2019s journey through rural aged care"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

When Helen Pollard left her CEO role in Tasmania\u2019s aged care sector in 2024, she traded boardrooms for backroads – embarking on a nomadic adventure in a 50-year-old Volkswagen Kombi van. Armed with a lifetime of experience in emergency care, aged care management and community services, Helen set off to explore Australia, one short-term role at a time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI wanted to see more of the country, but I didn\u2019t want to stop contributing,\u201d Helen says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo I thought, why not take what I\u2019ve learned in my long career on the road?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Helen is part of a quiet but powerful movement. Experienced health professionals bringing leadership, energy, and care to Australia\u2019s remote and under-served communities. She whetted her appetite with around 20 short stints in homes in Tasmania before jumping on the ferry for the mainland. Next it was placements in homes in Bendigo and Corryong in Victoria\u2019s High Country before a LinkedIn connection suggested Broken Hill<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Helen is now the Residential Manager at St Anne\u2019s Nursing home, a 90-bed home operated by Southern Cross Care and she\u2019s stayed far longer than she first expected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI signed on for three to six months,\u201d she laughs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m now in month 11 of that six-month contract. But I really feel like I\u2019ve lived here, not just passed through.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Life and work in the outback<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Helen, the real difference in rural work isn\u2019t just clinical, it\u2019s cultural.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn places like Broken Hill, you don\u2019t just go to work. You become part of the community,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhether it\u2019s running with the running club, joining a fundraiser, or biking out to Silverton with a group of retirees, there\u2019s always a way in if you\u2019re willing to say yes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She believes this community integration is a crucial factor in workforce retention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you isolate yourself, it\u2019s a hard road. But if you make the effort\u2014go to the local pub, support local events\u2014you get so much back. You\u2019re not just a worker, you\u2019re a neighbour.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And in a sector where relationships matter, that connection extends to residents and families.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAged care isn\u2019t transactional,\u201d she says. \u201cIt\u2019s about the whole person\u2014their history, their family, their comfort at the end of life. Being in a smaller community lets you really honour that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why rural roles attract (and keep) talent<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Helen sees real potential for rural aged care to attract a new generation of health professionals, especially those open to leadership.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn regional roles, you often get more exposure, more responsibility, and more variety,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere\u2019s less red tape, and because teams are smaller, your contribution is visible. You can often step into senior roles faster.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And while rural posts may not always come with the same level of infrastructure or professional support, Helen argues the gap is closing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWith online learning, telehealth, and good peer networks, you\u2019re never really out of touch. And the life outside work? It\u2019s slower, less stressful, more grounded.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her advice to others considering the move?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTry it. Come for a short-term contract or placement. Say yes to the BBQs, the book clubs, the bike rides. The community will meet you halfway.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The road ahead<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Helen\u2019s next stop is uncertain and that suits her just fine. Somewhere north, perhaps Queensland, possibly Cairns \u2026 definitely warm. But one thing is clear; her Kombi isn\u2019t just a mode of transport. It\u2019s a symbol of purpose, portability, and a very personal commitment to supporting aged care where it\u2019s needed most.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cRural communities deserve great care,\u201d Helen says. \u201cAnd they have so much to give in return.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n

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