Summary
Wulli Wulli woman Ida Bligh is one of Central Queensland Health’s emerging First Nations leaders, striving for culturally-capable healthcare for all her consumers, wherever they live.
Ida has nearly 20 years of experience in nursing across a variety of settings including tertiary hospitals, corrections and the defence force.
Since 2020, Ida has been a driving force behind Central Queensland Health’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nurse Navigator Service. She says her role has helped her discover a passion of making healthcare more accessible for rural and remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
She cares for paediatric patients, all the way through to adults and aged care consumers, helping them overcome the challenge of distance from larger facilities in managing chronic and high-risk conditions.
“Communities that are more isolated always experience gaps in the care they can access, compared to the larger centres. We provide an outreach for vital services but it’s also about offering a friendly, familiar face to build trust.
“Trust is crucial for us to walk with them on their healthcare journey in a culturally appropriate way, and there’s no quick fix. We build that through sitting, talking and listening.”
Earlier this year, Ida was successful in her nomination for the inaugural cohort of the Tjurtu First Nations Nursing and Midwifery Leadership program, delivered by First Nations Nursing and Midwifery Consulting and supported by Queensland Health’s Office of the Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer.
Delivered over multiple workshops in person and online between May and August this year, the program brings together emerging leaders from over 30 Nations around Queensland to advance cultural resurgence, leadership, and healing in their nursing and midwifery practice.
“I’ve wanted to do something like Tjurtu for a while now, but I never had enough confidence to seek out opportunities. I’ve always seen myself as a worker, not a leader.
“It was inspiring to meet and network with peers from all over Queensland, who are at similar stages of their career as me and who have similar aspirations in terms of what they’re trying to achieve in their communities.”
Ida says a unique challenge for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander healthcare workers is the feeling of walking ‘between two worlds’ in their work – maintaining cultural connections with communities while also working in partnership with the complex network of services her consumers need to access.
“The Tjurtu program is a chance to lean on each other for knowledge and experiences that help us collaborate better and make sure our models of care are culturally appropriate.
“It’s opened my eyes to policies, and started my thinking around how First Nations communities and workforce fit into those policies, plus how they can inform and contribute to their development.”
Ida isn’t sure what her next steps look like, but she says her newfound interest in policies and passion for rural and remote health will support her to keep growing, and she’s thankful for the Tjurtu program in giving her that confidence.
“I’m still finding my path but I know how much I love seeing young First Nations nurses and health professionals coming through, that makes me so proud.”
Central Queensland Health is proud to celebrate our future healthcare leaders like Ida, who embody the 2025 NAIDOC Week theme ‘The Next Generation: Strength, Vision and Legacy.’