Adj. Prof. Alanna Geary, Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer
On Sunday 12 May 2024 we celebrate International Nurses Day. This year the theme of the International Congress of Nurses for this significant day is Our Nurses. Our future. The economic power of care.
What a poignant and appropriate theme for our wonderful profession. To quote ICN, “The economic power of care which creates healthy people and societies and drives healthy economies”. We are living in a world somewhat post-COVID and certainly our currently very interesting economy means that healthcare must be at the forefront of everyone’s minds. Health professionals including our nurses, midwives and our health colleagues, including medical and allied health staff, must ensure that our care is fiscally responsible but able to meet the needs of the community it provides for. We are very fortunate in Metro North to have a senior executive team who greatly value the contribution of nurses and their importance in keeping our community well, and when individuals do become unwell, having the ability to provide care right through the continuum. We need to ensure that as a profession we work tirelessly to support our workforces to ensure that we can provide longevity of the profession and ensure career satisfaction. Our new graduate nurses are the future and as “older” professionals like me leave and transition into the next stages of our lives it is imperative that we continue to grow and nurture our newest professionals.
As we celebrate this week and into next week, I want you to reflect on the amazing jobs that you do every single day. On Sunday last week we celebrated with our midwifery colleagues and this Sunday it is our nurses’ turn. I acknowledge and thank you for what you do, for what you contribute, and what you sacrifice to make Metro North the health service that it is. Enjoy your special day!
Farewell Gladys Akhurst
As we celebrate International Nurses Day, it’s fitting that we spotlight one of the nursing stalwarts in Metro North, Gladys Akhurst. This week Gladys finished up a 55-year nursing career, including the last 30 years at TPCH!
Gladys began her nursing training at Mt Isa Base Hospital in 1968 and has also worked in Brisbane, Darwin, Alice Springs, Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, London and Singapore. She is one of Queensland’s longest-serving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander registered nurses.
Her contribution to nursing and TPCH has been both professional, training graduate nurses, and personal, keeping the theatre tearoom cupboards stocked so her colleagues don’t miss meals on busy shifts. I am told her farewell afternoon tea was extremely well catered!
Thank you, Gladys, and congratulations on your retirement!
Warm regards,
Alanna.