“I have been nursing for 43 years after commencing my training in 1974. For the past 36 years I have been working as a midwife.”
Catholic Super member Jeanette has seen plenty of changes since she began her nursing career. As she starts preparing for retirement, we’ve asked her to share some of her stories and insights for International Nurses Day 2021, which is taking place Wednesday 12 May.
Looking back to simpler times
The job market was somewhat different back when Jeanette first started. After making an initial job enquiry at a hospital on a Friday in 1974, she commenced training on the Monday. Despite other job applications being accepted, the nursing career was always the right move.
The job market isn’t the only thing that’s changed in the subsequent decades. As Jeanette explains, “There have been many changes with nursing, including clinical situations, equipment, medications, operative procedures and legalities. The changes would have to be documented in a very large book. One aspect of nursing I was taught that has not changed is the focus on quality, safe patient care, with compassion, respect and dignity for everyone. Treat all as if they are your own precious family.”
COVID-19 and the resilience of front-line workers
The theme for International Nurses Day 2021 is A Voice to Lead – a Vision for Future Healthcare. For Jeanette that means, “Practising nurses need to be heard [when it comes to] training our younger generation. The expense of university training is a large hurdle for younger generations, and I’m always hearing from student nurses how lucky we were to train in a hospital setting while experiencing everyday hospital life and situations.”
Jeanette believes that nursing is more than just a job. But the job for many nurses has definitely been challenging since the arrival of COVID-19.
Nurses have been on the frontline of that fight and, as Jeanette notes, “I really don’t know if the majority of the community really appreciates the work nurses do. Especially when you hear people complain about wearing the masks shopping. I truly do not know how the medical staff in full protection gear can work. The hot conditions, difficulty in communicating, movement, dehydration, need for nutrition, toilet-breaks and nursing complex cases are only a few of the demands on these workers. Many nurses work in extremely busy areas with no or little meal breaks and clients that may be very demanding or have lack of respect for the staff.”
“On the other hand, despite the busy or stressful shifts there will always be the clients and families who appreciate everything that is done for them which is rewarding for all.”
