When First Nations woman Darsha Beetson began her nursing career 35 years ago, she never imagined seeing the health system incorporate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways into patient care delivery.
Today, that dream has become reality.
The proud Wiradjuri, Gubbi Gubbi Clinical Nurse Consultant created a groundbreaking model of care that led to the establishment of the MOB Emergency Department (ED) at Queensland Children’s Hospital (QCH).
Opened in February 2023, the MOB ED is a culturally safe emergency care pathway designed specifically for First Nations families.
The initiative has since become a resounding success, fully led and staffed by First Nations people.
Queensland Children’s Hospital has partnered with the Institute of Urban Indigenous Health as part of its commitment to achieve Health Equity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Co-designed with First Nations people and clinicians, the services which includes cultural education for staff, aims to improve immediate and ongoing health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients.
The MOB ED team won the 2024 Queensland Health Awards for Excellence - First Nations Award in 2024 and has recently marked their 5,000th equity action, which improves cultural safety and care.
“I was excited to develop a model of care that creates a culturally safe pathway for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children,” Darsha said.
“It was a big step to ask the system to change so that we can ensure our people are better seen and care delivery is improved.”
Darsha said MOB ED’s holistic approach to healthcare delivery ensured culture and community was considered just as important as clinical care.
Darsha explained that the program is not just about treating illness but also about addressing the broader social determinants of health.
“It’s about looking at our social determinants of health, providing health promotion and recommendation, and also about improved access to care in the community,” she said.
As a clinician with 35 years of experience, Darsha acknowledged the impact her Aboriginal descent has on her own health.
“I face higher rates of sepsis, diabetes, suicide, and other health issues, including a life expectancy nearly eight years less than other Australian women,” she said.
“The burden of disease needs to be considered in the delivery of healthcare by all staff and my lived experience gives me a unique perspective on the importance of culturally safe care.
“I’ve worked all over Queensland in different communities and I have always dreamed of seeing something like MOB ED, that values Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and community.
“It’s certainly not how health looked like when I started, so I’m happy to see the shift towards Health Equity.”
Darsha was proud to be a nurse leader at the forefront of this transformation.
“We have seen a real shift in staff understanding the importance of culturally safe care delivery and our allies helping provide health equity actions,” she said.
Since the commencement of the MOB ED, more than 7300 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders have attended QCH with 3,282 being seen by a MOB ED health worker.
Patient feedback includes comments such as “I feel culturally safe yarning to an Aboriginal worker” and “it’s really nice to have the Indigenous nurse call me a few days later to ask how bub was doing. I felt very understood”.
The QCH Emergency Department patient and family feedback survey highlighted the positive experience of families and kin of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients seen by MOB ED. Feedback showed 90 per cent they felt culturally and spiritually safe during their visit, and 87 per cent reported that they were satisfied that the ED staff treated them with care and compassion.
For more information about MOB ED, call 1800 254 354 or download the Mob Link App to your device.