Caboolture Hospital nurse Colleen Herrmann celebrates 50 years of service

In 1975, ABBA visited Australia, the song ‘Mama Mia’ shot to number one on the charts, and the movie ‘Jaws’ was a box office hit at the cinemas.

It was also the year that Caboolture Hospital ward 2A Nurse Unit Manager Colleen Herrmann started as a student nurse at the Princess Alexandra Hospital.

Colleen then worked at Redcliffe Hospital for 20 years, before arriving at Caboolture Hospital in 2000 taking up various nursing roles.

As the Nurse Unit Manager of ward 2A at Caboolture Hospital, Colleen manages the nursing team that care for a variety of elective and emergency surgical patients, on a ward that consists of 30 inpatient beds and has a high patient turnover rate.

A young Colleen once contemplated life as a nun, and briefly considered law, but always gravitated back to nursing.

“People say it’s a calling, I think it’s more of an essence of one’s being, I’ve always wanted to be a nurse,” Colleen said.

After 50 years, Colleen still feels that strong commitment to nursing, and her work family.

“When you start work as a nurse, it’s a commitment for unwell people,” she said.

“They depend on you to help them through the hard times.”

During Colleen’s time at Caboolture Hospital, she has mentored countless peers.

Colleen credits her work family for helping her get through the passing of her late husband’s cancer battle.

“I wouldn’t have got through the passing of my late husband if it weren’t for this place and the people I work with,” she added.

“Going through his 10-year journey with cancer really gave me an insight into how others are feeling – everyone goes through their own grief, but you can understand their emotions and the highs and lows better.”

Celebrating 50 years does not mean retiring anytime soon for Colleen, who in fact, does not show any signs of slowing down.

“I wake up at 5am every morning, have my breakfast and go to work – I don’t know what I would do with myself if I retired!”