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Navigating the healthcare system can be overwhelming, but the Nurse Navigator Service is making a significant difference for those with complex medical and social needs in the Darling Downs community.
Acting as liaisons between consumers and the many organisations and specialists providing care in the community, Nurse Navigators have a unique role and set of skills to assist with the “big picture” solutions for each person in their care.
Kay, a long-time local, has seen her life transformed through the support of Darling Downs Health Mental Health Nurse Navigator, Con Harriman.
Living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema, osteoarthritis, and a history of trauma, Kay often found herself in hospital due to a lack of coping strategies.
That changed when she was referred to the Darling Downs Health Nurse Navigator Service nearly four years ago.
“My coping skills when something happened were not very good. I ended up in hospital many times because of my mental health,” Kay said.
“I was put in touch with Con Harriman and my life started to look up.”
As part of the Nurse Navigator Service, Con has been able to connect Kay with aged care services, a physiotherapist, and a dietician. Managing her medications is no longer overwhelming, and, most importantly, Kay has received a life-changing diagnosis.
“Con has helped me to see an Occupational Therapist who finally diagnosed me with autism,” Kay said.
“To go through my life knowing there was something wrong, but not knowing what it was, made life a lot harder than it should have been. It wasn’t picked up until I was 62.
“I will always be grateful to Con for doing that. I will never be able to thank her enough,” she said.
For Con, the role is about more than just healthcare—it’s about trust and consistency.
“I help people with complex medical and social issues, many of whom have lost faith in the system. We work to rebuild that trust,”
Darling Downs Health Mental Health Nurse Navigator, Con Harriman
When Kay first joined the service, she would call Con multiple times a day, struggling to manage daily life. Now, she calls just one to three times a week.
“Kay has developed problem-solving skills, and seeing her growth has been incredibly rewarding,” Con said.
The Nurse Navigator Service has also reduced hospital visits – not just for Kay, but for many others like her across the Darling Downs region.
On average, community members who engaged with the Darling Downs Health Nurse Navigator Service for 12 months were 37.1 per cent less likely to present to hospital emergency departments than they were before.
The service has also increased attendance at outpatient department appointments – an outcome Con attributed to improved trust in the system and recognising gaps in health literacy.
“Some of the people we work with don’t have the ability to read text messages, so they will drop off the outpatient department referral list if they have not responded to text messages about an appointment,” Con said.
“Or they may live three hours away from the hospital where the appointment is booked but have no transport to get there.
“As Nurse Navigators, we have the unique ability to look at the big picture for the person, and to use our problem-solving skills and knowledge to help build trust back into each person’s experience of the healthcare system,” she said.
Despite multiple unsuccessful National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) applications, Con remains determined to secure long-term support for Kay.
“At 62, we’re now pursuing aged care support. Once a stable plan is in place, Kay won’t need as much help from me,” Con said.
For Kay, the service – and Con’s support – has been life changing.
“It has been a long road, but Con never gave up on me. I don’t know where I’d be without her,” she said.
Find out more about the Nurse Navigator Service: www.health.qld.gov.au/ocnmo/nursing/nurse-midwife-navigators.