Day to thank aged care nurses
Carinity and Salvation Army Aged Care are among providers celebrating, showcasing and awarding their nursing staff this week, in recognition of International Nurses Day on 12 May.
Former pre-school teacher turned end-of-life home care nurse Catherine Lee has been supporting Bundaberg seniors at not-for-profit organisation Carinity for seven years. She transitioned to end-of-life home care after realising she had accomplished all she had wanted “as far as teaching was concerned.”
Ms Lee said she had not considered nursing until a colleague encouraged her to try it.
“It was not on my radar, but I did some research and decided to start slowly. I enrolled at the local TAFE and never looked back. I loved it,” Ms Lee said.
“Community nursing allows you to build a rapport and build strong relationships that you don’t get to do in a more formal setting,” she added.
Ms Lee said she and her fellow end-of-life home care nurses provide holistic and individualised care, ensuring people are comfortable and safe in their own home.
“I enjoy getting to know each and every client. Often, they are sick, vulnerable and lonely. The joy I receive from helping to foster independence – whether it be through seeing a wound healed or sitting and letting a lonely elderly person talk – brings me joy each day.”
Unlike Ms Lee, her colleague Helen Kinch said the desire to be a nurse had been a constant in her life.
“My first job after school was working at the local nursing home. During our breaks we would sit in the courtyard or the library and talk with the residents. It was a special time for me,” she said.
“I have worked across most clinical environments including private, public and community nursing. Each new experience teaches you a little more about yourself and how you connect with others.
“What I most enjoy about being a nurse is the little things, from the first hello to the last goodbye. It’s the consumers’s stories, heartfelt gratitude and being able to assist them in a small way to achieve good health and improved quality of life.”
Sapana Hamal has worked at the faith-based, community care provider’s Clifford House residential aged care community in Brisbane for six years, saying it requires a lot of kindness, compassion and empathy.
“We not only make the residents’ day better, but we also make a positive difference to their overall quality of life, which is profoundly rewarding,” Ms Hamal said.
“Working with others in a role that feels like it truly means something is an important life pursuit. For me, there is no real substitute for the intensely rewarding nature of working with the elderly.”
Carinity’s executive manager of residential aged care Heidi Wiebe thanked the provider’s nurses for their inspiring dedication, compassion and resilience.
“Their tireless efforts are not only appreciated by our residents and their families but also by the entire Carinity team. The impact nurses make on the lives of countless individuals is profound and deeply valued,” she said. “Today, and every day, we honour and appreciate the invaluable contributions of nurses worldwide.”
Salvos recognise nursing excellence
Meanwhile at the Salvation Army’s residential aged care sites, nurses were acknowledged through an Excellence in Nursing Award event, said head of aged care Angela Raguz.
The award targets a Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia registered staff member who demonstrates excellence, acts as a role model to peers, establishes strong relationships with the clinical team and the wider organisation, as well as residents, clients, and their representatives, and puts forward continual improvement initiatives while seeking professional development.
Nurses were nominated by their manager and a nurse from the territorial headquarters team and then endorsed. Celebrations for the winners, announced on 12 May, included a morning and afternoon tea for day staff, and a midnight snack for the night shift.
“Caring from the heart, for me as a nurse, is about empathy,” said Ms Raguz. “It’s about knowing and understanding every individual and thinking about what meets that person’s needs. It’s not always what we think is best; it’s often about listening and relating to what the other person wants.”
Do you have an aged care industry award to share? Send us the details and images to editorial@australianageingagenda.com.au
