Adj. Prof. Alanna Geary, Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer
Well hasn’t this week been a huge week as we celebrate all things Nursing and Midwifery.
Every day of this week I have walked the corridors of our facilities and can I just say thank you. Thank you for your collegiality your hospitality and the wonderful way I have been welcomed by you, my colleagues. What was striking as I walked around, was the commitment and care with which you approach your roles and the compassion and consideration that I witnessed as you went about your responsibilities.
Today we celebrate the birthdate of Florence Nightingale 12 May 1820. Florence is considered to be the founder of modern nursing. However, like our predecessor, nurses are so much more than “just” nurses. We wear many caps, and we are so instrumental and vital in not only the care of patients and support for families but also as key members of interdisciplinary teams. Our roles are multifaceted, multi-vocational and you as individuals are truly valued, not only by the patients who are cared by you but also your multidisciplinary colleagues and executives in the organisation.
Every day I found some wonderful examples of the way we do business and strong examples of professionalism and care. I met some wonderful nurses I share a couple of the photos with you from my day at Redcliffe. Tyson is one of our new graduate nurses and he told us that he is a fourth-generation nurse, but the first male in his family to take up the profession!
In addition, I met with some of our wonderful nursing students and Millicent and Jasmeet were very keen and eager as they undertook their clinical placements at Redcliffe. I met many others at all of our sites, from undergraduate through to nurses who have been working as long as I have, and many at various stages of their career.
Of interest to me was my visit to Cooinda House at Kippa-Ring. What a truly wonderful service with such committed individuals who work so hard to make the environment homelike and cheerful. There was such a feeling of togetherness and family. Well done, Cooinda.
Ashworth House at Zillmere was also a great example of how teams work together to meet the challenges of ageing or caring for people who can no longer care for themselves in their own homes. I could go on and on. I was so proud of you, the work you do and our wonderful profession.
Keep up the great work, keep challenging the status quo, continue to innovate and develop yourselves, your teams and your services.
So, as we end the week today, 12 May – International Nurses Day, please give yourself a big pat on the back, congratulate yourself on a job well done and say thank you to each other. Remember individually we are all small cogs in a wheel, but collectively we need to continue to work with our interdisciplinary colleagues and become the glue that makes our health service, the biggest, the best and the nicest.
Finally, the mornings are chilly, and the daytime temperatures are dropping. It is primetime for respiratory illnesses, so I would encourage you to go and get your flu shot and, if you are due, a COVID-19 booster. Our wonderful vaccinators are very willing to put a very tiny needle in your arm to provide some protection to you from these illnesses. Protect yourself in the first instance, but if we all do it, we will also protect the patients and families that attend our services.
HAPPY INTERNATIONAL NURSES DAY 2023!
Alanna.